Philadelphia Zoo Butterfly Tree & Pherris Wheel Lighting Celebration
Philadelphia Zoo’s nature-inspired holiday light show, LumiNature presented by PNC, is back and brighter than ever, reaching new heights with the grand opening of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel, a 110 ft. tall observation wheel with breathtaking scenes of the more than a million twinkling lights that will fill the Zoo and jaw-dropping sights of the city skyline. New for this year, and joining the more than a dozen whimsical wildlife scenes come to light, are Santa’s Lodge, a cozy indoor space with the chance to say hello to the big man himself, and Jambi’s Solstice Saloon, the perfect spot to chill along the beaming river. Favorite returning illuminated displays include the high-energy Penguin Prismatic show with a 40 ft. tall penguin shining with 40,000 lights and the famous 25 ft. tall pink flamingo tree, made entirely out of 1,500 lawn ornament flamingos. Plus, bring your old Zoo Key, or purchase a new one at the Zoo’s gift shops, to turn on the magic in select areas. Tickets required.
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
“A Christmas Story: The Musical”
PA: Walnut Street Theatre continues their 217th season by inviting audiences to experience the holidays with Ralphie Parker and his family! Travel back to 1940’s Indiana with the Parkers in “A Christmas Story: The Musical.” The show is Broadway’s musical comedy gift! A boy named Ralphie has a big imagination and one wish for Christmas, a Red Ryder BB Gun. A kooky leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, the dogs stealing the turkey, a cranky department store Santa and a triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the obstacles that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas dream. This beloved musical captures holiday wonder with funny and heartfelt songs, show-stopping dancing, a pair of mischievous dogs, delicious wit and a heart of gold!
When: Wednesday, Nov. 26-Jan. 4, 2026
Where: Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St.
Celebrate Thanksgiving with City Cruises
City Cruises Philadelphia is hosting a Thanksgiving Day Early Dinner Cruise and Thanksgiving Day Dinner Cruise, offering guests and their families a stress-free, memorable holiday celebration on the water. Guests can enjoy a chef-prepared buffet with traditional Thanksgiving favorites, seasonal cocktails, live DJ entertainment, and scenic views of the city skyline, creating the perfect backdrop for a holiday gathering.
When: Thursday, Nov. 27; for early dinner, boarding at 2:30 p.m.; for dinner, boarding at 7 p.m.
Where: departing from Penn’s Landing, 401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
A Bit of the Arts Holiday Fine Art Show & Sale
A Bit of the Arts Holiday Fine Art Show & Sale is back for two festive days of creativity, community, and holiday cheer. Kick off the holiday season at Lansdowne’s beloved arts celebration! The A Bit of the Arts Holiday Fine Art Show & Sale is back for two festive days of creativity, community, and holiday cheer. Attendees can expect 40 local artist and makers, live music, student art exhibition with over 200 works of art from local students, family-friendly activities and drinks and food from local vendors. Whether you’re shopping for the perfect handmade holiday gift, enjoying live music, or discovering local talent, A Bit of the Arts is the perfect way to celebrate creativity in Lansdowne this holiday season. Free to attend, pay as you go.
When: Friday, Nov. 28 from 4-8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 29 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Twentieth Century Club, 84 S. Lansdowne Ave., Lansdowne, PA 19050
Cigar and Lifestyle Fest 2025
The inaugural Cigar and Lifestyle Festival is the ideal event for individuals who prefer the quiet luxury side of life. Attendees can indulge in buying cigars from several boutique cigar manufacturers and enjoy tastings from local distilleries like Illadelph Vodka and Christmas City Spirits. The Curated Cart is serving sweets as the festival’s official dessert provider, while Cafe Duskaia offers a selection of coffees. Friday also brings the world launch of Puros de Panamá’s latest cigar blend, “The Sound of Philadelphia,” as well as the Puros de Panamá Experience. On Saturday, the Philly Cigar Week’s “Gone Til November” Pop-Up Experience takes over the festival with special guests and features. The list of vendors includes exciting watch, jewelry, accessories, and apparel brands. Tattoo artists from event sponsor Black Heart Tattoo and Gallery will be tattooing, and other regional artists and makers will have great gift-giving items and goods for sale. DJ Vader will keep the vibes proper with music throughout the weekend. While smoking is not allowed inside the convention hall, a dedicated area adjacent to the building will be available for those who can not wait to light up. Tickets required.
