Bethlehem, Pa.: Christmas City, USA

By Dave Zuchowski
NEW CASTLE NEWS (NEW CASTLE, Pa.)

NEW CASTLE, Pa. December 07, 2007 09:11 am

— Just before Thanksgiving in Bethlehem, Pa., the final touches were being put on Christkindlmart.
However, The Kathe Wohlfahrt exposition — one of the 175 artisans juried into the five-week-long holiday market, which is modeled after those in Germany — was already up and ready to go. The prestigious line featured everything from nutcrackers of all sizes to incense smoker figurines and Schwibbogen, carved arched wooden candle holders that date back to the 18th century Saxony.
Christkindlmarkt has been named one of the top holiday markets in the world by Travel and Leisure.
“During the Christmas season, Christkindlmarkt, our open air market, draws 200 to 220 bus tours and over 100,000 visitors,” said Kim Plyler, director of marketing. “Artisans from around the world bring in a large array of products including cuckoo clocks, stained glass ornaments, leather bags, and hand-carved ornaments from Germany.”
The holiday spirit got started on Christmas Eve 1741 when a small group of Moravian immigrants dubbed their small settlement in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley “Bethlehem.” Capitalizing on the name choice, the Chamber of Commerce added the tag line “Christmas City, USA” in 1937, and tourists have been streaming into town during the holiday season ever since.
Christkindlmarkt is only one of the holiday attractions. For 40 days, which started Nov. 23, the picturesque hamlet offers a full menu of holiday-themed activities, beginning with its Grand Illumination and ending with a First Night celebration New Year’s Eve.
A dozen Moravian Music Christmas Concerts are scheduled in the 200-year old Central Moravian Church. In the Christkindlmarkt, Cirque des Amis, based on the famous Cirque de Soleil troupe, will stage extreme acrobatic feats, aerial ballet, magic, juggling and comedy Dec. 28-31.
New this year, a holiday-themed liquid fireworks display in sync to music will fill a special tent with a dazzling array of color and sound.
Admission to the Christkindlmarkt ($10 for adults, $7 for children 6 to 12) allows access to the Historic Bethlehem Industrial Area buildings. These include a 1761 tannery, a 1762 waterworks, the 1869 Luckenbach Mill and a reconstructed blacksmith and locksmith shop, where live demonstrations are given on certain days.
As in the past, old-fashioned carriage rides will stroll through the town’s historic district, and nighttime bus tours led by a guide dressed in colonial Moravian attire will introduce visitors to both the historic district and the city’s South Side.
They will conclude with a ride to the top of South Mountain. There, riders will be able to enjoy a spectacular view of the Lehigh Valley and see up-close the 81-foot tall Star of Bethlehem that dominates the mountaintop skyline. Embedded in 12-feet of concrete, the star is lit all year and can be seen from a distance of 20 miles.
The Christmas Community Putz, a Moravian custom that started in 1937, is on display at 40 W. Church St., through Dec. 31. The putz, from the German word putzen (to decorate), tells the story of Christ’s birth through music, narration, tiny lights and small antique figurines.
Guided walking tours of the historic district take in such landmarks as the Central Moravian Church, where the first American performance of Bach’s Mass in B minor took place, and the 1758 Sun Tavern, once visited by both George and Martha Washington, John Adams, Ethan Allen and General Lafayette.
For evening entertainment, “A Christmas Carol” with 50 actors, singers and dancers will be staged at the Charles A. Brown IceHouse, and Christmas City Follies VIII will run through the end of the year at the Touchstone Theatre, 321 E. 4th St.

IF YOU’RE GOING ...

Bethlehem, Pa.

•For information on Christmas City and other attractions in the Lehigh Valley, call (800) 747-0561 or visit www.lehighvalleypa.org.
•To book a Spirit of the Season travel package visit www.lehighvalleypa.org/visitors/specialoffers/travelpackages.
•For a place to stay, the magnificent, antique-filled, 18-room Sayre Mansion rests on a hill across the Lehigh River from the historic district and is an easy walk to the trendy shops on Bethlehem’s South Side. The mansion, finished in 1858, was extensively renovated in 1992-93. Interestingly, the coal cellar, which has a unique brick arched ceiling, has been transformed into a comfortable, attractive conference room.
Each morning, a candlelit breakfast is served with a choice of three freshly prepared selections plus a generous assortment of typical breakfast fare. 250 Wyandotte Street. Call (877) 345-9019 or visit www.sayremansion.com
•For a place to dine, The Edge, 74 W. Broad St., is one of the city’s most cosmopolitan restaurants. Executive chef Tim Widrick plates up creative French Asia-inspired cuisine served by an exceptionally attentive and professional wait staff.
Recommended dishes include the Crispy Alsatian Pizza with applewood-smoked bacon, onions and crème fraiche appetizer, the Duck Breast with sun dried cherries entree and the Pistachio Dusted Goat Cheese with bruleed mango, Alaskan fireweed honey and lavender grilled flatbread dessert.
At Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, patrons can order discounted drinks and half price appetizers. Call (610) 814-0100 or visit www.edgerestaurant.net.