Weekend Stuff Nov. 29-Dec.3: A Past Travels Calendar

POTTSTOWN PA – Plunging temperatures and the dusting of snow that preceded the weekend have already made it clear: Old Man Winter is ready to settle into the greater Pottstown area. The thermometer may briefly bounce up and down for awhile yet, and the calendar may claim winter won’t arrive until Dec. 21, but we know what lies ahead.

It’s time, then, to plan for the season’s serious fun. There’s no better way to wait out the weather than to be entertained despite it!

This edition of “Weekend Stuff to Do on The Travels Calendar” includes about 50 events that anticipate the holiday spirit, the joy of getting out locally with the family and friends, and the prospect of sampling new experiences and tastes.

Take in a Twelfth Night Tour at Pottsgrove Manor. Learn more about the region’s Pennsylvania German roots, and how they shaped Christmas celebrations. Be dazzled by any one of several walk- or drive-through light shows. Still searching for just the right gift for a special someone? Buy it locally from small business owners, or at craft and maker markets still scheduled in Montgomery, Berks and Chester counties.

Some weekend events are free. Some have fees (labeled as “ticketed”). Some have limitations, registrations, or other conditions. Some may be affected by weather conditions (hint: if unsure, call before you go). Each weekend listing includes a link for more information.

Hobby horse ornament photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash, used under license

Thursday, Nov. 30

• WSFS Bank Food Drive, collections accepted through Dec. 31 (2023) during bank business days and hours at its branches in Phoenixville, Oaks and Audubon, benefits area food banks and pantries, 124 Main St., Phoenixville PA
• Weekly “Scrabble” Game, 10-11:30 a.m., free and open to the public, held every Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. at Boyertown Community Library, 24 N. Reading Ave., Boyertown PA
• Twelfth Night Tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., donation suggested, Pottsgrove Manor transforms for the yuletide season and reveal the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party; the event marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany, includes guided tours of the manor to explore all aspects of the festivities, at the manor, 100 W. King St., Pottstown PA
• Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show, 5:30-10 p.m., ticketed, see a display of tens of thousands of lights and animated displays from the comfort of your own vehicle over a 60-acre, 1.1 mile route through a Christmas tree farm, lit and synchronized with holiday songs, runs Thursdays through Sundays (until Dec. 23) at Yeager’s Farm & Market, 1015 Pikesprings Rd., Phoenixville PA
• Free Bingo and Jackpot Buddies, starts at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 5 p.m.), ticketed, proceeds benefit Transplant Alliance Foundation Inc., at State Street Entertainment Hall, 651 State St., Pottstown PA
• Final Parent Cafe of 2023, 6-7:30 p.m., advance registration (in English or Spanish) required due to limited space, e-mail questions to PFCparentcafe@fsmontco.org, trained table hosts help parents and caregivers engage in group discussions to share parenting tips and learn ways to strengthen families, at Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 N. Hanover St., Pottstown PA
• Basic First Aid, CPR, and AED Certification Class, 6-8 p.m., ticketed and advance registration required, offered by Pottsgrove Recreation, receive basic all-in-one training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid, and use of an automated external defibrillator, at the Pottsgrove Middle School library, 1351 N. Hanover St., Pottstown PA

