With the winter holiday season seeming to start before Thanksgiving turkey has even been served, it’s easy to feel like the Grinch. But if there’s one thing that can cure those early holiday blues, it’s over-the-top decorations and a novelty cocktail.
Luckily, these Philadelphia-area bars have already begun to their deck their halls (or booths) with garlands, nutcrackers, and more string lights than we can count.
One tip: Regardless of which holiday bars you chose, plan ahead and snag a reservation. The only thing worse than a stocking full of coal is waiting in the cold for a seat at the bar.
Wine Garden co-founders Nazaret Teclesambet and Favian Sutton are taking over three rooms inside Suburban Station through Dec. 31 for a luxe limited-edition holiday bar, not unlike last year’s at the Divine Lorraine. This go-round, the theme is diamond and pearls: Think gold-mirrored walls, grand Christmas trees, and enough bows and pearls for a tea party. Guests can sip on spiked hot chocolates rimmed with crushed candy canes, bourbon and apple cider holiday punches, and marshmallow-topped espresso martinis, among other cocktails. General admission is $14.64 per person for a 90-minute reservation. A $42.39 VIP ticket includes a welcome glass of sparkling rosé and a mini vintage cake. All other food and drinks are pay-as-you-go.
Unfortunately, Santa cannot call in favors to get you a table at High Street, one of Philly’s first-ever Michelin-recommended restaurants. The big guy, however, does recommend you spend $5 per person to snag a reservation at High Street’s holiday pop-up inside the Franklin Residence’s grand lobby. Ever Eve in the Back Bar runs Saturdays only through Dec. 27, and features a cocktail partnership with specialty spirits purveyor BOTLD alongside a menu of upscale bar snacks like crispy oysters, brown butter shoestring fries, and deviled eggs topped with trout roe.
Cocktails from a partnership with BOTLD will be served at Ever Eve in the Back Bar, a holiday pop-up from High Street taking over the lobby bar inside the Franklin Residences on Saturdays through Dec. 27.
Dining at this indoor-outdoor restaurant near Rittenhouse Square is far more low-key than most of the city’s holiday bars — mostly because it’s not marketed as a holiday bar at all. Instead, diners can spend two hours inside one of Harper Garden’s private heated outdoor cabins, which can seat four to six people. Something about eating warm bowls of pasta under woodsy garlands screams cozy.
There’s something about snow on the beach, at least according to that one Taylor Swift song. For a dose of holiday spirit down the shore, shoobies can check out the Jingle Bar inside Harry’s Ocean Bar & Grille. The beloved holiday pop-up bar inside the Montreal Beach Resort will run through Dec. 31 this year, with some new additions, like outdoor fire pits overlooking the ocean and a $90 Christmas tree cocktail tower that comes with six libations of your choosing.
Juno’s Holly Jolly Bar is a collaboration with events company Bucket Listers that converts an outdoor summertime hot spot into a winter wonderland — with a roof. From Nov. 26 to Dec. 28, Juno’s patio will be draped in rows upon rows of string lights and ornaments designed as Instagram bait. Don’t expect any Mexican inspiration on the menu beyond a winter marg and some sangria. Tacos and ceviches have been swapped for giant french fries, chicken tenders, and a charcuterie-inspired snack board. Tickets cost $22.50 for a 90-minute seating and a welcome drink. All other food and beverage is pay-as-you-go.
Is nostalgia on your Christmas list this year? The Library Bar inside The Prime Rib at South Philly’s Live! Casino and Hotel has transformed into a swanky-yet-quirky holiday pop-up with drinks inspired by classic holiday movies ranging from Elf to Die Hard. Guests can sip on an Ovaltine espresso martini and spiked sea salt caramel eggnog, among other cocktails, while cozying up by the fireplace through Jan. 10.
Prime Rib inside the Live! Casino & Hotel at 900 Packer Ave. has been transformed into a cozy living room for Holiday Rewind, a pop-up inspired by nostalgic Christmas movies.
