The holiday season is officially upon us and with it, a slew of festive events. From Santa sightings to a menorah motorcade, here’s how and where to celebrate around Cherry Hill.
Santa has returned to the Cherry Hill Mall, where he’s posing for photos throughout the holiday season.
Snap a photo with St. Nick during his ongoing residency at the mall, where he’ll be through Christmas Eve. Walkups are welcome, or you can sign up for a time slot here. Pets can also get in on the action on select days, but they must be on a leash, in a carrier, or held by their owner. Sign up for a pet time slot here.
⏰ Through Wednesday, Dec. 24, times vary 💵 $19.99-$59.99 📍Cherry Hill Mall, 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill
If you’re looking to get in a little holiday decor shopping while also grabbing a photo with Santa, Spirit Christmas is hosting the big guy on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, plus the week leading up to Christmas.
⏰ Through Wednesday, Dec. 24, days and times vary 💵 $19.99-$59.99 📍Spirit Christmas, 2234 Marlton Pike West, Cherry Hill
The rink will be open on select days through Feb. 22.
Marlton-based alpaca farm Morning Glori Farmette is hosting a pop-up shop in Cherry Hill, where you can shop handmade gifts and meet two of their resident camelids, Rocky and Crash.
⏰ Friday, Nov. 28, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍1504 Pleasant Dr., Cherry Hill
Catch holiday performances while shopping at the mall. At 6 p.m. on Dec. 3, the Pine Barons Chorus will perform everything from classic carols to current favorites. And at 5 p.m. on Dec. 17, Cherry Hill West’s Royal Purple Majesties club will perform throwback holiday tunes from the 1920s and 1940s from the likes of Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 17, 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Mall, 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill
This year’s winter festival includes a craft market, a beer garden, fire pits, ice carving demonstrations, food, and live performances. It will be held rain or shine.
⏰ Sunday, Dec. 7, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Croft Farm, 100 Bortons Mill Rd., Cherry Hill
Santa will make visits to neighborhoods throughout town alongside the fire department. Visits are expected to start Dec. 13 and run through Dec. 21. An interactive map with details on the schedule will go live Dec. 1.
⏰ Saturday, Dec. 13-Sunday, Dec. 21, times vary 💵 Free 📍Cherry Hill Township
Now in its 16th year, cars adorned with menorahs will parade from Chabad in Cherry Hill to Barclay Farm Shopping Center, where the giant menorah will be lit. There will be latkes, donuts, music, and LED robots for the lighting.
⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, parade starts at 4 p.m., giant menorah lighting is at 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Chabad of Camden and Burlington Counties, 1925 Kresson Rd., Cherry Hill
Snag last-minute holiday gifts at this two-day pop-up at the mall that features local small businesses.
⏰ Saturday, Dec. 20, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 21, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Cherry Hill Mall, 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill
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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).
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.
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.
Wilmington, Baltimore, Washington — watch their exits blur past on I-95 as you head farther south and see color return to the trees. The leaves that have already fallen in Fairmount Park and Rittenhouse Square seem to reappear here, lighting up the old oaks and elms that line Richmond’s stately streets. Autumn clings a little longer in this university town, where nature — from wild riverside woods to formal gardens — feels ever-present.
Just over four hours from Philly, Richmond, Va., offers everything you’d want in a weekend escape: smart restaurants, fascinating history, and a new hotel from one of the country’s most creative hospitality groups.
One of the best bakeries in the country, Sub Rosa calls Richmond’s Church Hill neighborhood home. After a devastating 2024 fire and a long rebuild, it reopens this November — and it’s absolutely where any RVA weekend should begin. Made with house-milled Virginia and Pennsylvania flours, its pastries include croissants stuffed with garlicky mushrooms or sour cherry-pistachio, crunchy biscotti, and polenta thumbprints filled with housemade jam. Order one of everything — you’ll wish you had anyway.
