Whether you’re staying put in Philly for the holiday or recovering from the drive or flight back home, chances are your mind is already on candied yams, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, and turkey. And sure, Thanksgiving brings days of glorious leftovers — but don’t let the long weekend begin and end at the dining room table.
There’s plenty happening in the city to make time with your family actually feel like time well spent. And just like your plate of holiday favorites, I’ve got the ingredients to make your weekend even better.
— Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)
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The best Philly-area holiday markets and Christmas villages to visit this season
Once the turkey’s carved and the leftovers are officially in rotation, the holiday season kicks into high gear — and Philly does not ease into it. Christmas arrives practically overnight, bringing twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and an entire region’s worth of festive markets ready to help you shop, sip, and stroll your way into December.
From Center City’s Christmas Village and Dilworth Park’s Made in Philadelphia market to Bucks County’s storybook Peddler’s Village and Bethlehem’s iconic Christkindlmarkt, these holiday markets are some of the quickest ways to flip your internal switch from Thanksgiving mode to full-on winter cheer.
Here’s your guide to the best Philly-area holiday markets and Christmas villages to visit this season.
The best things to do this week
⛄ Winterfest is back: RiverRink Winterfest at Penn’s Landing returns with an array of amusement rides, games, cozy drinks, and thousands of holiday lights for a festive day or night along the waterfront.
♦️ Everyone loves diamonds and pearls: The Wine Garden Christmas pop-up returns for a second year at Suburban Station. This elegant party offers a menu of holiday cocktails, savory bites, and extravagant photo ops. Before you go, consider adding diamonds and pearls to your outfit.
🎄 Enjoy the light show: Before the Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village undergo a two-year hiatus due to renovations, experience the magic of this Center City attraction starting Friday.
🏀 The Sixers take on the Atlanta Hawks: The Sixers are coming off a loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, but hopefully the hometown crowd for Sunday’s matchup against the Trae Young-led Hawks will spark momentum for the hometown team.
📅 My calendar picks this week: Black Powder Friday at Fort Mifflin, holiday cocktails and the Eagles on Friday.
The thing of the week: The city’s buzziest holiday pop-up bars
Before a slice of Thanksgiving turkey has been served, Philadelphia-area bars have decked the halls with holiday decor and rolled out their novelty cocktails.
From minigolf courses with greased North Poles to private cabins and a Christmas tree cocktail towers, the season of holiday pop-up bars is in full swing.
Regardless of the holiday bar you choose from the dozens sprawled throughout the region, plan ahead and snag a reservation.
Read our holiday pop-up bar roundup.
Fall fun this week and beyond
🎸 “Not Just” Rock: Start your Black Friday shopping with something for you and your fellow music fans. The 39th Annual “Not Just” Rock Record and CD Show will be here from Friday to Saturday at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.
🎁 Winter Makers Market is here: Shop local at Linvilla Orchards all holiday season. The weekend pop-up will feature 20 vendors of seasonal treats, handmade crafts, and gifts for you and your family to enjoy on Christmas Day.
🍸 A new Tinsel pop-up: One of the city’s most popular holiday pop-ups is back for another go. Experience holiday magic at Tinsel’s Christmas-themed shindig, which is glimmering with holiday lights and decor in all corners.
🎅 Carnival of Lights: Through the rest of the year, Pottstown has a treat for lovers of holiday lights, food, games, and visits from Santa. The Carnival of Lights in Pottstown will display over half a million lights for an explorative walk through the Montgomery County town.
Staff picks
There aren’t many concerts on Thanksgiving weekend. you know, because of the holiday and all. But here are a few shows worth carving out time for.
🎸 Friday: Long-standing rock band Blue October will take the stage at the Fillmore for back-to-back shows at the Fishtown music venue from Friday to Saturday.
🎸 Saturday: Patti Smith and her band will celebrate the 50th anniversary of her punk-rock classic, Horses, at The Met Philadelphia on Saturday
🎤 Sunday: Nikki Lopez will be rocking with a matinee lineup featuring Monkeyfellow, C4, Fightback, Dead on Your Feet, and Down To The Wire.
🎤 Sunday: Skrilla, arguably Philly’s hottest new artist and the creator of the “6,7″ social media craze, is taking the stage at the Fillmore on Sunday.
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Now that you have a list of holiday events, I’ll leave you to enjoy a weekend of festivities with your family. Before you go, I want you to know I’m incredibly grateful for your readership and support.
— Earl