‘Magical Christmas Village & Marketplace’ at Virginia’s Mountain Lake Lodge Opens November 22 for the Holiday Season

PEMBROKE, Va., Oct. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Magical Christmas Village & Marketplace at Mountain Lake Lodge, reminiscent of a whimsical European village and a premier southwestern Virginia holiday attraction, will be open to the public from November 22 through January 3, 2026 with a holiday marketplace, entertainment, ice-skating, a life-size gingerbread house, special fare and family-friendly activities.

“For the third year, we are excited to transform Mountain Lake Lodge into a Magical Christmas Village with lights, cheer and magic, the perfect holiday destination to celebrate the season,” said Heidi Stone, president and CEO of Mountain Lake Lodge. The Village is set atop Salt Pond Mountain in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains amid a 2,600-acre nature preserve, convenient to such cities as Baltimore, Knoxville, Richmond and Washington, D.C.

Grand Illumination

The entire resort will bedazzle in lights for the Grand Illumination on Saturday, November 22 at 6 p.m., followed by a live performance by Westover’s Christmas Ballet. Also debuting is Savor the Holidays Marketplace with artisan crafts and handmade treasures, interactive holiday workshops, and special beverages from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Magical Holiday Experiences

Highlights include:

• Winter Whimsy  V illage Shop – Handcrafted art and gifts, homemade holiday treats and baked goods, ornaments and locally-sourced products. (Every Friday through Dec. 26 starting at 5 p.m., the first 100 guests will receive a limited-edition collectable holiday gift.)
• Winter Bliss Ice-Skating Rink – Special glow-in-the-dark ice-skating.
• Illuminated Nights – The Village lights up with dazzling holiday displays every evening at 6 p.m.
• Life-Size Gingerbread House – Hot chocolate, s’mores and adult coco-bar.
• Strolling Carolers – Holiday songs by Jenny’s Music Studio; tickets not required (Nov. 28, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.).
• Holiday Boot Scoot – Holiday-themed line dancing and two-stepping fun, dance instruction included (Nov. 29, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.).
• Holiday Music Bingo – Festive holiday tunes, carols and cheer (Friday evenings, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
• Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides – Nostalgic rides through the Village (Dec. 20, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.).
• Holiday Channel Movie Wonderthon – Live Home for the Holidays theatre with parodies of movie favorites by Summer Musical Enterprise (Nov. 28, 6 p.m.; Nov. 29, 2 p.m. & 6 p.m.).
• Thanksgiving Day Buffet – At Harvest; reservations via OpenTable (Nov. 27, noon to 8 p.m.)
• Christmas Day Buffet – Christmas Feast at Harvest; reservations via OpenTable (Dec. 25, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

Headlining the Holiday Mainstage:

• Westover’s Christmas Ballet – Two performances of The Nutcracker (Nov. 22, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.).
• Candlelight Serenade – Harp & string quartet with classics and holiday favorites (Dec. 19, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.).
• Celtic Christmas – The Fiddler & The Flutist and Appalachian Highlanders Pipes & Drums (Dec. 20, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
• Dancing Through the Decades New Year’s Eve Celebration – Dancing for the entire family with DJ Rick and The Decades Band (Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to midnight).

All events are open to the public. For festival hours of operation, click here. Tickets are available through EventBrite.

Holiday Overnight Packages

Two-Night Magic package includes accommodations, breakfast each morning, and ice-skating passes. Four Nights of Magic includes accommodations, breakfast each morning, unlimited ice-skating passes, and $250 resort credit. Four-Night Thanksgiving Getaway offers accommodations, breakfast each morning, and a special itinerary of curated activities. Dinner reservations via OpenTable.

Mountain Lake Lodge

Mountain Lake Lodge features 22 miles of scenic hiking trails and a wide array of activities. Highlights include the Giles County Trail Center at Mountain Lake Lodge, regional arts and culture experiences, Artist’s Studio, and Nature Center with guided hikes, crafts and birdwatching. Guests enjoy mountain excursions, farm-to-table dining at Harvest restaurant, Salt Pond Pub Sunday Mountain Music and Dog Days, on-site shopping, and outdoor adventures including golf, fly fishing and floats on the New River.

The resort is the real-life filming location of Kellerman’s in the movie Dirty Dancing and where fans return again and again to experience commemorative Dirty Dancing Weekends throughout the year. The iconic movie was filmed 39 years ago and has been named to the Library of Congress National Film Registry for Preservation.

Mountain Lake Lodge was recently inducted into Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The resort has been recognized by TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Awards 2024, The Knot Best of Weddings 2024 and The Knot Best of Weddings Hall of Fame, and received first place in Virginia Living’s Best Resort and Best Special Event Venue. The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) named Heidi Stone and the resort Hotelier of the Year and Hotel of the Year; Stone recently received VRLTA’s 2025 Presidents Award.

For information, visit https://www.mtnlakelodge.com or call 540-626-7121.

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SOURCE Mountain Lake Lodge

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