Lake Wallenpaupack Guide
Lake Wallenpaupack Events Calendar
For a lake this size, Lake Wallenpaupack's calendar punches far above its population. The 13-mile reservoir in the Pocono Mountains anchors a year-round event rhythm that starts with spring canal tours and a downtown Hawley 5K, builds through a summer of lakeside concerts, fireworks over the water and county fairs, peaks with a three-day, 60-event end-of-summer festival, and closes out with a fall harvest festival and a small-town Christmas weekend running since 1999. Most of it is free, most of it is walkable from downtown Hawley, and nearly all of it is put on by the same handful of organizations year after year.
The two biggest names to know are the Chamber of the Northern Poconos, which runs Wally Lake Fest and has produced the Fourth of July fireworks over the lake since 1975, and the Downtown Hawley Partnership, which runs the Hawley Harvest Hoedown each October and Hawley Winterfest each December. Beyond those, the Wayne County Historical Society programs history events at its museum and at D&H Canal Park at Lock 31, the Ritz Company Playhouse has staged community theater every summer since 1973, and Harmony in the Woods and the Dorflinger-Suydam Wildflower Concert Series give the area two open-air music venues running full summer seasons.
2026 is a landmark year: Lake Wallenpaupack officially opened on July 31, 1926, making 2026 its centennial, with a dedicated Centennial Celebration on top of the normal calendar. Festivals here tend to lock to a weekend pattern (first weekend of October, second weekend of December) rather than a fixed calendar date — always confirm exact dates with the organizer before booking.
Planning a specific weekend? Start with the recurring weekly schedule below — the Friday farmers market, state park programs and taproom live music run on a predictable rhythm most of the season — then check the dated fall and winter entries further down. Because organizers publish final schedules close to the date, we list what is confirmed and tell you who to confirm the rest with rather than guessing.
What's On Most Weekends
Hawley Farmers Market — Fridays
Hawley
Outdoors at Bingham Park Fridays 2-5pm through October 17, 2026, then indoors at the Hawley Hub (318 Main Ave) Fridays 1-4pm November through April. PA Preferred market: produce, eggs, baked goods, honey, maple syrup, cheese and crafts. [hawleyfarmersmarket.weebly.com / Downtown Hawley Partnership, 2026-08-31]
Promised Land State Park weekend programs
4.7 (2956)Greentown
Free environmental-education and recreation programs run on weekends April through October; the park office posts the current schedule, so check the week you are visiting.
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Taproom weekends and live music
Hawley, Tafton & Greentown
The area's brewery cluster carries most weekend nights: Jam Room Brewing in Greentown runs a live-event schedule alongside its kitchen, and The Wake Zone taproom in Tafton is open Friday and Saturday afternoons into the evening. See our breweries guide for the full trail.
Confirmed Late Fall & Holiday 2026 Dates
The Hawley Harvest Hoedown (October 3-4, 2026) has wrapped, so the calendar now turns to Halloween and the holidays. Everything below is confirmed by the organizer or the regional tourism bureau; where final times aren't published yet, we say so. [discovernepa.com, poconomountains.com, woodloch.com, 2026-10-05]
Last outdoor farmers market — Friday, October 17, 2026
Hawley
The final Bingham Park market of the year runs 2-5pm on October 17; the winter market then moves indoors to the Hawley Hub (318 Main Ave), Fridays 1-4pm, November through April. [hawleyfarmersmarket.weebly.com / Downtown Hawley Partnership, 2026-08-31]
Storytelling Dinner at The Settlers Inn — October 23-24, 2026
4.5 (1035)Hawley
An annual Halloween tradition: a 6:00pm seasonal dinner in the inn's pumpkin-decorated dining room with live music and storytellers, Friday October 23 and Saturday October 24. Reserve with the inn. [discovernepa.com event listing, 2026-10-05]
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Hawley Borough Halloween Parade — Saturday, October 31, 2026
Hawley
Steps off at 5:45pm and runs from Church Street and Main Avenue to Bingham Park, where the celebration continues with costume judging. Free and family-friendly. [discovernepa.com event listing, 2026-10-05]
Woodloch Festival of Lights — Thanksgiving through New Year's
Hawley
A wagon ride through more than half a mile of holiday light displays on Woodloch Pines' nature trail, with a grand finale, offered from Thanksgiving through New Year's. It is a resort program, so ask Woodloch whether public nights are offered in 2026. [woodloch.com, 2026-10-05]
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Santa Christmas Tree Express — holiday season
Hawley
The Stourbridge Line runs Santa Christmas Tree Express train excursions departing from Hawley (and from Honesdale) during the holiday season. Check the railroad's calendar for 2026 departure dates and tickets. [poconomountains.com, thestourbridgeline.net, 2026-10-05]
Hawley Winterfest — December 11-13, 2026
Hawley
Confirmed: Hawley Winterfest runs Friday December 11 through Sunday December 13, 2026. Friday is community events, Saturday and Sunday carry the craft and artisan market, and the annual Winterfest Parade with Santa steps off through Downtown Hawley on Saturday December 12 at 11:00am. A tradition since 1999; past years have added horse-drawn carriage rides, church concerts, the First Presbyterian cookie walk and a Ritz Company Playhouse holiday show. Daily hours are not published yet, so check the Downtown Hawley Partnership's updates. [poconomountains.com + discovernepa.com event listings, 2026-10-05]
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Book lodging early for Winterfest weekend
Hawley
Winterfest weekend is the busiest December weekend in town, and Hawley's room count is small. The historic hotels at the edge of the downtown footprint fill first — see our Places to Stay guide for what stays open through the winter.
Signature Annual Festivals
Wally Lake Fest
Hawley & lakeshore
The region's flagship festival — 60+ events across the shoreline and downtown Hawley on the last weekend of August, run by the Chamber of the Northern Poconos.
Fourth of July Fireworks Over Lake Wallenpaupack
Hawley
Fireworks over the lake since 1975, seating at Wallenpaupack Area High School; Silver Birches Resort hosts an all-day companion celebration.
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Hawley Harvest Hoedown
Hawley
A 30+ year old-fashioned fall festival closing downtown streets, first weekend of October, run by the Downtown Hawley Partnership. The 2026 edition ran October 3-4.
Hawley Winterfest
Hawley
A December tradition since 1999 — a Santa parade, a cookie walk, craft market and downtown open houses. 2026: December 11-13.
County Fairs
Wayne County Fair
Honesdale
Nine days in early-to-mid August, running since 1862 — the largest event in Wayne County.
Greene Dreher Sterling (GDS) Fair
Newfoundland
Ten days spanning late August into Labor Day, with roots back to 1917.
History, Arts & Music
Wayne Historical S
4.7 (140)Hawley
Runs the D&H Canal Festival at Lock 31, Spring Open House, and the Stourbridge Lion Anniversary programming.
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Ritz Company Playhouse
4.6 (60)Hawley
Community theater season every July–September since 1973, plus a Winterfest Christmas show.
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Dorflinger Factory Museum
4.8 (181)White Mills
Hosts the 45+ year running Wildflower Concert Series each summer.
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