Last Updated on 17 July, 2026 by Robyn Dockendorf
November is a magical time in the Cook Forest area. Fall foliage is still hanging around, a light dusting of snow covers the ground, and an exciting event has every shopper for miles around getting ready for a holiday-filled extravaganza.
The Gingerbread Tour in Cook Forest is a 3-day holiday-themed shopping experience spanning from Leeper to Brookville. It features 14 shops and a handful of participating restaurants and lodging facilities.
This article dives into the unforgettable experiences happening during the yearly Gingerbread Tour near Cook Forest, Pennsylvania. If you’re traveling through the area during this time, it’s definitely a stop worth making!
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What Is The Gingerbread Tour?
Before you embark on the Gingerbread Tour, you may be wondering what it is. And are there any gingerbread cookies involved?
The Gingerbread Tour is a shopping extravaganza. Participating shops from Leeper to Brookville, Pennsylvania, transform their shops into a winter wonderland, loading up their shelves with Christmas-themed decor, gifts, knick-knacks, ornaments, and pretty much anything you can think of on your Christmas list!
Similar to a bar tour, you’ll travel from shop to shop. But instead of ordering drinks, you’ll wander through aisle after aisle of holiday-themed items, candies, shirts, soaps, candles, and more! And yes, baked goods can be found at these shops, so gingerbread cookies are, in fact, involved!
The stores span three counties, including Forest County, Elk County, and Clarion County. Tickets are not required, and all are welcome. Simply drive up to any of the participating stores and step inside. Stores accept cash or cards.
16 Outstanding Shops On The Gingerbread Tour
Each year, over a dozen unique vendors in the Cook Forest area fill their interiors with handmade, holiday-themed items for sale during the Gingerbread Tour. You’ll find items ranging from bear-themed nativity sets to handmade holiday wreaths and hand-stitched towels.
Some of the participating stores may change from year to year, but most remain the same, offering shoppers a unique holiday experience.
Below, I’ll briefly highlight what stands out about each store and what you can expect to find inside. Remember, some stores may change from year to year, so it’s always a good idea to check out the Gingerbread Tour website for the most up-to-date information.
1. Farmington Township Volunteer Fire Auxiliary
We’ll start things off nearest to Leeper, Pennsylvania. A brand‑new stop for 2026, the Farmington Township Volunteer Fire Auxiliary is packed with local makers offering handcrafted soaps, candles, wreaths, jewelry, home décor, artwork, and plenty of festive holiday creations.
You’ll also find unique items like turkey calls, rainbow makers, laser‑etched woodcrafts, watercolor notecards, canned goods, gift baskets, and even hand‑tied fishing flies. Food and restrooms are available all three days, making it an easy and welcoming place to browse.
- Location: 6785 Route 36, Leeper, PA 16233
2. Briar Hill Rustic Furniture
Briar Hill Rustic Furniture has been participating in the Gingerbread Tour for years. They’re known as “the place with the big swing” and craft beautiful handmade furniture from white cedar logs.
When discussing quality, nothing tops Briar Hill Furniture. The unique, log-cabin look of each handcrafted item complements camps and homes alike. Stop in and look around during the Gingerbread Tour. Each item is unique and handmade right on site, so you’ll never have the same piece of furniture as someone else!
- Address: 4169 Route 36, Leeper, PA 16233
3. The Nook Nacs Gift Shop
The Forest Nook Restaurant is known for its delicious meals, specialty coffee drinks, and homemade desserts. Right next door to the restaurant is the Nook Nacs Gift Shop, stop #2 on the Gingerbread Tour.
At Nook Nacs, you’ll find baked goods, hand-crafted items and cards, wood crafts, candles, and holiday-themed items to mark off your Christmas list.
4. Cook Forest Sawmill Center For The Arts
You’ll find a craft market dream world at the Cook Forest Sawmill Center for the Arts, located in Cooksburg. They feature handmade items from over 80 local artisans, and there’s no shortage of variety!
At the Cook Forest Sawmill, you’ll find items like hand-carved woodwork, paintings, beautiful photos, holiday-themed candles, handmade jewelry, sweaters, quilts, metal signs, and leather goods, among others. Stop down and mark a few things off your list!
Cook Forest State Park is just down the road from the Sawmill Center for the Arts. If you enjoy hiking, consider hitting one of the amazing trails in the park!
We have guides on all the best trails:
- Forest Cathedral Trail: Walk among towering trees in an old-growth forest.
- Henry Run Sawmill Dam: A manmade waterfall from the logging days.
- Cook Forest Fire Tower: An old fire watch tower that can be climbed.
5. Cooksburg Dry Goods Gift Shoppe
Located near one of the best ice cream stops around, the Cooksburg Dry Goods Gift Shoppe is teaming with Christmas-themed gifts and decor. As a bonus, you can sneak next door and grab an ice cream cone when you’re done!
Ornaments, tableware, candles, cheery signs, puzzles, and games make this a great stop for stocking stuffers.
6. Cook Forest Wines
Located among old-growth hemlocks and pines right along the Clarion River, Cook Forest Wines is an excellent place to relax, enjoy some wine, and maybe snag a gift or two for the wine lover in your life!
The wines are made locally and include white, red, dessert, and seasonal wines.
- Address: 15361 Route 36, Cooksburg, PA 16217
7. Parker’s Indian Trading Post
During the Gingerbread Tour, Parker’s Indian Trading Post turns into a winter wonderland, complete with garland, bells, Christmas trees, and even holiday carolers! This unique stop features handmade items from local artisans, Minnetonka Moccasins, locally sourced dog treats, and handmade cat toys.
