Who decides when the holidays start in downtown Irwin? A merchants' association, a chamber of commerce, a Rotary club, two Masonic organizations, the Lamp Theatre and North Huntingdon's Parks and Recreation department each schedule their own events. Together they've filled most weekends from mid-November to the week before Christmas.
Most of those dates fall on different weekends and follow one another in order. Two of them overlap. On Friday, December 4, downtown Irwin holds its Holiday Cookie Tour from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. North Huntingdon holds its Community Holiday Party from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the township's Public Works building on Route 30. Seen together, the full calendar shows how the season is built and how to plan that Friday.
The 2026 Season, by Date
The first event is Saturday, November 14.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Depot Alley Holiday Market | Depot Alley, 6th St. to 4th St. | 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Light Up Norwin | Main Street, Downtown Irwin | 5:00 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | Downtown Irwin Holiday Cookie Tour | Main Street, Downtown Irwin | 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | North Huntingdon Community Holiday Party | Public Works, 12319 State Route 30 | 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 12 | Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run | Oak Hollow Park | 5K at 8:00 a.m., kids' mile at 9:00 a.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 13 | Twelve Twenty-Four: A Tribute to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra | The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St. | 7:00 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 18 | Billy Price Holiday Show | The Lamp Theatre | 8:00 p.m. |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | The Polar Express | The Lamp Theatre | 2:00 and 6:30 p.m. screenings |
The table shows a pattern. Downtown groups hold their events in November and early December. The township's two events sit at the start and middle of December. The Lamp's holiday shows fill the last full week before Christmas.
November Belongs to the Downtown Volunteers
A market in an alley that's new this year
The season opens Saturday, November 14, in Depot Alley. The Depot Alley Holiday Market runs from 6th Street to 4th Street from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The organizers' listing describes it plainly:
NEW This Year, "Depot Alley Holiday Street Market" ... Local vendors and crafts - Festive Food & Drinks - Holiday Music
The market's sponsor packages include recognition on the Irwin Business & Professional Association's Facebook page. IBPA describes itself as an all-volunteer organization that puts on community events. The listing is still taking vendor registrations and sponsors.
Light Up Norwin, on the third Thursday
Five days later, Light Up Norwin takes over Main Street at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 19. The downtown listing promises a parade, a tree lighting, entertainment, food, and shops staying open for the night.
This event has more organizers than any other on the calendar. The official presenters are the Norwin Chamber of Commerce, Norwin Rotary, Shidle Lodge No. 601 and IBPA. The parade participant waiver also names the Irwin Masonic Hall Association alongside Norwin Rotary and Shidle Lodge No. 601 as parade organizers. The group's contact address is 321 Main Street. Check the event's own site for updates as the 19th gets closer.
After Light Up Norwin, the next downtown event is two weeks later, on a Friday.
December 4: Both Towns Host a Party
What happens on Main Street
The Annual Downtown Irwin Holiday Cookie Tour runs from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4. The listing promises free cookies at downtown businesses, open shops and restaurants, and horse-drawn carriage rides along Main Street.
The tour is an evening of walking from one storefront to the next. The listing doesn't publish a list of participating stops. Businesses in the downtown directory include Manor Grille at 200 Main St., Club Pure Imagination at 419 Main St., Colonial Grille Taproom and Gift Basket World & Candy Shop.
What happens on Route 30
The same night, North Huntingdon Township holds its Community Holiday Party from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Public Works building, 12319 State Route 30. The township lists it under Parks and Recreation.
These are two separate events in two separate municipalities. They share a night, though not the same hours. The Cookie Tour starts an hour before the township party and runs the same length of time, so a family can do both:
- Arrive on Main Street at 5:00 p.m., when the Cookie Tour opens and before the township party starts.
- Walk the storefronts and take a carriage ride while the street is lit.
- Head to Public Works on Route 30 for the second half of the township party, which runs until 8:00 p.m.
You can also do it in the opposite order. The township party starts at 6:00 p.m., and the downtown shops keep handing out cookies until 8:00 p.m. Both listings are posted now, and it's worth checking them again that week.
Oak Hollow, Then the Lamp
A Saturday morning run
North Huntingdon's second December event is the Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run at Oak Hollow Park on Saturday, December 12. The 5K starts at 8:00 a.m. and the kids' mile at 9:00 a.m. It's the only morning event on the calendar and the only one built around exercise, and it sits right before the Lamp's run of holiday shows.
Three nights at 222 Main Street
The Lamp Theatre's holiday shows start the next evening. All three fall in one week, and two of them are back-to-back on a weekend:
- Sunday, December 13, 7:00 p.m.: Twelve Twenty-Four: A Tribute to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, billed as a holiday rock-orchestra show.
- Friday, December 18, 8:00 p.m.: the Billy Price Holiday Show.
- Saturday, December 19: The Polar Express, presented with SPARK Experiences. The 2:00 p.m. screening opens to VIP ticket holders at 12:30 p.m. and to general admission at 1:00 p.m. The 6:30 p.m. screening opens to VIPs at 5:00 p.m. and to general admission at 5:30 p.m.
For families with kids, the Polar Express timing matters. Doors open an hour to an hour and a half before each screening, so arrival time is earlier than the showtime suggests. Unlike the outdoor events, the Lamp shows are ticketed, and the Polar Express entry tiers are set by ticket.
Why the Calendar Looks This Way
Put the season together and it's clear who handles what. IBPA's volunteers are tied to the alley market. A chamber, a Rotary club and two Masonic organizations run the Thursday parade. The township runs a party and a race. The Lamp runs ticketed shows on its own stage. Each group posts its own dates in its own place.
Downtown Irwin's events are on discoverirwin.com, North Huntingdon's are on the township calendar, and Light Up Norwin and the Lamp each post on their own sites. If you're planning the season, check all four.
If the holidays have you wondering what your Irwin or North Huntingdon home is worth before the new year, the Slivka / Reilley Team can get you a number between the Depot Alley market and the Polar Express screenings. Get an Instant Home Valuation and see where your home stands this season.
