What To Do: Holiday events go into high gear

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

Thanksgiving has passed and Halloween 2023 is ancient history. That that means the Christmas season is in full swing – the all-encompassing holiday season with Christmas carols providing the audio background and an endless barrage of Christmas sales and ads in full assault mode.

Fortunately, there are many non-commercial holiday activities celebrating Christmas along with Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Winter Solstice.

“Chester County Hospital Lights Up Holiday Weekends in West Chester” (greaterwestchester.com/events/featured-events/holiday-weekends-west-chester) will begin on November 24 and run through January 2.

Transformed into a winter wonderland, the streets of historic West Chester are bathed in the glow of thousands of holiday lights every evening in November and December. Each weekend features holiday festivities, shopping and dining.

On Saturdays from 2-3 p.m., the “Making Spirits Bright Holiday Music Series” will feature local choirs and performances singing favorite holidays songs every Saturday on the steps of the historic courthouse on High Street. The schedule features the St. Agnes Parish Combined Choirs on November 25, The Uptown Singers on December 2, West Chester Music Academy on December 9 and Bishop Shanahan Liturgical Choir on December 16.

Dressed in Victorian attire, The West Chester Borough Balladeer Carolers will roam around downtown West Chester and perform throughout the holiday season.

Performance dates are November 24 and 25 and December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16.

On November 25 and December 2 and 16, it will be time for “Santa on The Fire Truck.”  Santa will be escorted through the streets of downtown West Chester by the First West Chester Fire Company.

The fabulous holiday light display “West Chester Griswolds” (304 Dutton Mill Rd, West Chester, www.westchestergriswolds.com) opened on Thanksgiving night and will run through January 2.

This year’s display features more than 135,000 lights and 800 smart pixels.

Also featured is a Cosmic Color Ribbon Tree (CCR) to our display. It is an exciting piece of technology with the ability to create any color of the rainbow. The exhibit will be playing throughout the night and “singing” with the bulbs.

Lights will be on now through January 2 — Monday through Thursday from 4:45-9:45 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 4:45-10:15 p.m.

Downingtown Good Neighbor Christmas will hold its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on November 25 at 6 p.m.  The event takes place in Kerr Park at the Log House field below the Christmas Tree.

There will be holiday music provided at the concert gazebo, a face painter, small crafts and games for the kids, along with cookies and hot chocolate.  Of course, the evening would not be complete without Santa arriving by firetruck at 6:45 p.m. to help light the Christmas Tree!

Downingtown Good Neighbor Christmas will feature a 20-foot artificial lighted Giant Everest Christmas Tree with a three-foot lighted star on top.  The tree, which is professionally decorated, sits next to the Log House on Lancaster Avenue and at the entrance to Kerr Park.

The annual Downingtown Christmas Parade will be held on December 9 at 3 p.m.  The parade will feature marching bands, floats, walking and marching groups, and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus to end the parade.

The “Kennett Square Holiday Light Parade & Small Business Saturday” will be held on November 25.

The “Holiday Light Parade,” which has been a popular southern Chester County event for more than a decade, has been moved to the Saturday after Thanksgiving to coincide with “Small Business Saturday.”

Visitors can park at the community garage for free from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. and then support small businesses throughout Kennett Square — delightful cafes, bakeries, and restaurants, as well as a diverse array of independently owned shops, boutiques, and art galleries, which will be packed to the brim with the most beautiful and highest quality gifts for everyone on your list.

The “Holiday Light Parade,” which starts at 6 p.m., features music, dance, community groups, and an assortment of vehicles — including classic cars, tractors, wagons, fire engines, and school buses — all decked with lights.

The parade starts at the intersection of Cypress and South Broad Street, turns and continuing along State Street and concludes with the entrance of Santa and Mrs. Claus lighting the town tree. Right after the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be ready for a meet & greet and photos at the Work2gether porch.

“Yuletide at Devon” (Devon Horse Show, 23 Dorset Road, Devon, www.yuletidedevon.com) opens this weekend and runs through December 31.

The special holiday event features a European Christmas market, a gourmet farm-to-table dining experience, a series of live music concerts and a community carnival.

There is a giant 65-foot Ferris Wheel that provides the opportunity for aerial views of the twinkling lights – and there are unlimited free rides. The list of featured attractions also includes a fun house, an exciting Himalayan rides and opportunities for Santa photos.

Renowned Chef Chris Nguyen of the Philadelphia catering group Strothers will be providing farm-to-table food offerings. The craft drinks menu features fresh pour coffee, signature holiday drinks, gourmet hot chocolate, and homemade Gluhwein.

More than 35 high-end market shops will also be open five days a week, offering a wide array of unique gifts and keepsakes. Whether you’re looking for a special present for a loved one or a memento for yourself, you’re sure to find something special at these shops.

“Yuletide at Devon” occurs weekly from Wednesday through Sunday, promising endless opportunities for fun, food, and frolic.

The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Ave., Oaks, 484-754-3976, http://www.phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting several very diverse events this weekend.

If you’re a music fan that is looking for hard-to-find collectibles such as out-of-print CDs, rare 45s, vintage music posters or albums that have been deleted from record company catalogs years ago, you don’t have to rely on online auction sites. There is an alternative.