📍 620 N. 25th St., Richmond, Va. 23223
Learn: Poe Museum
A 15-minute walk from Sub Rosa (just enough time to finish that coffee and croissant) brings you to the Poe Museum. Edgar Allen grew up and worked as a journalist in Richmond before achieving literary acclaim, a life chronicled inside this petite museum founded in 1922. It’s filled with letters, first editions, and personal relics — including the silver candelabras by which Poe wrote The Bells. The museum complex includes the Old Stone House (the oldest standing residence in the city), Poe Shrine, and the lush Enchanted Garden. Keep an eye out for the resident black cats, whose shenanigans are detailed on the @poemuseumcats Instagram account.
📍 1914 E. Main St., Richmond, Va. 23223
Stay: Shenandoah Mansions
Ash Hotels’ forte is retrofitting historic buildings into eccentric, artsy-craftsy inns, and the new Shenandoah Mansions is no exception. Expect four-posted beds draped in tentlike canopies, block-printed quilts, hand-painted lamps, and checkerboard-tiled showers. Located in the Fan District — a neighborhood full of architectural candy — the inn feels residential yet central to everything.
One of Richmond’s greatest assets is its proximity to nature. The James River Park System covers more than 600 acres, all within walking distance of Broad Street, the city’s main thoroughfare. Pick up the head of the North Bank Trail at South Cherry Street and Oregon Hill Parkway for an hourlong walk along boardwalks and dirt paths, past historic cemeteries, and through tunnels of color-changing leaves.
📍 4001 Riverside Dr., Richmond, Va. 23225
Visit: Maymont
Exit the trail near Hampton Street and Kansas Avenue, and you’ll find yourself at Maymont, a 19th-century estate built by financier James Dooley and his wife, Sallie. Though the Gilded Age mansion is closed to tours while undergoing renovation, the grounds alone are reason to visit. Wander through the Italian Garden, along the butterfly trail, and through the Japanese Garden (the oldest on the East Coast), where boulder-backed waterfalls, koi ponds, and storybook bridges create incredible photos.
Fires, fortunes, presidents — and even a few alligators — have passed through the grand Jefferson Hotel since it opened in 1895. Every visitor should see the lobby’s marble floors and sweeping staircase, even if you’re not checking in. Stop by TJ’s Restaurant & Lounge for a predinner cocktail under the chandeliers; the Rotunda old-fashioned tastes like grapefruit, walnut, and old money.
A Richmond legend since 1983, Stella’s remains the last word in Greek cooking here. The food (artichoke moussaka, ouzo-kissed crab cakes, feta-and-Manouri cheese fries covered in shaved lamb) is just enough off-center from traditional to be interesting, while still honoring the soulfulness of the country’s cuisine. The regulars pack the dining room, creating a comfortable, gregarious vibe. Go ahead and think it: If we lived in Richmond, we’d be here all the time.
Cherry Hill is home to a new gaming space that takes childhood playground games and drops them into padded LED-laden arenas.
Activate Gaming is a 14,000-square-foot immersive gaming complex opening Nov. 21, where groups cantackle Mission Impossible-esque laser gauntlets and scatter from giant digital eyes in an amped-up game of hide-and-seek (Squid Game, anyone?).
Staffers (from left) Jason Shacket, Justin Dyaz, Christina Schmidbauer, and Robert Cole, prepare for the laser light gauntlet inside Active Gaming in Cherry Hill, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
“We don’t have an age bracket or a specific demographic,” general manager Tahai Exum said. “We want to encourage everyone to come, where a lot of this is just the childhood games that we used to play out in the cul-de-sac or in our backyards with our friends after school.”
Activate will be transforming the site of a former Rite Aid, a wider trend among landlords to revitalize dormant spaces. As longtime tenants of large retail spaces start to leave these facilities, a new crop of immersive retail experiences is taking them over, including a massive entertainment center in the Moorestown Mall, Cherry Hill Mall getting a Dick’s House of Sport, and Center City’s Fashion District considering experiential retail offerings after the success of Puttshack and F1 Arcade nearby.
Activate Gaming, located at the site of a former Rite Aid, at 1509 Route 38 in Cherry Hill, pictured on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
What is Activate Gaming?
Walking into the complex, about a mile down the road from the Cherry Hill Mall, players are equipped with a wristband that activates the game rooms and tracks their scores. Rack up enough points and rewards like Croc accessories, portable speakers, and exclusive apparel are up for grabs.
