The presents have been opened and toys have been played with and every parent fears the words "I'm bored" over Christmas break. Don't fret Fun Things has you covered with events to keep your family busy over break.
Catch a Show
What would the holidays be without George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®? Whether it’s your first or thirty-first time seeing Pennsylvania Ballet’s production of the classic, watching the timeless story brought to life is always a delight. From a festive family party to the exciting battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King, and the delectable journey through the Land of Sweets, Marie’s magical story is thrilling for the young – and young at heart.
Grab your Mickey ears and get ready for the ultimate party when Disney On Ice presents Let's Celebrate skates into your hometown with more than 50 unforgettable Disney characters. Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, go on an adventure through 14 of the greatest Disney stories ever told. Sing along with Olaf as he dreams of summer and dance with Aladdin as he stays "one jump ahead" in Agrabah. Share Forky's wonder as he learns what it means to be a toy and forget your worries with Timon and Pumbaa. Dream big with the courageous Disney Princesses and much more as you create new memories with your whole family at Disney On Ice presents Let's Celebrate.
November 20- January 2nd
Callous Scrooge shackled Marley, and the haunting spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future spring vividly to life in our fresh adaptation of a favorite yuletide ghost story. Featuring a vibrant mix of original songs and newly arranged nineteenth-century English carols, this music-infused retelling captures the magic, joy, and generosity of Dickens’ beloved classic.
Quick thing! For all you People's Light holiday veterans, A Christmas Carol is not a panto. But it is music-filled, interactive fun for every age—whether you believe in spirits or not.
November - January 2nd
Based on the beloved Hans Christian Andersen story and the classic film, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful story of love and letting go. Ariel, King Triton's youngest daughter, challenges her father’s authority as she dreams of ļ¬nding her own way in the world above the sea. But what will she give up to fulfill her dreams of independence? Disney’s The Little Mermaid will capture your heart with its timeless story and irresistible songs, including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl" and "Part of Your World." Disney’s The Little Mermaid promises to be one of the most spectacular productions ever staged at the Walnut!
Watch the Twinkling Lights
December 3, 2021 – January 2, 2022
During the daylight-deprived month of December, Rose Tree Park sparkles at night with its annual Festival of Lights display. Dozens of illuminated trees and lit displays draw visitors back every year to walk in the winter wonderland and linger in the festive atmosphere. A treasured Delco tradition for more than four decades, The Festival of Lights provides a perfect opportunity to get in the holiday spirit with friends and family or take a sweetheart stroll after dinner.
The 2021 Festival of Lights opens with a brief Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday, December 3, at 5:00 PM. Displays are lit nightly from 5:00-10:00 PM through Sunday, January 2. Admission and parking are free. The pedestrian mall is handicapped accessible. Well-behaved canine companions on a leash are welcome.
This year The Festival of Lights will feature a Delco Vendor Village on the first three weekends: December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18.
November 26th
starting at dusk
Holiday walk-through to look at the lights at Arasapha Farms and bonfires nightly to roast marshmallows.
November 2oth - January 9th
Half a million outdoor lights and holiday magic await you during Longwood's incomparable Christmas display. Enjoy dazzling trees and seasonal concerts. The Music Room hosts a special, themed holiday display. Kids of all ages will delight in a miniature Garden Railway decked out for the holidays. Thousands of poinsettias accented with amaryllis, artemisia, begonias, cyclamen, hybrid lilies, kalanchoes, paperwhites, red-berried plants, etc other flowers flourish inside acres of heated glass conservatories. Living wreaths, swags, and live floral trees adorn rooms throughout the Conservatory. Included in Gardens admission.
Holiday Light Show and Dickens Village Macy's Center City
For 2021, the light show will run just once a day at 10:30 a.m. from Dec. 1-24, and moves to 11:30 a.m. from Dec. 26-31. No reservations, but times may change as the holidays approach, so check the Macy;s Santaland website — where you can also watch it on demand — before heading out. Reportedly the Christmas Light Show backdrop will remain fully lit most of the shopping day, as it was last year. Macy’s has expanded its toy department onto the Third Floor 13th Street for your gift-giving convenience.
The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ annual Christmas in the Grand Tradition Concert, starring Peter Richard Conte, is held Sunday December 12, 2021, at 6:45 pm and is admission-free in the Grand Court.
Herr's Christmas Lights
November 24th- January 2nd
Come enjoy our FREE Holiday Lights Display from dusk to dawn (5pm-7am). Drive through our corporate campus and over 600,000 dazzling lights. We ask that all visitors stay in their cars for everyone’s safety.
West Chester Griswolds
November 25th- January 2nd
The lights will start on Thanksgiving night (November 25). We will run through at least January 2, 2022. We look forward to seeing everyone and have some exciting new stuff planned for this year. We will also accept letters to Santa again this year
November 18th- February 27th
Winter in Franklin Square presented by Citizens featuring the Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO will sparkle from November 18 – February 27. Guests can celebrate the magic of the season both day and night in festive Franklin Square.
New this year, Winter in Franklin Square will feature new songs incorporated into the Electrical Spectacle Light Show. Plus, Franklin’s Winter View provides outdoor fire pits and beautiful indoor heated tent featuring adult and hot beverages and seasonal food. Chilly Philly Mini Golf presented by IBEW Local 98 transforms Center City’s only miniature golf course both daytime and evenings. Experience lights, seasonal music, and larger than life wintertime friends throughout the course!
November 18th - January 9th
LumiNature, a fantastical new winter light experience set to transform the Zoo, will take guests on a magical journey of illuminations, music, sound and surprises.