That alternative is the annual “Not Just’ Rock Record Expo” which is celebrating its 37th anniversary this year. The event will take place on November 24 and 25 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.

There will also be a variety of autograph guests including Michael Kelly Smith (Cinderella) and Richie Ranno (Starz).

Tickets for the special holiday weekend event are $5 for either day. Show hours are from noon-6 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday.

Mega Treasure Market, which is billed as a three-day “Black Friday Extravaganza,” will be held from November 24-26.

This is a huge indoor new and used sale featuring more than 75,000 square feet of exhibition space.

The event will have hundreds of vendors and live auctions.

There will be onsite appraisals. Patrons can bring their special treasures for appraisal or come to buy, sell or trade with guests and vendors.

Some of the featured categories are coins, antiques and estate jewelry.

Show hours are from noon-5 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $8 for one day, $11 for two days and $15 for three days.

More activity is scheduled for this weekend at the Expo Center.

LuminoCity (www.luminocityfestival.com) opens on November 17 and runs through January 15 in the parking lot of the Expo Center.

This holiday season, LuminoCity brings you a world of magical light installations that come to life in Pennsylvania.

This year’s theme, “Golden Holiday” will deliver state-of-the-art production featuring art, light, and color in remarkable displays.

Visitors will enjoy the entire 45-minute walk and narrative journey while seeing the towering and twinkling LED sculptures. This Christmas light show is a celebration of the world and cultures around us.

LuminoCity was imagined through a desire to create unforgettable experiences. Using light and imagination, it explores concepts of transforming creative thoughts, inspired by the world around us, into illuminating works of light and color.

One of the highlights is a giant 50-feet lighted Christmas tree.

Ticket prices start at $29.

The annual staging of “Holidays at Hagley” is an event that is always one of the most eagerly anticipated holiday attractions in this area every year.

The popular Brandywine Valley exhibit, which is included with regular admission, is running now through January 1 at Hagley Museum and Library (Route 141, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).

“Holidays at Hagley” returns with the theme, “Treasures and Traditions,” and will feature Holiday Home and Garden Tours, the sixth-annual Gingerbread House Contest, Santa Day, Holiday Nights Tours, and more.

This year’s edition of “Holidays at Hagley” features tours of Eleutherian Mills, which is the first du Pont family home built in America. The tours, which will be presented each day from 10a.m.-4:30 p.m., feature decorations in a combination of styles from both the 19th and 20th centuries.

During the Victorian years when candle-lit tabletop Christmas trees were the norm, hand-made gifts were attached to tree branches, and winter scenes were displayed underneath the tree. The upstairs Victorian Library shows how magical that looked with its mid- to late-nineteenth-century toys, games and dolls. The upstairs Parlor features a case filled with small ceramic animals well-loved by some of the du Pont family children.

Early du Pont family French holiday traditions are remembered with a display of gifts that were given to E. I. du Pont’s children on New Year’s Day as well as the Twelfth Night party illustrated by the ornate French dessert service in the Dining Room.

Well-loved displays returning include the elaborate Twelfth Night celebration in the dining room and the Victorian library’s Christmas for children with its table-top tree surrounded by toys and games. Of course, there will be warm glowing lights and poinsettias.

Admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and students and $10 for children (ages 6-14).

One of the best holiday events in the area is the annual “Yuletide at Winterthur.” This year’s 40th annual staging of the event, which runs through January 7 at Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, www.winterthur.org).

Visitors can revel in the beauty and warmth of the holidays and explore treasures of Christmases past with displays of holiday traditions from the 1800s to the early 20th century, including displays of: the earliest types of colorful lights decorating house exteriors; the du Pont family holiday celebrations; and the evolution of Christmas trees over the decades from the 1880s to 1960s.

This year’s Yuletide Tour features custom fashion by local designers Shawn Pinckney and Asata Maisé Beeks, whose creations reflect the history of Winterthur and the design sensibilities of Henry Francis du Pont and Ann Lowe. The house will be decorated in all its finery with our signature traditions, including the show-stopping Dried-Flower Tree, plus artistic Christmas trees inspired by Ann Lowe gowns.

New this year is a large-scale gingerbread version of Enchanted Woods, made by Bredenbeck’s Bakery of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania. Visitors will also enjoy an outdoor light display, including a 15-foot decorated Christmas tree. The miniature doll house and other holiday favorites will also return.
One of visitors’ favorites every year is the 18-room dollhouse mansion created by designer and philanthropist Nancy McDaniel over a period of 30 ears. It features amazing intricate details in each room and is even decorated for the holidays.

As always, the rooms will be enhanced with the floral displays so essential to du Pont’s decorating, and with special Christmas trees inspired by the beauty of Winterthur’s gardens — including the popular Dried Flower Tree in the Conservatory.

Returning this year is a toy train display, featuring Standard Gauge toy trains. The display is presented by the Standard Gauge Module Association, whose members will construct the display at Winterthur. The display is open from 10:00 am–4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and Wednesday evenings in December, 5:00–8:00 pm.

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.

Timed Yuletide Tour reservations are required.

