”Faces of Resilience” at City Hall
Recognizing November as Restorative Justice Month, Creative Philadelphia’s Art In City Hall program, in partnership with Councilmember Jim Harrity, presents Faces of Resilience, an exhibition organized by the Barnes Foundation and Mural Arts Philadelphia that was first presented at the Barnes Foundation in 2022. This new iteration features artwork by currently and formerly incarcerated artists from SCI Phoenix, southeast Pennsylvania’s maximum-security for men. This display is complemented by contemporary masks and works of mixed-media printmaking created by emerging artists from Mural Art Philadelphia’s Guild and Rec Crew, paid apprenticeship programs for justice-impacted or formerly incarcerated young adults, which explore themes of identity and place. Overall, this presentation features the work of 46 artists ranging in age from 18 to 80 years old.
When: Monday, Nov. 17-Jan. 23, 2026
Where: Room 116, Creative Philadelphia Art Gallery at City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
CBS Philadelphia Joy of Sharing Holiday Toy Drive
Partner with CBS Philadelphia and The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts to make the holidays brighter for area children. Benefiting the Salvation Army and Mothers In Charge, visitors are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys to donation boxes in the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Miller Theater.
When: Monday, Nov. 17-Dec. 18
Where: The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad St.
Magic Mart
Get a jump on holiday shopping! Magic Mart — a makers’ market in a magical space — returns. Enter the Magic Gardens Studio and peruse a beautiful selection of handmade items, including jewelry, art, ceramics, and more. Featured artists include: Caroline Oddo, Chloe Tai, Skullduggery Studio, Yay Diff!, Salma Garcia-Nolasco, Aster Santiago, From Line to Line, Osso Ceramics, JFOX Jewelry, Lavish-Li Made, and more. Guests can enjoy a glass of wine from Pray Tell Winery and lively background music throughout the event. Magic Mart is free and open to the public.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18 from 5-8 p.m.
Where: Magic Gardens Studio, 1002 Watkins St.
Gunna comes to Philly
Rapper Gunna brings his Wun World Tour to Philadelphia. The Wun World Tour supports Gunna’s sixth studio album, “The Last Wun,” which was released in August. It has quickly proven itself as a major cultural and commercial moment, making an explosive debut at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard 200, while maintaining remarkable staying power with six consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and five straight weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St.
”Back to the Future: The Musical”
“Back to the Future: The Musical” follows Marty McFly, a rock ‘n’ roll teenager, who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love to save his own existence.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 18-30
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.
Leon Thomas comes to Philly
Grammy Award-winning artist Leon Thomas brings his MUTTS DON’T HEEL World Tour, in support of HEEL, the deluxe edition of his critically acclaimed sophomore album “MUTT,” to Philadelphia. Leon recently released “MUTT Deluxe: HEEL,” a natural continuation of the original, digging deeper into his sonic universe and fetching a bold blend of psychedelic R&B, rock textures, soul, and boundary-pushing production. New collaborations with Kehlani, Big Sean, and Halle elevate the project’s emotional and musical scope, as Leon hones his reflections on singlehood, connection, and self-exposure. With tightly crafted compositions and distinct creative clarity, Thomas delivers a fearless extension of his signature sound–unleashing bite where “MUTT” once explored duality. “HEEL” doesn’t just follow; it bares its teeth.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E Allen St.
Opera Philadelphia presents Nathalie Joachim in concert
Grammy-nominated performer and composer Nathalie Joachim, a Haitian American artist hailed for being “a fresh and invigorating cross-cultural voice” (The Nation), serves as Opera Philadelphia’s Composer in Residence during the 2025-2026 Season. In her first performance in this new role, Joachim curates a concert highlighting her own compositions as well as works and artists that inspire her. She’ll perform selections from her opera-in-progress Le présent éternel as well as her album Fanm d’Ayiti, which celebrates and explores her Haitian heritage and received a Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album. Tickets are required.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Wanamaker Building, 1300 Market St.
Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance”
Launch your holidays by celebrating a beloved model of a modern major comedic opera with Quintessence Theatre’s presentation of “The Pirates of Penzance” by Gilbert & Sullivan! On his 21st birthday, a dashing young pirate apprentice prepares to finally be freed from servitude. Arriving back on land for the first time, he plans to live a dutiful and honorable adulthood. But there’s a snag — check his birth certificate! A bevy of local beauties, conscientious pirates and their King, a wily and witty old waiting-woman, an incompetent madcap Major General, a troop of troglodyte policemen, and a parade of ingenious paradoxes all portend to make Quintessence a delightful winter destination!
When: Wednesday, Nov. 19-Jan. 4, 2026
Where: Quintessence at Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Ave.
