{"id":247333,"date":"2026-07-19T20:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T20:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/247333\/"},"modified":"2026-07-19T20:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T20:59:10","slug":"wilkes-barre-scranton-penguins-celebrate-christmas-in-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/247333\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins celebrate Christmas in July"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n
\n \"<p>Keira
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Keira Feeney, center, and her son, Jacob, 8, browse one of the vendor stalls at the Christmas in July community event on the Toyota Sportsplex Dek Hockey Rink Sunday.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>Christmas-themed
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Christmas-themed pages are spread out for kids to color.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>Jackson
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Jackson Vance, 8, of Effort, decorates a Christmas cookie on Sunday at the Toyota Sportsplex Dek Hockey Rink.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>Some
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Some vendors sold a mix of everyday items and holiday-themed items, like these book-inspired ornaments at In Between the Pages, a pop-up romance book shop based in Bloomsburg.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>Santa
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Santa and Mrs. Claus, Brenda and Tom Sachleben, enjoy the warm weather.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>The
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

The Dek Hockey Rink is decorated for Christmas on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n
\n \"<p>Dozens
\n <\/a> <\/p>\n

Dozens of vendors filled the Toyota Sportsplex Dek Hockey Rink on Sunday for a Christmas-in-July community event.<\/p>\n

Margaret Roarty | Times Leader<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u276e<\/a>
\n \u276f<\/a>
\n \t\t\t <\/p>\n

WILKES-BARRE \u2014 Baby, it was warm outside on Sunday, but the Wilkes-Barre\/Scranton Penguins were getting into the holiday spirit with a Christmas in July community event on the Toyota Sportsplex Dek Hockey Rink.<\/p>\n

The event featuring vendors, skating, and other family-friendly activities, was held in benefit of the Penguins Goals Foundation, which supports and creates programs to make youth sports more accessible.<\/p>\n

Admission was free, while proceeds from raffles went toward the organization.<\/p>\n

Attendees enjoyed an extended open skate, holiday crafts, cookie decorating, and Christmas music. Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus in their finest summer attire were also available.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love Christmas, so it\u2019s a way to get into the holiday spirit and utilize the deck,\u201d said Amanda Cromer, community relations and client services manager.<\/p>\n

This was the first year of the Christmas in July event, and Cromer was optimistic it would become an annual tradition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great turnout. We had a lot of support from people wanting to participate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Keira Feeney and her son, Jacob, 8, both of Moscow, traveled about half an hour to skate and check out the event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe come down here twice a week for Dek hockey,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

The event gave them a family-friendly way to spend the afternoon, and both Feeney and Jacob got into the holiday spirit by wearing Christmas-themed T-shirts.<\/p>\n

When it came to actually getting ready for the Christmas season, though, it might have been a bit too early for Jacob.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m ready for the summer to keep going,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For Feeney, although she was not quite ready to start thinking about Christmas, being surrounded by so many vendors forced her to consider ideas for presents.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like a lot of the handmade things,\u201d she said. \u201cMy mom especially, she loves handmade, meaningful things, and fairs like this kinda do that for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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