​2026 12th Night Home Tour
Sunday, January 4, 2026
1 - 5 PM (rain or shine)

Purchase Tickets

$25/person – Purchase advanced tickets online now (additional fees apply)
See additional ticket purchase options below.
​​The 12th Night Home Tour is an annual fundraiser that supports exchanges with visitors from France and Germany, student scholarships, and cultural events.

This year’s tour showcases homes and buildings in York City’s historic Newton Square and surrounding streets. The neighborhood was devastated by Hurricane Agnes in 1971 and then revitalized in the 1980s through York’s Back to the City movement, which provided low-interest loans to encourage both home rehabilitation and homeownership among those who might not otherwise be able to purchase a home. Today, Newton Square is a charming neighborhood with unique historic homes.

• Logos Academy (tour headquarters*)
  255 W. King St., York, PA 17401
  Once an Art Moderne automobile showroom for White Rose Motors and later used by the YMCA, this building’s rare Art Deco features have been preserved and repurposed into a space for education and community connection.

*Coffee, tea, and cookies will also be available at this location, along with information for those interested in learning more about YTA cultural exchanges and hosting opportunities. This location is ADA accessible and has restrooms available.

• The Queue Building of Ophelia’s Making Agency
  280 W. Market St., York, PA 17401

Part of Ophelia’s Making Agency, the Queue Building and Studio Arts Group fuel the creative movement in York’s WeCo neighborhood by supporting both emerging and established artists. The gallery will feature a series of paintings of daylilies inspired by a visit to the garden farm of growers Stuart and Diane Kendig. Many artists from the Studio Art Group will have their work displayed, and studios will be open for you to visit. Several artists from the local arts community will be represented.

• Seven homes along S. Newberry St., W. Newton Ave., and W. Princess St.
  Tour a variety of homes that have been renovated and restored over the years, showcasing the neighborhood’s charm and architecture. Each home reflects the unique style and personality of its owners, from thoughtful designs that preserve architectural features to festive décor.

​All sites on the tour are located within a three-block radius, making it easy to walk from one location to another. Tour locations will have identifying signage.
 
​
​Tour Tickets
Official tour tickets are required to access tour locations. Tickets include a map and the addresses of the tour locations.  Locations can be visited in any order with tour tickets between 1 – 5 pm on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Tickets are nonrefundable.
 
​
​Advanced Purchase Tickets
Order advanced tickets and pick them up onsite at Logos Academy on Sunday, January 4, 2026, between 12:45 PM - 4:30 PM.  You must pick up your official tour ticket before accessing tour locations. You may order advanced tickets online or by mail.

• Online with a credit card for $27.32/ticket (includes service and credit card fee).
• By mail for $25/ticket with a check payable to YTA (must be received by December 27, 2025). Send check with your name, phone number, number of tickets, and mailed to:

          YTA c/o 12th Night Committee
           279 Little Creek Road
           Spring Grove, PA 17362
 
Purchase Tickets on the Day of the Event
Tickets will be available for sale at Logos Academy on Sunday, January 4, 2026, between 12:45 - 4:30 PM. Cash, check, or credit card (fees apply) accepted.

Thank you in advance to all the hosts who are opening their homes/buildings, to the artists and musicians who are contributing their time and talents, to the sponsors for their contributions, and to the many volunteers who are helping make this event possible.

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 SPECIAL THANK YOU TO
OUR 12TH NIGHT SPONSORS

Jacob Miller, Jr.
Platinum Sponsor
​
Krouse Travel


​






​Gold Sponsor

Anonymous
Ben & Fran Hoover
The York Water Company
Silver Sponsors

Budget Rentals Management LLC
CORE Design Group
Royal Square Development & Construction
Bronze Sponsors

York County Economic Alliance
Supporting Contributor​

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Printed by
​Atlas Rubber Stamp & Printing

Purchase Tickets

2024 German Student Exchange Group

What is the York Twinning Association?

York Twinning Association (YTA) is a people-to-people exchange program, which connects individuals in the world of different cultures, regions, and backgrounds. 
​See History for more information.

How does YTA connect people?

YTA is officially twinned with Arles, France (since 1954) and Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany (since 1981), and citizens have bonded culturally and economically for many years. YTA hosts student and adult exchange trips with our sister cities for short periods of time during a calendar year. 
​See History for more information.

Please send us your stories and / or pictures if you traveled to France or Germany with the York Twinning Association or hosted students or adults from France or Germany.

York Twinning Association participated in two successful exchanges Summer 2023.  Please check our September newsletter, the Adult French exchange and German student exchange for photos and information.  We are looking forward to hosting a group of German students and chaperones when they visit York from October 13th to October 28th. We are always looking for new members!    Membership forms are available on our website if you are interested in joining and helping our organization.
 
​Please send your stories and pictures to Ken Krause.
[email protected]

Evelyne Laurent with engraved silver bowl gifted to Le Club des Jumelages from York Twinning Association to commemorate 70 years of friendship.

How do the exchange programs function?

