Not everyone wants to shop on Black Friday, but that doesn’t mean the day after Thanksgiving should be a loss.
The Lehigh Valley will sparkle with festive cheer as communities across the region kick off the 2025 holiday season with dazzling lights, music, and family fun.
Here’s your guide to Black Friday events on Nov. 28 in the Lehigh Valley that have little to do with shopping:
Lights in the Parkway
Time: 5:30 to 10 p.m.
The drive-through with more than a mile of enchanting holiday displays features over 260,000 LED lights and 242 wrapped trees along Lehigh Parkway East, off Martin Luther King Jr Dr., in Allentown.
Tickets are $16 per vehicle and $26 for commercial vans, minibuses, or limousines under 14 feet, available exclusively online at the City of Allentown’s website, allentownpa.gov. It kicks off Black Friday and runs through Jan. 6
Christmas City Tree Lighting
Time: Festivities begin at 4:30 p.m.; tree lighting around 5 p.m.
The Lehigh Valley’s most popular Christmas tree-lighting ceremony appropriately happens in the Christmas City. Celebrate Bethlehem’s holiday spirit at Payrow Plaza with live performances, community singing, free hot chocolate and cookies, and a visit from Santa.
It’s free admission to all. The plaza is between Bethlehem City Hall and the Bethlehem Area Public Library at Church and North New streets.
More tree lightings
Times: 5 to 8 p.m. in Hellertown; 6 p.m. in Upper Nazareth Township
Looking for a smaller crowd than Payrow Plaza? Hellertown is hosting its Light Up Night at Morris J. Dimmick Park, 570 Durham St., with wagon rides, children’s activities, an adult beverage bar, food, movies on the big screen, and photos with Santa.
At 6 p.m. outside Upper Nazareth Township’s municipal building, 100 Newport Ave., dignitaries will light their community’s tree with holiday music, free hot cocoa, and Santa’s visit. This year’s highlight: the unveiling of a custom-built Moravian Star illuminated by 1,300 lights
Both events are free.
Illumination at Coca-Cola Park
Time: Extended hours 5 to 9 p.m. on Black Friday
Experience nearly 1.5 million lights and synchronized music shows every 15–20 minutes in the home stadium for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 1050 Ironpigs Way in Allentown. The Black Friday edition features a live camel appearance with photo opportunities. It continues on select dates through Jan. 3.
Tickets start at $12 per person online (day-of purchases cost $2 more). Heated igloos and Nutcracker Suites are available for groups. Purchase at the Illumination LV website, illuminationlv.com.
Winter Light Spectacular
Time: 5 to 10 p.m.
Stroll through thousands of lights at the Lehigh Valley Zoo’s largest annual fundraiser at its 5150 Game Preserve Road campus in Schnecksville. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for children ages 2–11, and free for infants under 1. Parking is complimentary. Buy tickets at the Winter Light Spectacular website, winterlightspectacular.com. It runs through Jan. 3.
Easton celebrates the start of the holiday season at the Peace Candle lighting ceremony on Centre Square on Nov. 30, 2024.Ashli Truchon | lehighvalleylive.com contributor
Although it’s not scheduled for Black Friday, since we’re talking lights, we’d be remiss not to mention the following event on Saturday night:
Peace Candle Lighting
Time: 6:30 p.m.
The beloved Peace Candle Lighting presented by IBEW Local 102 is scheduled for the evening of Small Business Saturday in Easton’s Centre Square, Third and Northampton streets, and coincides with the second day of operations for the Easton Winter Village. The lighting is an annual event meant to signify the importance of unity and peaceful coexistence.
It’s free to attend.
Generative AI was used to organize and structure this story, based on information provided by event organizers. It was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media.