Players are ushered into a sprawling, cushion-floored hall with 13 stalls of different games of their choosing. Each round of a game is one to three minutes long, which allows a fresh set of new players to get in.
From there, players can choose to get back in line and scan their wristband for another round, or try the other games on offer. Think of an arcade with loads of games, but instead of playing with a controller, players are part of the game themselves.
Shooting hoops, playing hide-and-seek, and the all-time childhood classic “the floor is lava” are heightened in these rooms with interactive prompts, trivia, and thumping techno music.
For instance, Activate trades the couch cushions and ottomans from traditional “floor is lava” for an LED tile-lined floor that illuminates squares for players to take refuge on. With each new round, players race to the next pressure-triggered tile to win.
Basketball gets turned into a trivia game where contestants are prompted with questions like “Where is the most densely populated island found?” and shoot a basketball into the correctly labeled hoop. This time the answer is “Haiti,” Exum said, referring to the Haitian island of Ilet a Brouee.
Players prepare for a race through the laser light gauntlet at Activate Gaming in Cherry Hill on Nov. 18, 2025. The immersive gaming space opens at the end of November.
In the laser gauntlet room, staffers Robert Cole from Philadelphia and Justyn Diaz from Pennsauken roll like ninjas below the lasers as a smoke machine wafts clouds throughout the room to illuminate the lasers into view. The staffers — even Cole, who previously worked at Dave & Buster’s — have never had employee training like this before.
The games that guests play are the same ones staffers play every week.
“I don’t know anywhere you can go and get paid to play games,” Exum said. “Our staff are playing these games ahead of launch, and when we’re open, to better explain and suggest games to guests, but also to provide feedback on the gaming experience.”
Activate Gaming is open to everyone ages 6 and up, and yes, Exum said, adults are encouraged to join the fun. Adults must be present at the gaming facility for the entire gaming session for children ages 6 to 13.
Pricing starts at $24.99 per person for a 60-minute session and $29.99 for 90-minute sessions on weekdays, or $34.99 per person for 60 minutes and $39.99 for 90 minutes on weekends, which should be booked online in advance. Walk-ins are welcome but are subject to availability as time slots get reserved.
For birthday parties and group visits, the price drops to $19.99 per person with a minimum of 10 guests.
The display screen where players choose the various game modes within the laser gauntlet at Activate Gaming in Cherry Hill, N.J., on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.
There are no limits to how many games you can play in your allotted sessions, so make sure to arrive early so you don’t eat up any valuable gaming time.
No food or drink is served on the premises, and usually only drinks can be brought inside the lobby or private rooms. But during birthday parties, bringing in party food and birthday cakes can be arranged.
Cherry Hill’s Activate Gaming is opening on Friday, Nov. 21, with an all-day free gaming event. They are running a limited-time offer of 50% off opening tickets when customers sign up for their newsletter.
Marathon weekend is controlled chaos. About 30,000 athletes will wind through some of the city’s most scenic and historic neighborhoods, while spectators line the streets to cheer them on. Others will look for their escapes beyond the race, too — from on-site activations to kid-friendly restaurants and even a short fun run for non-marathoners who want their own adrenaline rush.
The weekend also brings the unveiling of a new Rocky statue, the start of Christmas attractions, the opening of Back to the Future: The Musical, and plenty more happening around the city.
Runners on Walnut Street in Center City during the 2024 Philadelphia Marathon Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
The Philadelphia Marathon is here
The city’s largest marathon is back, with 15,000 runners set to take on the 26.2-mile course through Center City, Chinatown, Old City, Queen Village, Rittenhouse, and other iconic spots.
Marathon weekend runs Friday through Sunday and also includes a half marathon and an 8K. Organizers expect about 30,000 athletes across all events.
Even if you’re not lacing up, there’s plenty to check out — from hands-on experiences and family-friendly activities to a full health and fitness expo.
And of course, we have you covered. Here’s more on the Philadelphia Marathon:
❄️ The Snow Queen at the Wilma: The timeless and enchanting tale of love and friendship will be on display at the Wilma Theatre for a final run of shows, concluding on Sunday.
