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It’s a new year in Philly, and your 2025 is looking bright and bustling with a slew of fantastic events, celebrations and experiences to kick off the calendar.
The fun begins on New Year’s Day at the annual Mummers Parade, one of the city’s signature events, with 20,000 spectators lining the streets. The following 30 days offer more excitement with the Philadelphia Auto Show, Peddler’s Village’s Fire & Frost Fun, the Ardmore Winter Beer Fest and more.
The holidays may be over, but winter fun still abounds with seasonal festivals continuing at Dilworth Park, Franklin Square, Longwood Gardens and the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest. January also brings special celebrations across the city for both Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend and the start of Lunar New Year.
And in the most Philly thing possible, Eagles’ legend Jason Kelce takes over Union Transfer for tapings of his new ESPN weekly late-night show.
Read on for over 60 great things to do in January 2025 in Philly.
Through Sunday, January 5, 2025 (select dates)
There are only two Sesame Street theme parks in the world, and one is right here in Bucks County. With its sister park away in unseasonal San Diego, your east coast Sesame Place is the only wintry locale for enjoying the annual A Very Furry Christmas celebration, which you can still catch before the season concludes. Enjoy the park transformed with millions of lights, themed rides, festive holiday decorations, a special Christmas Parade, gifts, a visit with Santa in the Furry Workshop and the spectacular 1-2-3 Christmas Tree music and lights show.
Where: Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, PA
Only a few more days remain to catch the inaugural Yuletide at Liberty Hill, relocated from Devon to its new location at Union League of Philadelphia Liberty Hill country club in Lafayette Hill. Shop some post-holiday deals at the market — featuring over 30 high-end boutique vendors — then queue up for unlimited turns on the 65-foot-tall Ferris wheel and other rides, photos with Santa before he heads back north and a fantastical ice skating rink through an enchanted forest lit by hundreds of Christmas trees (for a small in-person fee, which includes skates).
Where: Union League Liberty Hill, 800 Ridge Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA
Through Saturday, January 27, 2025
Not ready to let go of the season’s illuminated majesty yet? You still have until the end of January to catch the last major holiday light display in the region at Bucks County’s sprawling Shady Brook Farm. The after-dark Holiday Light Show is a whimsical ride through giant animated winter scenes, character displays and illuminated tunnels rendered with 3 million tiny bulbs across acres of farmland. Enjoy the two-mile trail from your own vehicle or an open-air tractor-pulled wagon. End your ride at the holiday farm market, Stone’s Throw Pub or with cocoa and s’mores around the firepit.
Where: Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley, PA
The beauty of the season endures — for a few more days — during the annual Festival of Trees at historic Pearl S. Buck International House. Rooms inside the 18th-century Perkasie estate and farmhouse, former home of The Good Earth author, are adorned with holiday decorations, glowing lights and beautiful trees designed by local Bucks County artists, decorators and community groups. And in the museum, catch the return of original artwork by Anna Marie Magagna which illustrates Buck’s children’s book, Christmas Miniature. Enjoy the event as part of a standard tour or special Festival Tour.
Where: Pearl S. Buck National Historic Landmark, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie, PA
Through January 6, 2025 (select dates)
While you still can, catch this year’s version of the immersive LumiNature display which transforms the Philadelphia Zoo into a multimedia spectacular with 16 zones illuminated by a million twinkling lights. While the animals sleep, humans can ride the SEPTA PZ Express Kiddie Train under a canopy of lights, go on a scavenger hunt or walk through a 100-foot-long lighted jungle tunnel. Snag a perfect selfie in front of a 22-foot-tall butterfly tree, a 40-foot-tall glowing penguin and or sparkling waterfalls of lights. Top it off with seasonal fare, live performers, hot chocolate and adult beverages.
