2023-10-11 08:35:44
Ice skating, pop-up markets, festive light shows and beloved holiday performances are just a few of the seasonal activities to make your Philadelphia visit merry and bright in November and December. PHILADELPHIA CHRISTMAS VILLAGE This is the city’s authentic German Christmas market, held in LOVE Park and the north apron of City Hall in Center City. Every year, more than 100 local artisans and makers sell handcrafted goods out of traditional German wooden shopping stalls alongside a beer garden, food stands, a carousel, Ferris wheel and a Kids Train. MADE IN PHILADELPHIA HOLIDAY MARKET This market features dozens of makers from across the region who sell holiday-inspired crafts, gifts and other goods in Dilworth Park (west side of historic City Hall) in Center City. COMCAST TECHNOLOGY CENTER HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR Visitors are welcomed into the lobby of the Comcast Technology Center to watch performances by the Philadelphia Ballet, who perform to classic holiday songs on a massive screen. The 15-minute family-friendly show plays daily. If you’re hungry afterward, head downstairs to The Concourse at Comcast Center, a food court filled with casual dining options. THE MIRACLE ON SOUTH 13TH STREET Residents along the 1600 block of South 13th Street in the East Passyunk neighborhood team up to create a stunning holiday display made up of more than 300,000 lights strung along the street, crossing from house to house overhead. Each building features its own holiday theme. MACY’S CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW & DICKENS VILLAGE A Philadelphia tradition since 1956, Macy’s Christmas Light Show in the historic Wanamaker Building features whimsical holiday scenes made of more than 100,000 LED lights — including a 34,500-LED tree. The lights dance along to classic tunes from the Wanamaker Organ, the largest playable instrument in the world. Macy’s Dickens Village is a 6,000-square-foot walk-through experience featuring 26 scenes from Charles Dickens’ holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol.” LUMINATURE AT PHILADELPHIA ZOO LumiNature at Philadelphia Zoo features dozens of illuminating, animal-themed displays, experience zones and other creative displays, light shows and holiday activities spread throughout the grounds of the nation’s first zoo. TINSELTOWN HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR For the first time ever, Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular is coming to FDR Park in South Philadelphia. Walk through an immersive environment filled with gigantic seasonal light displays as visitors of all ages enjoy snowtubing, ice skating and seasonal snacks. CHRISTMAS UNDERWATER AT ADVENTURE AQUARIUM Home to the largest collection of sharks in the Northeast, Adventure Aquarium’s Christmas Underwater special event features “sea”-sonal fun, such as appearances by Scuba Santa, who dives daily among the sea turtles, sharks and stingrays, and poses for selfies. A LONGWOOD CHRISTMAS Stroll the 1,000-acre property during A Longwood Christmas to admire beautifully decorated trees and other holiday displays as the property glows with half-a-million strung holiday lights. HANUKKAH CELEBRATIONS Celebrate Hanukkah at the Betsy Ross House’s menorah lighting, hosted in partnership with the Old City Jewish Arts Center. Festivities include traditional treats like latkes and jelly donuts. Children will be given dreidels and menorahs, while supplies last. KWANZAA CELEBRATIONS Celebrate Kwanzaa at the African American Museum in Philadelphia during a series of family-friendly activities, including arts and crafts, interactive workshops, and community discussions that recognize and honor the seven principles of Kwanzaa. For dates/times, visit DiscoverPHL.com/holidays.
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