\u201dFaces of Resilience\u201d at City Hall<\/p>\n
Recognizing November as Restorative Justice Month, Creative Philadelphia\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
When: Monday, Nov. 17-Jan. 23, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Room 116, Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery at City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.<\/p>\n
CBS Philadelphia Joy of Sharing Holiday Toy Drive<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
When: Monday, Nov. 17-Dec. 18<\/p>\n
Where: The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad St.<\/p>\n
Magic Mart<\/p>\n
Get a jump on holiday shopping! Magic Mart \u2014 a makers\u2019 market in a magical space \u2014 returns. Enter the Magic Gardens Studio and peruse a beautiful selection of handmade items, including jewelry, art, ceramics, and more. Featured artists include: Caroline Oddo, Chloe Tai, Skullduggery Studio, Yay Diff!, Salma Garcia-Nolasco, Aster Santiago, From Line to Line, Osso Ceramics, JFOX Jewelry, Lavish-Li Made, and more. Guests can enjoy a glass of wine from Pray Tell Winery and lively background music throughout the event. Magic Mart is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 5-8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Magic Gardens Studio, 1002 Watkins St.<\/p>\n
Gunna comes to Philly<\/p>\n
Rapper Gunna brings his Wun World Tour to Philadelphia. The Wun World Tour supports Gunna\u2019s sixth studio album, \u201cThe Last Wun,\u201d which was released in August. It has quickly proven itself as a major cultural and commercial moment, making an explosive debut at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B\/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard 200, while maintaining remarkable staying power with six consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and five straight weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B\/Hip-Hop chart.<\/p>\n
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.<\/p>\n
\u201dBack to the Future: The Musical\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBack to the Future: The Musical\u201d follows Marty McFly, a rock \u2018n\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18-30<\/p>\n
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.<\/p>\n
Leon Thomas comes to Philly<\/p>\n
Grammy Award-winning artist Leon Thomas brings his MUTTS DON\u2019T HEEL World Tour, in support of HEEL, the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed sophomore album \u201cMUTT,\u201d to Philadelphia. Leon recently released \u201cMUTT Deluxe: HEEL,\u201d a natural continuation of the original, digging deeper into his sonic universe and fetching a bold blend of psychedelic R&B, rock textures, soul, and boundary-pushing production. New collaborations with Kehlani, Big Sean, and Halle elevate the project\u2019s emotional and musical scope, as Leon hones his reflections on singlehood, connection, and self-exposure. With tightly crafted compositions and distinct creative clarity, Thomas delivers a fearless extension of his signature sound\u2013unleashing bite where \u201cMUTT\u201d once explored duality. \u201cHEEL\u201d doesn\u2019t just follow; it bares its teeth.<\/p>\n
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E Allen St.<\/p>\n
Opera Philadelphia presents Nathalie Joachim in concert<\/p>\n
Grammy-nominated performer and composer Nathalie Joachim, a Haitian American artist hailed for being \u201ca fresh and invigorating cross-cultural voice\u201d (The Nation), serves as Opera Philadelphia\u2019s Composer in Residence during the 2025-2026 Season. In her first performance in this new role, Joachim curates a concert highlighting her own compositions as well as works and artists that inspire her. She\u2019ll perform selections from her opera-in-progress Le pr\u00e9sent \u00e9ternel as well as her album Fanm d\u2019Ayiti, which celebrates and explores her Haitian heritage and received a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album. Tickets are required.<\/p>\n
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: The Wanamaker Building, 1300 Market St.<\/p>\n
Gilbert & Sullivan\u2019s \u201cThe Pirates of Penzance\u201d<\/p>\n
Launch your holidays by celebrating a beloved model of a modern major comedic opera with Quintessence Theatre\u2019s presentation of \u201cThe Pirates of Penzance\u201d 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\u2019s a snag \u2014 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!<\/p>\n
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19-Jan. 4, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Quintessence at Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave.<\/p>\n
Holidays in Franklin Square<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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\u2019 New Year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
