Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Shippensburg for 2026, and here is what he found: 3 family events. They are A Magical Cirque Christmas (November 24), Holiday Movie: The Santa Clause (December 5) and Holiday Open House (December 8). 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 Shippensburg
- 3 Christmas events for kids in Shippensburg
- Meet Santa: Holiday Open House (December 8)
- Also on the list: 2 Christmas shows and 1 craft workshop
- Season: November 24 (A Magical Cirque Christmas) to December 8 (Holiday Open House)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
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All 3 events
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Shippensburg
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday show
A Magical Cirque Christmas
- When: Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 7:30 pm
- Where: Luhrs Performing Arts Center, 475 Lancaster Dr, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Cost: $49 to $79 at the box office, plus $6 per ticket online
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
This touring stage show mixes circus acts with a Christmas theme: acrobats, feats of strength and balance, comedy and magic, all set to current holiday songs. The Luhrs Center describes it as a production that has toured for more than five holiday seasons and suits audiences of every age.
There is one performance, on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 7:30 pm at the Luhrs Center in Shippensburg. Tickets are $49, $59, $69 or $79 at the box office, with $6 added for online orders, and can be bought online, by phone or in person.
Parent tip: A 7:30 pm curtain on a Tuesday makes for a late night, though it falls in Thanksgiving week when many children have a lighter school schedule. Buying at the box office on Lancaster Drive avoids the $6 online charge on each ticket.
- Host
- Luhrs Performing Arts Center (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Luhrs Performing Arts Center, 475 Lancaster Dr, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Shippensburg events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Shippensburg daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Shippensburg.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 2 more Shippensburg 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 Shippensburg.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Shippensburg 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 Shows
- 1 Santa
- 1 Crafts
- 1 Breakfast and treats
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Shippensburg every week.
Holiday event
Holiday Movie: The Santa Clause
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 2 to 4 pm
- Where: Coy Public Library, Community Room, 73 W King St, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page, registration required
- Ages: All ages
Expand to see the parent tip
Coy Public Library screens The Santa Clause in its Community Room on the afternoon of the Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade. The library has timed the film so families can watch it first and then head out for the parade.
The movie runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 5, 2026. Registration is required through the Cumberland County Library System calendar, and the page shows 80 seats. No price is mentioned.
Parent tip: Seats are capped at 80 and sign-up is required, so register early if you want a warm place to wait before the parade. Dress the kids for the outdoors before you come, since the plan is to go from the film to the parade route.
- Host
- Coy Public Library, Cumberland County Library System (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Coy Public Library, Community Room, 73 W King St, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Shippensburg events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Shippensburg daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Shippensburg.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Santa visit
Holiday Open House
- When: Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 5:30 to 7 pm
- Where: Coy Public Library, Community Room, 73 W King St, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Preschool through grade 12
Expand to see the parent tip
The library opens its Community Room for an evening with a visit from Santa, craft tables and snacks. The library calls it an annual event, and the calendar lists it for children from preschool age through the teen years.
It takes place on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at Coy Public Library. The page does not mention a price or registration.
Parent tip: It is a 90-minute open house on a school night, so you can come after an early dinner and still be home for bedtime. Arriving near 5:30 gives children time for both Santa and the crafts before things wind down at 7:00.
- Host
- Coy Public Library, Cumberland County Library System (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Coy Public Library, Community Room, 73 W King St, Shippensburg, PA 17257 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Shippensburg events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Shippensburg daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Shippensburg.
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 Shippensburg Christmas event for kids happens
The first is A Magical Cirque Christmas in Shippensburg on November 24; the last runs to December 8. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- A Magical Cirque ChristmasShippensburg · Nov 24
- Holiday Movie: The Santa ClauseShippensburg · Dec 5
- Holiday Open HouseShippensburg · Dec 8
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 Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, Enola and New Cumberland. 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 Shippensburg
Shippensburg is home to the Beistle Company, described as the oldest manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the United States, which makes it a fitting town for a season built on decorating. At Christmas the borough's family events gather at Coy Public Library on King Street and at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University.
How Shippensburg celebrates
Christmas for families in Shippensburg runs between King Street and the university. Coy Public Library, part of the Cumberland County Library System, shows The Santa Clause in its Community Room on Saturday, December 5, 2026, timed to come before the Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade. On Tuesday, December 8, the library holds what it calls its annual Holiday Open House, with Santa, crafts and snacks. At the Luhrs Performing Arts Center, the season opens with A Magical Cirque Christmas on November 24, and the center's listings also show Mannheim Steamroller on November 29 and The Nutcracker on December 9.
Fun facts about Christmas in Shippensburg
Shippensburg was settled in July 1730, when 12 Scots-Irish families built cabins along Burd's Run, and it is the oldest community in the Cumberland Valley. It takes its name from Edward Shippen, who obtained the patent to the land from the heirs of William Penn, and it was incorporated as a borough on January 21, 1819. Widow Piper's Tavern, built in 1735, housed the first Cumberland County courts in 1750 and 1751 and is now home to the Shippensburg Civic Club. The 2020 census counted 5,478 residents.
Traditions today
- Holiday Open House at Coy Public Library: The library describes this evening of Santa, crafts and snacks in its Community Room as an annual event, set for December 8 in 2026.
- Movie before the parade: Coy Public Library screens The Santa Clause on December 5, 2026, so families can watch it before the Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade.
- Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade: The library's calendar names the community Christmas parade as the event that follows its Saturday holiday movie.