There will be a special “Candlelight Concert” at Winterthur on December 9 from 6-7 p.m. Surrounded by hundreds of candles, OperaDelaware will perform seasonal classics such as “Oh Holy Night” and “White Christmas,” as well as popular standards such as “Strangers in the Night” and “Some Enchanted Evening.”

It will be an evening of ambience by candlelight, featuring angelic music by People-to-People International musicians Olivia Geiser and Noëlle Grüebler of Winterthur, Switzerland.

The Winterthur estate, now known as Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library, was named by Swiss-born Jacques-Antoine Bidermann, husband of Evelina Gabrielle du Pont, to honor his ancestral home.

Noëlle Grüebler (violin) and Olivia Geiser (piano), dedicated their project, Winterthur and Music, to various composers linked to Winterthur, Switzerland, providing insight into the vibrant musical scene of this town on the outskirts of Zurich. Join us for a Yuletide evening as we bring the two Winterthurs together through music.

Tickets are $15.

Admission to Winterthur is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $8 for children.

Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting “Reserve Tastings – Festive Faves” on select Saturdays and Sundays in November and December.

Guests will join the CFW Crew for an intimate and educational 60-minute experience in the Barrel Room. The trained staff will guide them through a pre-selected tasting of five widely diverse and award-winning wines from across our portfolio. The selections will be paired alongside seasonal local cheeses and other accoutrements to enhance your tasting experience.

The staff will also discuss topics such as grape growing conditions at our partner vineyards and the onsite winemaking process from production to aging and bottling.

The following is the 2023 Pairing Line Up – Greeting Wine: 2022 Sparkling White; 2022 Chardonnay with Maine Crisp Buckwheat Crackers (contains nuts), Brie, and Local Smoked Fall Honey; 2021 Pinot Noir with Smoked Gouda and New Jersey Dried Cherries; Spiced Apple with Pumpkin Spice Bon Bon from Éclat Chocolate; and Warm Holiday Spirit with Chocolate Cranberry Scone from OsoSweet Bakery & Café.

The holiday season at Herr’s Snack Food Factory (20 Herr Drive, Nottingham, 610-932-9330, www.herrs.com) has arrived. The area around the factory site will be illuminated with thousands of lights and holiday displays.

Herr’s “Holiday Light Display,” which is free and open to the public, will be open nightly now through January 2.

Visitors to the site will be able to drive along a trail that is illuminated with more than 600,000 lights.

The special light exhibit will be open daily from dusk to dawn.

The Brandywine River Museum of Art Route 1, Chadds Ford 610-388-2700, www.brandywinemuseum.org) is celebrating the 51st anniversary of the Brandywine Railroad holiday train display now through January 8.

A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features trains running on 2,000 feet of track and contains more than 1,000 pieces, including locomotives, passenger and freight trains, and trolleys that pass through a small village, a farm, factories, a drive-in movie theater and even a carnival.

A dazzling array of both toy and scale model trains can be seen chugging through the varied scenery, including those made by Lionel, Williams, Atlas, Mike’s Train House, K-line and others. Interactive components are also incorporated into the display to allow for further engagement.

The Brandywine Railroad holiday train display is included in the cost of general admission.

One of the most elaborate model train layouts in the Delaware Valley can be found at the Morris Arboretum (100 Northwestern Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-247-5777, http://www.morrisarboretum.org). The popular Garden Railway Display that has become a summer fixture at The Gardens at Morris Arboretum returns again for a special holiday display.

The display, which is open to the public now through December 30 in the winter garden of the Morris Arboretum, has a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with 15 different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under) and bustling model trains.

The buildings and the display 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 miniature rivers. Philadelphia-area landmarks are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle.

Admission to the Morris Arboretum is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for students and military.

A popular Christmas activity every year is taking a train ride with Santa Claus. Fortunately, there are quite a few very good options in our area.

One of the best train rides with Santa Claus is the one presented by the West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, www.wcrailroad.com).

The special “Santa’s Express” trains (which feature heated cars decorated for the holidays) will run on November 18, 19, 24, 25, 26 and December 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17 and 18 at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 5 p.m.

The 75-minute journey on the trail line’s heated decorated train travels through the Chester Creek Valley. Santa Claus will be greeting everyone at Market Street Station and then going along for the ride to Glen Mills.

Adult fare for the West Chester Railroad trips is $35. Tickets for children (ages 2-12) are $25 while toddlers (ages 9-23 months) get to ride for $10.

The Wilmington & Western Railroad (2201 Newport Gap Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-998-193, www.wwrr.com) will run its “Santa Claus Express” on Saturdays and Sundays between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be riding along with passengers on the steam-powered 90-minute round trip to Ashland Station. They will be greeting everyone on board and offering chocolate treats to the youngsters. Santa will also be posing for pictures with his fans.

Steam locomotion will return to the Wilmington & Western for its annual Santa Claus Express. The rail line’s 0-6-0 switcher No. 58 has returned to service after a multi-year restoration and will power Santa’s train through the Red Clay Valley this season.

Tickets for these trains, which run now through December 23, are $19 for adults, $18 for senior citizens and $17 for children.

The tourist rail line will also be running special “Holiday Night Express Trains,” featuring a peaceful evening ride in the railroad’s 1929 Doodlebug rail car. Tickets for these trains, which are running now through December 30, are $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and $13 for children.