November 19 - December 30
Elmwood Park Zoo’s favorite family tradition, Wild Lights, returns this holiday season! With new lights and decorative attractions and more animals on exhibit, this year’s Wild Lights is sure to be brighter than ever! Take a stroll through “Oh” Christmas Tree, and be surrounded by a glistening forest, or visit with our big cats in Trail of the Jumping Jaguar. Each night of Wild Lights features live entertainment, unique animal encounters, performances, holiday music, and a chance to see Santa himself.
Open EVERY NIGHT from Nov. 19 through Jan. 9
5 pm to 10 pm
5 pm to 10 pm
Experience the magic of more than 3 million lights illuminating acres of farmland at the Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show! Encounter whimsical holiday displays and familiar characters.
Drive through in the comfort of your own car or enjoy the show in a private open-air wagon ride (weather permitting).
November 19th - January 9th
Stroll an enchanted Village and sip tasty beverages. Find perfect gifts in 65 specialty shops and boutiques. Enjoy fine dining or casual fare in your choice of restaurants. Ride a 1920s carousel and play in the arcade. See a magnificent display of gingerbread houses. Spend the night in our elegant country inn. And enjoy the company of the people you love.
Go Ice Skating
December 3rd
We’re very excited to bring an outdoor ice skating rink to Delaware County! For our first year you can expect fun for the whole family including ice skating sessions, lounge area, heated tent, and great food and beverages.
The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is proud to continue to present a wintertime tradition in Philadelphia, as the Blue Cross River Rink will re-open for the 28th season on November 26th. The Blue Cross River Rink at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia’s only outdoor public ice rink, is located on Columbus Boulevard at Market Street.
Call 215-925-RINK for current rink and weather conditions
Winter at Dilworth ParkNovember 5th – February 27th
Come to ice skate at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink, relax with a warm seasonal beverage at the Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin, stroll through the seasonal plant arrangements in the Wintergarden, view the dazzling Deck the Hall Holiday Light Show, and shop for gifts at the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market.
Ride some Rides
Sesame Place A Very Furry Christmas
November 20th - January 2nd
Hershey Park Christmas Candyland
November 12th - January 2nd
The magic of the holidays comes to life at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. With two million twinkling lights, rides for all ages, festive decorations, and Hershey's Product Characters decked out in their holiday best, there is something for all to enjoy!
Explore Someplace New
November 26 through January 2
Brandywine Railroad at Brandywine River Museum
November 26- January 9
Christmas Around the Farm at Linvilla
November 26th -December 23rd
Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely winter garden of the Morris Arboretum. The display and buildings are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds, and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials, and twigs as downspouts.
Sesame Place A Very Furry Christmas
November 20th - January 2nd
A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place® is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street® friends. The park is transformed into a one-of-a-kind Christmas wonderland with millions of twinkling lights and festive decorations all around.
At the center of our 1-2-3 Christmas Tree show is a 30-foot fully-illuminated pixel-based tree that will project festive animated images. At the same time, guests can dance along to a festive holiday soundtrack – all making for the ultimate light show experience!
Sing along at two special Christmas shows and take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express!
November 12th - January 2nd
The magic of the holidays comes to life at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. With two million twinkling lights, rides for all ages, festive decorations, and Hershey's Product Characters decked out in their holiday best, there is something for all to enjoy!
Dutch Winter Wonderland
November 22nd - January 2nd
Dutch Winter Wonderland offers themed rides, games, and holiday entertainment under thousands of twinkling lights! Indoor activities include cookie decorating, voting for your favorite gingerbread house, and sharing holiday wishes with Santa.
Explore Someplace New
November 20–January 2
Celebrate the season with a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. The Yuletide tour at Winterthur showcases rooms in Henry Francis du Pont’s former home decorated in full holiday splendor, including specialty decorated trees that celebrate the garden, and du Pont family traditions. The displays are inspired by the traditions and festivities of the season as enjoyed by H. F. du Pont and his family.
Special holiday programs throughout the season include Wonderful Wednesdays in December, evening events featuring live jazz performances, caroling, and workshops. In addition to the Wednesday evening festivities, visitors can enjoy a live one-man performance of A Christmas Carol by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens, wine and cocktail tastings, and family events with Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.
Purchase tickets online or call 800.448.3883.
November 26 through January 2
This year, “home” may have taken on a different, more poignant, meaning, especially around the holidays, when the family gathers. It is in this spirit that Hagley celebrates the holiday season with the theme, “Home for the Holidays: A Celebration of Family.”
November 26- January 9
A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad offers something for everyone with its dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line, and others.
The display features trains running on 2,000 feet of track with more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, and even a carnival and a drive-in movie theater. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display, operated by hands-free foot pedals that allow for further engagement.
November 26th -December 23rd
We transform the Garden Center into a Winter Wonderland, featuring Santa and his Elves, handmade wreaths, greens and holly, and a sea of poinsettias. Shop an enormous selection of timeless holiday decorations, children’s toys, and collectibles you won't find anywhere else!
Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely winter garden of the Morris Arboretum. The display and buildings are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds, and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials, and twigs as downspouts.
November 11th -December 31st
Starting November 11th, search for 57 hidden Santas (one for each year we have been open) and watch as Santa’s sleigh flies above the 1,700 square foot model train extravaganza, which includes 150 hand-built animations and 22 moving trains. Enjoy the holiday decorations throughout the display including holiday lights and the snow-covered landscape. Plus, take a close look at the zoo animals in Traintown to see how they’re getting into the holiday spirit.