📽️ Cinephiles rejoice:The Philly Jewish Film and Media Festival will conclude on Sunday, with a string of Jewish international films and digital media from across the world.
🥊 Yep, another Rocky Statue: After months of planning, a third Rocky Statue will be unveiled at the Philadelphia International Airport’s Terminal A-West on Friday. A Rocky look-alike contest will be held immediately following the celebration.
🦖 A night for Dinos:Dinos After Dark is back at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Guests can view the exhibit Neighborhood Naturalists, enjoy drinks from the Dino Drafts Beer Garden, and chat with scientists while dancing in Dinosaur Hall.
🕹️ Game on, Philly: The ultimate celebration for gaming, anime, comics, and other nerdy hobbies is back. PAX Unplugged 2025 will take over the Pennsylvania Convention Center from Friday to Sunday.
📅 My calendar picks this week: Holiday Light Parade in Kennett Square, A Christmas Story: The Musical at Walnut Street Theatre, Tavern Night at the Museum of the American Revolution.
This image released by Polk & Co. shows Casey Likes during a performance of “Back to the Future: The Musical.” (Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman via AP)
The thing of the week: The ‘Back to the Future’ musical is here
The Broadway hit will transport audiences to 1955 with Marty McFly and the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, played by actors Lucas Hallauer and Don Stephenson, as they race against time on the theater stage — DeLorean style.
🎄 Did someone say cookies and ornaments?: The second annual I Saw Santa at the Bakery event will boast Christmas cookies, ornament making, gifts, and professional photos with Santa Claus.
🎅 Another classic holiday story: If you’re not already in the Christmas spirit, Walnut Street Theatre is offering a seasonal classic now set to the musical stage. A Christmas Story: The Musical will run through Jan. 4, 2026.
Pop music critic Dan DeLuca lists the top concerts this weekend.
🎸 Thursday: Hannah Cohen, alongside guests Sufjan Stevens and Clairo, and opener Salami Rose Joe Louis, will perform cuts from her dreamy and pastoral album, Earthstar Mountain, at Johnny Brenda’s.
🎸 Friday: Ron Gallo will stir the Ardmore Music Hall crowd with subtly evocative folk, jazzy, and garage rock jams on Friday.
🎤 Saturday: The iconic R&B duoBrandy and Monica are bringing their “The Boy Is Mine Tour” to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Saturday.
🎤 Sunday: Off the heels of his latest album, Baby!, Grammy-nominated singer and producer Dijon will play the Met Philly on Sunday.
While the talk of the town will be this year’s Philadelphia Marathon, there are other events and paths to venture toward this weekend. Whichever journey you choose, let ‘em know Earl sent you. That is all 🙂
Marathon weekend can look chaotic — thousands of runners, crowds along the Parkway, and traffic everywhere — but it can also be one of the most fun, kid-friendly days in Philadelphia.
Between the Nemours Children’s Run, the Health and Fitness Expo, easy cheering spots, and plenty of stroller-friendly food stops, there’s a lot for families to enjoy without getting overwhelmed.
Here’s how to navigate the Philadelphia Marathon with kids in tow.
📍 Eakins Oval (22nd St. & Benjamin Franklin Parkway)
Kids run age-specific, short-distance dashes along the Parkway and get an event T-shirt, a finisher medal, and special goodies.
Nothing is timed, so the emphasis is fun. Children may only run in their age group, and each child is limited to one race. A parent or guardian must be present, but adults can’t run with the kids.
Come early. Before the races, kids can enjoy:
sports zone (football, baseball, basketball, soccer)
Runners on Walnut Street in Center City during the 2024 Philadelphia Marathon Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.
Best viewing spots with kids
The marathon route stretches across Center City, Fairmount, and Manayunk. These spots are easiest for families:
Chestnut Street at Mile 1: High-energy, big crowds, and runners come through early — good for short attention spans. There’s room on side streets for stroller parking.
34th Street / University City (around Mile 5 and Mile 13): Wide sidewalks, walkable from the Parkway, and you can catch runners twice here if you hustle.
