pocono mountains area events

Pocono Mountains Area EventsIn addition to its many cultural and historic landmarks, this destination hosts a number of outstanding festivals and events that may coincide with your visit.

The region celebrates all year with a bang—from beer festivals to music concerts and NASCAR races, you'll find something to keep you busy during your visit.

Known for its winter sports, the Pocono Mountains welcome the Mid-Atlantic Snowboard and Freeski Series to the Camelback Mountain Resort in Tannersville in early January. Watch while regional athletes compete in slalom, giant slalom and half pipe competitions, and take notes for your own mountain-shredding experience.

In late June, head to either the Lehigh River Sojourn or the Delaware River Sojourn . Taking place on the Lehigh and Delaware rivers, respectively, the festivals each offer canoeing, kayaking and white-water rafting trips on the rivers, along with organized camping, catered meals, shuttle service and entertainment. The Lehigh River Sojourn is 3 days, while the Delaware River Sojourn runs for 8 days—both are great family events.

The Pocono Raceway near Long Pond is the site of two NASCAR races a year—the first, the Pocono 400 in early June, and the second, the Overton's 400 in late July. On these weekends, more than 100,000 fans pack the stands to watch NASCAR drivers whiz around the track's three turns.

Fall signals the reaping of the crop, and a number of festivals celebrate the harvest. Attend the Harvest Festival at the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm in Stroudsburg in early October, and you'll feel as if you've entered another century. More than 50 tradespeople in traditional Pennsylvania Dutch dress demonstrate such crafts and skills as spinning and weaving as well as the making of apple butter, baskets, brooms and candles. Guests to the farm can sample cider and bread, sign up for a quilt raffle and enjoy folk entertainment.

Enjoy the cool, crisp weather in early October at the Autumn Timber Festival at Shawnee Mountain in Shawnee on Delaware. Activities include lumberjack competitions and chainsaw sculpture demonstrations as well as children's activities, country music concerts, and food and craft vendors.

The Split Rock Resort showcases domestic beverages at its ale-oriented event in November, The Great Brews Beer Festival .

Pocono Mountains residents usher in the holidays the old-fashioned way. During the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm's Old Time Christmas , costumed guides with lanterns escort guests through decorated 19th-century buildings. At Olde Time Christmas Celebration in Jim Thorpe , the whole village is adorned in Christmas finery. The town's Victorian buildings are a perfect backdrop for concerts, caroling and train rides with Santa. The Grey Towers National Historic Site in Milford also is decked out for the holidays; tour all three floors of the mansion during the Celebration of the Season event, which runs from early to late December.

See all the AAA recommended events for this destination.