The presents have been opened, and toys have been played with, and every parent fears the words "I'm bored" over Christmas break. Don't fret; Fun Things has you covered with events to keep your family busy over break.
Catch a Show
November 20- January 2nd
We venture down the rabbit hole in a brand-new holiday panto! On her first day of skiddle mool—oops, we mean middle school!—Alice Liddle stumbles upon a strange book in the library and ends up in a mysterious, magical place. Cheer the heroes, boo the bad guys, and help Alice find her way home in this panto-tastic take on Lewis Carroll's madcap classic. Recommended for ages 5 to 105!
The panto has been a People’s Light signature for almost two decades. With origins dating back to commedia dell’arte, the "pantomime" takes a well-known children's story and turns it on its ear. Audiences of all ages gather in droves to partake in the songs, dances, topical jokes, and jovial camaraderie of this longstanding tradition.
November 22nd - December 31st
Disney on Ice presents Frozen & Encanto
December 25 - January 2nd
Step inside the magical adventures of Disney's Frozen and Encanto as they are brought to life like never before at Disney On Ice! Dazzling ice skating transports you to Arendelle to be a part of Anna's adventure to find Elsa, whose icy powers unleashed an eternal winter. Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven take you along as they encounter wintry conditions in a race to bring back summer. Then, enter the fantastical Madrigal family's Casita amidst the beautiful mountains of Colombia. Join Mirabel on her journey to save her enchanted family home alongside her sisters, Isabela and Luisa. Hosted by Mickey and Minnie, invite your family and friends to sing along to your favorite songs and celebrate the power of love and courage at Disney On Ice presents Frozen & Encanto - the show everyone will be talking about!
What would the holidays be without George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®? Whether it’s your first or thirty-first time seeing Pennsylvania Ballet’s production of the classic, watching the timeless story brought to life is always a delight. From a festive family party to the exciting battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse King and the delectable journey through the Land of Sweets, Marie’s magical story is thrilling for the young – and young at heart.
Watch the Twinkling Lights
December 5th - December 31st
Monday-Thursday 6PM - 9PM
Friday-Sunday 6PM - 10PM
This is a synchronized Christmas light display in the Marchwood neighborhood of Exton, PA; drive up, tune your radio to 90.3 FM, and enjoy!
November 18th - January 8th
Half a million outdoor lights and holiday magic await you during Longwood's incomparable Christmas display. Enjoy dazzling trees and seasonal concerts. The Music Room hosts a special, themed holiday display. Kids of all ages will delight in a miniature Garden Railway decked out for the holidays. Thousands of poinsettias accented with amaryllis, artemisia, begonias, cyclamen, hybrid lilies, kalanchoes, paperwhites, red-berried plants, etc. other flowers flourish inside acres of heated glass conservatories. Living wreaths, swags, and live floral trees adorn rooms throughout the Conservatory. Included in Gardens admission.
Holiday Light Show and Dickens Village Macy's Center City
November 25th - December 31st
The 28,575-pipe Wanamaker Organ, the world’s largest playing pipe organ, will be featured with the noon and 6 pm showings (except Sundays).
Dickens Christmas Village is open this year by advance reservation from 11/25 (Black Friday) to 12/31.
Herr's Christmas Lights
November 23rd- January 2nd
Come enjoy our FREE Holiday Lights Display from dusk to dawn (5pm-7am). Drive through our corporate campus and over 600,000 dazzling lights. We ask that all visitors stay in their cars for everyone’s safety.
West Chester Griswolds
November 24th- January 2nd
The lights will start on Thanksgiving night (November 24). We will run through at least January 2, 2022. We look forward to seeing everyone and have some exciting new stuff planned for this year. We will also accept letters to Santa again this year.
November 16th- February 26th
Winter in Franklin Square, presented by Citizens featuring the Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO will sparkle from November 18 – February 27. Guests can celebrate the magic of the season both day and night in festive Franklin Square.
New this year, Winter in Franklin Square will feature new songs incorporated into the Electrical Spectacle Light Show. Plus, Franklin’s Winter View provides outdoor fire pits and a beautiful indoor heated tent featuring adult and hot beverages and seasonal food. Chilly Philly Mini Golf, presented by IBEW Local 98 transforms Center City’s only miniature golf course both daytime and evenings. Experience lights, seasonal music, and larger-than-life wintertime friends throughout the course!
November 17th - January 7th
LumiNature, a fantastical new winter light experience set to transform the Zoo, will take guests on a magical journey of illuminations, music, sound, and surprises.
November 18 - December 30
Elmwood Park Zoo’s favorite family tradition, Wild Lights, returns this holiday season! With new lights and decorative attractions, and more animals on exhibit, this year’s Wild Lights is sure to be brighter than ever! Take a stroll through the “Oh” Christmas Tree and be surrounded by a glistening forest, or visit with our big cats in Trail of the Jumping Jaguar. Each night of Wild Lights features live entertainment, unique animal encounters, performances, holiday music, and a chance to see Santa himself.
