Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Latrobe for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are Light Up Latrobe (December 3), Holly Jolly Christmas in Latrobe: Saturday Festival (December 5) and "Merry Mosaics" Children's Holiday Art Party (December 12). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Pennsylvania Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Latrobe
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Latrobe
- Meet Santa: "Merry Mosaics" Children's Holiday Art Party (December 12)
- Also on the list: 1 Christmas light display and 1 craft workshop
- Season: December 3 (Light Up Latrobe) to December 12 ("Merry Mosaics" Children's Holiday Art Party)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 3 events
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Rally’s Christmas research
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- 2 Zoos and museums
- 1 Santa
- 1 Lights
- 1 Crafts
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Latrobe
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday lights
Light Up Latrobe
- When: Thursday, December 3, 2026, 5 to 8 pm (Opening event of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, December 3 to 5, 2026. The organizer's home page does not print the hours, so confirm them on the weekend schedule posted there.)
- Where: Downtown Latrobe, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Light Up Latrobe is the first event of the Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, the night the town switches on its holiday lights in what organizers call an annual celebration. The weekend built around it also features holiday markets, Santa in the Park, a gingerbread house contest and a downtown shopping raffle with a Gingerbread Man hidden in store windows.
Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend runs from Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 5, 2026, and Light Up Latrobe opens it on Thursday. The home page lists no admission price and no sign-up for the lighting. Exact hours and locations are in the weekend schedule that the organizer posts for download.
Parent tip: Download the weekend schedule from the Holly Jolly site before Thursday so you know where and when the lights go on. It is a school night in early December, so dress children for standing outside after dark.
- Host
- Latrobe Art Center (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downtown Latrobe, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Latrobe events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Latrobe daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Latrobe.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Latrobe events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Latrobe.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Latrobe before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Zoos and museums
- 1 Santa
- 1 Lights
- 1 Crafts
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Latrobe every week.
Holiday event
Holly Jolly Christmas in Latrobe: Saturday Festival
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 9:30 am to 2 pm (Main event of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, held snow or shine. The organizer's home page does not print the hours, so confirm them on the Saturday festival schedule posted there.)
- Where: Downtown Latrobe, 323 Chestnut St, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
The Saturday Festival is billed as the main event of Latrobe's Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, with holiday activities for the whole family spread through downtown. Weekend features include Santa in the Park, holiday markets, and a gingerbread house contest at the downtown campus of Westmoreland County Community College, where visitors vote for a favorite.
The festival falls on Saturday, December 5, 2026, the last day of the weekend that begins Thursday, December 3, and it goes ahead snow or shine. The home page lists no admission price. A separate wreath making activity does require sign-up, and the Saturday festival schedule on the site gives the hours for each activity.
Parent tip: Organizers say the festival happens snow or shine, so bring boots and mittens if the forecast turns. Give the kids a job by having them cast the family's vote at the gingerbread house contest and spot the Gingerbread Man in shop windows along the way.
- Host
- Latrobe Art Center (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Downtown Latrobe, 323 Chestnut St, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Latrobe events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Latrobe daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Latrobe.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Holiday crafts
"Merry Mosaics" Children's Holiday Art Party
- When: Saturday, December 12, 2026, 11 am to 1 pm
- Where: Latrobe Art Center, 819 Ligonier St, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $25 per child, pre-registration required
- Ages: Children (no age range on the organizer's page)
Expand to see the parent tip
Children spend two hours at Latrobe Art Center building a festive collage portrait of Santa on a wooden panel to take home. The party also includes holiday treats and a pizza lunch.
It is on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The cost is $25 per child, and pre-registration is required through the art center's class schedule page. The center's cancellation policy asks for at least two weeks' notice for a full refund.
Parent tip: Lunch is covered, so there is no need to feed the kids beforehand. Collage means glue, so send them in clothes that can get messy, and register early since a spot has to be paid for to be held.
- Host
- Latrobe Art Center (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Latrobe Art Center, 819 Ligonier St, Latrobe, PA 15650 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Latrobe events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Latrobe daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Latrobe.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Pennsylvania Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Latrobe Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Light Up Latrobe in Latrobe on December 3; the last runs to December 12. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Light Up LatrobeLatrobe · Dec 3
- Holly Jolly Christmas in Latrobe: Saturday FestivalLatrobe · Dec 5
- "Merry Mosaics" Children's Holiday Art PartyLatrobe · Dec 12
Looking further afield? Our Pennsylvania Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Pittsburgh, Bridgeville, Washington, PA and Shippensburg. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Latrobe
The banana split was invented in Latrobe in 1904, and the town was the childhood home of Fred Rogers of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Each December the neighborhood turns out for Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, which opens with Light Up Latrobe and builds to a Saturday festival downtown.
How Latrobe celebrates
Latrobe packs its Christmas into Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, set for Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 5, 2026. Light Up Latrobe comes first, described by organizers as an annual festive celebration, and the Saturday Festival downtown is the main event, held snow or shine. Around them run holiday markets, Santa in the Park, a gingerbread house contest at the downtown campus of Westmoreland County Community College, and a shopping raffle in which a Gingerbread Man marks participating store windows. Latrobe Art Center adds a children's holiday art party called Merry Mosaics on December 12. The town even shares a holiday playlist for neighbors to play all season.
Fun facts about Christmas in Latrobe
Pennsylvania Railroad civil engineer Oliver Barnes laid out Latrobe in 1852, and it was incorporated as a borough in 1854. He named it for his best friend, Benjamin Henry Latrobe II, chief engineer of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The Pennsylvania Railroad Station, built in 1903, is on the National Register of Historic Places, and Amtrak's Pennsylvanian still stops in town. The 2020 census counted 8,060 residents.
