Once Thanksgiving is behind us, South Jersey towns light up one after another, and each one has its own personality. Some are big downtown parties, some are small-town Main Street evenings, and all of them are good ways to meet your neighbors. After 23 years of working in this area, I can tell you that how a town handles the holidays says a lot about what it is like to live there.

I sorted this guide into what is confirmed for 2026 and what usually happens, so you know which dates to trust. Event details can change, so check with the town before you go.

Confirmed dates for 2026

  • Saturday, November 28 - Collingswood Holiday Parade. The borough holds it every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, along Haddon Avenue. The tree lighting with Santa has traditionally been the Friday night before. See the Borough of Collingswood holiday page.
  • Friday, December 4, 6 to 8 PM - Voorhees Winter Village and Tree Lighting. At 2400 Voorhees Town Center. Township events in past years have included music, craft vendors and food trucks. The township's 2026 calendar also lists a Menorah Ceremony the same evening, 6 to 8 PM, and Cookies with Santa at the Voorhees Fire Department on Saturday, December 19, 10 AM to 2 PM. See voorheesnj.com.
  • Saturday, December 5, 4:30 to 9 PM - Medford Dickens Festival. Main Street in Medford Village turns into a Victorian winter evening with carolers, hot chocolate, live performances and local shops. It is free, and it is held on the first Saturday of December. Here is my local guide to Medford.
  • Saturday, December 5, 11 AM to 4 PM - Haddon Township Winterfest Market. At Haddon Square, 51 Haddon Avenue in Westmont. This is the township's 10th annual market. See haddontwp.com.

Traditions that usually land on these weekends

These towns had not posted 2026 dates when I looked, so here is when they ran last year. Expect something similar and confirm before you go.

  • Haddonfield tree lighting at Library Point - the Friday after Thanksgiving (November 28 last year), kicking off Candlelight Shopping and Small Business Weekend.
  • Lights on Main in Mullica Hill - the Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 29 last year), starting at 5 PM with the tree lit at 7:30 PM. It draws thousands, and Harrison Township runs a great event. See harrisontwp.us.
  • Boro in Lights in Glassboro - the first Friday of December (December 5 last year), 6 to 9 PM at Glassboro Town Square. Details at glassboro.org/boro-in-lights. Here is my guide to living in Glassboro.
  • Moorestown Community House tree and menorah lighting - early December (Monday, December 1 last year) on the front lawn at 16 East Main Street.
  • Winter Fest at Historic Smithville Park in Eastampton - a Saturday in mid-December (December 13 last year), noon to 5 PM and free. See the Burlington County Park System.
  • Cherry Hill Township Holiday Lighting Ceremony - an early December evening at the Carman Tilelli Community Center, 820 Mercer Street, with school choirs and a tree and menorah lighting. See chnj.gov.
  • Mount Holly Holiday House Tour - a Saturday in mid-December in past years, a walk through decorated historic homes that benefits Main Street Mount Holly.

Hanukkah in South Jersey

Hanukkah begins the evening of Friday, December 4 this year, and many towns hold public menorah lightings, including Voorhees on the 4th. The Moorestown Jewish Association and Chabad of Camden and Burlington Counties have hosted a township menorah lighting on the Community House lawn in past years. Your town's website or social pages will have the exact times.

Moving here for the holidays?

If you are relocating from North Jersey, New York or Philadelphia, seeing a town at its holiday best is one of the nicest ways to get a feel for it. Walk the main street, grab a hot chocolate, and picture your family in it. When you are ready to look at homes, I would be happy to show you around. I work across New Jersey, and my guide to moving to South Jersey from North Jersey or New York is a good place to start.

Wishing you a warm and happy holiday season.

Jerry Mac
Keller Williams Realty
Call or text 856-220-1874
www.southjerseyrealty.com