Saturday Funday - Christmas Celebration Around Town & McGillan’s Old Ale House

I have planned a FUN-FILLED DAY ALL AROUND THE CITY – HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US FOR OUR CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES!!

FIRST UP - The Christmas Village (Opens @ 12PM promptly) – Let’s all meet at THE ENTRACE TO LOVE PARK (AT THE LOVE SIGN) (15th & JFK) at 11:45 PM. We will wait until 12:00 PM for everyone to get there but cannot wait any longer than that.

Center City becomes Holiday Central each year when Christmas Village in Philadelphia sets up shop. This free-to-attend annual tradition transforms Philadelphia’s iconic LOVE Park, as well as the courtyard and north apron of City Hall, into an authentic European holiday market, featuring 120 rustic wooden cottages trimmed with thousands of festive lights and housing vendors of every variety. Throughout the market, guests peruse gift-able goods from around the world while enjoying events and live entertainment (with cups of hot cocoa, honey mead or warm mulled wine in hand).
NEXT UP – The Festival of Trees - Just look for the round-shaped glass building at the corner of John F Kennedy Blvd and 16th street.
Inside the LOVE Park Visitor Center, a gorgeous collection of holiday trees inspires wonder, and Santa Claus makes regular stops.
Come and visit Philadelphia's most popular new holiday tradition at LOVE Park's Welcome Center – the Festival of Trees fundraiser to support kids and families at CHOP! For the Festival’s third year, the event returns even bigger with more than two dozen trees, more bling, new designs and a sky full of stars shining for more than 150 CHOP patients. Not required as the event is free, but if you wish to donate, it goes to a very good cause, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Donating is super simple! You can donate by voting for your favorite Christmas tree design. Once you donated your preferred amount no matter how small, you get the snowflake token you can vote with. Donations can be made safe and secure by credit card, Apple Pay or cash.

On the way to Wanamaker’s Light Show - Let's Make Some Time for More Vendors, located just across the Street
The City Hall extension of Christmas Village features more vendors and a double-decker carousel in the building’s courtyard. And on the north apron of City Hall, families can find the return of the ever-popular Ferris wheel, Kids Train and other all-ages fun.

And Still Even More Vendors at The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market which will be returning to Dilworth Park, and will once again transform the West side of historic City Hall into an extravagant winter wonderland! Following past tradition, this year’s Holiday Market will again feature a large variety of local artisans, designers, crafters and jewelers offering their unique, holiday-inspired handmade goods and gifts. There truly is no better place to experience Philadelphia’s pride for locally made arts and crafts than the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market!

Next Up - Time to Warm Up at the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village (100 E. Penn Square, The Wannamaker Building)
Wanamaker’s Light Show runs every hour from 12:30-6:30pm (we will most likely make the 2:30 or 3:30 show). I will be attempting to get tickets for approximately 2:30-3:00 PM for the Dickens Village (let me know if you don’t think that’s enough time).

Since 1956, generations of Philadelphians and visitors have gathered in Center City to experience the Wanamaker Christmas Light Show and Dickens Village. These holiday experiences have brought joy, wonder, and cherished memories to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The Wanamaker Light Show presented by PECO, shown in the Grand Court of the Wanamaker Building, will be offered free of charge and open to the public throughout the season accompanied during select shows by the Wanamaker Organ.
Next Up – The Dickens Village
Dickens Village, the immersive walk-through experience inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” will be available to guests through free timed-tickets that must be reserved in advance, and will once again conclude with the opportunity to share Christmas wishes and take photos with Santa Claus. (I will attempt to obtain tickets - they open only 5 days prior to the date - so fingers crosssed!!!!)
Located on the third floor of the Wanamaker Building, Dickens Village is a 6,000-square-foot nostalgic, immersive walk-through experience. Visitors transport to 1840s London with 26 heart-warming scenes from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

Next – Lunch/Dinner @ McGillan’s Ale House, a Philadelphia Staple! Get your Christmas spirit (& spirits) at McGillin’s, Philadelphia’s original pop-up bar with over-the-top decor since 1860 and holiday drink prices that don’t pop UP during the holidays. Make it a tradition to stop by before/after shopping & Christmas shows for meal/drinks. McGillin’s Olde Ale House is like a Winter Wonderland with hundreds of ornaments, bows and strings of lights. There are no reservations accepted, so there may be a little bit of a wait, but it is worth it!

Last Stop - Our Day Concludes with a visit to Franklin Square!
Franklin Square is located at 6th & Race Streets (200 N. 6th Street) – we can either drive there, or team up to take Ubers.
Decked in stunning holiday lights, Winter in Franklin Square sparks festive wonder and cheer all season long. By day, the sun shines on the year-round park’s playgrounds and family-friendly features. And by night, the all-ages attraction hits a switch and shimmers with hundreds of thousands of dazzling LED lights. Enjoy one of Philadelphia’s premier winter light shows for FREE! The Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO is Holidays in Franklin Square’s main attraction. Hundreds of thousands of LED lights make the Square the perfect backdrop for your winter Instagram pictures.

The Electrical Spectacle Light Show features:

• All I Want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey
• Carol of the Bells (Starchild Excalibur Drumadelic Remix) performed by the London Festival Orchestra
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), by The Philly Specials
• Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano
• Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a – Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies by Tchaikovsky with Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a – Russian Dance performed by L’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal
• Sleigh Ride performed by Peter Nero and The Philly POPS® featuring Ann Hampton Callaway
• Winter Wonderland by Johnny Mathis

Themed to Ben Franklin’s electric discovery with a giant kite and key, enjoy light shows running nightly from 5pm – closing, every 30 minutes.
Under that technicolor glow, you can explore the park’s other wintery activities. Take a spin around the Parx Liberty Carousel, putt a few rounds on the Chilly Philly Mini Golf course, or try your hand at street curling (no ice or experience required!).

The season also promises a ton of special events, including elfie-selfies with Santa, a Hanukkah celebration and Kwanzaa festivities, plus your fill of pay-as-you-go bites and sips around the fire pits.