#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY
Crab Couch, by Rose Luardo, at the vacant crab shack lot off 8th and Washington
(Photo by @barbhmphilly)
Forbes revealed its “30 under 30” class of 2026 this week and plenty of people with Philly-area ties made the list in its various categories. Billy Penn picked through the more than 600 honorees in Forbes’ 20 categories (the math is more like 20X30 under 30) and found 22 with local ties. Get ready to read “Penn grad” a lot. Continue reading …
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, center, watches warm ups before an NFL preseason football game against the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philly does holidays and events big – and the winter holidays are no exception. Whether you’re looking for a Christmas cocktail, a themed play or a tree-lighting festival, Billy Penn has you covered. Check out our comprehensive list of December events. Continue reading …
City Hall’s holiday tree (seen here in 2022) sits amidst the hub of festive fun at Philly’s Christmas Village each year. (File photo/Billy Penn)
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• William Way LGBT Community Center raises funds, will stay in Spruce Street home. [WHYY]
• The city has removed more than 20,000 abandoned vehicles from city streets since Cherelle Parker became mayor. Here’s how to get a deserted vehicle off your block. [WHYY]
• It’ll be the coldest morning since early March, and some folks might see some snowflakes. [6ABC]
• How might Trump’s move to ease car efficiency standards affect Philly’s air? [WHYY]
• Protesters — and counterprotesters_— at Philly courthouse spar over sheriff’s cooperation with ICE. [Inq$$]
• Drake, not Taylor Swift, was the most-streamed artist in Philly this past year, according to Spotify Wrapped. [PhillyVoice]
MAYOR WATCH
The mayor has no public events scheduled for today.
ON THE CALENDAR
🎄 Holiday lightings around Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide
🎞️ Ongoing: The Declaration’s Journey — Available on the WHYY YouTube Channel. New episodes will appear every two weeks.
Friday, Dec. 5: World Cup Draw Watch Party
Want to see which countries will be competing in Philly next summer with a big group of others who are interested? Come down to Stateside Live! in the stadium complex from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for Philadelphia Soccer 2026’s Watch Party. There is no cost to attend.
Friday, Dec. 5: One-Night Only play reading: “The Jury”
Obie Award-winners Milo Cramer and Morgan Green return to The Wilma with a bold theatrical exploration of the voir dire process that fuses real transcripts, personal stories, and striking media design to probe justice, bias and civic responsibility in a fragile legal system. $35 ticket. (7 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: 7th annual Fishtown Freeze & Shopping Spree
Custom ice sculptures, the Santa 0.5K charity run, a trolley through the shopping district, tree lighting, and food and drink! Free to attend. (All afternoon)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Philly Record Freak Out: Holiday Edition
Philly’s regular vinyl fair returns to PhilaMOCA! with 25,000+ records for sale, plus CDs, tapes and more, from a range of genres. ($10 early bird at 10 a.m.; $5 regular admission from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Christkindlmarkt
The German Society of Philadelphia hosts a carol sing-along, festive booths, Santa visit, and hot meals, and Kaffee & Kuchen are available for purchase. (12 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Deck the Alley + Historic Holiday Open House
Elfreth’s Alley hosts Deck the Alley, and Old City District welcomes shoppers for a Holiday Shopping Sip & Stroll. The Betsy Ross House is joining the party, opening the House and courtyard for candlelit tours, chocolate-making demos, crafts and photos until 6 p.m. $12 self-guided tour includes complimentary cider with a spiked option available.
Saturday, Dec. 6: December First Saturday Open House: Mineral Mania!
Head to the Wagner Institute to learn all about what makes different minerals special and how humans utilize them in our daily lives. Microscopes, lantern slides, children’s activities, demonstrations, talks and more. Minerals for sale, for $1 to $20. Free. (12 to 4 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Happy Holidays from Rox 2025
A one-day neighborhood celebration filled with festive fun, local shopping, and community cheer! Highlights include an artisan market, Snowflake Scavenger Hunt, Wishing Tree, ugly holiday sweater contest (1:30 p.m.), Santa on a fire truck (3 p.m.), and tree lighting and carols (5:30 p.m.). At Roxborough Pocket Park. (12 to 6 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Carols by Candlelight
Take a break from the hustle and bustle with the beauty of carols, ancient and modern, in the glow of warm candlelight. Courtesy of Choral Arts Philadelphia. At the Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse. $42 general, $17 students. (4 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Forging Our Future Together: AAU’s 40th Anniversary Celebration
Join Asian Americans United at Franklin Music Hall with the AAPI community celebrating community leaders who have shaped their work over the past four decades, and growing the next generation of youth leaders. $50-150 tickets. (6 p.m.)
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 6-7: SEPTA’s “Holiday Vehicle Decorating Competition”
Eight SEPTA buses that have been decorated for the holidays by SEPTA employees will be displayed at LOVE Park, where the public can come and vote on the People’s Choice winner. The buses will be on display Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and voting ends at 2 p.m. Sunday. Keep an eye out, too. They’ll be on regular routes.
Saturday, Dec. 6: Pier Players Prom
Join the community theater group for a night of singing, dancing, and all-you-can-eat food from local restaurant partners, plus an open dance floor and raffle baskets. Cash bar and punch bowl. Tickets start at $36.70. (7 to 10 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 7: Philly Cookie Fest
The Bok Building hosts this day of treats with cookies from local vendors and bakers. The Juvenile Law Center is the festival’s non-profit partner this year. $12.51 tickets. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 7: 4th annual Holiday Bizarre
Stop by the Rotunda for holiday gifts and decorations — and help animals! Krampus will also be on site, alongside free vegan snacks, hot cocoa, holiday music, bargains and free gifts. All funds raised go to a sanctuary for animals rescued from the food industry. (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 7: PECO Free First Sunday Family Day: Reimagined and Retold
Free admission at the Barnes includes art activities, performances, gallery access, performances by the Philadelphia Youth Concert Band of works by Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 7: Laurel Hill Goes to the Movies
Thrill to the story of the stunt man who adopted Roy Rogers’ horse! Be amazed by the founding fathers who sang and danced their way through Independence Hall in living technicolor! Celebrate the industrial film pioneer who broke down gender barriers and discover some of the great tales of the movie age. Plus learn about and visit the locations of contemporary movies filmed at Laurel Hill East. $0-17 tickets. (1 to 3 p.m.)
Sunday, Dec. 7: Book Signing with Historical Society of Frankford
A meet-and-greet and author signing for two just-published local books on our local teams: “Frankford Yellow Jackets: Philadelphia’s First NFL Team” by Brian Michael of Shibe Vintage Sports and Andrew Weicker, and “The Eagles Encyclopedia: Champions II” by Ray Didinger. Free. (1 to 3 p.m.)