Palmerton’s 11th annual Christmas in the Park is Saturday.

Sponsored by The Holiday Lighting Committee, the event is from noon to 5 p.m. in the Palmerton Borough Park.

It will feature 154 trees and more than 30 food and craft vendors, according to Michele O’Neill, chairperson of the event.

The event will begin with the invocation by the Palmerton United Veterans Organization Color Guard, followed by remarks from borough Mayor Don Herrmann.

The Towamensing Elementary School Chorus, along with the Bell Choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, will perform.

Santa will arrive at 1 p.m. and leave at 3 p.m. All children must be in line by 2:30 p.m. to see Santa. All children seeing Santa will receive a small goody bag and be entered into a drawing for prizes.

There will also be horse and wagon rides by Steiner Artisan Farms with their Clydesdale horses, free face painting for children, and Tinsel the Strolling Christmas tree with her balloon art. Face painting and Tinsel are compliments of the Palmerton Lighting Committee.

The Christmas tree lighting ceremony will take place at 4:45 p.m.

Food and toy donations will be taken on the bandstand for local families in need. Donations of new unwrapped toys will be accepted for CACPAC Toys for Kids Drive, while nonperishable food items will be collected for the CACPAC Food Pantry.

For the 125th anniversary of Palmerton, the Historical Society will run its Historical Bus tour of Palmerton from 1-2:30 p.m. The cost is $5, and tickets may be purchased at the Palmerton Heritage Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday and Saturday.

“This year is a transition year for adopting Christmas trees,” O’Neill said. “In the past to adopt a tree, you had to get on a long wait-list.”

Starting in 2024, O’Neill said all trees will be on a first-come basis and available to anyone who wants one while trees last.

Trees will be sold at public events that will be advertised throughout the community. “Christmas in the Park is a much-loved event, and the committee wanted to make adopting a tree easier and more accessible to everyone,” she said.

O’Neill said the event always proves to be a big hit with visitors.

“Christmas in the Park has come so far, from a ‘what a crazy idea, let’s try it’ to a beloved community event,” she said. “It’s the pride of Palmerton, and the park’s shine only reflects the love the community has for each other and where we live.”

The rain date for the event is Sunday.