When: Wednesday, Nov. 20-Jan. 4, 2026 from 5-9 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.<\/p>\n
Manayunk Tree Lighting Ceremony<\/p>\n
Manayunk is ready for its Hallmark Movie Moment! Main Street will be transformed for the holidays with a giant holiday tree, dozens of buildings will be lit up, and there are even snow flurries in the forecast! Philadelphia and Pennsylvania\u2019s largest tree lighting celebration returns! After a record 10,000+ people came out last year, this viral event is back. Kick off the season with the annual tree lighting with live performances, festive music, special guests, glow giveaways, crafts and photo ops with Santa. There will be tons of family fun with letters to Santa, ornament decorating, hot cocoa, North Pole Elves, and a Santa meet & greet in front of the tree. There\u2019s a good chance Santa will be bringing some magical North Pole snow, too, so get ready for a Manayunk winter wonderland!<\/p>\n
When: Thursday, November 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Canal View Park, 4418 Main St.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia Zoo\u2019s LumiNature<\/p>\n
Philadelphia\u2019s most celebrated and award-winning holiday light show is back \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
When: Thursday, Nov. 20-Jan. 3, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.<\/p>\n
Young Professionals Night: A Painter\u2019s Secrets<\/p>\n
Find your crowd at this fall\u2019s Young Professionals Night! Feel the pulse of Philly\u2019s creative energy as emerging artists, tastemakers, and young professionals gather for an unforgettable evening of art, music, and connection. Whether you\u2019re here to explore the galleries, spark new conversations with fellow art lovers, or lose yourself on the dance floor, #BarnesYP is your gateway to the city\u2019s most dynamic cultural scene.<\/p>\n
When: Friday, Nov. 21 from 7-11 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.<\/p>\n
NextFab\u2019s Miracle on American Street<\/p>\n
The holiday season is just around the corner, and NextFab\u2019s annual holiday gift market, Miracle on American Street, is back and better than ever for the fifth year. NextFab will open its doors to the public for a festive day of art and shopping, and guests can shop for unique, handmade holiday gifts from talented local makers, while enjoying live demonstrations, hands-on \u201cmake-and-take\u201d activities, and giveaways. With over 80 vendors selling everything from jewelry and clothing to home decor and sweet holiday treats, guests can shop for everyone on their holiday list at once. Local makers and creators from the Philadelphia area will sell their unique, hand-crafted pieces, allowing guests to get something special for everyone on their list. While exploring the market, guests can enjoy a variety of delicious food and drinks.<\/p>\n
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: NextFab, 1800 N. American St.<\/p>\n
Circle of Trees<\/p>\n
Families and neighbors are invited to join the annual Circle of Trees celebration. The free community event offers hot chocolate, cider, cookies, festive music, and goodie bags for children.<\/p>\n
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave.<\/p>\n
Ana Gasteyer\u2019s Sugar & Booze Holiday Spectacular<\/p>\n
Ana Gasteyer is toasting to the holidays as she performs her festive album of seasonal favorites and holiday originals, which topped numerous \u201cBest Holiday Album\u201d lists. Best known for her six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, Gasteyer is also a highly accomplished singer and songwriter. Her first album, I\u2019m Hip, received equally rapturous reviews. She has toured nationally with her \u201cHappy Jazz\u201d act since 2016 and had a residency at Cafe Carlyle.<\/p>\n
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Perelman Theater, inside the Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.<\/p>\n
Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
When: Saturday, Nov. 22-Dec. 30 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n
Where: Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe Snow Queen\u201d at the Wilma<\/p>\n
Directed by Co-Artistic Director Yury Urnov, this adaptation of Evgeny Schwartz\u2019s play transforms Hans Christian Andersen\u2019s fairy tale into a political parable disguised as a children\u2019s story, where love and loyalty challenge a world of greed and control. It\u2019s also the Wilma\u2019s first-ever family production, inviting younger audiences into the company\u2019s signature mix of bold movement, layered storytelling, and visual experimentation. The result is a stage that feels like a living storybook, collapsing boundaries between fable, satire, and social commentary.<\/p>\n
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 23<\/p>\n
