PENNSBURG PA – The sights, sounds, and aromas of a festive Pennsylvania German Christmas are being offered to the public this weekend by five different but collaborative Montgomery County organizations that share a common heritage.
A series of Christmas markets, displays, and historic house tours are continuing Saturday and Sunday (Dec. 2-3, 2023) by the Goschenhoppen Historians, Historic Trappe, the Mennonite Heritage Center, Peter Wentz Farmstead, and the Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center.
The schedule includes tours and shopping Saturday:
- From 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors to the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary St., Pennsburg, can purchase crafts, folk art, books, and stocking stuffers, and see its unique Pennsylvania German Putz displays;
- Also from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Goschenhoppen Historians at Red Men’s Hall in The Folklife Museum, 116 Gravel Pike, Green Lane, there are more handcrafted and vintage items for sale, along with fresh greens and its famous Christmas cookies;
- From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., a Christmas Market featuring local artisan crafts and foods will open at the Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Rd., Harleysville. Artists will display a variety of local and handcrafted gifts, along with local foods;
- From 3-8 p.m., the soft glow of candles (at top) light the way for visitors as they explore the historic Peter Wentz Farmstead, 2030 Shearer Rd., Worcester. While there they can watch a cooking demonstration, and meet Belsnickel; and
- From 3-9 p.m., The Muhlenberg House, 201 W. Main St., Trappe, encourages visitors to tour a Pennsylvania German Christmas. Guests can explore a display of vintage German woodcarvings from the Erzgebirge region at the nearby Dewees Tavern. New Erzgebirge decorations and contemporary Pennsylvania German folk art also will be offered for sale.
Then on Sunday:
- From noon to 4 p.m., the Goschenhoppen and Schwenkfelder sales also continue, and;
- Also from noon to 4 p.m., tours resume at the Muhlenberg House and Dewees Tavern.
For more information about specific events, send an e-mail to the Mennonite Heritage Center at info@mhep.org; Goschenhoppen Historians at redmens_hall@goschenhoppen.org; The Schwenkfelder at info@schwenkfelder.org; Peter Wentz Farmstead at peterwentzfarmstead@montgomerycountypa.gov; or Historic Trappe at info@historictrappe.org.
Photos from an earlier candlelight tour at Wentz Farmstead by Travels With The Post
Insomnia Cookies Give-Aways Mark National Cookie Day