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, January 12, 2025
It’s your final notice to come out to Longwood Gardens and experience this year’s winter wonderland at A Longwood Christmas — named Best Botanical Garden Holiday Lights for four years by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards — with its half-a-million twinkling lights and spectacular fountain shows. Stroll the garden’s grounds, now even more spectacular across the brand-new spaces of Longwood Reimagined, to marvel at miles of lights glowing in the trees, seasonal plants decorated with ornaments, a festive outdoor railway, fire pits and the famous fountains dancing to holiday music.
Where: Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA
Dates vary by location
The holidays may be in the rearview, but there’s still a few more days of spirited soirées at merry local holiday pop-ups and festively decorated Philly bars who have granted us the gift of extended dates.
Where: Taqueria Amor, 4410 Main Street, Philadelphia, PA
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The Prime Rib at Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, 900 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Butcher Bar, 2034 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Craftsman Row Saloon, 112 S. 8th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, January 5, 2025
In the Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent exhibition, visitors discover rare documents, inspired works of art and historical objects that paint a fuller picture of the shelter used as George Washington’s headquarters, battlefield home and strategic meeting place throughout the War of Independence. The exhibit, telling stories of the individuals who worked to preserve and pass down this vital symbol of America, is coming to an end, but the tent — the Museum of the American Revolution’s signature artifact — remains on permanent display.
Where: Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
January not only marks the end of Monuments and Myths: The America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French at Doylestown’s James A. Michener Art Museum, but it also marks the end of the run for the traveling exhibit entirely. Peruse the work of the two rival sculpturists at this show exploring the role public art plays in reflecting, informing and obscuring truths about our nation. French is best known for his Seated Lincoln, at Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial, and Saint-Gaudens for Diana, which sits atop the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Great Stair Hall.
Where: Michener Art Museum, 138 S. Pine Street, Doylestown, PA
The 1997 20th Century Fox classic animated feature Anastasia comes to life for the last remaining shows of Anastasia: The Musical at New Hope’s Bucks County Playhouse. The family-friendly musical adventure recounts the tale of a brave young woman seeking to both discover and escape her past which transports the audience from Soviet Russia to années folles Paris, from the creative minds of Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. Shows run daily through Sunday, January 5, 2025, including a New Year’s Day matinee.
Where: Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway’s Barnes Foundation has been home to the East Coast debut of Mickalene Thomas: All About Love since October, but now is the last chance to see the show before it heads to its conclusion in London and Toulouse. The exhibit showcases a series of vivid works (spanning the early 2000s to today) from the Camden, New Jersey-born artist utilizing mixed media — including paintings, collages, photography, videos and installations — highlighted by stunning large-scale rhinestone-bejeweled painted tableaus which spotlights Black femininity, agency, desire and an empowered vision of beauty.
Where: Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, January 19, 2025
Holiday-themed happenings are coming to a close at Bucks County’s charming play-shop-dine destination Peddler’s Village, but the more than 60 specialty shops continue to offer post-holiday sales and the grounds remain festively decorated for a few more days. You can also catch the end of the annual Gingerbread Competition & Display, a tasty presentation which features over 100 handcrafted gingerbread creations on display for free. Come see the winners (and the still-good-enough-to-be-winners) in 10 categories including best traditional, unusual, reproduction of a television or movie set, teen creation, youth creation and more.
Where: Peddler's Village, 100 Peddlers Village, Lahaska, PA
Throw your hands in the air and raise the roof one last time as DJ Mickey and friends spin, scratch and remix beloved Disney songs during the waning days of Disney on Ice Presents Let’s Dance at the Wells Fargo Center. Experience colorful, interactive Disney worlds while characters like Moana, Simba and Elsa skate and dance to the high-energy beats. Witness virtuoso figure skating, thrilling stunts and high-flying acrobatics performed to a playlist of your favorite tunes, with character cameos from Wish, Frozen 2, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid and more.
