Make your holidays in Center City unforgettable with our event guide. Whether you're rediscovering your city or seeing it anew, our guide brings you the best of Center City's holiday season.
Popular Events: Experience a breathtaking spectacle at the Macy’s Christmas Light Show, where vibrant lights dance to seasonal music, captivating visitors of all ages. With its charming open-air marketplace, the Philadelphia Christmas Village features artisans and local vendors offering unique gifts and delicious treats. And the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market is something you definitely don't want to miss, showcasing a variety of handmade goods from local creators. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Center City
- Macy’s Christmas Light Show (Philadelphia)
- Philadelphia Christmas Village (Philadelphia)
- A Longwood Christmas (Kennett Square)
- Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market (Philadelphia)
- Comcast Holiday Spectacular (Philadelphia)
- LumiNature at Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia)
- The Miracle on South 13th Street (Philadelphia)
- Holiday Garden Railway (Philadelphia)
- Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular (Philadelphia)
- Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain (Lancaster)
See these and even more events listed below!
Center City Holiday Light Displays
Macy’s Christmas Light Show
What to Expect:
Spectacular light display with the Wanamaker Organ.
Description:
The Macy's Christmas Light Show features over 100,000 LED lights projected onto a four-story-high velvet curtain in the Grand Court atrium, accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Organ.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Macy’s Christmas Light Show
A Longwood Christmas
What to Expect:
Spectacular holiday light displays and horticultural exhibits.
Description:
A Longwood Christmas features hundreds of thousands of lights, new holiday landscapes, and stunning horticultural displays, offering a unique and beautiful holiday experience.
Where: Kennett Square | More Info: A Longwood Christmas
LumiNature at Philadelphia Zoo
What to Expect:
Holiday light show with interactive elements and animal-themed displays.
Description:
Philadelphia Zoo's LumiNature features over a million twinkling lights across 16 illuminated zones, including new zones like Shimmer River and LumiNature Lane. Guests can ride the Septa PZ Express train, participate in the Nature Blazers Scavenger Hunt, and enjoy various light displays and animal-themed costumes.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: LumiNature at Philadelphia Zoo
The Miracle on South 13th Street
What to Expect:
Life-size cutouts and digital projections of holiday characters.
Description:
The Miracle on South 13th Street is a dazzling holiday light display in the heart of South Philadelphia, featuring colorful lights and festive decorations that transform the entire block into a vibrant winter scene.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: The Miracle on South 13th Street
Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular
What to Expect:
Extensive holiday light display with themed sculptures.
Description:
Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular features over 350 light sculptures, shopping at the Mistletoe Marketplace, and holiday-inspired treats and eats.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Tinseltown Holiday Spectacular
Holiday Garden Railway
What to Expect:
Outdoor model train display with intricate miniature landscapes and iconic Philadelphia landmarks.
Description:
The Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum features a quarter-mile track with 15 rail lines, nine bridges, and seven loops and tunnels. Model trains are decorated with thousands of twinkling lights, creating a festive atmosphere with rail cars and lights that captivate visitors of all ages.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Holiday Garden Railway
Christmas Spirit Light Show
What to Expect:
Immersive drive-thru light display with synchronized lights and music.
Description:
The Christmas Spirit Light Show is a drive-thru light display at Clipper Magazine Stadium in Lancaster, PA, featuring hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights synchronized with Christmas classics. The event includes a walking portion, Christmas Tree Lane, with over 100 decorated trees and festive activities.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas Spirit Light Show
Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
What to Expect:
Spectacular journey amidst hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights.
Description:
Stroll through beautifully lit trails and forest lights, enjoying a family-friendly walking tour that transports you through time past, present, and future. Access to the Wildlife Center is included.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Christmas Lights Experience at Refreshing Mountain
Center City Holiday Markets and Shopping
Philadelphia Christmas Village
What to Expect:
Historic, two-tiered Christmas carousel and authentic German vendors.
Description:
Philadelphia Christmas Village is an authentic German-style Christmas market featuring over 120 vendors from around the world. Enjoy European cuisine, historic carousels, and festive activities in the heart of Center City.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Philadelphia Christmas Village
Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
What to Expect:
Unique, handmade goods and local artisans.