Philly’s first minigolf bar has also partnered with Bucket Listers to overload their course with a hefty dose of Philly-ified holiday spirit. From now through Jan. 31, guests can play nine or 18 holes of holiday-themed putt-putt with decor like a greased North Pole, snow globes, and a golf cart covered in Philadelphia Parking Authority tickets (of course). Libertee Ground’s seasonal menu features a standout tomato soup and grilled cheese duo alongside several holiday cocktails, including a cranberry and cinnamon mule and an orange-plum punch made with Stateside Vodka. Those looking to tee off can expect to pay $20 for nine holes of minigolf, plus a cocktail in a souvenir cup.
It’s a gift from Santa himself: A walk-ins only holiday bar. Every holiday season, McGillin’s covers itself in floor-to-ceiling Christmas decorations. (That’s roughly 1,200 feet of lights and 1,000 feet of garlands for number-crunchers.) Holiday barflies can expect a lineup of festive drinks that include an eggnog martini and a spiced rum hot apple cider. Just around the corner from the bar at Sansom and Juniper Streets is holiday pop-up shop that sells McGillin’s merch (stocking stuffers, anyone?). The shop is open noon to 6 p.m. daily.
All 18 holes of mini golf at Libertee Grounds have been updated with string lights, ornaments and other holiday decor for a collaboration with Bucket Listers that runs through Jan. 31, 2026.
It takes roughly 60,000 ornaments and 20,000 lights to transform Craftsman Row Saloon into the Miracle on 8th Street, its annual holiday pop-up bar best known for over-the-top milkshakes. This year’s shake lineup includes the seasonally confused Pumpkin to Talk About — blended pumpkin ice cream topped with a whole slice of pumpkin pie — and Santa’s cookies, a chocolate chip cookie dough variety rimmed with chipwiches. Reservations are recommended for Miracle on 8th Street, which runs through mid-January.
For the first time since its 1978 opening, Bridget Foy’s will transform into the aptly titled North Pole on South Street, a Christmas bar that will run from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. The devil (or Santa) is in the details: The bar’s new Instagram account shows footage of craftsmen freezing tiny nutcrackers into custom ice cubes for a lineup of cocktails that includes a peppermint tea-infused negroni and honey-chili margarita floated with aperol. Reservations also include access to several holiday-themed photo backdrops.
Take in views of the ice skating rink and the Delaware River from the lodge inside the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, a festival of all things festive that runs from Nov. 28 to March 1. Guests can choose to warm up inside the pop-up ski lodge or sip spiked hot chocolates and ciders around private fire pits or cabins available for rent.
Annual pop-up bar Tinsel runs from Nov. 28 through January with the same over-the-top shtick in new dressing. Sip on cocktails in novelty cups (that you can take home!) under a blinking neon Santa tracker, oversized ornaments, and illustrations of pop culture’s wackiest holiday characters. This year’s naughty beverages include punch served in an adult juice pouch and a duo of festive red and green shots.
Evil Genius regulars secured their spot on Santa’s nice list by painting larger-than-life gingerbread houses and cutting hundreds of paper snowflakes for the bar’s Twas an Evil Christmas holiday pop-up. Ornaments and wrapped presents hang from the ceiling while guests can sip on the brewery’s signature holiday saison Santa! I Know Him!, a 7.5% ABV Belgian-style brewed with rose hips, dark candy syrup, and chamomile.
The brewery is hosting a 0.5K (a run around the block) on Dec. 3, where $30 scores runners free beer and a Santa Hat. All proceeds will go toward buying Christmas gifts for families in need.
This Manayunk Tex-Mex restaurant will dress up for any occasion, and the winter holidays are no exception. Taqueria Amor has transformed into its signature Señor Grinch pop-up for the sixth year in a row, playing classic holiday movies via projector every evening through New Year’s Eve, no reservations required. Taqueria Amor’s very-merry cocktail lineup includes a shot that purportedly tastes just like a gingerbread cookie and several margaritas the color of Rudolph’s nose or the Grinch.
Santa’s workshop is taking over Center City’s Uptown Beer Garden through the end of 2025, and with it comes inflatable elves, oversized nutcrackers, snow globes, and fire pits for s’mores. All of the pop-up’s holiday cocktails are served in souvenir cups, including the Polar Espress-o — a peppermint bark-flavored cold brew martini — and the Apple Spice and Everything Nice, a caramel apple mule.
