Old Bethpage Village Restoration, Nassau County's re-created 19th-century Long Island village on Round Swamp Road, has two events left on its 2026 calendar. On Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22, it holds its 1863 Thanksgiving Celebration. Then, in December, it does something it does only once a year: it opens after dark for Candlelight Evenings, from December 18 to 23 and again on December 26 and 27, from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.

The dates come from the village's own 2026 special events schedule, which notes that all events are subject to change.

What Old Bethpage Village Is

The restoration is a museum village of historic buildings set up as a 19th-century Long Island community, with events built around the period's music, trades and farm life. The Powell farmhouse, dating from 1750, is the only building that originally stood on the site, and the Powell farm still operates as a barnyard complex with animals, barns, pastures and an apple and pear orchard.

The 1863 Thanksgiving Celebration, November 21 and 22

The year is not arbitrary. In 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving for the last Thursday of November, the start of Thanksgiving as a fixed national holiday. The village's late-November weekend sets the holiday in that year, so it is a chance to see the season as Long Islanders would have marked it during the war, among the farmhouses, shops and barns of the restoration.

The weekend falls just before the village closes for Thanksgiving itself: the schedule lists the village as closed on November 26 and 27. Its regular season runs Friday through Sunday through November 30.

Candlelight Evenings in December

The village describes Candlelight Evenings as a rare evening visit in winter. Visitors walk the village after dark with candles glowing in the windows of the homes and buildings, with 19th-century music, hot drinks and holiday activities along the way.

  • December 18 to 23: 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.
  • December 24 and 25: closed.
  • December 26 and 27: 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.

That gives eight nights in all, spread across the week before Christmas and the weekend after it, which leaves room for a visit with relatives in town for the holidays.

Admission and Getting There

General admission to the village is $15 for adults (13 and older), $12 for seniors (60 and older) and $12 for children 5 to 12. Children 4 and under are free. The village notes that special events may carry different pricing, so check the event listing before you go.

The village is at 1303 Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage, just off the Long Island Expressway and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway, beside Bethpage State Park. It is run by Nassau County, and questions can go to the village at 516-572-8409 or [email protected].

Plan Your Visit

For the 1863 Thanksgiving, go on Saturday, November 21 or Sunday, November 22 during regular hours. For Candlelight Evenings, pick a night between December 18 and 23 or on December 26 or 27, arrive after 5:00 p.m. and dress for a cold walk between the buildings. Confirm the night's program and pricing on the village's events page before heading out, since the schedule is subject to change.

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