Manayunk’s Main Street (Miles 19–21): The loudest, most festive part of the race — think music, costumes, cowbells. Great for older kids; may feel crowded for toddlers.
Kelly Drive (Miles 22–24): Quieter stretch with room to spread out. Better for small kids and families who want to avoid packed sidewalks.
Cheering tip for kids: Have them call out runners’ names from their bibs — runners light up when a kid yells their name.
Getting Around: Transit, biking, and parking for families
Getting to the start/finish near the Art Museum is doable — especially with public transit.
SEPTA (big perk for parents)
Children 11 and under ride free with a fare-paying adult. Buses that usually stop near the Parkway (7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, 49) may be detoured. Check SEPTA’s System Status before you head out.
Regional Rail is helpful if you’re heading to Manayunk to cheer between Miles 19 and 21.
Driving & parking
Road closures are extensive, so expect detours and delays. If you plan to drive with kids, park early.
Amanda Carter and her children, Quinn, 3, and Cameron, 5, pose for a photo at 16th and Arch Streets at the start of the 2024 Philadelphia Marathon Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. The kids had masks with dad Ron Carter’s face. They’re from New York City and this is Ron’s first marathon. Amanda who had done three, says “’m usually the one running.”
Kid-friendly sign ideas
If your kid needs inspiration, try:
You’re super fast! Like superhero fast!
Don’t stop! You’re almost at the snacks!
Run like you’re chasing the ice cream truck!
Go Birds! (And go YOU!)
My arms are tired from holding this sign!
My mom trained for months — I made this sign in five minutes!
Or have them tap through our Sign Generator for more options.
The gyros platter from Moustaki.
Where to eat with kids along the route
Whether you need a quick warm-up or a post-race reward, we rounded up 10 family-friendly places along (or just off) the course — from dumplings and giant slices to pancakes, burgers, and big dining rooms made for strollers.
Philadelphia is obviously a gift to the world, but what in the world do you give someone who is obviously in love with Philly?
If The Inquirer’s 2025 Very Philly Gift Guide helps you find something for everyone, this one’s just for the locals — and anyone who thinks a Sizzli snow globe is peak holiday magic. Consider this a love letter to Philly’s quirks: a collection of gifts that only true locals (and a few honorary ones) will fully appreciate.
As one of those people myself, I’ve compiled this list of some of my favorite recent Philly purchases and experiences, along with items I’m putting on my own wish list this year.
The selections here represent The Inquirer’s picks this holiday season. When you make a purchase through a link in this list, The Inquirer may be paid a commission.
Apparel
SEPTA ugly sweater
It’s no secret that Al’Lee Floyd, who manages SEPTA’s store, has elevated the agency’s retail outlet into a must-stop shopping destination for Philly transit lovers.
SEPTA’s ugly holiday sweater for 2025.
This holiday season, Floyd is really killing knit with a particularly snazzy ugly holiday sweater featuring a front-and-back design of SEPTA vehicles, the Philly skyline, and snowflakes.
So while all you may want for Christmas is for our state legislatures to permanently fund SEPTA, you can at least get this ugly sweater — which seems far less likely to unravel than our government.
🛍️ SEPTA’s holiday sweater is $49.95 and available at shop.septa.org.
‘Women’s Sports Town’ shirt
A collaboration between Go Hamm and Watch Party PHL, this shirt celebrates Philly’s forthcoming WNBA team.
If you want to score points with the sports fan in your life who’s hyped that Philadelphia is getting its own WNBA team in 2030, this year’s slam-dunk gift is a “Philly is a women’s sports town — Est. 2030″ T-shirt.
This wardrobe staple is extremely versatile — you can wear it while traveling or to court — and it’s been spotted on celebrities like Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza, who wore it to a WNBA game this summer.
Aubrey Plaza is spotted in the audience of a New York Liberties vs. Minnesota Lynx at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., wearing Go Hamm and Watch Party PHL’s popular “Philly is a Women’s Sports Town” T-shirt.
The tee is a collaboration between Go Hamm, a Philly-based shirt company dedicated to women’s sports, and Watch Party PHL, a group founded by Philadelphia firefighter Jen Leary.
