PHILADELPHIA & ITS
COUNTRYSIDE™ CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Holiday Happenings In The Greater Philadelphia Region,
2005-2006
Santa Ornament
Photo by P. Butler for GPTMC
November 25-December 4, 2005
Pearl S. Buck International presents a Holiday Juried
Craft Show that includes art, antiques, crafts and
jewelry.
(215) 249-0100, www.pearl-s-buck.org
November 25, 2005-January 1, 2006
For nearly half of a century, the annual Light
Show at Lord and Taylor has welcomed winter
with the Grand Court’s historic organ and a dazzling light
spectacle. Shows are daily, on the even hour. (215) 241-9000,
www.wanamakerorgan.com
December 10, 2005
Families can quack on their wacky quackers to the rhythm
of holiday classics during Santa’s Holiday Ride the Ducks
Day. (800)-227-3825, www.phillyducks.com
December 11, 2005
Fine historic homes in Kennett Square are all decked out
for the holidays and open to the public for the fifth annual
Candlelight Holiday Home Tour. Several of the homes will
feature a special display, including miniatures, antiques and toys.
(610) 444-8188
CULTURAL, HISTORICAL AND
FAMILY-FRIENDLY EVENTS AND EXHIBITS
November 20, 2005-January 2,
2006
Six life-like Santa statues depict different cultural traditions
and historic tales in the Santa Through the Ages display
at the Bellevue. www.bellevuephiladelphia.com
November 25-26, December 3-27,
2005
Sundays are Teatime in Wonderland at the elegant
Swann Lounge at the Four Seasons
Hotel. Young attendees can visit with Alice herself and
watch excerpts from The Nutcracker ballet performed by
students from the Rock School for Dance Education. (215) 963-1500,
www.fourseasons.com/philadelphia
November 25-December 30,
2005
Visit with the ghosts of Philadelphia’s Christmas past at the
Enchanted Colonial Village. Once housed by the Lit
Brothers department store, this historic holiday attraction is now
on view at the Please Touch Museum. (215)
963-0667, www.pleasetouchmuseum.org
November 25-December 31,
2005
Reading Terminal Market rolls out the holiday
spirit with its impressive Holiday Railroad, which courses
through detailed scenes set up in the headhouse lobby. (215)
922-2317, www.readingterminalmarket.org
November 25, 2005-January 8, 2006
The Brandywine River Museum presents
A Brandywine Christmas, featuring an extensive O-gauge
model railroad, an elaborate Victorian dollhouse and thousands of
whimsical “critter” ornaments on holiday trees. (610) 388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org
November 25, 2005-January 8,
2006
The Brandywine River Museum examines many
interpretations of the famous poem The Night Before
Christmas through paintings, prints, drawings and other
imagery from the 1800s to modern day. (610) 388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org
December 1, 2005-January 31,
2006
The Academy of Natural Sciences hosts a special
exhibition, Seasonal Trees, which explains the natural and
cultural history of trees and other plants associated with the
holiday season. (215) 299-1000, www.acnatsci.org
December 4, 2005
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and
Anthropology presents the 10th Annual World Culture
Family Afternoon, a holiday celebration featuring
international entertainment with a special focus on children from
around the world. (215) 898-4000, www.museum.upenn.edu
December 17, 2005
Explore African American history and the meaning of
Kwanzaa during the Annual Holiday Festival and Pre-Kwanzaa
Celebration at the African American Museum in
Philadelphia, featuring tours, performances and vendors.
(215) 574-0380, www.aampmuseum.org
December 25, 2005
The National Museum of American Jewish History presents
Being Jewish at Christmas, an annual family program that
includes music, children’s activities, theatrical performances and
refreshments. (215) 923-3811, www.nmajh.org
December 25, 2005
Go back in time to December 1776 and witness Washington
Crossing the Delaware River, an annual reenactment staged on
Christmas Day at Washington Crossing Historic
Park. (215) 493-4076
December 28-31, 2005
The bespangled merriment begins at Mummerfest, an
annual event at the Pennsylvania Convention
Center, where fans can try on costumes, listen to string
bands practice and learn the famous Mummers’ strut. (215) 336-3050,
www.mummers.com
PERFORMING ARTS
November 22, 2005-January 1, 2006
Experience a wonderful children’s show for the holiday
season with Seussical the Musical, based on the words of
Dr. Seuss, at Media Theater. (610) 891-0100, www.mediatheater.com
December 1-7, 2005
Peter Nero and the Philly Pops light up the stage at
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts with
Holiday Pops, a special seasonal performance featuring Ann
Hampton Callaway. (215) 564-6400, www.phillypops.com
December 2-31, 2005
A long-standing holiday tradition, the Pennsylvania Ballet delights
audiences with George Balanchine’s spectacular holiday classic,
The Nutcracker, at the Academy of Music.