Friday, Dec. 1

• Christmas Market at the Mennonite Heritage Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., free to attend, featuring local artisan crafts and foods, in the center, 565 Yoder Rd., Harleysville PA
• Twelfth Night Tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., donation suggested, Pottsgrove Manor transforms for the yuletide season and reveal the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party; the event marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany, includes guided tours of the manor to explore all aspects of the festivities, at the manor, 100 W. King St., Pottstown PA
• History Storytime, 11 a.m. to noon, free but intended for preschool and kindergarten students, this month’s topic is “Quilting,” at the Visitors Center of the Daniel Boone Homestead, 400 Daniel Boone Road, Birdsboro PA
• Colebrookdale Railroad Excursions, three trips: start 2 p.m., “Engineer For A Day;” start 6:30 p.m., “Twas the Night Before Christmas;” and start 6:30 p.m., “Locomotive Express Cab Ride;” all ticketed (separately priced), at the railroad’s station, Washington and 3rd streets, Boyertown PA
• Free Admission Fridays at Christkindlmarkt, 5-8 p.m. only (usually ticketed), a German-themed holiday market with hundreds of vendors, operating annually for more than 30 years, held in heated tents on the SteelStacks campus (about an hour’s drive from Pottstown), 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem PA
• Illuminaire Nights, 5-9 p.m., free to attend, participating shops and restaurants with gifts for the choosing stay open until 9 p.m., luminaries line sidewalks outside to light the way for shoppers and diners, weekly on Fridays through Dec. 22, in Skippack Village, 4031 Skippack Pike, Skippack PA
• Wild Lights, 5-9 p.m., ticketed, enjoy light displays, carousel rides, live entertainment, meet zoo animals, snap photos with Santa, warm up at indoor exhibits including the Trail of the Jaguar and Habitat HQ, at Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown PA
• Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show, 5:30-10 p.m., ticketed, see a display of tens of thousands of lights and animated displays from the comfort of your own vehicle over a 60-acre, 1.1 mile route through a Christmas tree farm, lit and synchronized with holiday songs, runs Thursdays through Sundays (until Dec. 23) at Yeager’s Farm & Market, 1015 Pikesprings Rd., Phoenixville PA
• PTA Craft Show & Vendor Fair, 6:30-8:30 p.m., free to attend, in the gym at Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School, 1329 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA

Quilting photo by Dinh Pham on Unsplash, used by Travels With The Post under license

Saturday, Dec. 2

• “Anything With A Plug” Recycling Event, 9 a.m. to noon, items accepted by advance by registration only, at the Lower Salford municipal building, 379 Main St., Harleysville PA. Fees apply for some items.
• Christmas Market at the Mennonite Heritage Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., free to attend, featuring local artisan crafts and foods, in the center, 565 Yoder Rd., Harleysville PA
• Twelfth Night Tours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., donation suggested, Pottsgrove Manor transforms for the yuletide season and reveal the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party; the event marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany, includes guided tours of the manor to explore all aspects of the festivities, at the manor, 100 W. King St., Pottstown PA
• Christmas Market at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., free to attend, with crafts, folk art, books, and stocking stuffers, and also see its unique Pennsylvania German Putz display, in the library, 105 Seminary St., Pennsburg PA
• Christmas Market at the Goschenhoppen Historians, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., free to attend, handcrafted and vintage items for sale, along with fresh greens and its famous Christmas cookies, at Red Men’s Hall in The Folklife Museum, 116 Gravel Pike, Green Lane PA
• Colebrookdale Railroad Excursions, eight trips: start 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., “Santa’s Polar Bear Express;” start noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., “Locomotive Express Cab Ride;” and start 7 p.m., “Twas the Night Before Christmas;” all ticketed (separately priced), at the railroad’s station, Washington and 3rd streets, Boyertown PA
• Winter Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ticketed, visit with Santa and Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey, free photo shoot included with your own device, Christmas trees, hay rides, pony rides, candy cane pedal cart speedway, cow train, little farmer playland, gingerbread house contest, paint ball range, at Northern Star Farm, 91 E. 3rd Ave., Trappe PA
• Candlelight Tour at Peter Wentz Farmstead, 3-8 p.m., donation suggested, the soft glow of candles lights the way for visitors as they explore the grounds, watch a cooking demonstration, and meet Belsnickel, at the farmstead, 2030 Shearer Rd., Worcester PA
• Christmas Tour of The Muhlenberg House and Dewees Tavern, 3-9 p.m., open to attend, with a display of vintage German woodcarvings from the Erzgebirge region, and Erzgebirge decorations and contemporary Pennsylvania German folk art for sale, at Historic Trappe, 201 W. Main St., Trappe PA
• Voices of Ursinus, starts at 4 p.m., free, director Nicole Snodgrass leads the Voices of Ursinus in a holiday-themed program of choral music from around the world, features student soloists and piano accompanist Greg DiBona, in Bomberger Auditorium on the campus of Ursinus College, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville PA
• St. Aloysius Parish Family Christmas, starts at 5 p.m., free to attend, enjoy a Christmas tableau at Mass, followed by a blessing of its life-sized outdoor nativity scene and lighting of its Christmas tree; Santa will be available in the church Gathering Center for hot chocolate, cookies, and photos (bring your camera or cellphone), at St. Aloysius Church, 223 Beech St., Pottstown PA
• Wild Lights, 5-9 p.m., ticketed, enjoy light displays, carousel rides, live entertainment, meet zoo animals, snap photos with Santa, warm up at indoor exhibits including the Trail of the Jaguar and Habitat HQ, at Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown PA
• Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show, 5:30-10 p.m., ticketed, see a display of tens of thousands of lights and animated displays from the comfort of your own vehicle over a 60-acre, 1.1 mile route through a Christmas tree farm, lit and synchronized with holiday songs, runs Thursdays through Sundays (until Dec. 23) at Yeager’s Farm & Market, 1015 Pikesprings Rd., Phoenixville PA