Open EVERY NIGHT from Nov. 19 through Jan. 8
5 pm to 10 pm
5 pm to 10 pm
Experience the magic of more than 3 million lights illuminating acres of farmland at the Shady Brook Farm Holiday Light Show! Encounter whimsical holiday displays and familiar characters.
Drive through in the comfort of your own car or enjoy the show in a private open-air wagon ride (weather permitting).
November 18th - January 8th
Stroll an enchanted Village and sip tasty beverages. Find perfect gifts in 65 specialty shops and boutiques. Enjoy fine dining or casual fare in your choice of restaurants. Ride a 1920s carousel and play in the arcade. See a magnificent display of gingerbread houses. Spend the night in our elegant country inn. And enjoy the company of the people you love.
Go Ice Skating
November 18th -February 26th
We’re very excited to return to Edgemont, PA, opening on November 18th, 2022, and running through February 2023. Conveniently located on Route 3, just minutes from the Blue Route, West Chester, Newtown Square, and a short drive from Philadelphia or The Main Line. You can expect a winter wonderland filled with fun for the whole family, including convenient on-site parking, festive music, lighting, video & decor, delicious food & beverages, heated hospitality tents perfect for private parties,
The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is proud to continue to present a wintertime tradition in Philadelphia, as the Blue Cross River Rink will re-open for the 28th season on November 26th. The Blue Cross River Rink at Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia’s only outdoor public ice rink, is located on Columbus Boulevard at Market Street.
Call 215-925-RINK for current rink and weather conditions
Winter at Dilworth ParkNovember 1st – February 26th
Come to ice skate at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink, relax with a warm seasonal beverage at the Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin, stroll through the seasonal plant arrangements in the Wintergarden, view the dazzling Deck the Hall Holiday Light Show, and shop for gifts at the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market.
Ride some Rides
Sesame Place A Very Furry Christmas
November 19th - January 8th
Hershey Park Christmas Candyland
November 11th - January 1st
The magic of the holidays comes to life at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. With two million twinkling lights, rides for all ages, festive decorations, and Hershey's Product Characters decked out in their holiday best, there is something for all to enjoy!
Explore Someplace New
November 25 through January 1
Brandywine Railroad at Brandywine River Museum
November 19- January 8
Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely winter garden of the Morris Arboretum. The display and buildings 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 small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks, such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall, are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials, and twigs as downspouts.
Sesame Place A Very Furry Christmas
November 19th - January 8th
A Very Furry Christmas at Sesame Place® is a festive, family-friendly celebration with everyone’s favorite Sesame Street® friends. The park is transformed into a one-of-a-kind Christmas wonderland with millions of twinkling lights and festive decorations all around.
At the center of our 1-2-3 Christmas Tree show is a 30-foot fully-illuminated pixel-based tree that will project festive animated images. At the same time, guests can dance along to a festive holiday soundtrack – all making for the ultimate light show experience!
Sing along at two special Christmas shows and take a train ride tour through the Twiddlebugs’ Gingerbread Cookie Factory on the Sesame Place Furry Express!
November 11th - January 1st
The magic of the holidays comes to life at Hersheypark Christmas Candylane. With two million twinkling lights, rides for all ages, festive decorations, and Hershey's Product Characters decked out in their holiday best, there is something for all to enjoy!
Dutch Winter Wonderland
November 19th - January 1st
Dutch Winter Wonderland offers themed rides, games, and holiday entertainment under thousands of twinkling lights! Indoor activities include cookie decorating, voting for your favorite gingerbread house, and sharing holiday wishes with Santa.
November 19–January 8
Celebrate the Yuletide season with a one-of-a-kind holiday experience. Tour rooms in Henry Francis du Pont’s former home decorated in full holiday splendor. This year’s tour includes several trees inspired by Christmas trees seen at the White House, in conjunction with the exhibition Jacqueline Kennedy and H. F. du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House. Many displays are inspired by the traditions and festivities of the season as enjoyed by du Pont and his family.
New 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.
Don’t miss the large-scale gingerbread version of the Winterthur mansion. The gingerbread house will be made by Bredenbeck’s Bakery of Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania.
November 25 through January 1
Holidays at Hagley returns with the theme, “All Creatures Great and Small,” celebrating stories of pets, wildlife, and other animals who made their habitat at Hagley over the last 200 years, both in the historic home and outdoors. “Holidays at Hagley: All Creatures Great and Small” will feature Holiday Home and Garden Tours, the fifth-annual Gingerbread House Competition, Santa Days, evening Twilight Tours, and more.
November 19- January 8
A holiday favorite since 1972, the Brandywine Railroad features trains running on 2,000 feet of track. It 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.
Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a quarter-mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely winter garden of the Morris Arboretum. The display and buildings 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 small streams. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks, such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall, are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials, and twigs as downspouts.
November 10th -December 31st
We invite you to celebrate the season as the Choo Choo Barn transforms Traintown USA® to bring the magic of Christmas to its gigantic model train display. For the 10th year, the homes and businesses along the tracks have decked their halls to share with the public from November 10 to December 31, 2022.
Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Philadelphia during our Holiday Bricktacular, November 25 - January 1.
Enjoy seasonal LEGO build activities, holiday theming throughout the Center, and
much more