At Parker’s, you’re sure to find a unique gift that’s perfect for a stocking stuffer, coworker, or family member. They also have plenty of kids’ toys to choose from, including a rock shop.
- Address: 14171 Route 36, Clarington, PA 15828
8. Pickle Barrel
The Pickle Barrel is full of one-of-a-kind items during the Gingerbread Tour! Search through wall art, home decor, furniture, pet supplies, sweets like fudge and candy, and holiday wreaths! The Pickle Barrel also still offers its normal wares like jams and pickled canned goods.
This pickle-themed store is a must-stop on the Gingerbread Tour. Don’t forget to get your picture taken with the pickle barrel!
- Address: 13867 Route 36, Clarington, PA 15828
9. Chicken Hill Distillery
A returning favorite on the tour, Chicken Hill Distillery offers a wide lineup of flavored moonshines along with bourbon, rum, and brandy. Visitors can enjoy free tastings, sip a featured cocktail, and browse their specialty foods—jerky, pickles, sauces, and plenty of other small‑batch treats.
- Location: 26 Great Bear Lane, Clarington, PA 15828
10. Heirloom Quilting
If you love everything fabric, then Heirloom Quilting is definitely a stop you don’t want to miss on the Gingerbread Tour. They have over 9,000 bolts of fabric available, buttons, thread, and patterns to make the heart of any seamstress soar.
During the Gingerbread Tour, Heirloom Quilting offers a 25% discount on all its items, including online!
11. Wilson’s Woodshed
Wilson’s Woodshed is a can’t‑miss stop filled with unique handmade gifts, home décor, and festive holiday pieces—all crafted right on the property from wood to paint.
Their decorative barrels are a customer favorite, especially during the holiday season, and the shop also features work from talented local crafters alongside their antique barn. Visitors can enjoy a Buddy Boy Winery wine tasting or a delicious wine slushy, grab a snack, and enter for one of many door prizes.
- Location: 864 Route 36, Brookville, PA 15825
12. Blackbird Distillery
Blackbird Distillery is a place like no other in Pennsylvania. They make moonshine the old-fashioned way, producing small batches of just 50 fifth-size bottles per single-run process.
If you love moonshine, whiskey, and learning about the Whiskey Rebellion, Blackbird Distillery is a must-see on the Gingerbread Tour.
Here, you’ll find 28 flavors of moonshine, 5 aged whiskies, and 6 flavors of cream liqueurs. They offer free samples and have a grub pub next door offering quick bites on the weekends.
13. Dan Smith’s Candies
What started as an ice cream company in 1946 has flourished into a 5-location Willy Wonka-esque wonderland! Dan Smith’s Candies has an old-timey feel and offers some of the most delicious chocolate in the country.
This might be the sweetest stop along the Gingerbread Tour! And chocolates aren’t the only thing you’ll find here. There are gifts, unique holiday cards, and stocking stuffers for anyone on your list.
14. Honey’s Cakes
Honey’s Cakes is a sweet stop offering a wide variety of scratch‑made baked goods—cookies, cupcakes, macarons, scones, and plenty of seasonal treats like pumpkin and gingerbread.
Everything is baked right in the heart of Brookville, and they also specialize in custom cake creations for any occasion. Gift certificates are available, making it an easy place to pick up something delicious for yourself or someone special.
- Location: 365 Main Street, Brookville, PA 15825
15. Pink Missies This & That
When you step into Pink Missies This & That, it will feel like you time-traveled back to the Victorian Age. This vintage store offers a diverse selection of items, ranging from vintage lamps and teapots to nesting dolls and one-of-a-kind holiday cards.
Enjoy 25% off storewide during the Gingerbread Tour.
16. Pretty Dingy Unique Interiors
Pretty Dingy Unique Interiors is a new stop on the tour, offering a curated mix of antiques, rustic and vintage finds, seasonal décor, homemade pottery, soaps, and repurposed treasures. Ten talented vendors work together to create top‑notch vignettes that transform the shop into a winter wonderland.
Visitors can explore the newly renovated Vine and Twine room, enjoy festive Christmas music, and snap a photo with the dancing gingerbread men. Located at 19 Main Street in Brookville, they’re excited to welcome you in for the 2026 tour.
- Location: 19 Main Street, Brookville, PA 15825
Wrapping Up The Gingerbread Tour
Shopping? Check. Holiday-themed wonderland? Check. Unique gifts? Check. The Gingerbread Tour has it all! Enjoy 16 amazing stops along this shopping tour and grab a gift for everyone on your list.
By the way, if you’re looking for other things to do in the area, check out our list of 32 things to do near Cook Forest!
To recap, the 16 shops along the Gingerbread Tour include:
- Farmington Township Volunteer Fire Department
- Briar Hill Rustic Furniture
- The Nook Nacs Gift Shop
- Cook Forest Sawmill Center for the Arts
- Cooksburg Dry Goods Gift Shoppe
- Cook Forest Wines
- Parker’s Indian Trading Post
- The Pickle Barrel
- Chicken Hill Distillery
- Heirloom Quilting
- Wilson’s Woodshed
- Blackbird Distillery
- Dan Smith’s Candies
- Honey’s Cakes
- Pink Missies This & That
- Pretty Dingy Unique Interiors
Save the date each November for the Gingerbread Tour, and enjoy unique gifts that are sure to make your loved ones smile. For more travel guides like this, check out the Dirtbags with Furbags blog!