Where: Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Friday, January 31, 2025 (select dates)
Take a walk among the stars during this international celestial light show in Montgomery County. Part of Moment Factory’s Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series, this illuminated outdoor experience weaves together lighting, projections, sound effects and music to guide visitors through an immersive 27-acre illuminated forest. The stellar light show aims to bring people, nature and the universe a little closer together. Tickets are required, and pay-as-you-go food and drink are on-site.
Where: Abington Art Center, 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown, PA
Through Sunday, February 9, 2025
After a successful run at London’s National Portrait Gallery, The Time is Always Now: Artists Reframe the Black Figure is now on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The exhibit — which takes its name from James Baldwin’s 1963 essay on desegregation — features 28 contemporary Black and African artists, including Amy Sherald (you may know her mural at 11th and Sansom streets), Michael Armitage and Claudette Johnson. The collection, curated by trailblazing journalist Ekow Eshun, celebrates Black contemporary life in all its nuance, richness and beauty through painting, drawing and sculpture.
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, February 23, 2025 (dates vary by attraction)
The seasonal fun of Winter in Dilworth Park continues throughout winter right out in front of City Hall. Lace up your skates (BYO or rentals available) for an up-to-90-minute skating session at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink (best to make reservations in advance) or warm up with comfort food, quick bites, beer, cocktails and a toasty firepit at the ski chalet-style Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin. To take you right up to spring, the whimsical topiaries, plant beds and reindeer sculptures in The Wintergarden at Greenfield Lawn remain on display through Sunday, March 9, 2025.
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Historic Franklin Square celebrates the season with a bevy of family winter attractions, festive activities and holiday celebrations alongside relaxing firepits and a warming tent with hand-crafted cocktails and seasonal treats.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, March 2, 2025
Curated over the course of two years in collaboration with the award-winning actress known for The X-Files, ER and NCIS: New Orleans, the new Shared Vision: Portraits from the CCH Pounder-Koné Collection exhibition at the African American Museum in Philadelphia highlights contemporary art spanning the African diaspora. The exhibition — composed of 40 works of art in multiple media including pieces by both world-renowned (like Bisa Butler and Samella Lewis) and emerging artists (including Luke Agada and Alex Peter Idoko) — explores identity, presence, beauty, autonomy and power.
Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
Experience a Penn’s Landing winter wonderland as the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest illuminates the Delaware waterfront for its 31st season. Glide around the NHL-sized ice skating rink, enjoy boardwalk games and amusement rides, view the festival’s signature holiday tree and fantastic light displays, and hop a ride on the 60-foot-tall riverside Ferris wheel. Or indulge in seasonal treats and hot drinks around firepits, in warming cabins or at the rinkside lounge. Admission is free, with pay-as-you-go food and drink and tiered tickets for ice skating which should be reserved in advance.
Where: Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, April 13, 2025 (select dates)
Play the song and ring that bell to help the Philadelphia 76ers celebrate the franchise’s 76th year as Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George hit the Wells Fargo Center floor for a slate of nine home matchups in January. Highlights include intraconference matchups with the Washington Wizards (Wednesday, January 8, 2025) and Cleveland Cavaliers (Friday, January 24, 2025), the return of superstar LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, and a key division tilt versus the New York Knicks and their trio of Villanova University grads on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.
Through Tuesday, April 15, 2025 (select dates)
The orange-and-black head into the heart of the NHL season as the Philadelphia Flyers skate up at Wells Fargo Center for seven home faceoffs to welcome the new year. Among important January matchups are three Eastern Conference meetings versus the Toronto Maple Leafs (Tuesday, January 7, 2025), the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers (Monday, January 13, 2025) and the Detroit Red Wings (Tuesday, January 21, 2025). The Fly-boys wrap the month with two key division clashes against the New Jersey Devils on Monday, January 27, 2025, and New York Rangers on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
Ongoing
It’s FaceTime, on a global scale. The hit worldwide art installation known as The Portal has come from New York City to Philly’s LOVE Park The massive circular 24/7 video livestream (created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys) links the City of Brotherly Love to everyday folks in faraway countries from Poland to Ireland to Brazil (and more coming), plus a live look at earth from space. The Philly Portal is currently located near the LOVE Park Visitor Center on the corner of 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.