Where: Greater Philly Expo Center & Fairgrounds, 100 Station Ave., Oaks, PA 19456
The Shops at Wanamaker Light Show
The magic of the holidays in Philadelphia will sparkle even brighter this season with the debut of Shops at The Wanamaker Light Show. This brand-new indoor holiday market will transform the Wanamaker Building Grand Court into a warm and festive shopping destination featuring 30 curated local vendors – all set against the backdrop of one of the city’s most treasured holiday spectacles. Shoppers can browse a curated selection of artisan gifts, seasonal treats, handmade goods, and festive finds, while surrounded by the glow and music of the iconic Wanamaker Light Show, a Philadelphia tradition that has captivated audiences since 1956. Now, with the addition of Shops at The Wanamaker Light Show, guests can do more than just experience the magic – they can take a piece of it home.
When: Friday, Nov. 28-Dec. 24 from 12-8 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E Penn Sq.
“Little Women”
Hedgerow Theatre Company ushers in the holiday season with Kate Hamill’s celebrated adaptation of “Little Women,” a vibrant and heartfelt retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s classic story about family, identity, and the ties that hold communities together. In “Little Women,” audiences follow the March sisters as they come of age during the American Civil War, each navigating her own dreams while confronting the expectations of a changing world. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy discover the power of resilience, imagination, and sisterhood as they face moments of joy, loss, and transformation that shape who they hope to become.
When: Friday, Nov. 28-Dec. 26
Where: Hedgegrow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Rd., Media, PA 19063
Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest invites guests to cozy up on the Delaware River Waterfront with amazing views of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The beloved seasonal tradition features an NHL-sized ice rink, outdoor firepits, warming cabins, and festive food and drink for all ages to enjoy. Open seven days a week, including holidays (unless otherwise noted), admission is free with pay-as-you-go amenities that let visitors create their own winter adventure. Classic amusements like the Ferris wheel, indoor arcade, and the giant holiday tree return in December. For the best experience, guests are encouraged to reserve skating tickets, cabins, firepits, or Rinkside Lounge packages in advance at RiverRink.com.
When: Friday, Nov. 28-March 2026
Where: Independence Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
”Back to the Future: The Musical”
“Back to the Future: The Musical” follows Marty McFly, a rock ‘n’ roll teenager, who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love to save his own existence.
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 30
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.
”WE ARE ALL FADING” at Morton Contemporary
From slam dunks to master strokes — former NBA basketball player Neil Anthony Edwards traded a basketball for a paintbrush, transforming his drive on the court into a powerful meditation on life’s fleeting moments and the legacies we leave behind. After being drafted to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and competing internationally in China, Lebanon, Venezuela, and Italy, Edwards shifted his focus to his first passion — art. Edwards brings the same discipline, focus, and kinetic energy to painting that once defined his basketball game. The result is work that feels immediate and lived-in: portraits that pulse with presence even as they contemplate the quiet fade of time. In “WE ARE ALL FADING,” Edwards turns style into storytelling. Fashion isn’t decoration — it’s autobiography — telegraphing who we are, how we move through the world, and what we hope will endure. His luminous, larger-than-life figures inhabit a charged space between glamour and vulnerability, their surfaces layered with translucent color and unorthodox mark-making. Each canvas holds the now while acknowledging the inevitable: memory softens, edges blur, yet essence remains.
When: through Sunday, Dec. 7
Where: Morton Contemporary Art Gallery, 115 S. 13th St.
20th Annual Juried Art Exhibition
The 20th Juried Art Exhibition is the center’s largest exhibition of the year, featuring the work of 46 emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists. This year’s exhibition is particularly special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia region’s longest-running annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition and serves as a kick-off to the center’s approaching 50th Anniversary in 2026. Works featured in the Juried Art Exhibition are displayed in the Center’s expansive first-floor lobby and include a wide variety of styles, mediums, and subject matter that will be available for purchase. Profits made from the exhibit support both local LGBTQ+ artists and the Center’s Art and Culture programs.
When: through Thursday, Dec. 11
Where: William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
”The Mountaintop”
Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company is proud to announce its second production of the 2025/26 season with “The Mountaintop,” written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, and directed by Barrymore Award-winning director Brett Ashley Robinson. The 90-minute reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night invites audiences into a deeply intimate and human portrait of one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century. Set on April 3, 1968, “The Mountaintop” opens with Dr. King, played by Akeem Davis, returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel after delivering his historic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. What begins as a quiet evening takes a turn when he encounters Camae, a mysterious maid played by Kishia Nixon. Over the course of the night, their conversations reveal the man beneath the iconic figure: the humor, doubts, and humanity of someone wrestling with the weight of his calling and the legacy he will leave behind.