Description:
The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market features over 50 local vendors offering handmade giftware, jewelry, beauty products, and art, complemented by a variety of delicious food options.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
Village Christmas Market at Garden Spot Village
What to Expect:
Live Polar Express book readings with Mrs. Santa.
Description:
Join Garden Spot Village for a day filled with shopping, entertainment, and activities for families and children. Enjoy live Polar Express book readings with Mrs. Santa, explore the Wood Shop and Train Room, and browse handmade gifts at the Christmas Makers Market.
Where: New Holland | More Info: Village Christmas Market at Garden Spot Village
Center City Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Comcast Holiday Spectacular
What to Expect:
Interactive holiday show with inclusive accessibility options.
Description:
The Comcast Holiday Spectacular is a free, interactive holiday experience featuring classic songs, memorable moments, and inclusive accessibility options. It showcases scenes like trombone-toting snowmen and twirling ballerinas on the world's largest LED continuous video wall at the Comcast Center.
Where: Philadelphia | More Info: Comcast Holiday Spectacular
Illumination at Prima Theatre
What to Expect:
Heartwarming holiday concert experience with candlelight ambiance.
Description:
An immersive holiday concert featuring captivating renditions of beloved holiday classics in a radiant candlelight ambiance, with a grand piano at the center stage and skilled musicians and vocalists.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Illumination at Prima Theatre
Grandview Vineyard Christmas Trivia
What to Expect:
Interactive trivia night with wine and holiday-themed fun.
Description:
Join Grandview Vineyard for a Christmas Movie Trivia night, testing your knowledge of classic and modern holiday films. Enjoy a fun evening filled with nostalgia and holiday cheer, accompanied by wine.
Where: Mount Joy | More Info: Grandview Vineyard Christmas Trivia
Center City Other Holiday Activities
Yuletide at Wheatland
What to Expect:
Historical tour of a 19th-century mansion highlighting holiday traditions.
Description:
Explore Christmas traditions as they were experienced in the late 1800s at President James Buchanan's historic home, Wheatland. Discover how Buchanan's niece and nephew celebrated the holiday season during the early years of the Second Industrial Revolution, and learn about the evolution of Christmas in American culture.
Where: Lancaster | More Info: Yuletide at Wheatland
Polar Bear Express
What to Expect:
Santa visits with gifts for children on a festive train ride.
Description:
The Polar Bear Express at the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad is a 75-minute train ride through the Swatara Creek Valley. Live narration and musician sing-alongs accompany the journey. Santa boards the train at the North Pole, bringing gifts for children aged infant through 11 years. Snack concessions are available on board.
Where: Middletown | More Info: Polar Bear Express
Christmas Village at Stone Gables Estate
What to Expect:
Holiday celebration with Santa's Toy Shop and festive activities.
Description:
The Christmas Village at Stone Gables Estate offers a charming holiday experience with beautifully decorated settings, festive activities, and a chance to visit Santa's Toy Shop.
Where: Elizabethtown | More Info: Christmas Village at Stone Gables Estate
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Philadelphia (0 miles)
- Wharton (2 miles)
- Pennsport (2 miles)
- Whitman (2 miles)
- Camden (3 miles)
- Pennsauken (5 miles)
- Cherry Hill (7 miles)
- Drexel Hill (7 miles)
- Springfield (9 miles)
- Abington (12 miles)
- Radnor (12 miles)
- Chester (13 miles)
- Sewell (13 miles)
- Voorhees (13 miles)
- Wayne (14 miles)
- Mount Laurel (14 miles)
- Norristown (15 miles)
- Bensalem (15 miles)
- Willingboro (16 miles)
- Sicklerville (19 miles)
- Jackson (20 miles)
- Vincentown (22 miles)
- Levittown (22 miles)
- Wilmington (25 miles)
- Trenton (29 miles)
- Ewing (29 miles)
- Mercerville-Hamilton Square (32 miles)
- Vineland (33 miles)
- Pottstown (33 miles)
- South Vineland (36 miles)
- Newark (36 miles)
- Bridgeton (36 miles)
- Princeton (38 miles)
- Millville (38 miles)