The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s Paradise Express” now through December 24. Santa will be the featured guest on each ride from Strasburg to Paradise and back.

The rotund guy in the red suit will be greeting passengers, shaking hands, posing for photos and giving a treat to each child. After the train ride, children are treated to storybook readings of holiday classics. Visitors of all ages can also enjoy a ride aboard the Tinsel Trolley, a self-propelled motor car.

Tickets are $33 for adults and $26 for children.

Other “Christmas Experiences” offered by the rail line are “Santa Claus Limited,” “Night Before Christmas,” “Christmas Tree Train” and “Breakfast or Dinner with Mrs. Claus.”

The New Hope Railroad (32 Bridge Street, New Hope, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its “Santa’s North Pole Express Train — The Magical Journey Begins Here” now through December 30.

Riders can join Santa and Mrs. Claus as they depart New Hope Station for a train ride through the historic Bucks County countryside on the way to the North Pole.

The journey begins when the Conductor calls “All Aboard!”

Passengers will experience the sounds and tastes of the holiday season as they sing along with roaming musicians playing Christmas carols, sip warm cocoa and enjoy a freshly baked cookie.

Each child will receive his or her own sleigh bell gift from Santa himself. Children and adults alike are encouraged to indulge in the season’s spirit by wearing pajamas and settling in for a relaxing ride with family and friends aboard the festive railway cars adorned with holiday decorations.

Ticket prices start at $66.

The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com)  is running its “Santa Express Train” excursions now through December 23.

On a 45-minute train ride to Glen Rock, passengers can listen to Christmas music while enjoying the scenery of southern York County and Heritage Rail Trail County Park. And Santa Claus to appear with a special gift for each child.

After the ride, passengers can visit the NCR Engine House for a mini-Winter Wonderland, for magic-filled family photo ops and complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie.

Tickets are $39.99 for adults and $26.99 for children.

The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (Reading Outer Station, Reading, www.rbmnrr-passenger.com) is running its 2022 “Santa Claus Special” Excursions from a variety of locations — Tunkhannock, Tamaqua, Minersville and Reading.

Santa Claus will be visiting with each of the children and there will be live holiday music performed throughout the ride.

Tickets start at $20.

The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com)  is running its “Santa’s Polar Bear Express” now through December 23.

Kids can join Santa on a magical adventure into “Christmas Past” on an exciting train journey. They will be able to sip complimentary hot cocoa or enjoy Christmas cookies and, on some trains, sing favorite carols as the Secret Valley passes by the window. Santa will bring a gift for every child, and every child has an opportunity to give their Christmas letter to him.

The rail line also is running “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” excursions now through December 23.

These special evening trains bring the storybook magic of the season to life. Kids are invited to wear pajamas and sip complimentary hot cocoa as the train crew reads “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Ticket prices start at $40.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia (500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Https://philadelphia.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/) is presenting “Holiday Bricktacular!” now through January 1.

Participants can create their own LEGO ornament and display it in on the LEGO tree and check out all the holiday scenes in the Winter Wonderland in Miniland Philadelphia.

As an added attraction, LEGO Santa will be visiting from the LEGO North Pole.

Ticket prices start at $23.99.

Media’s “Santa’s Parade” (http://www.santaparade.media/) is scheduled for November 27 at 5 p.m.

This annual free parade through the streets of Media features Santa (of course) along with fire engines, classic cars, musicians, dancers, drummers and Mummers.

The four-mile parade route starts on East State Street and Monroe Street in downtown Media.

There will also be a Block Party from 2:30-5 p.m. and a Fun Run/Walk at 4:15 p.m.

Three historic sites in Montgomery County have their own holiday celebrations.

Pennypacker Mills (3 Haldeman Road, Perkiomenville, 610- 287-9349, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) is hosting “Victorian Holiday Tours” now through January 7 while “Twelfth Night Tours” at Pottsgrove Manor” (100 West King Street, Pottstown, 610-326-4014, www.historicsites.montcopa.org) will be held now through January 7.

For the next five weeks, Pennypacker Mills will offer free tours of the 18-century mansion used by General George Washington as temporary headquarters during the Revolutionary War. The home will be decorated for an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas and will feature the warm glow of oil lamps, festive decorations, and a candy-making demonstration.

The event at Pottsgrove Manor features an event based on history.

Visitors can witness the transformation of Pottsgrove Manor for the yuletide season and the traditions of an 18th-century Twelfth Night party. Twelfth Night marked the end of the Christmastide season, celebrated on Epiphany.

Guided tours of the manor explore all aspects of the festivities, from the intense preparations to the differences between the way elite families like the Potts and their household staff experienced the season.

On December 2 from 3-8 p.m., there will be special Candlelight Tours at the Peter Wentz Farmstead (2030 Shearer Road, Lansdale, 610-584-5104).

The soft glow of candles will guide visitors throughout the farmstead for tours showcasing colonial music, seasonal entertaining, and a visit from Belsnickel, a Pennsylvania German St. Nicholas in furs.

The last tour begins at 7:30 p.m. It is an all-ages event with a suggested donation $2 per person.