Where: LOVE Park, 16th Street & John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
There are few traditions more Philly than the annual New Year’s Day Mummers Parade, when 10,000 costumed marchers — divided into Comics, Fancies, String Bands and Fancy Brigades — strut their stuff five miles through the streets of Philadelphia performing skits, dances and music. The nearly 125-year-old Mardi Gras-esque march down South Broad Street runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is capped off with two performances of the Fancy Brigade Finale (formerly Mummers Fest) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the clans of costumed members hit the stage to compete for first prize (tickets required).
Where: John F. Kennedy Boulevard & N. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA
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Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
January 3 – 31, 2025 | Time TBA (Friday nights only)
Heeeere’s Jason! The Philadelphia Eagles’ legendary lineman is coming to late-night TV, hosting the new one-hour show They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, airing on ESPN for five consecutive Friday nights between the final NFL regular season weekend and the Pro Bowl. Each episode will be shot in front of a live studio audience at Union Transfer in Callowhill on Friday evenings a few hours before it airs live-to-tape (time TBA), with popular Philly party band Snacktime providing musical accompaniment. Free tickets can be requested from 1iota’s website via random drawing, while supplies last.
Where: Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA
Back again at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, the winter version of Jurassic Quest — the world’s largest dino event — features over 100 lifelike animatronic dinosaurs (like a 60-foot-long Spinosaurus, 80-foot-long Apatosaurus and gigantic life-sized T. rex) roaming realistic, kid-friendly displays dedicated to the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic periods. Other walking and stationary attractions include some of the largest rideable dinosaurs in North America, interactive raptor training, baby dino meet-and-greets, a “Tricera-tots” soft play area, fossil digs, Jurassic Jeeps and interactive challenges. Tickets are entry-timed, but guests can stay as long as they wish.
Where: The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, 100 Station Avenue, Oaks, PA
Saturday, January 4 or Sunday, January 5, 2025 (to be determined)
It’s make-or-break time for the 2024-2025 Philadelphia Eagles as the regular season comes to its inevitable conclusion when Jalen Hurts, Brandon Graham, Saquon Barkley and the rest of Gang Green take on their fierce rival New York Giants in the last scheduled home game of the season. Playoff positioning is likely to be on the line at Lincoln Financial Field in this crucial finale, scheduled for either Saturday, January 4, 2025, or Sunday, January 5, 2025, a decision which will be made by the NFL as the date draws closer.
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, One Lincoln Financial Field Way, Philadelphia, PA
Hoke is just tryin’ to drive Miss Daisy to the store. The Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Driving Miss Daisy — an original 1987 off-Broadway production which became a four-time Academy Award-winning film starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman — explores the transformative power of friendship through the eyes of an elderly Jewish widow in 1948 struggling with diminishing independence (and systemic racism) and the Black driver who shuttles her from errand to errand. This new production comes to historic Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest continuously operating theater in the entire English-speaking world, for a month-long run.
Where: Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
You would be a Bad-acting Smooth Criminal if you didn’t Beat It down to see MJ the Musical, a Thriller of a Tony Award-winning show coming to the 160-plus-year-old Academy of Music. This four-time Tony Award-winning jukebox production, which premiered on Broadway in 2021, follows the behind-the-scenes action as pre-controversy Michael Jackson rises from childhood prodigy to megastardom during the 1992-93 Dangerous World Tour, featuring hit singalong tracks like Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, Billie Jean and Man in the Mirror.
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Those “Fabulous Philadelphians” of The Philadelphia Orchestra — celebrating their 125th anniversary in 2025 — return to host the annual Lunar New Year Celebration again this January. The quasquicentennial offering features the full ensemble plus special guests performing a family-friendly repertoire of selections in honor of the Year of the Snake. This vibrant event, blending Eastern and Western musical pieces and often incorporating traditional Chinese instruments and compositions, brings a reflection of the city’s diverse AAPI community to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Marian Anderson Hall.