When: through Sunday, Dec. 14
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd St.
CBS Philadelphia Joy of Sharing Holiday Toy Drive
Partner with CBS Philadelphia and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts to make the holidays brighter for area children. Benefiting the Salvation Army and Mothers In Charge, visitors are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to donation boxes in the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Miller Theater.
When: through Thursday, Dec. 18
Where: The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad St.
Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum
The Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum & Gardens returns to Chestnut Hill, delighting visitors. The beloved attraction features rail cars traveling along more than a third of a mile track, set within a landscape of twinkling lights and delightful sounds.
When: through Tuesday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.
”Clay as Care” at the Clay Studio
The relationship between ceramic art and health is examined through an exhibition, scientific research, a publication, and public programs. The project considers ways in which care manifests in ceramic art and how viewing art and working with clay can promote personal and communal health. The exhibition features artists whose practices address healing, rest, and resilience, including Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Pew Fellow Adebunmi Gbadebo, Ehren Tool, and Maia Chao. Co-Curators Jennifer Zwilling and Nicole Pollard will work closely with The Clay Studio Exhibition Council, partners in the health research field, and the four lead artists to create an exhibition and space that reflects the values of care that we see as inherent in the act of making art with clay.
When: through Wednesday, Dec. 31
Where: The Clay Studio, 1425 N. American St.
Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
The largest outdoor holiday market celebrating local vendors, local made products and local gifts returns to Dilworth Park! The market brings with it 40+ vendors with all the holiday vibes including the new white huts, twinkling lights and illuminated stars. The holiday vibes will be elite! Look for dozens of vendors that read like a who’s who from the tri-state region with everything from fashion, décor, home goods, dog treats, candles, jewelry, foodie gifts and so much more.
When: through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
Philadelphia Zoo’s LumiNature
Philadelphia’s most celebrated and award-winning holiday light show is back — and ready to reach new heights 110 feet above the city skyline! Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce the return of LumiNature and over one million dazzling holiday lights. New this year, look for the debut of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel a new observation wheel ferris wheel with breathtaking scenes of the lights and overlooking the city where the former Zoo balloon was. This will instantly become one of the most Instagram-ready new attractions for the 2025 holiday season.
When: through Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance”
Launch your holidays by celebrating a beloved model of a modern major comedic opera with Quintessence Theatre’s presentation of “The Pirates of Penzance” by Gilbert & Sullivan! On his 21st birthday, a dashing young pirate apprentice prepares to finally be freed from servitude. Arriving back on land for the first time, he plans to live a dutiful and honorable adulthood. But there’s a snag — check his birth certificate! A bevy of local beauties, conscientious pirates and their King, a wily and witty old waiting-woman, an incompetent madcap Major General, a troop of troglodyte policemen, and a parade of ingenious paradoxes all portend to make Quintessence a delightful winter destination!
When: through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026
Where: Quintessence at Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave.
Holidays in Franklin Square
Historic Philadelphia, Inc., the non-profit responsible for renovating, operating, and maintaining Franklin Square, opens Holidays in Franklin Square, featuring the Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO, inviting the community to celebrate traditions old and new. Holidays in Franklin Square will enchant visitors with holiday magic and jolly memories. The centerpiece of the festivities is the free Electrical Spectacle Light Show with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights choreographed to seasonal music throughout the Square every night. Guests can cozy up around fire pits with hot beverages, including spiked options for adults, and enjoy Street Curling and Chilly Philly Mini Golf, adorned with lights and seasonal decorations. Visitors can indulge in hand-crafted cocktails and seasonal treats in the pop-up winter bar, Frosty’s Fireside Lodge. The Square will also host various family holiday events, such as Wicked Night (New for 2025!), Jingle and Mingle with Santa, Santa Paws, and Brunch with Santa. Other festivities include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, along with a gift-making night with The Clay Studio and fun for everyone with the Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown. Franklin Square, along with the Parx Liberty Carousel, Chilly Philly Mini Golf, SquareBurger operated by Cescaphe, and the two playgrounds will be open during the day.
When: through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 from 5-9 p.m.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.
”Stories My Father Told Me” at Al-Bustan
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery presents “Stories My Father Told Me,” a solo exhibition by renowned artist Helen Zughaib. Through 25 paintings, Zughaib brings a vivid world alive—a world derived from the stories that her father would relay to her and her siblings while growing up in Lebanon. Though rooted in her specific familial experience, the exhibition speaks to something universal: the enduring power of storytelling to bridge generations and preserve identity. Each painting invites viewers to recall their own storytellers, to hear echoes of familiar voices, and to find themselves within a shared fabric of belonging.