Traditions today
- Light Up Latrobe: The first event of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend lights up the town in what organizers call an annual festive celebration.
- Saturday Festival: The main event of the weekend brings holiday activities for the whole family to downtown Latrobe, snow or shine.
- Gingerbread House Contest: Visitors go to the downtown Latrobe campus of Westmoreland County Community College to vote for a favorite gingerbread house.
- Downtown Holiday Shopping Raffle: A Gingerbread Man in a store window marks a participating merchant, where purchases earn raffle tickets for prize baskets.
- Santa in the Park: Santa in the Park is listed among the featured activities of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend.
- Merry Mosaics at Latrobe Art Center: Children make a collage portrait of Santa on a wooden panel at the art center's holiday party on December 12, 2026.
A fact for kids
The banana split was invented in Latrobe in 1904 by David Strickler at a pharmacy, and the town still holds a festival every year in honor of the dessert.
Questions about Christmas in Latrobe
When was Latrobe, Pennsylvania founded?
Oliver Barnes, a civil engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad, laid out the plans for the community in 1852. It was incorporated as the borough of Latrobe in 1854, and in 1999 it became a borough with home-rule status known as the City of Latrobe.
How did Latrobe get its name?
Oliver Barnes named the town for his best friend and college classmate, Benjamin Henry Latrobe II, who was chief engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Barnes himself worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, whose route helped Latrobe grow into an industrial hub.
What happens in Latrobe at Christmas?
Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend runs from Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 5, 2026. It opens with Light Up Latrobe and peaks with the Saturday Festival downtown. The weekend also features holiday markets, Santa in the Park, a gingerbread house contest and a holiday shopping raffle.
Where do Latrobe's Christmas events take place?
Most of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend happens in downtown Latrobe, among the local merchants. The gingerbread house contest is at the downtown Latrobe campus of Westmoreland County Community College. The Merry Mosaics children's party on December 12 is at Latrobe Art Center.
Is Light Up Latrobe an annual event?
Yes. The Holly Jolly site describes Light Up Latrobe as an annual festive celebration and as the first event of the Holly Jolly Weekend, the moment that kicks off the holiday season in town. In 2026 the weekend starts on Thursday, December 3.
What is there for kids to make at Christmas in Latrobe?
At Latrobe Art Center's Merry Mosaics party on Saturday, December 12, 2026, children create a collage portrait of Santa on a wooden panel, with holiday treats and a pizza lunch included. It runs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., costs $25 per child and requires pre-registration.
Does Latrobe have a historic train station?
Yes. The Pennsylvania Railroad Station at Latrobe was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1903 and is one of two Latrobe sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Latrobe station is still served by Amtrak's Pennsylvanian.
Was the banana split really invented in Latrobe?
It was. David Evans Strickler created the banana split in 1904 at the Latrobe pharmacy later named Strickler's Drug Store. In 2004 the National Ice Cream Retailers Association certified Latrobe as the dessert's birthplace, and the town holds an annual festival in its honor.
Which famous people come from Latrobe?
Latrobe was the birthplace and childhood home of Fred Rogers, creator and host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, who lived there from birth through high school. It was also the birthplace of golfer Arnold Palmer, a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
How many people live in Latrobe?
The population of Latrobe was 8,060 at the 2020 census. The borough is in Westmoreland County, near Chestnut Ridge, within the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, and it covers 2.3 square miles. Loyalhanna Creek flows through town.
Sources
- Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Wikipedia
- Christmas In Latrobe - Holly Jolly, Holly Jolly Christmas in Latrobe
- Art Classes, Latrobe Art Center
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Pennsylvania city.
Latrobe Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Latrobe to start with?
Plan around Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, Thursday, December 3 through Saturday, December 5, 2026. Light Up Latrobe opens it, and the Saturday Festival on December 5 is the main event, with holiday activities for the whole family downtown. For a hands-on follow-up, the Merry Mosaics art party is on December 12.
Where can kids see Santa in Latrobe?
Santa in the Park is one of the featured activities of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, December 3 to 5, 2026. The organizer's home page does not give the day or hour, so check the full Holly Jolly schedule posted on the site before you take the children downtown.
Are there Christmas lights or a light-up night in Latrobe?
Yes. Light Up Latrobe is the first event of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, which begins on Thursday, December 3, 2026. Organizers describe it as an annual celebration that lights up the town and kicks off the holiday season. The weekend schedule on the Holly Jolly site has the exact hours.
Which Latrobe Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?
The Merry Mosaics Children's Holiday Art Party at Latrobe Art Center on December 12, 2026 requires pre-registration and costs $25 per child. During Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, the wreath making activity asks for sign-up. The home page mentions no tickets for Light Up Latrobe or the Saturday Festival.
Is there a Christmas craft event for children in Latrobe?
Latrobe Art Center holds the Merry Mosaics Children's Holiday Art Party on Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Children make a collage portrait of Santa on a wooden panel and get holiday treats and a pizza lunch. It costs $25 per child with pre-registration.
What is the gingerbread contest in Latrobe?
The Gingerbread House Contest is part of Holly Jolly Christmas Weekend, December 3 to 5, 2026. Entries are displayed at the downtown Latrobe campus of Westmoreland County Community College, and visitors vote for a favorite. A Gingerbread Man also appears in downtown store windows for the holiday shopping raffle.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Latrobe?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Pennsylvania Christmas train rides guide. This Latrobe guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.