Where: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
January 10 & 11 and 17 & 18, 2025
The million twinkling lights that cover every building, path and tree at Bucks County boutique shopping oasis Peddler’s Village during the holidays are only illuminated through mid-January. But those final two weekends are celebrated with the annual Fire & Frost Fun event, featuring live fire artistry, fire pits, outdoor food and drink, a scavenger hunt, a live DJ, ice-carving demonstrations and an extensive display of over 30 ice sculptures. Don’t forget to check out the waning days of the Gingerbread Competition & Display as well (see above).
A favored music venue near the Montgomery County/Delaware County border, Ardmore Music Hall is the site of the annual Ardmore Winter Beer Fest and its 2025 tropical Island Getaway theme. Visit main street Ardmore for curated a la carte fest food (including theme-appropriate curried chicken satay skewers, pholourie and pepes ikan), live Hawaiian-inspired folk jazz from Slowey & The Boats, and over 50 craft beers including selections from both local and national breweries. A VIP experience with a pre-show brunch, early access, coat check and discounts on future shows is available.
Where: Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA
One of Philly’s can’t-miss annual winter events, the Philadelphia Auto Show — with the theme Fuelin’ Philly 2025 — returns for its 123rd year as it takes over the Pennsylvania Convention Center for ten days in January. The massive exhibition features hundreds of vehicles on display (with most major manufacturers represented), test-drive opportunities both outside and inside the Convention Center, and more, with up-close looks at the industry’s newest model year fleets along with concept, classic, luxury and exotic cars. Once again, the event’s Black Tie Tailgate kicks off the week on the eve of the show.
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
Old City’s Arden Theater Company, founded in 1988, opens the new year with Holy Grail of Memphis, a world-premiere comedy from renowned Philly playwright Michael Hollinger, winner of three Barrymore Awards for Outstanding New Play. This new production tells the story of Newton Stover III, a man struggling to rebuild his life and legacy — with assistance from long-lost recordings of a legendary bluesman found in the basement of his granddaddy’s rundown music studio — before the bank, an unexpected stranger and ghosts of his past catch up with him.
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
The horticultural minds at Longwood Gardens prove winter is more than stark, bare trees with their annual Winter Wonder exhibit. Escape the chill and bask in the warmth of the beautiful new West Conservatory (part of Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience) as it begins its peak flowering season where Streptocarpus, Saintpaulia, Clerodendrum schmidtii and more fill up the space in purple and white while hundreds of orchids bloom magnificently. Outdoors, the gardens’ 400 acres pop with yellow and orange witch hazel, while winter grasses provide texture to the landscape.
Philadelphia holds numerous celebrations honoring the Civil Rights leader on his birthday weekend:
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Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
Various locations including Marian Anderson Recreation Center, 740 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Dig in. Delicious deals are on the menu at more than 100 restaurants during the can’t-miss twice-a-year Center City District Restaurant Week. Enjoy a prix-fixe dinner menu for just $40 or $60 a pop at select restaurants, or grab a two-course lunch for just $20 (also at select restaurants). Need help narrowing down the options? Visit the official website for the full list of locations and the option to filter by cuisine.
Where: Over 100 restaurants including Spice Finch, 220 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Imagine yourself in the middle of the stage, completely immersed in a show as performers move all around you. Agora de la danse theater company’s Koros VR Experience is a whole new way to experience contemporary dance, made possible through the magic of virtual reality. Don your VR headset as dancers tell Koros’ kinetic tale across three works adapted specifically for this production: The Complex Simplicity of Love, Allegro Barbaro and 6.58 manifesto. Join fellow attendees for drinks and discussion afterwards at Penn Arts Live’s Annenberg Center Lobby Bar.
