Cirque Dreams Holidaze<\/p>\n
Reimagined for 2025, Cirque Dreams Holidaze features a world-renowned cast of performers. The ensemble includes aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, eye-popping acrobatics, and much more. With new music including beloved holiday favorites sung live, new sets, sparkling scenery, and stunning costumes, guests from children to seniors will be on the edge of their seats as holiday characters come to life on the most magical of nights.<\/p>\n
When: Tuesday, Dec. 23-28<\/p>\n
Where: Miller Theater, 250 S. Broad St.<\/p>\n
Christmas with City Cruises Philadelphia<\/p>\n
City Cruises Philadelphia is bringing holiday magic to the water with four festive Christmas cruises for the whole family to enjoy. Festivities include a chef-prepared buffet featuring holiday specials, a fully stocked cash bar, live DJ entertainment, dancing, games, and guest appearances from Saint Nick himself. Available cruises include Christmas Eve brunch and dinner, and Christmas Day brunch and dinner. Visit cityexperiences.com<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n When: Wednesday, Dec. 24 and Thursday, Dec. 25<\/p>\n Where: depart from Penn\u2019s Landing, 401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.<\/p>\n Umoja \u2014 Unity Ceremony at AAMP<\/p>\n In celebration of the first day of Kwanzaa, the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) will host its annual Umoja \u2014 Unity Ceremony. This family-friendly event will feature drumming, live performances, community conversations, and cultural activities that reflect the spirit of Umoja, the foundational principle of the Nguzo Saba. Guests will enjoy food, music, and opportunities to engage in traditions that promote togetherness, reflection, and cultural pride.<\/p>\n When: Friday, Dec. 26 from 5-8 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.<\/p>\n \u201dLittle Women\u201d<\/p>\n Hedgerow Theatre Company ushers in the holiday season with Kate Hamill\u2019s celebrated adaptation of \u201cLittle Women,\u201d a vibrant and heartfelt retelling of Louisa May Alcott\u2019s classic story about family, identity, and the ties that hold communities together. In \u201cLittle Women,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n When: ends Friday, Dec. 26<\/p>\n Where: Hedgegrow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Rd., Media, PA 19063<\/p>\n Kujichagulia \u2014 Self-Determination Culinary Experience at AAMP<\/p>\n In celebration of the second day of Kwanzaa, the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) will present Kujichagulia \u2014 Self-Determination Culinary Experience. Facilitated by Chef Kurt Evans, this unique program will highlight food as an expression of cultural identity, resilience, and self-determination. Guests will enjoy a live cooking demonstration, interactive dialogue, and a communal meal that celebrates African American culinary traditions and their connections to the broader African diaspora. Registration is required.<\/p>\n When: Saturday, Dec. 27 from 3-5 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: Culinary Literacy Center, Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St.<\/p>\n Penn Museum\u2019s third annual free Kwanzaa Celebration<\/p>\n Co-sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Center for Africana Studies, the third annual Kwanzaa celebration at the Penn Museum will honor Black cultural traditions and community. Rooted in celebrating the harvest, Kwanzaa is an African-American and Pan-African holiday that uplifts values, family, community, and culture through its seven principles: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). The free Kwanzaa celebration at the Penn Museum will be filled with vibrant cultural traditions, live music, and family-friendly fun. Admission is free and includes access to the museum\u2019s galleries, exhibitions, and daylong festivities. Registration is required.<\/p>\n When: Sunday, Dec. 28 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South St.<\/p>\n Ujima \u2014 Collective Work & Responsibility Open Mic Night<\/p>\n In celebration of the third day of Kwanzaa, the African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) will present Ujima \u2014 Collective Work & Responsibility Open Mic Night. This event honors the principle of Ujima \u2014 building and maintaining our community together and making our brothers\u2019 and sisters\u2019 problems our problems to solve collectively \u2014 through an evening of music, poetry, and community connection.<\/p>\n When: Sunday, Dec. 28 from 4-6 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Nice List\u201d<\/p>\n When Santa announces he has to leave the North Pole for an important trip, he puts two elves in charge of the all-important Nice List! Excited to show they can handle the job, the elves get to work, but soon realize they\u2019re in \u201cover their candy canes.\u201d As they struggle to decide who\u2019s naughty and who\u2019s nice, the list gets shorter and shorter\u2026 until it seems like no one will get presents at all! Full of festive songs, dancing, and holiday cheer, \u201cThe Nice List\u201d is a heartwarming musical adventure the whole family will love!<\/p>\n When: ends Sunday, Dec. 28<\/p>\n Where: Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol, PA 19007<\/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: through Tuesday, Dec. 30 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.<\/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 Market<\/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 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: through Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.<\/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: through Sunday, 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: through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026 from 5-9 p.m.<\/p>\n Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.<\/p>\n \u201dA Christmas Story: The Musical\u201d<\/p>\n 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\u2019s Indiana with the Parkers in \u201cA Christmas Story: The Musical.\u201d The show is Broadway\u2019s 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!<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut 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 \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: through Friday, Jan. 23, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Room 116, Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery at City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.<\/p>\n Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink<\/p>\n Visit the city\u2019s premier wintertime destination, open seven days a week. Reservations are encouraged for timed, 90-minute skating sessions. Visit centercityphila.org<\/a> to view the full schedule and purchase tickets.<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.<\/p>\n \u201dHenri Rousseau: A Painter\u2019s Secrets\u201d at the Barnes<\/p>\n This fall, the Barnes Foundation will present Henri Rousseau: A Painter\u2019s Secrets, a landmark exhibition of paintings by the self-taught artist Henri Rousseau (1844\u20131910), featuring works from the Barnes collection and museums around the world. With 18 paintings by Rousseau, the Barnes is home to the world\u2019s largest collection of works by the artist, and the Mus\u00e9e de l\u2019Orangerie, 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 \u2014 now in the Orangerie\u2019s collection \u2014 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.<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026<\/p>\n Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.<\/p>\n Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin<\/p>\n The Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin has been reimagined to add a full bar, banquet seating, and new d\u00e9cor. 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\u00ae bourbon, as well as beer, wine and ready-to-drink -196 Vodka Seltzer canned cocktails.<\/p>\n When: through Monday, Feb. 23, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.<\/p>\n \u201cJerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade\u201d at Brandywine<\/p>\n \u201cJerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade\u201d 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\u2019s first solo museum exhibition and first monographic publication \u2014 and is also the Museum\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, March 1<\/p>\n Where: Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, PA 19317<\/p>\n Wintergarden on the Albert M. Greenfield Lawn<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, March 15, 2026<\/p>\n Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.<\/p>\n Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n Where: Independence Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.<\/p>\n \u201cRuth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design\u201d at AAMP<\/p>\n The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) presents a cultural milestone exhibition \u201cRuth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design.\u201d 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 \u2014 including \u201cBlack Panther,\u201d \u201cSelma,\u201d \u201cDo the Right Thing,\u201d \u201cAmistad,\u201d \u201cDolomite is My Name,\u201d \u201cComing 2 America,\u201d \u201cBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever\u201d and, for the first time ever, \u201cSinners.\u201d 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\u2019s possible for the future. Her journey from Springfield, Massachusetts, to Hollywood\u2019s most celebrated stages resonates deeply with Philadelphians.<\/p>\n When: through Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026<\/p>\n Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.<\/p>\n