“Christmas in the Colonies” will be presented on November 25 at Graeme Park (859 County Line Road, Horsham, www.graemepark.org).

Christmas in the colonies was celebrated differently, and sometimes not at all, by each ethnic group who settled here, bringing traditions from their homeland. Graeme Park was home to the Scottish Keith and Graeme families, Irish and German servants, enslaved workers, and later the Quaker Penroses.

As you tour the rooms of the Keith House, costumed actors will present these different traditions to you – some you will recognize in our modern-day celebrations or maybe you’ll discover something new to incorporate into your own traditions.

Part of the tour will also feature the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble performing traditional parlor dances, Noah Lewis playing Ned Hector and telling you about the life of a free black soldier, and Santa will be on the grounds for selfies with the kids. Cookies, hot chocolate, and adult libations will be available.

Tours are on November 25 at 3:30, 4, 4:30, and 5 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children (ages 6-12).

One of Philly’s premier annual events, Macy’s Christmas Light Show (1300 Market Street, Philadelphia, www.macys.com) is running now through December 31

Set in The Grand Court, the show features a 100,000-light show of twinkling snowflakes, dancing snowmen and more, narrated by Julie Andrews and accompanied by the famed Wanamaker Organ.

Images of snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes and more dance across the atrium inside of the historic Wanamaker building (now Macy’s Center City) during the ever-popular Macy’s Christmas Light Show. The show, which has been on view since 1956, runs every two hours during store hours.

Visitors can also tour the second floor’s vintage Dickens Village, where more than 100 intricate animated dolls and sets retell A Christmas Carol. Each free walkthrough ends in a chance to meet and get photos with Santa.

The 2023 Winter in Franklin Square holiday festival (200 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, http://www.historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/holidays-in-franklin-square/) opens its season this weekend and it will run until February 25.

It will be open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

The Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show will be open from 4-8 p.m. daily and 4-9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Visitors are invited to experience the magic of the holidays and celebrate traditions new and old at the Franklin Square Holiday Festival.

Inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s electrifying genius, the free Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show presented by PECO is the key to holiday fun in Franklin Square.

Attendees can marvel at more than 50,000 lights as they shimmer, dance, and illuminate the Square to a soundtrack of holiday classics, some of which are performed by The Philly POPS in two alternating shows every 30 minutes. Every evening, one lucky audience member will be selected to “ignite’ the 4:30 p.m. show.

A popular annual Philly holiday tradition can be found at the Rothman Orthopaedics Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park (1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia, http://ccdparks.org/dilworth-park),

Beginning this November, some of Philadelphia’s favorite winter traditions return to Dilworth Park. Visitors of all ages can enjoy a dramatic seasonal transformation as fountains are replaced by the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Ice Rink and reindeer topiaries take up winter residence on the Greenfield Lawn.

In addition, a full lineup of free entertainment is planned, including the Deck the Hall Light Show, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market and Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Cabin.

Dilworth Park’s winter season began on November 3 with the opening of the Wintergarden on the Greenfield Lawn presented by TD Bank. On November 4, the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink and Cabin made its annual return.

The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park is an unparalleled entertainment experience on Philadelphia’s center stage in a wonderfully urban and unique setting. Open seven days a week, the rink offers wintery fun for all ages, with a full slate of programs.

The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market runs through January 1 with more than 40 local vendors.

Now through January 6, the Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia) will host LumiNature, a gigantic holiday season light experience that turns the entire Zoo into a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises.

The giant-sized holiday extravaganza will transform the entire Zoo into a nighttime winter wonderland. Guests will experience a magical journey of lights, music, sounds and surprises. LumiNature will expand to feature 16 illuminated experience zones that will feature lively themed displays, newly enhanced installations and thousands of twinkling lights on a breathtaking journey celebrating the wonder of wildlife and the beauty of our planet.
Highlights this year include two brand-new illuminated zones, Shimmer River and LumiNature Lane, along with the return of fan favorites like Penguin Prismatic featuring a 40 ft. tall penguin glimmering with 40,000 lights, our iconic 25 ft. tall tree made entirely of 1,500 lit flamingo lawn ornaments and so much more.
At Shimmer River, take a journey through the jungle and enter a 100 ft. long tunnel filled with 4,000 lights, creating dynamic scenes from growing vines, to blooming flowers, multicolored kaleidoscopes and more.
LumiNature will feature more than a million lights and 10+ miles of power cord, 20 ft. tall coral reef and under the sea-inspired holiday tree featuring a giant sea turtle, sparkling waterfall and vine wall featuring 20,000 lights, 150,000 sparkling pink and aquamarine lights, 200,000 lights shining above the Septa PZ Express Train, over 1,500 illuminated flamingos and 200 illuminated penguins, 22 ft. tall butterfly tree covered in 4,000 butterflies, 20 ft. tall snake shimmering with 5,000 lights, 15 ft. tall blue gorilla wearing a glowing lei and 20 giant, floating jellyfish.

Additionally, seasonal fare, strolling performers, hot chocolate and ever-warming adult beverages promise to additionally spark the holiday spirit.

Tickets start at $25 for adults and $20 for children.