1500 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 267-639-4493, uptownbeer.com
This popular Rittenhouse Square beer garden is winterized through Dec. 31 and features a 22-foot tall Christmas tree alongside plush life-sized penguins, a playhouse pulled by reindeer, and lots of neon lights. Also included inside Walnut Wonderland: make-your-own gingerbread house and s’mores kits for $9 each, plus $12 holiday drink specials that include a maple whiskey sour and a banana-flavored vodka and hazelnut liqueur number that’s meant to taste like banana bread.
Santa greets guests at Walnut Garden at 1708 Walnut St., which is offering table side s’mores and gingerbread house decorating kits this holiday season.
Spend the winter inside Butcher Bar‘s heated covered patio, which looks kind of like a man cave inside a contemporary ski cabin. Butcher Bar’s seasonal cocktails make up for the macho decor. This reporter’s favorites include the Die Hard is a Christmas Movie (rye whiskey, sweet potato, marshmallow, toasted almond bitters) and the Christmas in Paradise (citrus almond spiced rum, mango, lime, herbal liqueur topped with a teeny drink umbrella).
Taking over Cord’s morning show at 102.9 WMGK will be another radio veteran — the versatile Paul Kelly, who’s been a utility infielder at the station since 2019, hosting just about every shift.
Now Kelly will take over WMGK’s morning show, the former home of famed Philly radio host John DeBella, who retired in 2023.
Both Cord and Kelly will begin their new hosting gigs Monday.
“This has been a dream come true — rocking in the same building I visited on my bike as a kid,” Kelly said in a statement. “It’s been amazing working alongside the personalities I grew up listening to — Matt Cord, Tony Harris, John DeBella, Debbi Calton, and Andre Gardner!”
Kelly, a Philadelphia native, has been working on the air since 1989, hosting shows in Atlantic City, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, and Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He also runs his own radio consultancy firm and is a founding member of Kelly Music For Life, a nonprofit that turned an old retail store in Havertown into the Kelly Center, a home for concerts, festivals, and shows.
“Paul’s deep Philadelphia roots, his lifelong love of classic rock, and the genuine connection he’s built with our listeners over the years make him the ideal choice for mornings on WMGK,” said program director Chuck Damico. “He understands this city, he understands this music, and he brings an energy and authenticity that resonate with our audience every time he cracks the mic.”
Pierre Robert, seen here broadcasting on WMMR in 2017.
Robert, 70, was found dead in his Gladwyne home on Oct. 29 after failing to show up for his midday show. The cause of Robert’s death was not disclosed and officials don’t plan to release additional information. Caroline Beasley, the CEO of WMMR’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, said foul play was not suspected.
“Everything seemed to be natural,” Preston Elliot said on air following Robert’s death. “It just appears he passed overnight.”
The show will feature bands and musicians near and dear to the former WMMR host’s heart, including the Hooters, Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown, Lizzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of Halestorm, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul.
“Nobody replaces Pierre — let’s make that clear,” Cord said in a statement. “I promise to carry his amazing spirit into the studio bearing his name and do my best to make him proud.”
It’s been almost two months since the Philadelphia Art Museum unveiled its new name and logo to, let’s be kind and say, a mixed response. To the bane of all graphic designers, rebrands are lightning rods where everyone suddenly becomes a branding expert.
So we wanted to put your knowledge to the test. We’re going to ask you to identify the real logo among those that we’ve subtly modified.
Good luck!
story continues after advertisement
Question 1 of 6
Before the change, one of these was the real logo for The Philadelphia Museum of Art. Can you pick the right one?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
For those concerned about the changing logo, fear not. Legally the museum’s name isn’t changing, just its “consumer-facing” one.
Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
The questions will get a little harder from here.
Question 2 of 6
Which logo replaced the one above?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The museum said in a statement, “The new brand identity captures Philadelphia’s vibrant culture, reflecting how art influences everyday life and resonates across the city’s diverse communities.” The change surprised many, with lots of critics upset with the new look.
Question 3 of 6
Let’s move to another art gallery. Which is the real logo for the Barnes Foundation?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Pentagram, the company responsible for the logo, said about the design: “The identity is based on the forms found within a specific ‘ensemble.’ The letters play with positive and negative space, gaining coherence through the act of reading across the ensemble.”
Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
story continues after advertisement
Question 4 of 6
Which is the real Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts logo?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts is the nation’s first institution that is both an art museum and school. The Heads of State, the brand agency that designed the logo, said: “We felt a classic wordmark would be an opportunity for visual simplicity and increased name recognition.”
Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Question 5 of 6
Eastern State Penitentiary also recently rebranded. Can you pick out their new logo?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
Not only does Eastern State have a new look, but they also recently released their 2025-2029 strategic plan, with a focus on criminal justice education and a reimagined visitor experience.
Question 6 of 6
The Museum of the American Revolution has part of its logo displayed on its building. Can you spot the right design?
CorrectIncorrect. XX% of other readers got this question right.
The thirteen stars in the museum’s logo are displayed on the building outside. The stars are based off the Commander in Chief’s Standard flag, which is on display in the museum.
Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Your Results
You have skipped .
You scored XX out of 6.
The average reader scored XX out of 6
Get out there and see some museums!
Respectable. You clearly have a good eye or spend all your free time at museums across the city.
Good eye! We’ll listen to any of your “takes” on the new Philadelphia Art Museum branding.
Staff Contributors
Design, development, and reporting: Garland Fordice
Editing: Sam Morris
Copy Editing: Brian Leighton
Subscribe to The Philadelphia Inquirer
Our reporting is directly supported by reader subscriptions. If you want more journalism like this story, please subscribe today
If you’re trying to pass some time while you wait for your delayed flight home, these stories can help.
Joy Velasco / For The Inquirer
The Inquirer published some fantastic reads this year — stories you may have meant to read but couldn’t find the time for. The holidays are the ideal time for catching up: Maybe you’re stuck on a delayed flight, waiting for the turkey or ham to thaw, or just looking for an excuse to avoid that one annoying relative who’s a despicable Cowboys fan.
We’ve rounded up some of our best and top-read journalism from 2025. Take this quiz to find the perfect match for your holiday downtime.
Annie Schuster couldn’t believe what she saw Sunday night when scrolling Instagram. She ran to the kitchen to show her husband the grisly crime that had occurred in their Manayunk neighborhood hours earlier.
Bridget the Dino, a 3-foot-tall costume-sporting stone Tyrannosaurus rex, was ruthlessly beheaded, in the garden she calls home. Bridget’s head, still wearing a scarf, was lying at the foot of her stone body in the photo posted by the Manayunk Bridge Garden, the dinosaur’s caretakers.
Schuster and her husband, who live in Manayunk and take their children to see Bridget regularly, were in shock. “I thought it was like an unspoken rule, you leave Bridget alone,” she said.
Roxborough resident Juliane Holz felt a wave of anger and sadness as she learned of the vandalism, “She’s actually decapitated,” she said to herself upon reading a text from a neighbor.
Park volunteers notified the community that someone knocked the head off the statue in a heartfelt Instagram post Sunday evening. While the park didn’t announce any suspects or persons of interest, they’re calling on the community for help. “If you saw anything, or know what happened, please reach out,” the statement said. Volunteers filed a report of vandalism with Philadelphia police, but neighbors aren’t expecting police to catch the person who did it, Holz said.
Holz, who serves as a volunteer for the Roxborough Manayunk Conservancy, which oversees the garden at Dupont and High Streets, believes the vandalism occurred between a volunteer event that the garden hosted Saturday evening and early Sunday, when neighbors walk their dogs in the morning.
Schuster and other parents teach their children the golden rules of keeping one’s hands to oneself, so it’s perplexing to think an adult would do something like this, she said.
“I think it definitely had to be an adult, which is unfortunate because it’s not very adultlike behavior. It had to involve a lot of strength because I don’t even know how you carry one, they’re so heavy. Let alone knock it over and put it back up.“
Bridget the Dino, a beloved stone garden statue at the Manayunk Bridge Garden, pictured in an Easter Bunny costume for Easter. The community often dresses up Bridget during different holidays and themed events. In November 2026, her head was smashed off her body.
Holz echoed other neighbors’ sentiments that it must have been an intentional act committed by an adult, seeing as the 300-pound Bridget would be difficult to move even for the strongest Philadelphians, Holz said.
