This Year's New Holiday Traditions in Buchanan County Are at Fontana Park

On the first Saturday morning of November, there will be a line of people near the bison at Fontana Park outside Hazleton. Each person can pay a dollar a chip, for up to two chips, and try to throw one farther than their neighbor. Prizes will go to the top throwers in two age groups, 12 and under and 13 and over. Buchanan County Conservation calls it the First Annual Bison Chip Throwing Contest. It's the newest event on the county's holiday calendar this year.

The other change this year is also at Fontana. In late December, the Candle Light Hike moves to the park's paved trail. The county says the move is meant to make room for people of all abilities.

Downtown Independence brings back the two Chamber events most people already know, the Holiday Open House and Jingle on Main. Both are dependable. The changes this year are out at the county parks, and some of the best days on the 2026 calendar combine the two. You can spend a morning at a county park and an afternoon on 1st Street East.

The 2026 season at a glance

The season starts at Three Elms

Buchanan County Conservation opens November with a Tuesday morning bird hike. The Fall Bird Hike at Three Elms County Park starts at 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 3 at 2041 Three Elms Park Rd. Meet at the first parking lot on the left. It's part of the county's fall birding hike series, and a second hike later in the season goes to Fontana.

An 8:30 start on a weekday mostly works for retirees, people who work shifts and anyone who can come in a little late. It's also the earliest dated holiday-season event on the county calendar. Two days later, downtown Independence starts its own season.

November 7 is the day the two calendars overlap

The Shop Historic Independence Holiday Open House runs Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 5 to 8. The Independence Area Chamber of Commerce says local shops will have seasonal décor, new merchandise and special promotions all weekend. Most shops stay open until 8 p.m. on Thursday. Friday runs 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Chamber also asks shoppers to check each business's hours, since they may differ from the event schedule. The Chamber can be reached at 319-334-7178.

National Bison Day falls on the Saturday of that weekend. National Bison Day at Fontana runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the Fontana Nature Center, 1883 125th St, Hazleton. It's a come-and-go event. Visitors can learn about bison and how their parts were used historically, and they can help feed the bison with staff or volunteers. Programs on how bison parts were used historically start at 10 and 11 a.m. There's also a bison craft at the Nature Center, along with the chip contest. Registration for the day opened Sept. 10 on the county's event page.

Fontana's program ends at noon and downtown shops are open until 5 on Saturday. That timing makes Nov. 7 the easiest full day of the season to plan. You can go to the bison talk in the morning and still have the afternoon for Open House shopping. The Chamber suggests ending the weekend with a stop at a local coffee shop, a meal or an afternoon drink downtown.

Two downtown spots have recently updated listings in the Chamber's directory. Wild Rye Boutique, at 112 2nd Ave NE, sells women's and children's clothing, accessories and home décor. Sanity Room, at 117 1st St E, is listed under bars and entertainment. Hours vary by shop during the Open House, so check before you go.

December 1 offers two things to do at either end of the day

The county's birding series ends on Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 8:30 a.m. with the Fall Bird Hike at Fontana County Park. This hike meets in the Nature Center classroom instead of a parking lot. Loaner binoculars and bird guides are available, so you don't need your own gear.

That evening, Buchanan County Conservation moves indoors to Independence for Natural Holiday Porch Pots at 6:30 p.m. The workshop is at the Buchanan County Extension Office, 2600 Swan Lake Blvd A. Participants make an evergreen holiday porch pot to take home.

This is the second time the parks calendar connects to town. On Nov. 7, the bison morning led into downtown shopping. On Dec. 1, the conservation staff come into town themselves. If you make a porch pot on Tuesday night, it'll be on your front steps before the tree lighting downtown three days later.

Jingle on Main is the night downtown fills up

Jingle on Main is Friday, Dec. 4, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the corner of 1st St E and Chatham St. The Independence Area Chamber of Commerce lists the Christmas tree lighting, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and horse-drawn wagon rides. It's the Chamber's December event on its 2026 calendar.

The Chamber's 2026 listing for the event doesn't name vendors or sponsors. In a previous year, the Independence Bulletin Journal listed the activity hosts. They included Sanity Room, Full Circle Services Day Hab, Studio 21 Photography with the Independence Public Library, Plush Salon & Spa, Elm Tree, Gedney Bakery, Red Rock Farms and the Independence Fire Department. That year, Veridian Credit Union sponsored the horse-drawn carriage rides. Those details describe an earlier Jingle on Main and may change this year. They do show how many downtown groups have taken part in the two-hour event.

The schedule fits in two hours. Arrive by 5 so you have the full window for the tree lighting, Santa and the wagon rides. Dress for an early December evening outside, since the whole event takes place on the street.

The season ends on Fontana's paved trail

The calendar goes quiet after Jingle on Main until the Monday after Christmas. The Candle Light Hike runs Dec. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Fontana Park Nature Center, 1883 125th St, Hazleton. Check in at the Nature Center first. Candles along the trail lead hikers past different sounds, smells and sights. A fire behind the Nature Center will have s'mores, and the Nature Center will be open to visitors. Registration opened Sept. 14 on the county's event page.

The paved trail is the biggest change on this year's calendar. A candlelit walk on an unpaved trail in late December is hard for a stroller, a wheelchair or a grandparent who isn't steady on frozen ground. On the paved trail, more families can come together, including relatives in town for the holidays. Falling between Christmas and New Year's, Dec. 28 also gives a group that spans several generations an evening outing together.

We're based in Independence, and this calendar runs right through our own season. If you're thinking about a home close to 1st Street East or out near Fontana Park, Wapsie Realty can tell you what it's like to live there through the seasons. Contact Us when you're ready to talk.