(215) 551-7000, www.paballet.org
December 8-9, 2005
At The Kimmel Center, Marc Mostovoy’s A
Colonial Holiday takes families back in time to colonial
Philadelphia with a performance that includes a 20-piece orchestra,
a children’s choir, soloists and multimedia visuals. (215)
893-1999, www.thekimmelcenter.org
December 10, 2005
Jazz vocal sensation Jane Monheit returns to The Kimmel
Center for one performance featuring songs from her
holiday-themed album The Season. (215) 893-1999, www.thekimmelcenter.org
December 10, 2005
The world-renowned Vienna Choir Boys return to The
Kimmel Center to perform traditional holiday favorites.
(215) 893-1999, www.thekimmelcenter.org
December 10-18, 2005
Enjoy holiday magic as the Brandywine Ballet performs The
Nutcracker at West Chester University. (610)
696-2711
December 11, 2005
At The Kimmel Center, Pulitzer Prize-winning
musician, composer and educator Wynton Marsalis leads The Lincoln
Center Jazz Orchestra in a performance of Duke Ellington’s
Harlem Nutcracker. (215) 893-1999, www.thekimmelcenter.org
December 16-18, 2005
Philadanco performs Xmas Philes at The Kimmel
Center. This program of Yuletide cheer is a newly expanded
dance performance choreographed by Daniel Ezralow. (215) 893-1999,
www.thekimmelcenter.org
HOME AND GARDEN
November 24, 2005-January 8, 2006
The holidays go red, white and green during A Longwood
Gardens Christmas, where hundreds of thousands of lights,
strolling carolers, daily concerts and other festivities brighten
the gardens’ vast grounds and conservatory. (610) 388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org
November 25-December 31, 2005
It’s a miniature winter wonderland amid the evergreens at
Morris Arboretum’s Holiday Garden
Railway, a display of seven trains and scaled replicas of
historic monuments. (215) 247-5777, www.morrisarboretum.org
NEW YEAR’S EVE
December 31, 2005
Children with early bedtimes don’t have to miss out on the New
Year’s celebration at the Please Touch Museum.
Countdown to Noon rings in 2006 with Mummers, confetti and
a ball drop. (215) 963-0667, www.pleasetouchmuseum.org
December 31, 2005
Explore local history at the New Year’s Eve Family
Encampment on the USS New Jersey. The
historic ship is hosting an overnight party with a tour, a ride in
the 4D flight simulator and midnight fireworks, plus dinner and
breakfast. (856) 877-6262, ext. 203, www.battleshipnewjersey.org
December 31, 2005
Families can explore flora and fauna during Longwood
Gardens’ New Year’s Eve celebration, which also features
face painting, crafts and strolling performances, followed by an
evening fireworks display. Route 1, Kennett Square, (610) 388-1000,
www.longwoodgardens.com
December 31, 2005
The Blue Cross RiverRink welcomes 2006 with its
New Year’s Eve on Ice party, complete with live music,
family activities, food and a fantastic view of the Penn’s
Landing fireworks display. (215) 925-RINK, www.riverrink.com
December 31, 2005
A rockin’ New Year begins at World Café Live with
an exclusive holiday show starring singer/songwriter Jonatha
Brooke. Tickets include champagne and party favors, and the café is
also offering a New Year’s menu. (215) 222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com
NEW YEAR’S DAY
The bespangled merriment begins at
Mummerfest, an annual event at the Pennsylvania
Convention Center, where fans can try on costumes, listen
to string bands practice and learn the famous Mummers’ strut.
December 29-31, 2005. 12th & Arch Streets, (215) 467-0281, www.mummersstrut.com
New Year’s wouldn’t be the same with the
Mummers Parade, a day-long affair in which 10,000 clowns,
musicians and dancers strut down Broad Street, leaving a trail of
glitter, feathers and fun. www.mummers.com
Mummer skill and execution is put to the test at
the Mummers Fancy Brigade Finale, where judges reward the
best performances. Pennsylvania Convention Center,
(215) 893-1962, www.mummersstrut.com
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC)
builds the region’s economy and image through destination marketing
to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay
and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For
more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit
www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in
Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.
Note to Editors: For photos of Greater
Philadelphia, visit our Photo
Gallery.
CONTACT:
Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com