- Holiday shows at the Luhrs Center: The Luhrs Performing Arts Center lists A Magical Cirque Christmas on November 24, 2026, with Mannheim Steamroller and The Nutcracker also on its schedule.
- King Street: US Route 11 runs through the center of town as King Street, where Coy Public Library hosts its holiday programs.
A fact for kids
Shippensburg is home to the oldest maker of decorations and party goods in the United States. In 2009, archaeologists found the site of an old fort in town, along with coins, buttons and musket balls.
Questions about Christmas in Shippensburg
When was Shippensburg founded?
Shippensburg was settled in July 1730, when 12 Scots-Irish families arrived and built cabin homes along Burd's Run. It is the oldest community of the Cumberland Valley and the second oldest in Pennsylvania west of the Susquehanna River, after York. It was incorporated as a borough on January 21, 1819.
How did Shippensburg get its name?
The village was named for Edward Shippen, a prominent Lancaster resident and onetime mayor of Philadelphia, who obtained the patent to the land from the heirs of William Penn. His granddaughter Peggy Shippen later became known as the wife of General Benedict Arnold.
What is Widow Piper's Tavern?
Widow Piper's Tavern was built by Samuel Perry in 1735 and stands at the southwest corner of East King Street and Queen Street. It was chosen as the site of the first Cumberland County courts in 1750 and 1751. Restored, it now serves as home of the Shippensburg Civic Club.
What was Fort Morris?
Fort Morris was ordered built on July 9, 1755, after news of General Braddock's defeat, to protect troops and colonists during the French and Indian War. It was garrisoned until 1759. In 2009, archaeologists reported finding its site on Burd Street, along with pottery, coins, buttons and musket parts.
How big is Shippensburg?
The 2020 census counted 5,478 people in the borough, which lies mostly in Cumberland County and extends west into Franklin County. It sits in the Cumberland Valley, 41 miles southwest of Harrisburg. Shippensburg University, founded in 1871 as a normal school, is just north of the borough limits.
What is Shippensburg known for making?
Shippensburg is home to the Beistle Company, described as the oldest manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the United States. In the past the town also had furniture factories and engine and pump works, and in 2012 Volvo Construction Equipment began an expansion to bring its American headquarters here.
What happens at Christmas in Shippensburg?
In 2026, Coy Public Library shows The Santa Clause on Saturday, December 5, ahead of the Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade, then holds its annual Holiday Open House with Santa on Tuesday, December 8. The Luhrs Center stages A Magical Cirque Christmas on Tuesday, November 24.
Who organizes Shippensburg's Christmas events for kids?
Coy Public Library, part of the Cumberland County Library System, runs the holiday movie and the Holiday Open House in its Community Room. The Luhrs Performing Arts Center, connected with Shippensburg University, presents the touring holiday shows, including A Magical Cirque Christmas.
Which Shippensburg Christmas events cost money?
A Magical Cirque Christmas is the ticketed one, at $49 to $79 at the Luhrs Center box office, with $6 more for online orders. The library pages for the holiday movie and the Holiday Open House do not list a price, though the movie requires registration and has 80 seats.
Does Shippensburg have other yearly festivals?
Yes. The Shippensburg Community Fair, begun in 1958, is held in the last full week of July and bills itself as Pennsylvania's largest bi-county fair. The Corn Festival takes place downtown on the last Saturday of August, with attendance estimated at 60,000 to 70,000.
Sources
- Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, Wikipedia
- A Magical Cirque Christmas, Luhrs Performing Arts Center
- Holiday Movie: The Santa Clause, Cumberland County Library System
- Holiday Open House, Cumberland County Library System
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.
Shippensburg Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Shippensburg to start with?
For young children, the Holiday Open House at Coy Public Library on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, is an easy first pick, with Santa, crafts and snacks from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. For a bigger night out, A Magical Cirque Christmas plays the Luhrs Center on Tuesday, November 24, at 7:30 pm.
Where can kids meet Santa in Shippensburg?
Santa visits Coy Public Library on West King Street during the Holiday Open House on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The library describes it as an annual event with crafts and snacks in the Community Room. Its calendar page does not mention registration.
Is there a Christmas parade in Shippensburg?
Coy Public Library's calendar refers to the Shippensburg Community Christmas Parade taking place after its holiday movie on Saturday, December 5, 2026. The library page does not give the parade's start time or route, so check with the parade's organizers. The movie, The Santa Clause, runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.
Are there Christmas shows for families in Shippensburg?
Yes. The Luhrs Performing Arts Center hosts A Magical Cirque Christmas on Tuesday, November 24, 2026, at 7:30 pm, with acrobatics, comedy and magic set to holiday music. The same Luhrs Center page also lists The Nutcracker on Wednesday, December 9, at 7:30 pm among its upcoming events.
Which Shippensburg holiday events need tickets or sign-up?
A Magical Cirque Christmas at the Luhrs Center is ticketed, with seats from $49 to $79 at the box office and $6 added online. The Santa Clause movie at Coy Public Library on December 5, 2026, requires registration and has 80 seats. The Holiday Open House page mentions no sign-up.
Where are Shippensburg's Christmas events held?
Two are in the Community Room at Coy Public Library on West King Street, the road that carries US Route 11 through the center of town. The cirque show is at the Luhrs Performing Arts Center on Lancaster Drive, on the Shippensburg University campus just north of the borough.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Shippensburg?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Pennsylvania Christmas train rides guide. This Shippensburg 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.