December 3, 2025Your Guide to First Friday Events – December 5th
Join us for an extra special holiday First Friday on December 5th with an evening full of live music, family-friendly fun, and festive spirit! Stop by Ewell Plaza for a winter wonderland experience, and then head around town to see all that the city has to offer.
First Friday at Ewell Plaza
5-8:30PM | Ewell Plaza | Visit Lancaster City
Winter Market (12-7PM): Experience the enchantment of Ewell Plaza’s outdoor holiday market, a festive haven where local artisans showcase their exquisite crafts. Amidst a backdrop of twinkling lights and joyful melodies, discover unique gifts that embody the holiday spirit.
Santa in the City (5-8PM): Come meet Santa and get free photos!
Sing-Along Trolley (5-9PM): Join THEM The Collective on the First Friday Trolley, with live music and instruments!
Live Music (6-7:30): Come warm up with some dancing and join Street Beans for some lively music!
Food Trucks: Enjoy sweet treats from Lori’s Lattes and Mr. Mini’s Tasty Donuts
Rural City Beer Garden: Grab a drink and enjoy the festive atmosphere!
Life-Size Candy Land
4-8PM | Lancaster Public Library
Challenge your family and friends to a game of life-size Candy Land! Follow the path and make your way through the Peppermint Forest, over the Gumdrop Mountains, and escape the Chocolate Swamp!
All ages · Drop-ins welcome!
First Friday at the Museum
4-8PM | Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum
Warm up your First Friday with a cozy night at the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum! Join us for a special holiday-themed evening featuring:
– Warm Apple Cider
– Hot Chocolate
– Seasonal Snacks and Treats
– Festive Activities and History Surprises
Bring friends, family, and fellow history lovers to explore our exhibits after hours — including our Iron Lung, Military Medicine display, and some new exhibits!
Admission: Just $5 per person
Street parking available, and the museum is fully accessible.
Recollection – An Immersive Art Installation
5-8PM | Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
Visit the world of our collective early 2000’s childhood toys through texture, sight, smell, and more!
Recollection is an immersive installation focused on engaging the senses to trigger memories from a nostalgic, rose-colored childhood. All four artists collaborated to create a collective, overarching narrative that was shaped by lived experience and informed by memory, neuroaesthetics, and sensory-motor interaction. Please visit us during our exhibition on December 5th, 2025, from 5PM-8PM, as part of Lancaster City’s First Friday, at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design’s CORE Gallery.
Food Trivia: Chocolate Edition!
5:30-7:30PM | Gourmet Market
Get ready for the ultimate kick-off to your weekend, Lancaster! This First Friday, December 5th, the city is buzzing with holiday cheer, and we’re adding an extra layer of sweetness to the festivities at Gourmet Market Lancaster!
Gather your friends, family, or your favorite date night partner and join us for our special Food Trivia: Chocolate Edition! This isn’t just any trivia night – it’s a celebration of all things chocolate, perfectly timed for the most wonderful time of the year.
December Bouquet Making Workshop
5:30-6:30PM | Central Market Flowers
In this hands-on class, you’ll create a fresh bouquet inspired by the beauty of winter—an unexpected delight in a time not usually known for flowers. Guided by one of our experienced designers, you’ll learn how to incorporate seasonal blooms and greenery into arrangements that feel festive, fresh, and full of life. Perfect for brightening your home or sharing with loved ones during holiday gatherings, your bouquet will celebrate the joy of the season with natural elegance.
Admission is $55.
Music for Everyone Community Chorus
5:30-6:30PM | The Covenant United Methodist Church | Music For Everyone
Join the Music For Everyone Community Chorus at the Covenant United Methodist Church on December 5th at 5:30 pm for their final performance of the year!
Solo Recital of Holiday Music
6-7PM | Lancaster Public Library
Celebrate the season in the spirit of music and togetherness at Lancaster Public Library.
Join us for a solo recital of holiday-based repertoire from the 16th century through the 20th century, including pieces by Bach, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, Leroy Anderson, and other selections from Fletcher’s 2015 CD release Music for the Christmas Season.
Peter Fletcher is a classical guitarist based in Detroit and New York City. He holds a Master’s Degree from the Eastman School of Music and has been performing full time for over 20 years. Visit his website at peterfletcher.com for more information about his performances.
Registration is required, and space is limited, so please register everyone in your party!
First Friday with Goldfinch Pottery
6-8PM | Ville & Rue
Meet Leah, the creator behind the beautiful Goldfinch Pottery pieces, at our First Friday event. Discover your favorite pieces – perfect to treat yourself or to gift for the holidays – while you chat with the maker and enjoy light refreshments.
Organic Reflections: O Come, Emmanuel
8PM | First Reformed Church
The Hill Byrne/Christiansen Memorial Organ will be featured in a free 30 minute concert by organist Larry Hershey and trumpeter Doug Albert on First Friday, December 5 at 8 PM in First Reformed Church, 40 E. Orange Street, in downtown Lancaster. The program, “O Come, Emmanuel” will include “Sleepers, Awake!” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and the well-known “Ave Maria” by Franz Schubert. The audience will join in “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and the program will conclude with Christina Harmon’s arrangement of “Joy to the World” highlighting Mr. Albert playing the piccolo trumpet.
Holiday Makers’ Market
5-9PM | The Ware Center
Browse our Holiday Makers’ Market, offering the crafts and wares of local artisans just in time for the gift-giving season.
Christmas Tree Lane with the Lancaster Stormers
5:30-9:30PM | Penn Medicine Park
Take in 100 decorated trees, provided by Elizabeth Farms! These trees will be on showcase for attendees of our Christmas Tree Lane event to see and vote for their favorites through 12/31! Each vote costs $2 with 100% of the voting proceeds going back to the non-profit!
Activities on the concourse:
– Free pictures with Santa
– Search for our Elves on the Shelves
– Pictures with holiday characters every Friday 6:00 – 9:00PM (12/5 – Grinch, 12/12 – Anna & Kristoff, 12/19 – Elsa & Olaf)
Be Still: A Mosaic Man’s Journey
6:30-8PM | The Ware Center
Step into the raw, unforgettable journey of a man who rose from brokenness to redemption—told through powerful poetry, vivid storytelling, and soul-deep reflection. A one-of-a-kind spoken word performance by Ty Gant that chronicles the real-life transformation of an alcoholic—from his first drink to his rebirth in recovery.
Handel’s Messiah
7:30-10:30PM | First Presbyterian Church | Lancaster Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
The tradition continues! Join the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for their fourth annual performance of this cherished masterpiece. Purchase tickets online or call our box office at 717-291-6440 ext 1.
