By Molly Given<\/p>\n
Looking for some fun and unique things to do in Philly this weekend? We\u2019ve got you covered.<\/p>\n
Jazz Night at Positano Coast<\/strong><\/p>\n Positano celebrates the blues on the first Friday of every month, with 2026\u2019s first iteration happening on Jan. 2. Featuring live music by the ‘To the Max’ Jazz Project, Philadelphians can hear soulful tunes from 6 to 10 p.m., while also ordering up some treats from Positano\u2019s food and drink menu. Highlights span spicy fried calamari, four cheese arancini, pan-seared pork chops, chicken vodka flatbreads, sweet potato ravioli, vanilla cheesecake, a variety of cocktails and more.<\/p>\n 212 Walnut St., 2nd floor, positanocoast.net<\/a><\/p>\n \u2018Fantasia\u2019 with the Philadelphia Orchestra<\/strong><\/p>\n For its 125th anniversary, the Philadelphia Orchestra is putting on a special concert series showcasing \u2018Fantasia<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n In the late 1930s, under the baton of Leopold Stokowski, the Philadelphia Orchestra recorded much of the original 1940 Disney film\u2019s soundtrack\u2014including staples like Bach\u2019s \u2018Toccata\u2019 and \u2018Fugue in D-minor\u2019, Tchaikovsky\u2019s \u2018Nutcracker Suite\u2019, Stravinsky\u2019s \u2018Rite of Spring\u2019, Beethoven\u2019s \u2018Pastoral Symphony\u2019, and Mussorgsky\u2019s \u2018Night on Bald Mountain.\u2019<\/p>\n Many of those tunes the Orchestra has continued to play to this day, and it\u2019s just some of what Philadelphians will hear at the organization\u2019s series, set to run for three shows from Jan. 2 \u00a0to 4 at the Academy of Music on the Kimmel Cultural Campus.\u00a0 Tickets (starting at around $60) are currently available online.<\/p>\n 240 S. Broad St., philorch.ensembleartsphilly.org<\/a><\/p>\n A Very Longwood Christmas<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018A Longwood Christmas\u2019 is one of the venue\u2019s fan favorite traditions (on site through Jan. 11), with roots dating back to Pierre S. du Pont\u2019s love of holiday tradition and spectacle.<\/p>\n For one, the conservatories are completely transformed \u00a0into \u201cgemstone-inspired wonderlands.\u201d What visitors will find wandering through the halls (and take note, the indoor spaces are quite massive) is a barrage of Christmas trees floating over water, an organist belting out festive tunes, light displays sprinkled throughout the flowers, and perhaps, a group of carolers on site to tie your experience up with a bow.<\/p>\n Outdoors, the venue is equally as decorated with more than half a million lights illuminating the gardens throughout different displays (like the Meadow Tunnel of Lights and Open Air Theatre\u2019s Fountain Show.) One of the more unique aspects of the venue is its Garden Railway, made up of miniature trains. This time of year, it’s dressed to the nines with twinkling fixtures to add to its allure.<\/p>\n 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, longwoodgardens.org<\/a><\/p>\n Otherworld Philadelphia<\/strong><\/p>\n Otherworld holds 55 unique rooms and installations, which visitors can explore in a self-guided tour. The concept is the brainchild of 100 artists, modelers, animators, creative technologists, fabricators and more, led by founder Jordan Renda. This particular venue encourages guests to freely explore and interact at their own pace with each section of the building. Visitors will find installations from local artists like Big Howl, Adam Crawford, Mz Icar, Evan Lovett, Sue Moerder, Kristin Scholz, Justin Gellar and David Guinn.<\/p>\n Through Jan. 4, locals can also check out \u2018The Magic of Willow\u2019 while there. The annual light show features 600 strands of LEDs that dance along to music throughout the space.<\/p>\n