Where: Penn Live Arts, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Learn more about Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Tibetan and other Asian cultural traditions — and grab some holiday treasures — at the 44th annual Lunar New Year edition of the Penn Museum’s signature CultureFest! series. The Year of the Snake celebration includes live music, dance and family-friendly activities like storytelling and make-and-take art, plus the grand finale: a performance of the traditional Lion Dance. The event, held in collaboration with Penn’s American Center for Asian Students and Center for East Asian Studies, is included with timed tickets for regular museum admission.
Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Name a more iconic trio. (We’ll wait.) Three of the greatest things ever created come together during the Philly Chocolate, Wine & Whiskey Festival. From the chocolate side, expect candy bars, bon-bons, truffles, cookies, macarons and a chocolate fondue bar, plus artisan cheeses and charcuterie. For beverages, indulge in international and domestic selections, champagne, sparkling wine and prosecco, as well as bourbon, rye, gin, tequila and Scotch and Irish whiskies (and craft beer and cider). Pair your faves — or grab a boozy milkshake, candy cocktail or lushy slushie — while perusing fashion, arts and craft vendors.
All your favorite royal highnesses converge on Franklin Square during Ice Princess Weekend, expanded to two full days for 2025. Join Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Isabella from Encanto, Tiana from The Princess and the Frog and more for meet-and-greets with kids (and kids at heart) at the free event which also includes games, face painting, giant bubbles, sing-alongs, fitness fun and ice sculpting under the lights. Check out other awesome attractions at Winter in Franklin Square as well (see above).
Gustav Holst’s The Planets shaped the modern sound of sci-fi, most famously inspiring John Williams’ Imperial March from Star Wars. As part of the Best of Philly Best Classical Outing-winning Orchestra After 5 series, The Philadelphia Orchestra presents Voyage Through the Planets which expands on the Holst influence while exploring the astrological characters of each planet in a singular journey through the cosmos with selections from Mars, Bringer of War to Neptune, the Mystic. Come early to The Kimmel Center (starting 5 p.m.) for pre-concert drinks and fun, plus a post-concert talkback.
A young widow wrestles with whether or not she can love again when she begins to receive a series of passionate letters from a secret admirer who turns out to be whom she least suspects. That’s the basis of romantic comedy The Anonymous Lover (based on Stéphanie Félicité Madame de Genlis’ play L’amant anonyme), a company premiere from Opera Philadelphia featuring music by Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the only surviving work from the pioneering 18th century Black composer and contemporary of Mozart and Haydn. The production is performed in French with English supertitles.
Where: World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
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The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen Street, Philadelphia, PA
City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA
Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA
Franklin Music Hall, 421 N. 7th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Theatre of The Living Arts, 334 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA
Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal Street, Philadelphia, PA
Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA
Parx Xcite Center, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem, PA
118 North, 118 N. Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA
Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA
Every city has its own special New Year’s Day traditions, but none match the distinctiveness of the New Year in Philly. It all starts with the annual Mummers Parade — dating back to 1901 — where 10,000 Mardi Gras-esque costumed marchers strut down Broad Street. Elsewhere, the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest remains open on New Year’s Day, as do many museums including the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And New Year’s Day brunches are popular at diners and restaurants around the city, particularly after a fun night of revelry.
Philadelphia is one of the best places in America to spend the holiday season, lit up and festively decorated and offering a slew of holiday festivals, markets and light shows. Thankfully, at many spots, the holiday season doesn’t end on December 25, as several locales remain open into January, including events at Sesame Place, Shady Brook Farm, Longwood Gardens and the Philadelphia Zoo. As well, big municipal festivals like Winter at Dilworth Park, Winter in Franklin Square and Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest run even further into late winter.
