EASTON, Pa. — The Easton Winter Village will run Nov. 27 through Dec. 20 this year, spreading holiday lighting, activities, and shopping across downtown Easton instead of concentrating them in Centre Square, the Greater Easton Development Partnership announced.
The nonprofit, working with the City of Easton, is reshaping the annual event’s footprint for 2026: a smaller collection of vendor huts in Centre Square, paired with a district-wide push of decor, wayfinding, and programming meant to pull holiday foot traffic into shops and restaurants throughout downtown.
The Easton Winter Village began in 2020 to give local businesses outdoor, socially distanced shopping options during the pandemic and grew into an annual tradition. With downtown businesses no longer needing that outlet, organizers said they are reshaping the event to match a stronger local retail scene.
“When the Winter Village launched in 2020, it served an important purpose by creating outdoor retail opportunities during a challenging time for small businesses,” said Julie VanOsdol, manager of the Easton Main Street Initiative at GEDP, in a statement. “Today, downtown Easton is thriving, and we have an opportunity to build on that success. Rather than concentrating the holiday experience in one location, we’re creating a district-wide celebration that encourages visitors to explore more of downtown, discover our awesome local businesses and enjoy holiday programming throughout the city.”
Centre Square will keep a smaller “inner ring” of vendor huts, including a new artist market, according to GEDP. A limited number of food and drink huts will move to a Winter Garden at the South Third Street parking lot, along with fire pits, college and pro football tailgates and live music.
GEDP said it will expand holiday decor and lighting throughout downtown for additional photo opportunities, add North Pole-themed wayfinding signage, and run a Holiday Trolley during designated hours to help visitors get around. Organizers plan to rotate artists, makers, and specialty merchants through the season so visitors encounter new vendors each weekend.
The season’s centerpiece will be Small Business Saturday, which falls on the same day as Easton’s 75th annual Peace Candle Lighting on Nov. 27, GEDP said. A finale weekend will close out the season before year’s end, with additional themed weekend activities to be announced.
Last year’s Winter Village ran Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from late November through late December, with vendor huts, live entertainment, and food and drink stationed around Centre Square beneath the 85-foot Peace Candle. Easton Winter Village posted a video to Instagram marking “a festive farewell” to the 2025 season.
GEDP organizers said they expect the redesigned format to increase visitation across the downtown district, benefiting more Easton businesses during the holiday shopping season. The nonprofit, which also runs the Easton Farmers’ Market, Easton Public Market, and other downtown programs, said the goal is to complement existing shops and restaurants while creating a more immersive, walkable holiday destination.
Members of the public can visit eastonwintervillage.com and follow Easton Winter Village on Instagram and Facebook for updates on programming, participating businesses, and event dates as the season approaches.