Elmwood Park Zoo (Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org)

The Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) has a variety of special activities coming up.

The Zoo’s “Dog Days” event will be held on November 26, 29 and December 1.

There will also be “Dog Nights” on November 26 and December 3, 10 and 17.

All guests visiting the zoo with a furry friend must complete an online waiver and submit required documents before visiting the zoo. You must upload a copy of your most recent veterinary visit, including proof of vaccine and heartworm test here. All items will be required for you to attend “Dog Days.”

The “Dog Days” event is slated to run from 1-5 p.m.

Pricing is $10.95 per dog with each additional dog at $9.95. Regular zoo admission is required for all humans.

Elmwood Park Zoo’s favorite family tradition, “Wild Lights,” returns this November, with more lights and decorative attractions than ever before. During this walk-through experience, guests will be surrounded by dazzling light displays, illuminated animals and live entertainment.

“Wild Lights” operates on select days from 5-9 p.m. now through December 29. “Wild Lights” tickets are valid beginning at 5 p.m. The Zoo and “Wild Lights” will be closed on Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. “Wild Lights” will be held rain or shine.

The Lehigh Valley Zoo (5150 Game Preserve Rd, Schnecksville, https://www.lvzoo.org/) is hosting its “Winter Light Spectacular” now through January 1.

This season’s “Winter Light Spectacular,” which runs from 5:30-10 p.m. nightly, will feature more than 30 scheduled event nights.

Guests are invited to bundle up and enjoy the beauty of nature as they stroll through tree-lined paths illuminated by more than 1.2 million twinkling lights and themed animated displays.

They also can warm up next to the cozy outdoor fire pits while enjoying hot cocoa and s’mores.

Children will be delighted when they encounter Santa, Radley the Sea Turtle, The Grinch, Woody, Buzz, Elsa, Princess Belle, Olaf and friends.

Ticket prices start at $15.

Nemours Estate (850 Alapocas Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, www.nemoursestate.org), which is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., has finished its holiday preparation

Guests were able to resume visiting when Nemours reopened for “Noël at Nemours” on November 14. It will run through December 30.

Ever since 1910, when Mr. and Mrs. duPont began living in their newly built mansion, the holiday season has been a festive time at Nemours. The Christmas decorations at the Nemours Mansion are often inspired by the architecture of the home, the customs of the duPonts or the French influence.

The Mansion is also decorated by some of the duPonts’ original decorations, including a German crèche, which dates from the late 19th century. The figures are soft ceramic, unglazed and hand colored.

Visitors can enjoy Christmas trees, wreaths, and hundreds of feet of garland on grand display in the Visitor Center, Chauffer’s Garage, Mansion and grounds.

All three floors of the Mansion will be decorated as well as the Chauffeur’s Garage and select areas of the gardens. Decorations will coincide with the story of the Estate along with a festive Versailles-inspired motif.

Live music performances will be held in the Mansion throughout the season.

Nemours Estate features an exquisite, 77-room Mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.

Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.

Alfred named the estate Nemours, after the French town that his great-great-grandfather represented in the French Estates General. While looking to the past and his ancestors for inspiration, Alfred also ensured that his new home was thoroughly modern by incorporating the latest technology and many of his own inventions.

Admission to Nemours is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for children.

The Historic Odessa Foundation’s 2023 Christmas Holiday Tour is a bicentennial event.

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the enduring Christmas poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” the Historic Odessa Foundation is making it the centerpiece of its 2023 Holiday Exhibit and Tours, which is tunning now through December 31 in the foundation’s 249-year-old National Historic Landmark Corbit-Sharp House.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Historic Odessa’s unique holiday tradition of celebrating classic literature through festive scenes and interpretive vignettes throughout one of the foundations historic homes.

“Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” or commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas” and “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” was written by Clement Clark Moore, and first published anonymously in December 1823. Historic Odessa’s holiday tradition began with the iconic poem in 1988. This year’s exhibit will feature vintage Christmas decorations on loan from members of The Golden Glow of Christmas Past organization.

All of Historic Odessa’s museum properties will be adorned with thousands of lights, and on full festive display for the 2023 holiday season.

Special school and public tours and events will celebrate “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” and its accompanying exhibit in the Corbit-Sharp House, including the Storybook Trees exhibit created by community members, Storybook Time for children, a Colonial Dance with the Dover English Country Dancers, as well as regularly scheduled Candlelight Tours and Festive Food demonstrations.

On December 1, Historic Odessa will host a presentation and book signing by Pamela McCool author of “Twas The Night: The Art and History of the Classic Christmas Poem” (2023) which traces the evolution of the holiday, presents how the historic figure of Saint Nicholas evolves into the central character in the story, and how characteristics of today’s Santa Claus originated with Clement Clark Moore.

McCool uses dozens of vintage illustrations from the thousands of editions published over the last 200 years in her lively and informative presentation. As a bonus to the evening’s presentation, McCool will be introduced by the enthusiastic Benjamin Bradley, known as “Mr. Christmas,” from the Netflix original series “Holiday Home Makeover.”

Historic Odessa is a member of the North American Reciprocal Museum Association (NARM), and is open to the public March through December, Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday by reservation. General Admission: Adults, $10; Groups, Seniors, Students, $8; and Children under six are free. Member discounts are available.