Holidays in Franklin Square
Historic Philadelphia, Inc., the non-profit responsible for renovating, operating, and maintaining Franklin Square, opens Holidays in Franklin Square, featuring the Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO, inviting the community to celebrate traditions old and new. Holidays in Franklin Square will enchant visitors with holiday magic and jolly memories. The centerpiece of the festivities is the free Electrical Spectacle Light Show with hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights choreographed to seasonal music throughout the Square every night. Guests can cozy up around fire pits with hot beverages, including spiked options for adults, and enjoy Street Curling and Chilly Philly Mini Golf, adorned with lights and seasonal decorations. Visitors can indulge in hand-crafted cocktails and seasonal treats in the pop-up winter bar, Frosty’s Fireside Lodge. The Square will also host various family holiday events, such as Wicked Night (New for 2025!), Jingle and Mingle with Santa, Santa Paws, and Brunch with Santa. Other festivities include Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations, along with a gift-making night with The Clay Studio and fun for everyone with the Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown. Franklin Square, along with the Parx Liberty Carousel, Chilly Philly Mini Golf, SquareBurger operated by Cescaphe, and the two playgrounds will be open during the day.
When: Wednesday, Nov. 20-Jan. 4, 2026 from 5-9 p.m.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th St.
Manayunk Tree Lighting Ceremony
Manayunk is ready for its Hallmark Movie Moment! Main Street will be transformed for the holidays with a giant holiday tree, dozens of buildings will be lit up, and there are even snow flurries in the forecast! Philadelphia and Pennsylvania’s largest tree lighting celebration returns! After a record 10,000+ people came out last year, this viral event is back. Kick off the season with the annual tree lighting with live performances, festive music, special guests, glow giveaways, crafts and photo ops with Santa. There will be tons of family fun with letters to Santa, ornament decorating, hot cocoa, North Pole Elves, and a Santa meet & greet in front of the tree. There’s a good chance Santa will be bringing some magical North Pole snow, too, so get ready for a Manayunk winter wonderland!
When: Thursday, November 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Where: Canal View Park, 4418 Main St.
Philadelphia Zoo’s LumiNature
Philadelphia’s most celebrated and award-winning holiday light show is back — and ready to reach new heights 110 feet above the city skyline! Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce the return of LumiNature and over one million dazzling holiday lights. New this year, look for the debut of the Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel a new observation wheel ferris wheel with breathtaking scenes of the lights and overlooking the city where the former Zoo balloon was. This will instantly become one of the most Instagram-ready new attractions for the 2025 holiday season.
When: Thursday, Nov. 20-Jan. 3, 2026
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Ave.
Young Professionals Night: A Painter’s Secrets
Find your crowd at this fall’s Young Professionals Night! Feel the pulse of Philly’s creative energy as emerging artists, tastemakers, and young professionals gather for an unforgettable evening of art, music, and connection. Whether you’re here to explore the galleries, spark new conversations with fellow art lovers, or lose yourself on the dance floor, #BarnesYP is your gateway to the city’s most dynamic cultural scene.
When: Friday, Nov. 21 from 7-11 p.m.
Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
NextFab’s Miracle on American Street
The holiday season is just around the corner, and NextFab’s annual holiday gift market, Miracle on American Street, is back and better than ever for the fifth year. NextFab will open its doors to the public for a festive day of art and shopping, and guests can shop for unique, handmade holiday gifts from talented local makers, while enjoying live demonstrations, hands-on “make-and-take” activities, and giveaways. With over 80 vendors selling everything from jewelry and clothing to home decor and sweet holiday treats, guests can shop for everyone on their holiday list at once. Local makers and creators from the Philadelphia area will sell their unique, hand-crafted pieces, allowing guests to get something special for everyone on their list. While exploring the market, guests can enjoy a variety of delicious food and drinks.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 from 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Where: NextFab, 1800 N. American St.
Circle of Trees
Families and neighbors are invited to join the annual Circle of Trees celebration. The free community event offers hot chocolate, cider, cookies, festive music, and goodie bags for children.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave.
Ana Gasteyer’s Sugar & Booze Holiday Spectacular
Ana Gasteyer is toasting to the holidays as she performs her festive album of seasonal favorites and holiday originals, which topped numerous “Best Holiday Album” lists. Best known for her six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, Gasteyer is also a highly accomplished singer and songwriter. Her first album, I’m Hip, received equally rapturous reviews. She has toured nationally with her “Happy Jazz” act since 2016 and had a residency at Cafe Carlyle.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Perelman Theater, inside the Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.
Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum
The Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum & Gardens returns to Chestnut Hill, delighting visitors. The beloved attraction features rail cars traveling along more than a third of a mile track, set within a landscape of twinkling lights and delightful sounds.
When: Saturday, Nov. 22-Dec. 30 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.
”The Snow Queen” at the Wilma
Directed by Co-Artistic Director Yury Urnov, this adaptation of Evgeny Schwartz’s play transforms Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale into a political parable disguised as a children’s story, where love and loyalty challenge a world of greed and control. It’s also the Wilma’s first-ever family production, inviting younger audiences into the company’s signature mix of bold movement, layered storytelling, and visual experimentation. The result is a stage that feels like a living storybook, collapsing boundaries between fable, satire, and social commentary.
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 23
Where: The Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St.
“Wishing to Grow Up Brightly”
“Wishing to Grow Up Brightly” is a bold new musical inspired by the real-life story of Amanda Morton, co-created with longtime collaborator and Theatre Horizon Co-Founder Matthew Decker, alongside Josh Totora and Brenson Thomas. After the death of her father, Amanda Newton — a Korean-American adoptee — returns to her childhood home to help her mother pack up. There, she discovers a trove of his preserved memories, created by a tech company called reMemorex, and is pulled into a surreal and intimate journey through loss, identity, and the questions that have quietly shaped her life. As Amanda searches for connection in the fragments he left behind, she begins to confront a deeper longing: how do you create a sense of home when it was taken from you before you even knew what it was?
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 23
Where: Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb St., Norristown, PA 19401
”WE ARE ALL FADING” at Morton Contemporary
From slam dunks to master strokes — former NBA basketball player Neil Anthony Edwards traded a basketball for a paintbrush, transforming his drive on the court into a powerful meditation on life’s fleeting moments and the legacies we leave behind. After being drafted to play for the Los Angeles Clippers and competing internationally in China, Lebanon, Venezuela, and Italy, Edwards shifted his focus to his first passion — art. Edwards brings the same discipline, focus, and kinetic energy to painting that once defined his basketball game. The result is work that feels immediate and lived-in: portraits that pulse with presence even as they contemplate the quiet fade of time. In “WE ARE ALL FADING,” Edwards turns style into storytelling. Fashion isn’t decoration — it’s autobiography — telegraphing who we are, how we move through the world, and what we hope will endure. His luminous, larger-than-life figures inhabit a charged space between glamour and vulnerability, their surfaces layered with translucent color and unorthodox mark-making. Each canvas holds the now while acknowledging the inevitable: memory softens, edges blur, yet essence remains.
When: through Sunday, Dec. 7
Where: Morton Contemporary Art Gallery, 115 S. 13th St.
20th Annual Juried Art Exhibition
The 20th Juried Art Exhibition is the center’s largest exhibition of the year, featuring the work of 46 emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists. This year’s exhibition is particularly special as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Philadelphia region’s longest-running annual LGBTQ+ art exhibition and serves as a kick-off to the center’s approaching 50th Anniversary in 2026. Works featured in the Juried Art Exhibition are displayed in the Center’s expansive first-floor lobby and include a wide variety of styles, mediums, and subject matter that will be available for purchase. Profits made from the exhibit support both local LGBTQ+ artists and the Center’s Art and Culture programs.
When: through Thursday, Dec. 11
Where: William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.
”The Mountaintop”
Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company is proud to announce its second production of the 2025/26 season with “The Mountaintop,” written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, and directed by Barrymore Award-winning director Brett Ashley Robinson. The 90-minute reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night invites audiences into a deeply intimate and human portrait of one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century. Set on April 3, 1968, “The Mountaintop” opens with Dr. King, played by Akeem Davis, returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel after delivering his historic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. What begins as a quiet evening takes a turn when he encounters Camae, a mysterious maid played by Kishia Nixon. Over the course of the night, their conversations reveal the man beneath the iconic figure: the humor, doubts, and humanity of someone wrestling with the weight of his calling and the legacy he will leave behind.
When: through Sunday, Dec. 14
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd St.
”Clay as Care” at the Clay Studio
The relationship between ceramic art and health is examined through an exhibition, scientific research, a publication, and public programs. The project considers ways in which care manifests in ceramic art and how viewing art and working with clay can promote personal and communal health. The exhibition features artists whose practices address healing, rest, and resilience, including Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Pew Fellow Adebunmi Gbadebo, Ehren Tool, and Maia Chao. Co-Curators Jennifer Zwilling and Nicole Pollard will work closely with The Clay Studio Exhibition Council, partners in the health research field, and the four lead artists to create an exhibition and space that reflects the values of care that we see as inherent in the act of making art with clay.