Choral books photo by David Beale on Unsplash, used by Travels With The Post under license

Sunday, Dec. 3

• “Freeze-Up 5K” Run fund-raiser, starts at 10 a.m. (8:30 a.m. registration), ticketed, benefits the non-profit Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, from Free Will Brewing Co., 410 East Walnut Street, Perkasie PA
• Colebrookdale Railroad Excursions, seven trips: start 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., “Santa’s Polar Bear Express;” and start noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m., “Locomotive Express Cab Ride;” all ticketed (separately priced), at the railroad’s station, Washington and 3rd streets, Boyertown PA
• Winter Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ticketed, visit with Santa and Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey, free photo shoot included with your own device, Christmas trees, hay rides, pony rides, candy cane pedal cart speedway, cow train, little farmer playland, gingerbread house contest, paint ball range, at Northern Star Farm, 91 E. 3rd Ave., Trappe PA
• 8th Annual Project Secret Santa Bingo, starts at noon (doors open at 11 a.m.), ticketed, proceeds benefit Transplant Alliance Foundation Inc., at State Street Entertainment Hall, 651 State St., Pottstown PA
• Holiday Open House, noon to 3 p.m., free but donations welcome, at the Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines, 1710 Ridge Rd., Pottstown PA
• Christmas Market at the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center, noon to 4 p.m., free to attend, with crafts, folk art, books, and stocking stuffers, and also see its unique Pennsylvania German Putz display, in the library, 105 Seminary St., Pennsburg PA
• Christmas Market at the Goschenhoppen Historians, noon to 4 p.m., free to attend, handcrafted and vintage items for sale, along with fresh greens and its famous Christmas cookies, at Red Men’s Hall in The Folklife Museum, 116 Gravel Pike, Green Lane PA
• Christmas Tour of The Muhlenberg House and Dewees Tavern, noon to 4 p.m., open to attend, with a display of vintage German woodcarvings from the Erzgebirge region, and Erzgebirge decorations and contemporary Pennsylvania German folk art for sale, at Historic Trappe, 201 W. Main St., Trappe PA
• Twelfth Night Tours, 1-4 p.m., donation suggested, Pottsgrove Manor transforms for the yuletide season and reveal the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party; the event marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany, includes guided tours of the manor to explore all aspects of the festivities, at the manor, 100 W. King St., Pottstown PA
• Wind Ensemble and Chamber Music Recital, starts at 4 p.m., free, features works for small wind band, chamber music groups, and student vocal and instrumental soloists, in Bomberger Auditorium on the campus of Ursinus College, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville PA
• Wild Lights, 5-9 p.m., ticketed, enjoy light displays, carousel rides, live entertainment, meet zoo animals, snap photos with Santa, warm up at indoor exhibits including the Trail of the Jaguar and Habitat HQ, at Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown PA
• Drive-Thru Holiday Light Show, 5:30-10 p.m., ticketed, see a display of tens of thousands of lights and animated displays from the comfort of your own vehicle over a 60-acre, 1.1 mile route through a Christmas tree farm, lit and synchronized with holiday songs, runs Thursdays through Sundays (until Dec. 23) at Yeager’s Farm & Market, 1015 Pikesprings Rd., Phoenixville PA

Want to plan further ahead? Look for events on later dates (currently through April 2024)! See the The Travels With The Post extended calendar page.

Weekend events are curated from a variety of sources, including public submissions. Got a weekend (Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holiday Mondays) event you’d like us to add? Send it to travelswiththepost@gmail.com.