Called the “shirt of the year” by the Phillies’ social media account, the “Go Phils & Phillips” tee from Phillygoat is ridiculously random and a great gift for the Phils fan in your life who’s still salty at the actual team.
Phillygoat’s “Go Phils & Phillips” T-shirt celebrates the vast variety of Phils on this planet.
Emblazoned with the words “Go Phils” on the front and back, the T-shirt features an assortment of people, characters, and things named Phil and Phillip, or that have “fill” in their name. There’s Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, former St. Joe’s basketball coach Phil Martelli, Punxsutawney Phil, and a cavity filling.
Phillygoat also makes a “Go Birds!” shirt with images of Larry Bird, Tweety Bird, and a hand flipping the bird.
If you’re stuck on what to get the diehard Delaware County resident in your life, how about a holiday decoration that commemorates getting stuck in Delco?
The Route 420 “crash bridge” ornament, featuring a tractor-trailer stuck under a low-clearance bridge, nods to the Amtrak bridge on Route 420 in Prospect Park, where big-rig drivers keep getting stuck despite the warning signs.
This ornament by Rock and Russ Creations of Delaware County immortalizes the Route 420 “crash bridge” in Prospect Park.
The ornament is from Rock and Russ Creations, a company founded by lifelong Delconians, Stephen and Lisa Russell. The couple started designing locally themed ornaments in 2022, and they release a new one each year. Stay tuned to their website for this year’s very Delco decoration release.
🛍️ The Route 420 “crash bridge” ornament is available at select Delco gift shops and rockandruss.com for $25.
Wawa snow globe
Sleigh gift-giving this year with the Wawa snow globe.
For your Shorti who’s always going on a Wawa run, consider shaking up gift-giving this year with a Wawa holiday snow globe.
Is there any reason this had to be made? Nope, but I’m snow glad it was. The globe features an old-school Wawa store and a base that reads “Wawa Wonderland.”
If you’ve ever been to a Wawa after 2 a.m., you know it is a land of wonders, indeed.
🛍️ This Sizzli and snowy gift is $19.99 and available at gear.wawa.com (sold out as of Nov. 25).
Hallmark ornaments
Hallmark’s Jalen Hurts Keepsake Ornament is sure to be number one on your tree.
For those who dream of hanging in their living room with Jalen Hurts or Trea Turner, Hallmark can help make your holiday wishes come true.
No, you can’t buy your way into a Hallmark holiday movie with Hurts or Turner as your star-crossed lover, but you can buy official Hallmark ornaments of the Philly sports stars your friends will pine after, fir sure.
Hallmark’s Trea Turner Keepsake Ornament will slide its way into your holiday collection.
The Wanamaker Christmas Light Show and Dickens Village will return this year thanks to a fundraising campaign by the Philadelphia Visitor Center and the building’s new owner, TF Cornerstone. And for the first time, you can secure the “best seat in the house” by making a donation in a loved one’s name (or in your own, Scrooge).
The “Behind the Lights” blueprint is available for those who donate at least $250 to the “Save the Light Show” fundraiser.
As part of the “Save the Light Show” fundraiser, there are several donation gifts, including an 8-by-10 “Behind the Lights” blueprint for those who donate $250 and a “best seat in the house” experience for four to view the show from the second-floor mezzanine when you donate $500 or more. (Note: There are no plans for actual seats. It will still be standing room only.)
Obviously that’s a sack full of money, but it’s for a great cause, and the show is still free to the public.
The holiday light show at the Wanamaker Building in 2019, when it was owned by Macy’s.
I can’t believe it took me 18 years to go on the tower and building tours of our gorgeous City Hall, but after finally crossing it off my bucket list this year, I highly recommend the tours for the Philly-phile on your list.
Even though I’d walked in and around City Hall countless times, I saw so many details on the building tour I’d never noticed before, like City Hall’s cornerstone.
Philadelphia City Hall.
The tower tour, which is a separate ticketed experience, took me high up in City Hall and into a four-person elevator that dropped me off right below the statue of William Penn and onto a platform with an incredible 360-degree view of the city.
🛍️ Timed tickets for the tours are available at phlvisitorcenter.com/CityHall and range from $10 to $26 a person, depending on age and military status.