“Christmas Candylane,” which is the annual holiday event at Hersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, 800-HERSHEY, www.hersheypark.com), is running now through January 1.

Visitors to Hershey can also experience the winter wonderland called “Hershey Sweet Lights, A Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular.” The attraction is a two-mile drive through wooded trails featuring approximately 600 illuminated, animated displays.

Admission prices for “Christmas Candylane” start at $39.99.

“A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place” (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street friends live and in-person at the amusement park in Langhorne.

The annual event, which runs through January 7, offers a wide array of family holiday activities.

Visitors to the park can sing along at three special Christmas shows and a spectacular music and light show at our giant 1-2-3 Christmas Tree, take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express, take part in the Neighborhood Street Party Christmas Parade, and have the opportunity to meet Lightning, the adorable reindeer from the movie “Elmo Saves Christmas.”

As an added attraction this year, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is spending the holiday season at Sesame Place. The lovable reindeer along with his friends Clarice and Bumble, will be available for photos with guests.

Tickets for “A Very Furry Christmas” start at $39.99.

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park (2249 Route 30 East, Lancaster, 866-386-2389, www.dutchwonderland.com) is hosting its “Dutch Winter Wonderland” now through January 1 on Saturdays, Sundays and select weekdays.

Visitors are invited to celebrate the magic of the season at Dutch Winter Wonderland with rides, entertainment, and the Royal Light Show, a spectacular display of thousands of twinkling lights dancing to music.

Ticket prices start at $29.99 at the gate. Children ages two and under are admitted free.

Christmas Underwater at Adventure Aquarium (1 Riverside Drive, Camden, New Jersey, www.adventureaquarium.com) opens this weekend.

At Christmas Underwater, which is running now through December 24, visitors can discover an incredible world of seasonal under-the-sea fun.

Scuba Santa is back in Ocean Realm, sharing Christmas cheer with kids (and animals) of all ages. The event features more holiday decor than ever before, including underwater light displays, and festive new shows.

The World’s Tallest Underwater Christmas Tree returns — stretching 18 feet tall and decorated with colorful, custom-sculpted corals.

More than 15,000 incredible animals are getting in on the festive fun with eight underwater light displays spread throughout the exhibits.

Admission fees start at $27.99 for adults.

Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) will

Now that Christmas activities have begun, Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, http://peddlersvillage.com) is starting its celebration and that means there will be a lot of activity at the site over the next few weeks.

Visitors to the Village can join special guest Mrs. Claus for festive fun and mini-lightings in a different Village neighborhood each night leading up to the Village-wide Grand Illumination Celebration. Village shops will be open until 9 p.m. with a distinctive assortment of merchandise, special promotions and refreshments.

The 23rd Annual Grand Illumination will showcase thousands of tiny white lights outlining the Village’s buildings, colorful lights with less-than-common colors (teal, peach, and fuscia) adorning the trees and shrubs and a landscaped backdrop featuring a group of reindeer glowing in white light. Santa will arrive to turn on the lights and officially mark the beginning of the event. After the lights go on, visitors will be treated to free cider and toasted marshmallows.

November 15 marked the start of Peddler’s Village “Gingerbread House Competition and Display.” Slated to run through January 5, the “Gingerbread House Competition” features over $2,000 in cash prizes in such categories as Traditional and Authentic Reproduction of a Significant Building.

 

Bethlehem, which is known as the “Christmas City,” presents Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem (PNC Plaza at SteelStacks, 645 East First Street, Bethlehem, 610-332-1300, http://www.christmascity.org) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday now through December 17.

Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem showcases aisles of exquisite handmade works by the nation’s finest artisans. The market also features live performances of Christmas music and vendors with an amazing variety of tasty food items.

Other special attractions include ice carving, glassblowing demonstrations, “Breakfast with St. Nicholas,” outdoor artisan huts, fire pits and igloos in the Outdoor Village, and Käthe Wohlfarht with handmade ornaments, nutcrackers and collectibles from Germany.

A guaranteed way to get into a Christmas mood is by visiting Koziar’s Christmas Village (782 Christmas Village Road, Bernville, 610-488-1110, www.koziarschristmasvillage.com) which began its 76th season on November 5.

Koziar’s Christmas Village is truly a holiday wonderland — a wintertime spectacle that delights young and old alike with a huge amount of holiday displays and special attractions. It will remain open every night through January 1 — including Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Night.

The tours of “Christmas Village” feature visits to a variety of displays and exhibits, including “Santa’s Post Office,” “Christmas in the Jungle,” “Manger Scene,” “Christmas Beneath the Sea,” “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Olde Fashioned Bakery Shop,” “Toy Maker and his Toy Shop,” “Christmas in Other Lands” and “The Olde Church”.

Other attractions at Koziar’s Christmas Village include a huge model train display, a toy shop, a country kitchen, indoor and outdoor Christmas displays and a place to visit with Santa and even get pictures taken with the old guy in the red suit. Admission to Christmas Village is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (65 and older) and $10 for children (ages 4-10).

In addition to Koziar’s Christmas Village, several other Christmas events are already underway.

