Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains region, known simply as the Poconos, spans roughly 2,400 square miles across northeastern Pennsylvania. The Poconos region includes Wayne, Pike, Carbon and Monroe counties. Once known for its resorts, the Poconos is renowned for its outdoor recreation and its historic towns and cities. The region also hosts a multitude of fairs and festivals throughout the year.
Fall Festivals
- Celebrate the fall season at the Great Pocono Pumpkin Festival, held every weekend from late September through late October. You can take a hayride with your family and friends, stroll through the enchanted woods, find your way through the corn maze or ride one of the amusement rides at the festival's midway. Delaware Water Gap's annual Jazz Festival, sponsored by the Celebration of the Arts, an organization that was founded by local musicians, is held annually in early September. It features an area for children with music, face painting, arts and crafts, and storytelling. It also features food and beverage concessions and a full lineup of music from more than 100 regional and local musicians.
Winter Festivals
- You can get into the holiday spirit at Hawley Winterfest, which is held every year in early December. The three-day festival includes events such as an art show held by local and regional artists, cookie sales, live music, an artisans' fair featuring arts and crafts, pictures with Santa and a holiday tree lighting. Warm up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate at Milford's Winter Lights Festival, a week-long festival that celebrates the arts. You can find a spot to watch the parade outside of the historic Hotel Fauchere, watch an ice ballet or skate on the ice skating rink in Ann Street Park, or admire the town’s ice and light installation. All of the festival's events are free.
Spring Festivals
- Although small towns throughout the region host smaller events such as St. Patrick's Day parades or Easter egg hunts, spring is a relatively quiet season on the Poconos' festival circuit. You can celebrate Celtic culture, music and Irish foods at the Scranton Celtic Festival, held at Montage Mountain. The festival is held in mid-May, and it features live music from local and national performers, vendors selling Celtic goods and food concessions serving up Irish and American menu items. A little further south, in the village of Shawnee on the Delaware, Shawnee Mountain hosts another Celtic Festival over Memorial Day weekend. You can practice your jig while you listen to live Celtic music played on two stages, watch Irish step dancers perform, attend the bagpipers' parade or shop for Celtic crafts and other goods.
Summer Fairs and Festivals
- The Poconos really come alive during the summer, with numerous festivals at Shawnee Mountain, including the Pocono's Wurst Festival, a two-day event with live Polish and German music, dance performances, arts and crafts and a full menu of wursts, kielbasa, hot dogs and pierogies. The Pocono Garlic Festival is a local Labor Day favorite. The Garlic Festival serves up garlicky food items such as garlic ice cream. Gilbert hosts the West End Fair annually in late August. It features live entertainment on multiple stages, carnival rides and contests such as livestock contests and scarecrow contests, tractor pulls, demolition derbies and more. If you like funnel cake and other fair foods, you'll be able indulge your cravings with the numerous food vendors serving up classic fair food.