The Universal Sphere
Times are tough right now, and just leaving your house can feel expensive, so I wanted to include a free experience that doesn’t feel cheap — the Universal Sphere at the Comcast Technology Center.
The Sphere, a state-licensed attraction in the building’s upper lobby, is a 34-by-39-foot futuristic orb you step inside of for an immersive theatrical experience. For most of the year, it features a seven-minute film called The Power of I, about the power of ideas, but during the holidays you can see the short film Shrek’s Festive Flight, which features a roller-coaster-esque adventure to the North Pole that begins with a flyover of Philadelphia.
Audience members enter the Universal Sphere in the second-floor lobby of the Comcast Technology Center earlier this year.
Tickets are free, but timed reservations are recommended — that way, you don’t have to tell anyone it was free. Pair this with free visits to the nearby Comcast Center’s holiday show on its LED wall and the Wanamaker Christmas Light Show, and you’ve got a day that’s easy on the wallet but rich in memories.
Two of my favorite purchases this year were plushies of Gritty and the Phanatic that sit independently on my shoulders. When I wear them both at the same time, it’s the Philly version of having an angel in one ear and a devil in the other.
Called “shoulder buddies,” these plushies come with magnets in their bottoms and an additional flat magnet that goes inside of your shirt so the doll can attach to it. These stuffed mascots are so humerus nobody will give you the cold shoulder while you’re sporting them around town.
Gritty sports an itty-bitty shoulder version of himself.
🛍️ The Gritty shoulder buddy is $24.99 and available at shop.outphitters.com. The Phanatic shoulder buddy, which I bought at Citizens Bank Park, is harder to come by. The Reading Fightin Phils had it available online for $25 at fightinphils.milbstore.com recently, but it was unclear how long supplies would last.
Released this year to mark the 20th anniversary of the show about five megalomaniacs who run a skeevy Philly dive bar, the set also features Charlie in full conspiracy-theory mode, Flipadelphia Dee, Fat Mac, and Dennis demonstrating his D.E.N.N.I.S. system of seduction.
The “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” Little People set from Fisher-Price.
🛍️ The Little People gang comes in a box made to resemble Paddy’s Pub and is available on Amazon for $29.95.
Books
‘Greater Philadelphia: A New History for the Twenty-First Century’
From the folks at the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia website and the University of Pennsylvania Press comes a hardcover book set, Greater Philadelphia: A New History for the Twenty-First Century, for the Philly history buff in your life.
The set features three books: The Greater Philadelphia Region, Greater Philadelphia and the Nation, and Greater Philadelphia and the World, which tell the true Philly stories behind everything from the topography and transit of the region to the Revolutionary War, the Odunde Festival, Gritty, and scrapple.
“Greater Philadelphia: A New History for the Twenty-First Century” comes in individual editions or as a three-volume set.
Timed to coincide with the nation’s 250th anniversary next year, these new encyclopedic books feature lovely images and loads of dense text about the city’s history and its place in the world.
🛍️ The books retail for $44.95 each or $125 for the three-volume set. They are available wherever books are sold and at pennpress.org.
‘Cheers to McGillin’s: Philly’s Oldest Tavern’
When it comes to mainstay establishments in Philadelphia, few have more street cred or more stories than McGillin’s Olde Ale House, which predates LOVE Park, Ralph’s Italian Restaurant, and even City Hall.
Now the tales of Philly’s oldest continually-operating tavern, which opened in 1860, have been gathered into one book — Cheers to McGillin’s: Philly’s Oldest Tavern — by the bar’s longtime publicist, Irene Levy Baker.
“Cheers to McGillin’s: Philly’s Oldest Tavern” traces the 165-year history of one of Philadelphia’s longest-running establishments.
The newly released book includes ghost stories, tales of love, sports celebrations remembrances, recipes, photos, and a foreword by former Gov. Ed Rendell.
🛍️ Cheers to McGillin’s: Philly’s Oldest Tavern is $29.95 and available at mcgillins.com, at McGillin’s Olde Ale House (1310 Drury St.), the McGillin’s Shoppe (123 S. Juniper St.), and wherever books are sold.