YTA and the foreign sister city organizations collaborate and set dates well in advance for exchange trips. Students’ visitations may revolve around school schedules and vacation calendars, whereas the adult trips usually occur during established specific times, which consider holidays and convenience. Students’ exchanges last for approximately 2 weeks, whereas adults spend about one week with their bonding families.  All participants live with a family in the U.S.A. or corresponding host country. While on an exchange, tours of the geographic areas are important; local cultural activities are highlighted, native foods are enjoyed, thus friendships are easily developed and families mesh.
​See Exchange Programs for more information.

How can I become involved with the YTA?

YTA welcomes interested people to attend and become a part of this enlightening experience. Organizational meetings are held throughout the calendar year. Memberships are active per calendar year and fundraisers are staged frequently. 
​See Calendar and Membership for more information.

Each alternating month we hold a board meeting and general meeting. If you are interested in becoming involved or hearing about what is happening in the York Twinning Association, feel free to join us at any general meeting! Everyone is welcome!

If you are a member of the York Twinning Association, you are also invited to join us at any board meeting to take part in our discussions. 
​See Meetings for more information.

A Special Celebration of International Friendships
                     (Information collected from Mayor Michael Helfrich and Laura Koebnick. Compiled for Tete by Betty Stein)
                               Photos provided by Mayor Helfrich, Courtney Shumway, Laura Koebnick, and Evelyne Laurent.

  
1954 marked the year York, Pennsylvania and Arles, France began an international friendship, as ’twinning’ exchange cities, that has continued for 70 years. In fact, this relationship is recognized as being the oldest, continuous sister city relationship in the United States!

A three day celebration was held in Arles on September 20th, 21st, and 22nd to honor that friendship and those of several other cities around the world that have also ‘twinned’ with Arles, France. York Twinning Association’s (YTA) Vice President, York’s Mayor Michael Helfrich, and former YTA exchange student Courtney Shumway reported they were treated royally while representing York and York Twinning Association during that celebration.

Mayors and representatives from cities twinned with Arles were greeted by Roman soldiers, given a reproduction of a Roman coin, and treated to a Roman feast at Salles des Fetes. Delicious, authentic foods, including pea soup, bread with anise, stuffed octopus, and quail eggs, were prepared using original Roman recipes and served with wine. The evening ended with participants singing songs from their respective countries. The group enjoyed Mayor Helfrich’s performance of John Denver’s song, “Rocky Mountain High”.

Mayor Helfrich woke up early Saturday morning to walk around and pick up energy from buildings and historic architecture before meeting up with the group. They enjoyed pastries, coffee, and juice served inside the Roman amphitheater while watching a fashion show of clothing designed with nods to traditional Roman dress, but including modern colors and lights. An international buffet lunch was later served at Le Club des Jumelages prior to a walking tour of the city.

Laura, the Mayor, Courtney, and representatives Michele Laffe and Evelyne Laurent from the Arles club, met to lay flowers at the location honoring Marguerite Eriksson. Marguerite, a former French teacher in the York City School District, assisted in the founding of the York-Arles twinning project. In 1977 she was named an honorary citizen of Arles. Marguerite was tragically killed during a visit to Arles in 1984.

Saturday evening the group was met by folk dancers and the Mayor of Arles at their Town Hall. The Mayor of each twinning city was recognized, given a chance to speak, then signed a new charter renewing their relationship with Arles. Since York and Arles have the longest continuous relationship, Mayor Helfrich spoke last. Laura reported that he did a fantastic job addressing the group and explaining the importance of our York-Arles relationship. A formal dinner was served at Restaurant Le Calendal following the ceremony.

Sunday, the last day of festivities, the group traveled to Carmargue and took a wagon ride to watch a demonstration of gardians herding the famous white, French Camargue horses and the black, long-horned bulls. The bulls are bred for “The Course Carmarguaise”, a traditional and bloodless form of bullfighting done in the Carmargue area of France. Everyone enjoyed the demonstration and had a wonderful day feasting on snacks, mussels, and wine.

The busy weekend schedule precluded Laura from an opportunity to formally address Le Club des Jumelages, so before returning to the United States she presented an engraved silver bowl to Evelyn Laurent, to present to Le Club des Jumelages from York Twinning Association, commemorating our 70 years of friendship. Additionally, the arrival of a painting commissioned by Mayor Helfrich, by York artist Ophelia Chambliss, was caught in French customs and didn’t arrive at the Mayor’s office in Arles until many days after the celebration. Ophelia said she was deeply honored to do this project which represents key landmarks and objects from York overlayed onto images like those painted years ago by another York artist and YTA member, Andy Case. We hope to receive a photo of the Mayor of Arles and representatives of Le Club des Jumelages with this painting.

Mayor Helfrich and the York Twinning Association are committed to continuing and growing our friendships and exchange programs between York, PA and Arles, France. We look forward to welcoming Arlesians to York for another celebration in 2026!

News

Newsletter - Tête à tête

For the latest York Twinning news, check out our Newsletter page.