"Rather than concentrating the holiday experience in one location, we're creating a district-wide celebration that encourages visitors to explore more of downtown," Julie VanOsdol, manager of the Easton Main Street Initiative at the Greater Easton Development Partnership, said in a statement published by Lehigh Daily in September.
That quote explains the 2026 Easton Winter Village. The season runs Friday, November 27, through Sunday, December 20, and Centre Square will have fewer huts this year than last. The organizers made that choice on purpose. The holiday season is supposed to move outward, and the most important new piece is a stretch of South Third Street.
A Smaller Square, by Design
The Winter Village began in 2020 to give local businesses an outdoor, socially distanced place to sell during the pandemic, and it became an annual tradition after that. GEDP now says downtown businesses no longer need that outlet, and the event is being reshaped to fit a stronger local retail scene.
In earlier seasons, vendor huts, live entertainment, and food and drink sat around Centre Square beneath the 85-foot Peace Candle. This year the square keeps a smaller "inner ring" of huts, including a new artist market. The official vendor page shows that the artist huts are free for approved artists and artisans.
The bigger difference is that vendors will change from week to week. GEDP plans to rotate artists, makers, and specialty merchants through the season so each weekend brings new vendors. A ring of huts that used to look about the same all season will change every Friday.
Third Street Becomes the Spine
The Winter Garden started last year as an add-on. Discover Lehigh Valley's recap of 2025 lists "Our NEW Winter Beer Garden!" along with weekly football viewing parties, a Black Friday Bears vs. Eagles game, Sunday matinee holiday movies, and Charles Dickens Happy Hours.
In 2026 it becomes the event's second center. Some of the food-and-drink huts are leaving Centre Square for the Winter Garden at the South Third Street parking lot, which will have fire pits, college and pro football tailgates, and live music. The Winter Garden page places it on South Third Street between Belleville Market and Mesa Modern Mexican and calls it a cozy outdoor lounge with entertainment ranging from football tailgates to Sunday movie matinees.
So the food and drink now sits a short walk south of the square. North of the square, more is changing on Third Street. WFMZ reported that Cece's House, a bakeshop and curated home-goods market, was expected to open at 16 N. Third St. Owner Marissa Guarriello is moving there from The Modern Bakery at 128 N. Third St. A block or two east of the square, The Morning Call reported that Easton Speakeasy & Dining Room at 431 Northampton St. planned to start ticketed events in mid-October, including drag brunch, jazz, burlesque, and stand-up comedy. The paper also reported that the venue has a first-floor dining room and a basement with a mirror bar, and the owners said they were told the basement was a speakeasy in the 1920s.
GEDP's plan connects these spots. It calls for more holiday decorations and lighting across downtown, North Pole-themed wayfinding signs, and a Holiday Trolley running during designated hours. The Winter Village vendor page also points shoppers to more than 30 shops, boutiques, and galleries beyond the village and lists Easton Public Market Holiday Vendor Pop-Ups for 2026.
| Spot | What's there in 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Centre Square | Smaller inner ring of huts, new artist market, the Peace Candle | GEDP via Lehigh Daily |
| South Third St., between Belleville Market and Mesa Modern Mexican | Winter Garden: food and drink huts, fire pits, tailgates, live music, Sunday matinees | GEDP; Easton Winter Village |
| Bank Street Annex | Small Business Saturday vendor event, November 28 | Easton Winter Village |
| Easton Public Market | Holiday vendor pop-ups | Easton Winter Village |
| Scott Park, Larry Holmes Drive | Easton Farmers' Market, Saturdays through December 19 | Easton Farmers' Market |
Three Days, Three Different Clocks
The schedule matters more now that the event covers several blocks. Discover Lehigh Valley lists the hours as Fridays 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays noon to 8 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and the village runs rain or shine. That works out to 12 open days across four weekends.
Each day has a different window. A Friday gives you four evening hours, which is enough for the square and dinner. A Sunday ends at 5 p.m., so the Winter Garden's movie matinee fits better than a late dinner. Saturday is the longest day, and it has something extra.
The Easton Farmers' Market runs its outdoor season through December 19 this year, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Scott Park on Larry Holmes Drive. On every Winter Village Saturday, the market's last hour overlaps the village's first. One Saturday can include both.
- 9 a.m. to noon, Scott Park. Start at the Farmers' Market while the village is still closed.
- Noon to 1 p.m., the overlap. The market is in its final hour and the Centre Square huts have just opened, so you can do the market first and the square second.
- Early afternoon, Centre Square. Check the inner ring and the artist market, which change each weekend as vendors rotate.
- Late afternoon, South Third Street. Head to the Winter Garden for the fire pits and whatever game is on.
- Evening, until 8 p.m. The village is still open, and Northampton Street restaurants and venues are a short walk away.
Opening Weekend Carries the Most Weight
GEDP calls Small Business Saturday the centerpiece of the season and has tied it to Easton's 75th annual Peace Candle Lighting during opening weekend. The official vendor page lists the Small Business Saturday vendor event at Bank Street Annex on November 28. The opening ceremony and Peace Candle Lighting times are still marked TBD in the event listing, so check eastonwintervillage.com for the exact day and time before you go.
The weekend starts on Friday, November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. The 75th lighting, the Small Business Saturday event, the Winter Garden's first weekend in its new role, and the first group of rotating vendors all fall on those three days. If you can only go once this season, opening weekend gives you the most of the new layout.
The last weekend lines up well too. GEDP plans a finale weekend before the end of the year, with more themed weekend activities to come. The village's final dates are December 18 to 20, and Saturday, December 19, is also the last day of the Farmers' Market's outdoor season at Scott Park.
Still to Be Announced
A few details are still open. Each one affects how you'd plan the walk:
- Holiday Trolley. GEDP has said the trolley will run during designated hours. Its 2026 hours and stops haven't been announced yet, and the official 2026 Winter Village map is listed as coming soon.
- Music and activities. The official 2026 programming page is also marked coming soon.
- Themed weekends. GEDP said more themed weekend programming would be announced later.
- Ceremony times. The opening ceremony and the Peace Candle Lighting are both still listed as TBD.
The Easton Winter Village site is where these details will be posted. The dates, the Saturday overlap with the Farmers' Market, and the move to South Third Street are already set.
If the new layout has you looking at downtown Easton blocks you usually walk past, I'm glad to talk about what's changing on Third Street and around Centre Square this season. Bernadette Rabel works with buyers and sellers across Easton and the Lehigh Valley. Let's Connect.
