December at Allaire State Park in Wall Township will be filled with a variety of holiday activities including caroling, wagon rides and evening tours of a historic village by lantern light, the state park service announced.
These and other activities are sponsored by Allaire Village Inc., a nonprofit educational and historic preservation partner of the park, according to a press release.
“The holiday season in New Jersey is welcomed each year with an exceptional range of programming at our state parks and historic sites,” said Mark Texel, director of the Division of Parks and Forestry. “The variety of events and activities at Allaire State Park, in particular, have become a holiday staple for many families, and we encourage everyone to enjoy the special experience offered at Allaire.”
Advance tickets are highly recommended for all Allaire Village Inc. events. Walk-up tickets are more readily available for Christmas at Allaire activities. Tickets for events presented by Allaire Village Inc. can be purchased by calling 732-919-3500 or visiting the Events link at www.allairevillage.org
The Historic Village at Allaire is at 4263 Atlantic Ave., Wall Township, according to the press release.
Dates and times for holiday activities at Allaire State Park this year include:
• Christmas Lantern Tours, Dec. 15-16, 5-8 p.m. Enjoy the spirit of the season with a stroll through Allaire’s Historic Village to experience the holiday season of 1836.
Traditional 19th century activities planned during the tours include music, history and a bit of theater. Tours last 90 minutes and leave every 15 minutes. Lantern tours are not recommended for children younger than 5 years old because they are walking tours and strollers are not permitted in buildings.
Admission is $15 per person. Timed tickets are available for purchase, on a first-come, first-served basis. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights to guide their footing.
• Christmas Express, Dec. 16, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m., Dec. 17, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Santa Claus rides the train along the Pine Creek Railroad and talks to each child aboard. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead the day they want to ride the railroad, to ensure availability. Admission is $6 per person. All tickets must be purchased in person at the train ticket office in Allaire State Park. Every person on the train must have a ticket, regardless of age. Trains leave every 30 minutes, weather permitting.
• Christmas at Allaire, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk through the historic village to experience hearth cooking, singing, dancing and wagon rides, and to meet St. Nick. Various interactive programs are scheduled throughout the day. Admission is $7 for adults; $5 for children under 12. Horse and wagon rides are an additional charge.
To learn more about Allaire State Park, visit www.nj.gov/dep/ parksandforests/parks/allaire. html
To learn more about the Historic Village at Allaire, visit www.allairevillage.org