When the third Easton Winter Village opened on Nov. 18, 2022, Centre Square held 38 vendor huts and a synthetic skating rink. On Friday, Nov. 27, the square will have 12 huts. Mayor Sal Panto Jr. told lehighvalleylive.com that the count is dropping from about 40.
The season still runs four weekends, from Nov. 27 through Dec. 20, and the space the huts gave up has been spread across the downtown grid. A family that used to treat the Winter Village as a stop at the Peace Candle will have to walk further this year.
The Square Shrinks on Purpose
The Greater Easton Development Partnership started the Winter Village in 2020, when social distancing kept shoppers out of crowded stores and outdoor huts gave them somewhere to buy. In a September news release reported by lehighvalleylive.com, the partnership said, "Now, with downtown life back in full swing and our city's businesses no longer needing this outlet, event organizers are evolving the program to fit the moment."
Money is part of the reason. John Kingsley, Easton's director of community and economic development, told the same outlet that the village no longer receives federal COVID relief funds and that sponsorship revenue is down. Hut rental went from $500 for four weekends last year to $500 for one weekend, and most vendors can book no more than two weeks. Downtown Easton businesses get 25% off the hut fee, and fine art vendors get huts for free.
Kingsley said the goal of moving the focus off the huts is to get shoppers into the stores. "We're creating a district-wide celebration that encourages visitors to explore more of downtown," Easton Main Street Manager Julie VanOsdol said in the release, as lehighvalleylive.com reported.
Where the Square's Activity Went
The biggest new piece is a block south of the square. The Winter Garden fills the parking lot between Belleville Market and Mesa Modern Mexican on South Third Street, with fire pits, food vendors, tailgating and Sunday movie matinees. Its vendors rotate weekly, with food and alcohol sellers given priority, so a second visit in December may have a different lineup than the first. Live music and sports are planned there every weekend.
The rest of the plan is aimed at storefronts. The partnership's Fall 2026 Business Bugler newsletter describes a downtown scavenger hunt that runs all four weeks and is built to send visitors "into shops they might not otherwise walk into." It also describes roving Santa appearances and performers on different blocks, and it asks businesses to stay open during village hours or at least keep their windows lit and decorated. Holiday décor and "North Pole" signs extend beyond Centre Square.
A holiday trolley connects the pieces. Its page on the Winter Village site lists these stops:
- Crayola Quad in Centre Square
- Tapestry, at Northampton Street and Larry Holmes Drive
- Spring Garden Courts, at North Third and Spring Garden streets
- Fourth Street Garage, near the police department
- State Theatre, on Northampton Street before Fifth Street
The posted trolley hours are 4 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, 3 to 8 p.m. on Black Friday, 3 to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The page doesn't list a fare.
Four Weekends, Four Themes
The old format repeated the same hut market each weekend. This year each weekend has its own theme and anchor events, according to the partnership's newsletter.
| Weekend | Theme | Anchor events |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 27–29 | Kickoff | Tree Lighting and Parade, Grand Eastonian Happy Hour and Winter Garden Football Tailgate on Friday; Small Business Saturday and 75th Peace Candle Ceremony on Saturday; Goodwill Sunday with businesses fundraising for local nonprofits |
| Dec. 4–6 | Vintage Holidays | Holiday Trolley Experience and Holiday Happy Hour on Friday; Classic Car and Vintage Holiday Showcase with the Swingtime Dolls on Saturday; Holiday Vintage Market at Bank Street Annex and Italian American Band on Sunday |
| Dec. 11–13 | Family | Holiday Trolley Experience and Holiday Happy Hour on Friday; Santa's Workshop and Kid's Craft Zone, plus Touch-a-Truck in Centre Square, on Saturday; Family Trolley Experience, Singing Santa in Centre Square and a book, puppet story and snack at Easton Public Market on Sunday |
| Dec. 18–20 | Grand Finale | Holiday Happy Hour on Friday; Holiday Soapbox Derby on the 300 to 500 block of Northampton Street on Saturday |
The newsletter lists general hours of 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays, noon to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays, with an earlier 3 p.m. start on Black Friday. The village's vendor listing on EventHub gives slightly different Friday times, 4 to 8 p.m. and 2 to 8 p.m. on Black Friday. Confirm Friday times before planning around them.
Nov. 28 Is the Longest Day of the Season
The Kickoff Saturday has the most events, and they're spread across the most locations. The Small Business Saturday pop-up at Bank Street Annex, 316 Northampton St., runs from noon to 6 p.m. Danny Lipsitz and the Brass Tacks play a pre-lighting concert in Centre Square from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. The newsletter lists the concert as leading directly into the 75th Peace Candle ceremony.
The two organizer listings give different lighting times. The newsletter grid lists the Peace Candle Ceremony at 6 p.m. The Downtown Easton Peace Candle page lists Saturday, Nov. 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. and ties the ceremony to Small Business Saturday. Since the concert ends at 5:45 p.m., anyone who arrives for the concert will be in Centre Square for the lighting either way.
The Season Ends on Northampton Street
The finale shows the new format most clearly, because it happens on Northampton Street instead of in the square. On Saturday, Dec. 19, the first Easton Winter Village Soap Box Derby runs on the 300 to 500 block of Northampton Street. The racers are custom holiday cars built by local businesses, residents and college students. That stretch of Northampton Street runs between the Bank Street Annex pop-up at 316 and the State Theatre trolley stop before Fifth Street.
A Saturday That Starts at Scott Park
The season also overlaps with something that hasn't changed. The Easton Farmers' Market's 2026 regular season runs through Dec. 19, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scott Park on Larry Holmes Drive. All four Winter Village Saturdays fall inside that schedule, and the village opens at noon. The trolley's Tapestry stop at Northampton Street and Larry Holmes Drive is the stop closest to the market. The market closes at 1 p.m. and the posted Saturday trolley service starts at 3 p.m., so the walk up from the waterfront covers that gap.
Two more dates come before the village opens. The Morning Call reports that the State Cafe and Grill at 14–16 S. Fifth St., closed since February, fully reopens Thursday, Oct. 29, after a soft opening, with new cold brews on the menu. It sits a block from the State Theatre trolley stop. On Sunday, Nov. 15, D&L RaceFest brings its race finishes to Easton, with the half marathon ending at Scott Park. A RaceFest Weekend Passport, new this year, offers promotions at participating businesses around the Lehigh Valley from Nov. 13 to 15.
Parking for the Spread-Out Format
With events across several blocks, where you park matters more than it did when everything was in the square. The Winter Village site lists four options:
- South Third Street Garage, 123 South Third St., closest to the Winter Garden
- North Fourth Street Garage, behind Easton Public Market
- The SSA lot at 134 South Fourth St., paid after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend
- The Northampton County Courthouse lots on Washington Street at South Union Street, free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all weekend
The Fourth Street Garage is also a trolley stop, so you can park there and ride to the square, the Winter Garden end of downtown or the State Theatre without moving the car again.
Downtown Easton's holiday season is changing from a market in the square to an event across the business district, and the Shabana Pathan Group team pays close attention to changes like this in the towns where our clients live. If you're thinking about how downtown Easton fits into your next move, Shabana Pathan Group can give you a local read on the city, block by block. Schedule a Confidential Consultation.