This is a blow to a neighborhood, Schuster said, which has steadily been redefining its community spaces to be more green, inviting, and a safe place for the many young families of Manayunk. Bridget the Dino is a symbol for the patchwork of neighbors who are volunteering their time and contributing to public spaces. On holidays, locals adorn her in themed costumes, like a witch for Halloween or rainbow-colored skirts for Pride.
“It seems like something silly to be upset about, but someone put a lot of effort and money — these statues and improvements are not cheap — into making that bridge garden a really nice place,” Schuster said. “I hate the fact that somebody did that.”
Holz and Schuster both agree that if a perpetrator is caught, they will receive a community service punishment of a full year of mandatory weeding. “The most grueling job in the garden,” Holz said.
Bridget the Dino, a beloved stone garden statue at the Manayunk Bridge Garden, pictured in a construction worker’s uniform. The community often dresses up Bridget during different holidays and themed events. In November 2026, her head was smashed off her body.
Does Manayunk replace or repair Bridget the Dino?
Holz said that the Manayunk Bridge Park will neither replace nor repair Bridget, as the dinosaur is “irreplaceable” and it would be disrespectful to place another stone dinosaur in her stead and refer to is as “Bridget.” Park volunteers are wary of repairing Bridget because of the slanted break across her neck. Any repair could easily succumb to the weight of a child riding her back or a dog leaning on top of her, and cause injury, Holz said.
Bridget originates from the local home and garden center store, Holod’s on Ridge Pike in Lafayette Hill, which hosts an annual stone T. rex costume contest. Last year’s winner was “Rexy the Paleontologist.”
In the wake of Bridget’s destruction, Holod’s will be donating a brand new stone dinosaur statue, Holz said. Several neighbors already own stone dinos from Holod’s, which has become a staple on stoops throughout Roxborough and Manayunk. Holz’s home dinosaur is named Hans.
Many offered to donate their own, but Holz is grateful for Holod’s contribution.
Bridget the Dino, a beloved stone garden statue at the Manayunk Bridge Garden, pictured in a rainbow skirt and accessories for Pride Month. The community often dresses up Bridget during different holidays and themed events. In November 2026, her head was smashed off her body.
This isn’t the first time animal statue vandalism has hit the Bridge Garden. Bridget had a friend named “Gary the Goat,” a similar-sized plush goat toy who dressed up alongside Bridget, who was stolen from the park in 2023. “He was stripped of his clothes, and poof, he was gone from the Manayunk Bridge Gardens. Bridget misses her friend,” one Roxborough Rants & Raves Facebook group member wrote at the time.
As the Manayunk Railroad bridge was converted into a pedestrian and cyclist bridge in 2015, a movement began to revitalize the green spaces along the trail, birthing the Manayunk Bridge Park around 2020. Bridget the Dino, named after the bridge she lives at, soon arrived and graced the park as its loyal guardian and mascot for the wider community.
It also helps that Bridget is eye-level with most young children for approving pats on the head, Schuster said.
Bridget will soon be repurposed elsewhere in the garden to safely rest and continue her tenure as the garden’s guardian, Holz said. Once the new dinosaur statue arrives, the community will have to come together to imagine a new name and backstory, “Could it be Bridget’s child or maybe an entirely new dinosaur altogether?” she said.
There are few artists who can accomplish the impossible feat of a voluntary phone-free show.
The moment Dijon Duenas — dressed casually as if he’d stopped by a Fishtown bar to watch the Eagles game — walked on to the Met stage, Philadelphians packing the 3,500-seater venue remained captivated for the full two-hour show.
The Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and multi-instrumentalist, who goes by just his first name, made a stop at the Met Philadelphia on his 37-city tour on Sunday night.
The international tour, which began in October, comes after the release of Dijon’s second album, Baby, “a spectacular new vision of soul, pop, and R&B” in which his “surrealist, collagist approach to songwriting stretches the bounds of sound and feeling,” according to Pitchfork.
And altering those bounds of soul, pop, and R&B he did; performing 18 songs from new and past albums. With his nine-person band, fans watched a live jam session playing out as the artist expertly weaved together instrumentals and his voice to recreate the high production of his work live on stage.