Where: The Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St.<\/p>\n
\u201cWishing to Grow Up Brightly\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWishing to Grow Up Brightly\u201d is a bold new musical inspired by the real-life story of Amanda Morton, co-created with longtime collaborator and Theatre Horizon Co-Founder Matthew Decker, alongside Josh Totora and Brenson Thomas. After the death of her father, Amanda Newton \u2014 a Korean-American adoptee \u2014 returns to her childhood home to help her mother pack up. There, she discovers a trove of his preserved memories, created by a tech company called reMemorex, and is pulled into a surreal and intimate journey through loss, identity, and the questions that have quietly shaped her life. As Amanda searches for connection in the fragments he left behind, she begins to confront a deeper longing: how do you create a sense of home when it was taken from you before you even knew what it was?<\/p>\n
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 23<\/p>\n
Where: Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb St., Norristown, PA 19401<\/p>\n
\u201dWE ARE ALL FADING\u201d at Morton Contemporary<\/p>\n
From slam dunks to master strokes \u2014 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\u2019s 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 \u2014 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 \u201cWE ARE ALL FADING,\u201d Edwards turns style into storytelling. Fashion isn\u2019t decoration \u2014 it\u2019s autobiography \u2014 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.<\/p>\n
When: through Sunday, Dec. 7<\/p>\n
Where: Morton Contemporary Art Gallery, 115 S. 13th St.<\/p>\n
20th Annual Juried Art Exhibition<\/p>\n
The 20th Juried Art Exhibition is the center\u2019s largest exhibition of the year, featuring the work of 46 emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists. This year\u2019s exhibition is particularly special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia region\u2019s longest-running annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition and serves as a kick-off to the center\u2019s approaching 50th Anniversary in 2026. Works featured in the Juried Art Exhibition are displayed in the Center\u2019s 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\u2019s Art and Culture programs.<\/p>\n
When: through Thursday, Dec. 11<\/p>\n
Where: William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe Mountaintop\u201d<\/p>\n
Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company is proud to announce its second production of the 2025\/26 season with \u201cThe Mountaintop,\u201d 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.\u2019s 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, \u201cThe Mountaintop\u201d opens with Dr. King, played by Akeem Davis, returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel after delivering his historic \u201cI\u2019ve Been to the Mountaintop\u201d 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.<\/p>\n
When: through Sunday, Dec. 14<\/p>\n
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd St.<\/p>\n
\u201dClay as Care\u201d at the Clay Studio<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
When: through Wednesday, Dec. 31<\/p>\n
Where: The Clay Studio, 1425 N. American St.<\/p>\n
Made in Philadelphia Holiday<\/p>\n
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\u2019s who from the tri-state region with everything from fashion, d\u00e9cor, home goods, dog treats, candles, jewelry, foodie gifts and so much more.<\/p>\n
When: through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.<\/p>\n
\u201dStories My Father Told Me\u201d at Al-Bustan<\/p>\n
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery presents \u201cStories My Father Told Me,\u201d a solo exhibition by renowned artist Helen Zughaib. Through 25 paintings, Zughaib brings a vivid world alive\u2014a 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.<\/p>\n
When: through Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery, 310 W. Master St.<\/p>\n
\u201dTo Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 \u2013 1958\u201d<\/p>\n
Philadelphia gave birth to the U.S. Navy twice \u2014 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\u2019s 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, \u201cTo Provide a Naval Armament:\u201d U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775\u20131958 explores the Navy and Marine Corps through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania\u2019s collections, tracing their evolution from the American Revolution to the early Cold War, all while remaining anchored in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
When: through Friday, Jan. 9, 2026<\/p>\n
Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St.<\/p>\n
Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink<\/p>\n