When: through Wednesday, Dec. 31
Where: The Clay Studio, 1425 N. American St.
Made in Philadelphia Holiday
The largest outdoor holiday market celebrating local vendors, local made products and local gifts returns to Dilworth Park! The market brings with it 40+ vendors with all the holiday vibes including the new white huts, twinkling lights and illuminated stars. The holiday vibes will be elite! Look for dozens of vendors that read like a who’s who from the tri-state region with everything from fashion, décor, home goods, dog treats, candles, jewelry, foodie gifts and so much more.
When: through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
”Stories My Father Told Me” at Al-Bustan
Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery presents “Stories My Father Told Me,” a solo exhibition by renowned artist Helen Zughaib. Through 25 paintings, Zughaib brings a vivid world alive—a world derived from the stories that her father would relay to her and her siblings while growing up in Lebanon. Though rooted in her specific familial experience, the exhibition speaks to something universal: the enduring power of storytelling to bridge generations and preserve identity. Each painting invites viewers to recall their own storytellers, to hear echoes of familiar voices, and to find themselves within a shared fabric of belonging.
When: through Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026
Where: Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery, 310 W. Master St.
”To Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 – 1958”
Philadelphia gave birth to the U.S. Navy twice — first in 1775 and again in 1794. The later Navy reflected the young nation: ships designed by Quakers, built in shipyards along the East Coast with wood harvested by enslaved people, led by white officers, and crewed by a diverse mix of nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. The Marines of both eras laid the foundation for one of the world’s elite fighting forces. While prominent Philadelphians appear in naval history, the story also lives in the letters and journals of sailors, surgeons, and shipyard workers. In partnership with Homecoming 250, “To Provide a Naval Armament:” U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775–1958 explores the Navy and Marine Corps through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections, tracing their evolution from the American Revolution to the early Cold War, all while remaining anchored in Philadelphia.
When: through Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St.
Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink
Visit the city’s premier wintertime destination, open seven days a week. Reservations are encouraged for timed, 90-minute skating sessions. Visit centercityphila.org to view the full schedule and purchase tickets.
When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
”Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets” at the Barnes
This fall, the Barnes Foundation will present Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets, a landmark exhibition of paintings by the self-taught artist Henri Rousseau (1844–1910), featuring works from the Barnes collection and museums around the world. With 18 paintings by Rousseau, the Barnes is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, with 11, is home to the second largest collection. This exhibition brings together these important collections, providing an unprecedented opportunity to see works that the French art dealer Paul Guillaume either owned — now in the Orangerie’s collection — or sold to Dr. Barnes. Some of these paintings will be reunited for the first time in more than 100 years, while others have never been exhibited together.
When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026
Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin
The Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin has been reimagined to add a full bar, banquet seating, and new décor. In partnership with Centre Square Hospitality, powered by Aramark Sports + Entertainment, an elevated new menu includes winter dishes like tomato soup and grilled cheese, jumbo pretzel charcuterie and chicken & waffle nachos, while the bar will feature craft cocktails made with Basil Hayden® bourbon, as well as beer, wine and ready-to-drink -196 Vodka Seltzer canned cocktails.
When: through Monday, Feb. 23, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” at Brandywine
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” will survey the first decade of the career of Baltimore artist Jerrell Gibbs (b. 1988). His dynamic, large-scale figurative paintings of family, friends and community focus on everyday scenes of Black life, transforming them into monumental moments that highlight the universal themes of identity, reflection and belonging. Organized by the Brandywine, this project will mark the artist’s first solo museum exhibition and first monographic publication — and is also the Museum’s first solo presentation of an emerging contemporary artist. The exhibition will feature 30 paintings drawn from both museum and private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
When: through Sunday, March 1
Where: Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Wintergarden on the Albert M. Greenfield Lawn
An open-air oasis featuring hundreds of twinkling and colored lights, illuminated overhead sculptures and seasonal foliage, with warm mulled wine available from the Chaddsford Winery kiosk for adults 21 and older.
When: through Sunday, March 15, 2026
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St.
“Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” at AAMP
The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) presents a cultural milestone exhibition “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design.” The acclaimed exhibition, celebrating the power of art, identity, and imagination, marks its Philadelphia debut with nearly 80 original costumes from films that have shaped global culture — including “Black Panther,” “Selma,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Amistad,” “Dolomite is My Name,” “Coming 2 America,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and, for the first time ever, “Sinners.” As the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards, Ruth E. Carter has transformed costume design into a form of cultural storytelling, honoring the past while envisioning what’s possible for the future. Her journey from Springfield, Massachusetts, to Hollywood’s most celebrated stages resonates deeply with Philadelphians.
When: through Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026
Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.
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