Starting off on a “HIGHER!”note, Dijon began the show with the ecstatic and celebratory track. Audience members were up on their feet by the first beat, dancing, bopping their heads, and singing along until he concluded the show with a heart-wrenching encore performance of “Rodeo Clown.”
Philadelphia fans have waited four years to see Dijon back in the City of Brotherly Love, since he last stopped here in 2022 at the Union Transfer for two sold-out shows. The anticipation to see him was palatable from the mass of people buying merch and records before the show even began and the commitment to stay on their feet, phone-free throughout.
Since his debut album Absolutely dropped in 2021, Dijon has quickly made his mark. He regularly works with guitarist and songwriter Mk.gee. He teamed up with Bon Iver for single One Day, and helped produce Justin Bieber’s SWAG. He made a cameo on Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, and will be a musical guest on Saturday Night Live on Dec. 6. And he’s up for producer of the year for his work on Bieber’s album at the Grammys.
On Sunday, Dijon let all the small yet significant quirks of his production vibrate off the Met walls: euphoric swells in “Yamaha” offering vulnerable glimpses of joy and devotion, his trademark squawks and wails in “My Man” echoing deep emotions of resentment, and intentional pauses in “Talk Down” making space for his fans to belt out the lyrics to the crowd favorite Absolutely track.
The flashing flood lights on stage lit up the thousands of faces that remained transfixed and almost hypnotized by Dijon’s artistry. He finished his set with soulful, soft “Kindalove,” but cheers and hollers from the crowd for a full four minutes brought the singer back on stage for two raspy, raw encore performances of “Skin” and “Rodeo Clown,” both tracks that demonstrated the lengths he’ll go — even if it means shrieking until his voice gives out.
Watching the artist replicate his work live, for many in the audience walking out of the venue, was nothing short of — as critics have hailed his latest album — “transcendent.”
Longtime Philly radio host Matt Cord will serve as the late Pierre Robert’s successor for WMMR’s midday slot starting next month, the station’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, announced Monday.
“Nobody replaces Pierre — let’s make that clear,” Cord said in a statement. “I promise to carry his amazing spirit into the studio bearing his name and do my best to make him proud.”
Cord will take on Robert’s former time slot starting Dec. 1, and leaves behind the morning slot at WMGK he took on in 2023 following fellow radio veteran John DeBella’s retirement. Cord previously helmed the midday time slot at WMMR briefly in the 1990s, when Robert switched to mornings, and his return to the rock station marks his third run there.
A replacement for Cord at WMGK is expected to be announced “in the coming weeks,” Beasley said.
A longtime friend of Robert’s, Cord has been appearing on the air in Philadelphia for about 40 years, and, in addition to stints at WMMR and WMGK, previously hosted mornings at BEN-FM and helmed the afternoon drive slot at Y-100. In addition to his radio work, Cord has served as the Sixers’ in-arena announcer for more than 20 years.
Despite his Philly radio pedigree, Cord, a Glen Mills native, noted that “no one can step into [Robert’s] sparkling high-top Converse and fill them.” Instead, he said, he hopes to “carry on” Robert’s role in tribute.
“Everyone at the station is so grateful that our longtime friend and radio family member Matt Cord is willing to take that on,” WMMR program director Chuck Damico said. “No one can replace Pierre, but I know that Matt can do him proud and Pierre would absolutely 100% approve of this. We will all continue to honor Pierre in everything we do forever.”
Robert, 70, was found dead in is home in Gladwyne on Oct. 29, prompting an outpouring of grief from friends and fans. A Northern California native, Robert joined WMMR as an on-air host in 1981, and quickly became one of Philadelphia’s most distinctive and well-liked radio personalities.
Following Robert’s death, hundreds of fans and friends flooded Rittenhouse Square, one of the late radio host’s favorite spots in Philadelphia. Among those who showed up to honor him were WXPN host Jim McGuinn, B101 host and former Preston & Steve cohost Kathy Romano, a slew of WMMR staffers, and Cord himself, The Inquirer previously reported.
Next month, WMMR plans to host a tribute concert for Robert dubbed Pierre Robert: A Show of Life. Set to take place at the Fillmore on Dec. 17, the show will feature appearances from the Hooters, Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown, Lizzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of Halestorm, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul.