When: through Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026
Where: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery, 310 W. Master St.
”To Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 – 1958”
Philadelphia gave birth to the U.S. Navy twice — first in 1775 and again in 1794. The later Navy reflected the young nation: ships designed by Quakers, built in shipyards along the East Coast with wood harvested by enslaved people, led by white officers, and crewed by a diverse mix of nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. The Marines of both eras laid the foundation for one of the world’s elite fighting forces. While prominent Philadelphians appear in naval history, the story also lives in the letters and journals of sailors, surgeons, and shipyard workers. In partnership with Homecoming 250, “To Provide a Naval Armament:” U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775–1958 explores the Navy and Marine Corps through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections, tracing their evolution from the American Revolution to the early Cold War, all while remaining anchored in Philadelphia.
When: through Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St.
”Faces of Resilience” at City Hall
Recognizing November as Restorative Justice Month, Creative Philadelphia’s Art In City Hall program, in partnership with Councilmember Jim Harrity, presents Faces of Resilience, an exhibition organized by the Barnes Foundation and Mural Arts Philadelphia that was first presented at the Barnes Foundation in 2022. This new iteration features artwork by currently and formerly incarcerated artists from SCI Phoenix, southeast Pennsylvania’s maximum-security for men. This display is complemented by contemporary masks and works of mixed-media printmaking created by emerging artists from Mural Art Philadelphia’s Guild and Rec Crew, paid apprenticeship programs for justice-impacted or formerly incarcerated young adults, which explore themes of identity and place. Overall, this presentation features the work of 46 artists ranging in age from 18 to 80 years old.
When: through Friday, Jan. 23, 2026
Where: Room 116, Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery at City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink
Visit the city’s premier wintertime destination, open seven days a week. Reservations are encouraged for timed, 90-minute skating sessions. Visit centercityphila.org to view the full schedule and purchase tickets.
When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
”Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets” at the Barnes
This fall, the Barnes Foundation will present Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets, a landmark exhibition of paintings by the self-taught artist Henri Rousseau (1844–1910), featuring works from the Barnes collection and museums around the world. With 18 paintings by Rousseau, the Barnes is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, with 11, is home to the second largest collection. This exhibition brings together these important collections, providing an unprecedented opportunity to see works that the French art dealer Paul Guillaume either owned — now in the Orangerie’s collection — or sold to Dr. Barnes. Some of these paintings will be reunited for the first time in more than 100 years, while others have never been exhibited together.
When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026
Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin
The Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin has been reimagined to add a full bar, banquet seating, and new décor. In partnership with Centre Square Hospitality, powered by Aramark Sports + Entertainment, an elevated new menu includes winter dishes like tomato soup and grilled cheese, jumbo pretzel charcuterie and chicken & waffle nachos, while the bar will feature craft cocktails made with Basil Hayden® bourbon, as well as beer, wine and ready-to-drink -196 Vodka Seltzer canned cocktails.
When: through Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” at Brandywine
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” will survey the first decade of the career of Baltimore artist Jerrell Gibbs (b. 1988). His dynamic, large-scale figurative paintings of family, friends and community focus on everyday scenes of Black life, transforming them into monumental moments that highlight the universal themes of identity, reflection and belonging. Organized by the Brandywine, this project will mark the artist’s first solo museum exhibition and first monographic publication — and is also the Museum’s first solo presentation of an emerging contemporary artist. The exhibition will feature 30 paintings drawn from both museum and private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
When: through Sunday, March 1
Where: Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Wintergarden on the Albert M. Greenfield Lawn
An open-air oasis featuring hundreds of twinkling and colored lights, illuminated overhead sculptures and seasonal foliage, with warm mulled wine available from the Chaddsford Winery kiosk for adults 21 and older.
When: through Sunday, March 15, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
“Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” at AAMP
The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) presents a cultural milestone exhibition “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design.” The acclaimed exhibition, celebrating the power of art, identity, and imagination, marks its Philadelphia debut with nearly 80 original costumes from films that have shaped global culture — including “Black Panther,” “Selma,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Amistad,” “Dolomite is My Name,” “Coming 2 America,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and, for the first time ever, “Sinners.” As the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards, Ruth E. Carter has transformed costume design into a form of cultural storytelling, honoring the past while envisioning what’s possible for the future. Her journey from Springfield, Massachusetts, to Hollywood’s most celebrated stages resonates deeply with Philadelphians.
When: through Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026
Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.
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