Restaurants across Philadelphia offer seasonal menus filled with warm, hearty selections of soups, stews and roasted entrees. But what really warms the heart (and hands) during winter is a quaint dining space with a roaring fireplace to boot. Check out some of Philly’s homiest eateries with fireplaces, like the wood-burning blaze at The Plough & the Stars, the British-inspired hearths on both floors at The Dandelion, the indoor/outdoor connecting fireplace at Suraya, the exposed brick ingle at 59 Almshouse in Richboro or the poured-concrete spot under the skylight at Wm. Mulherin’s Sons.
Over the six decades since his assassination, Philadelphia has led the way with celebrations honoring the Civil Rights leader on Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend. Many Philly institutions and organizations join in to pay tribute throughout the three-day birthday holiday, including events at sites like the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Museum of the American Revolution, the Please Touch Museum and the National Constitution Center. Remembrance concerts at local venues, workshops, lectures, memorials and community service projects are also on tap for the celebration.
While the weather outside may be frightful, the action is hot inside cozy Wells Fargo Center, warming the hearts of fans since 1996. All three of Philadelphia’s indoor pro teams are headed into the meat of their schedules come January, as the NBA’s 76ers, NHL’s Flyers and NLL’s Wings hit the court, ice and turf, respectively, for key midseason games — plus a few big NCAA basketball matchups hosted by the Villanova Wildcats. And the concert action is just as heated as big names come through to play the 21,000-capacity venue.
January is indeed cold. Daytime high temperatures average 40 degrees Fahrenheit, with overnight lows around 26 degrees. January’s record high is 74 degrees, set in 1961. The first month is Philly’s second-snowiest, averaging just under six-and-a-half inches in total. But snow can pile up quickly, with the Blizzard of January 1996, Philadelphia’s biggest ever on record, totaling 30.7 inches. During the first full month of winter, the sun shines just about five hours per day, with around 10 days experiencing some rainfall that is not frozen precipitation.
The Philadelphia region stretches into the surrounding four-county countryside of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, offering even more parks, restaurants, attractions, shopping, history and fantastic events worth a drive. Annual January highlights include Ardmore Winter Beer Fest at Ardmore Music Hall, Winter Wonder at Kennett Square’s Longwood Gardens, both Fire & Frost Fun and the Gingerbread Competition & Display at Lahaska’s Peddler’s Village, and tons of pop culture and collectors’ conventions at Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks. Or catch hot indoor live music at Keswick Theater in Glenside, Bensalem’s Xcite Center and Sellersville Theatre.
The new performing arts season is underway in January, with plays, musicals, dance, kids’ events, comedy and more at theaters throughout the region. Catch fresh-from-Broadway shows along with Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Ballet at Academy of Music (plus more Broadway at Forrest Theatre), the Philadelphia Orchestra at The Kimmel Center, music and dance at Miller Theater, the Philadelphia Theatre Company at Suzanne Roberts Theatre — plus historic Walnut Street Theatre, Tony-winning Wilma Theater and more. And there’s plenty of stage fun in the countryside including at Act II Playhouse, Bucks County Playhouse and Media Theatre.
The January sports scene in Philly is, in a word (besides cold), exciting. At the Wells Fargo Center, the 76ers and Flyers are racking up mid-season wins in front of throngs of enthusiastic fans. Over at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles often reserve January for home playoff games (fingers crossed) cheered on by excited bundled-up spectators. And at hallowed college basketball halls like The Palestra, the six local Big 5 teams battle for tournament seeding. But the winner is you with friends and family enjoying yummy stadium food and drink, cheers and boos and, of course, Gritty.
January is a great month to visit Philly if you’re looking to avoid crowds. With the holiday season coming to a close and winter chill in the air, fewer visitors means less time in line and more time to enjoy the activities, museums and historic sites the region has to offer. But that doesn’t mean any less excitement, with plenty of high-energy events across the region like the 20,000 fans lining the streets for the New Year’s Day Mummers Parade and nearly a quarter-million passing through the doors of the annual Philadelphia Auto Show.
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and priceless peace of mind.