“We will sing, dance, and celebrate in the way Pierre would have wanted us to,” Damico said of the concert.
Thanksgiving is almost here, and whether you’re putting the turkey in early, running out for last-minute butter, or realizing you forgot to buy wine (again), knowing what’s open — and what’s not — can save you a scramble.
From grocery stores and pharmacies to transit, trash pickup, and big-box retailers, here’s what’s open and closed in the Philadelphia region on Thanksgiving.
Grocery stores
Acme Markets
✅ Acme Markets locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check your local store’s hours at local.acmemarkets.com.
Whole Foods
✅ Most Whole Foods locations will be open on Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check your local store’s hours at wholefoodsmarket.com/stores.
For more detailed information about route detours, check SEPTA’s System Status Page at septa.org.
PATCO
✅ PATCO will be running on a holiday schedule, which you can view at ridepatco.org.
Pharmacies
CVS
✅ All non-24-hour CVS locations will close early on Thanksgiving. Call your local store before visiting or view hours at cvs.com/store-locator/landing.
Walgreens
❌ All non-24-hour Walgreens locations will be closed for Thanksgiving Day. Check your local store’s hours at walgreens.com/storelocator.
Trash collection
❌ There is no trash or recycling pickup during Thanksgiving or Black Friday. Trash pickup will resume two days later than scheduled. To find your trash and recycling collection day, go to phila.gov.
Big-box retail
Costco
❌ Costco will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but reopen at 9 a.m. on Black Friday. Check your local Costco for Black Friday hours.
Target
❌ Target will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
Lowe’s
❌ Lowe’s stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
Home Depot
❌ Home Depot locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
Walmart
❌ Walmart locations will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but reopen at 6 a.m. on Black Friday.
Shopping malls
❌ The Shops at Liberty Place will be closed on Thanksgiving and reopen at 7 a.m. on Black Friday.
❌ Fashion District Philadelphia won’t be opening on Thanksgiving, but will reopen on Black Friday at 10 a.m.
❌ Franklin Mall, King of Prussia Mall, and Cherry Hill Mall will be closed on Thanksgiving. On Black Friday, Franklin Mall will open at 10 a.m., King of Prussia Mall will open at 6 a.m., and Cherry Hill Mall will open at 7 a.m.
When you think of a Thanksgiving parade do you immediately picture the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City? Well, you shouldn’t! Not when Philadelphia has its very own parade that happens to be the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the country. New York City may have Snoopy, but we have Red Fraggle from Fraggle Rock, OK? And if that’s not hip enough for you, we also have Peppa friggin’ Pig. Take that, Charlie Brown.
Now in its 106th year, the 2025 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade will be stacked with performers and stars like Kelly Ripa and, did we already mention, Red Fraggle from Fraggle Rock? The cast of Abbott Elementary will be there too.
Whether you plan on attending in person, or catching it on television, here is everything you need to know about the nation’s first (and best) Thanksgiving Day parade. Happy Thanksgiving, Philly.
Red Fraggle from the hit TV show “Fraggle Rock ” makes her way down 16th Street toward the Parkway during the 6abc Dunkin’ Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2023.
The route starts at 20th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard and heads east toward 16th Street, where it turns left and heads north to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. From there, the parade follows the Parkway west to Eakins Oval and the Philadelphia Art Museum, where it concludes. The parade is free to attend.
Weather
Thanksgiving is still a few days away, but early reports from Weather.com are calling for partly cloudy skies with highs hovering in the mid-40s and lows in the 30s.
Make sure to check the National Weather Service the day before Thanksgiving for the most accurate forecast.
Thanksgiving parade road closures
The following street closures will be in effect on Thursday, Nov. 27:
Midnight to noon
20th Street between JFK Boulevard and Market Street
2 a.m. to 11 a.m.
20th Street between the Ben Franklin Parkway and Race Street
5 a.m. to noon
20th Sreet between JFK Boulevard and Arch Street
6 a.m. to noon
20th Street between Market Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway
7:30 a.m. until the end of the parade
Full parade route, including:
JFK Boulevard from 30th Street to 16th Street
20th Street from Market Street to the Ben Franklin Parkway
16th Street from JFK Boulevard to the Ben Franklin Parkway
Ben Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum
Parking
There will be “Temporary No Parking” signs posted in areas on and around the parade route starting Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m., the Office of Special Events said. Cars parked in prohibited parking areas will be relocated. If you believe your car has been relocated, The Inquirer has a guide on what to do when you’ve been “courtesy towed.”