A popular Bucks County attraction is the “Holiday Light Show” at Shady Brook Farm (931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, www.shadybrookfarm.com)

The farm features a three–million-light Holiday Light Show with “Dashin’ Through the … Lights,” a family-friendly two-mile drive-through on Thursday and Friday nights.

The main display allows visitors to drive or (if weather permits) ride in wagons past post-sundown displays including illuminated tunnels.

The “Holiday Light Show” is open now through January 27.

Timed tickets, which start at $40, are required.

“Christmas Spirit Light Show”  is running now through December 31 (except December 25) at Clipper Magazine Stadium (650 North Prince Street, Lancaster, christmasspiritlightshows.com).

“Christmas Spirit Light Show” is an exciting, one-of-a-kind Christmas light display that families can enjoy from the comfort of their vehicles.

As participants make the journey through the mile-long track, they get immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights that are animated and dancing in harmony with favorite Christmas classics.

The drive-through event is billed as a “breathtaking holiday experience that you and your loved ones will never forget.”

Ticket prices start at $25 per car.

The American Music Theatre (2425 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, 800-648-4102, www.AMTshows.com) has its holiday show running now through December 30.

The AMT’s 2023 show, “The First Noel,” is an all-new presentation of favorite sacred and secular holiday songs performed by professional artists from across the country. The show will feature spectacular vocal harmonies, lively musical arrangements, impressive dancing and the music of the AMT Orchestra.

Also featured will be elaborate scenery, elegant costumes and a theater decked out with holiday decorations.

Patrons can witness the magic and splendor of the holiday celebration as AMT presents “The First Noel” featuring incredible singers, astonishing dancers, wondrous costumes, breathtaking sets, and all the endearment of a perfect fireside family moment.

Audience members will be able to bask in the beauty of the season and cherish the stories of spirit and love. Beautiful snowscapes, child-like joy, cherished stories, the spirit of love, and all your favorite things about the holiday season are cast onstage in this glorious celebration of timeless holiday classics.

The show will have both matinee and evening performances each week with the addition of 10:30 a.m. performances on Saturdays throughout December. Ticket prices start at $25.

On November 24, Laurel Hill Cemetery (3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-228-8200, www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org) will present “Hot Spots and Storied Plots” walking tour at noon.

In life and in death, we all have stories to tell, and what better place to hear tales of wonder than Philadelphia’s most famous home of the dead?

This tour provides an informative overview of Laurel Hill’s long history, which includes many of the marble masterpieces, stunning views, and legendary stories about Laurel Hill.

“Hot Spots and Storied Plots” is the perfect introduction for anyone who enjoys beautiful art, scenic nature, and fascinating history. An experienced graveyard guide will offer a unique perspective.

The Tour Guides will be Tom and Pattye Stringer.

“Sacred Spaces & Storied Places” is the perfect introductory tour that provides an overview of Laurel Hill West including its architectural artistry, stunning trees and horticulture, and the stories of residents that encompass diverse and fascinating Philadelphia history. Experienced tour guides offer visitors a unique perspective as no two tours are the same.

The Tour Guide will be Linda Blowney.

A good location for a nature walk is Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).

The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features a “Saturday Wildflower Walk” on November 25.

With 650 protected acres of beautiful woodland, seasonally charming meadows, and a lively program of seasonal events and activities, Tyler Arboretum is a delight for nature lovers, birders, botanists, and those who want rediscover the natural world.

Dating to 1681, making it one of the oldest public gardens in the United States, and home to eight generations of three families, Tyler Arboretum connects visitors to the region’s rich culture and history while preserving, developing, sharing, and celebrating Pennsylvania’s priceless horticultural heritage.

“Saturday Wildflower Walk,” which runs from 1-3 p.m., features wildflower expert Dick Cloud on an informative two-hour hike that will take guests through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside. These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.

Although the focus is on plants, Cloud will also talk about whatever else is seen on the tour. Walkers should wear comfortable hiking shoes and bring a camera and/or a wildflower guide, for this botanical-filled walk.

Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults and $10 for children (ages 12-17).

“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages.

Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.

The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.

General Park Admission prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.

Wonderspaces at the Fashion District (27 North 11th Street, Philadelphia, philadelphia.wonderspaces.com) is an experiential, interactive arts venue.

Building on the success of annual pop-up shows in San Diego, and its first permanent location in Scottsdale, Arizona, Wonderspaces opened a 24,000 square foot gallery space in Philly two years ago.

Wonderspaces features 14 art installations that all play with the idea of perspective.  The artwork ranges from award-winning virtual reality short film about a dinner party-turned-alien abduction, to a room where visitors digitally paint the walls with the movement of their bodies.

New artworks rotate in and out every few months, creating an ever-evolving, year-round show.

Tickets are for entry at a specific date and time. Visitors are welcome to stay as long as they please during operating hours. The average time spent experiencing the show is 90 minutes.

A few installations contain flashing lights, images, and patterns that may trigger seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy. All visitors must sign a waiver prior to being admitted into the space. Adult supervision is required for visitors under 16.

Halloween events are finally over for 2023 but a few “scary” attractions are calendar staples.

Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the fall.

Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.

Tickets are $35.

Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.

The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.

Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.

The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.

The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”

Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.

The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.