Actor Lisa Ann Walter, from “Abbott Elementary,” waves to the crowd during the 105th Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2024 in Philadelphia.
Parade floats and performers
Guests this year include the aforementioned Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Ryan Seacrest, Vanna White from Wheel of Fortune, former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, and Good Morning America weather forecaster Sam Champion. There will also be performances from the iconic funk group Cameo and Motown legends the Four Tops.
As for the floats, you saw our note about Red from Fraggle Rock, right? What more could you want?
Where to watch
If you’re looking to attend the parade, you can watch from anywhere along its route, for free.
Some favorite spots to watch include the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eakins Oval, and Logan Circle.
The Eagles (8-2) can’t quite clinch the NFC East yet, but will get a lot closer with a win against the Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1) Sunday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
Philly’s magic number remains four to clinch the NFC East. That will drop to two if the Birds defeat the Cowboys Sunday, meaning the Eagles have a chance to lock up the division on Black Friday against the Chicago Bears.
That should make HBO’s in-season Hard Knocks about the NFC East, which debuts on Dec. 2, really compelling.
NFC East standings
!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();
No team has won the NFC East in back-to-back years since 2004, when Donovan McNabb and the Eagles claimed their fourth-straight division title on the way to Super Bowl XXXIX.
On the other side of the coin are the New York Giants, who could become the first team officially eliminated from the playoffs. A Giants loss paired with a win by either the Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, or Seattle Seahawks would officially snuff out the Giants’ playoff hopes.
If that were to happen, it would be the earliest playoff exit for the Giants since 1976 and the soonest a team has been eliminated since the New York Jets in 2020, according to NFL playoffs analyst Joe Ferreira. The Giants would also become the 11th team since 1990 to be eliminated from playoff contention before their bye week.
While the Cowboys can’t be eliminated yet, they need a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Entering Week 12, they are three back in the hunt for the NFC’s final wild card spot, and their odds of sneaking into the playoffs drop to just 4% with a loss to the Birds on Sunday, according to the New York Times playoff simulator.
Eagles (8-2) at Cowboys (4-5-1)
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
When: 4:25 p.m., Sunday
TV: Fox (Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
Radio: 94.1 WIP (Merrill Reese, Mike Quick, Devan Kaney)
Streaming: Fox One
Cris Collinsworth’s milestone has a surprising Philly connection
NBCs Cris Collinsworth will call his 500th NFL game Sunday.
Tonight’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams is a milestone for veteran color analyst Cris Collinsworth, who will be calling his 500th NFL game.
Collinsworth, who spent eight seasons as a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, debuted way back in 1990 on NBC alongside the late Jim Donovan. During his 36-year broadcasting career, Collinsworth has called games alongside many all-time greats, including Troy Aikman, Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Philadelphia native Dick Stockton.
What may surprise Eagles fans is Collinsworth has called 32 games at Lincoln Financial Field, the most of any stadium in his long broadcasting career. And he’s called Eagles-Cowboys 17 times, including this season’s NFL kickoff game alongside Mike Tirico.
While the Eagles have no more Sunday Night Football games on their schedule, and a flex is highly unlikely, Collinsworth and NBC could end up with a Birds game in the playoffs — the Super Bowl, which the network is broadcasting.
Other games airing in Philly Sunday
Steelers at Bears: 1 p.m., CBS (Ian Eagle, J.J. Watt)
Giants at Lions: 1 p.m., Fox (Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Megan Olivi)
The Eagles remain in first place in the NFC entering Week 12, thanks to their win against the Los Angeles Rams back in Week 3.
The Birds hold tiebreakers against four of the top teams in the NFC — the Rams, Buccaneers, Packers, and Detroit Lions. They can add a fifth next week if they defeat the Bears on Black Friday.
While the Eagles could clinch the NFC East as soon as next week, their magic number to land the top playoff seen (and a first round bye) is seven.
window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
