The countdown to 2026 is on, and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another. From New Year’s Eve dinner specials to adults-only celebrations and family-friendly gatherings, here’s how to ring in the new year in and around Lower Merion.
New Year’s Eve Events for Adults
Low Cut Connie is headlining two nights at Ardmore Music Hall.
The local band is performing for two nights, including on New Year’s Eve. There are open bar and dinner options for both.
⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. 💵 $56.93, plus $112.82 to add on an open bar and food service 📍Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
Alex and the Kaleidoscope, an interactive band geared toward kids ages 4 to 8, will perform at Ardmore Music Hall. There will also be arts and crafts, brunch, and a countdown to noon.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 11 a.m. 💵 $29.50 📍Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
Enjoy a buffet, cookies, hot chocolate, and a sparkling cider or champagne toast at this family-friendly afternoon event, where there will also be a DJ. Kids can decorate cookies and color their own New Year’s Eve hat and glasses, too.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, noon-2 p.m. 💵 $18 for kids, $39 for adults 📍Lola’s Garden, 51 Saint Georges Rd., Ardmore
Ardmore cocktail bar Izzy’s is offering a seven-course meal featuring items like lobster, wagyu beef, and caviar for $165. Add a beverage pairing for another $60. Ripplewood will offer its regular menu alongside specials, and both will have champagne toasts at midnight.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 4 p.m.-midnight 💵 Prices vary📍 Izzy’s, 35 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, and Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft, 29 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
One of the dining areas at Triple Crown features a bar.
The Main Line newcomer is offering two ways to dine New Year’s Eve. For $125, there will be a buffet in the Secretariat room, including charcuterie, salads, a carving station, sides, and a dessert table from 5 to 10 p.m. The Greg Farnese Trio will perform throughout the night. Or for à la carte options, the main dining room will be open, also from 5 to 10 p.m.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 5-10 p.m. 💵 Prices vary📍 Triple Crown, 593 E. Lancaster Ave., St. Davids
White Dog Cafe is hosting a New Year’s Day “pajama brunch,” where attendees are encouraged to where their PJs.
On New Year’s Day, White Dog Cafe is again hosting its Pajama Brunch, which encourages attendees to wear their PJs to the restaurant, where an à la carte menu will be available. Reservations are encouraged.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Locally filmed crime shows were everywhere, theaters opened but didn’t (thankfully) close, and Colman Domingo was (rightfully) ubiquitous. All that and more, in our roundup of movies in Philadelphia in 2025.
The year was lighter on Hollywood movie productions shooting in town, but among them was a basketball movie with Mark Wahlberg, at various times given the titles Cheesesteak and Weekend Warriors.I Play Rocky, a movie about the making of the original 1976 Rocky, also filmed in the city.
In Peacock’s “Long Bright River,” Allentown native Amanda Seyfried plays Michaela “Mickey” Fitzpatrick, a Kensington patrol police officer who discovers a string of murders in the neighborhood’s drug market.
Gearing up for Rocky 50
It wouldn’t be a year in Philly film without Rocky making its way in.
I Play Rocky is expected to arrive in theaters in 2026, in what will likely serve as one of many commemorations of the 50th anniversary of Rocky.
Also, Rocky was among the many movies and area film institutions included in Films Shaped by a City, a new mural by Marian Bailey, that debuted in October on Sansom Street, on the back of the Film Society Center. Mural Arts Philadelphia, BlackStar Projects, and the Philadelphia Film Society had worked on the project for more than two years.
Outside the filming of “Eraserhead” by David Lynch at the Film Society Center, in Philadelphia, Oct. 5, 2025.
The Film Society’s big year
The new mural on the back of its building was part of an eventful year for the Philadelphia Film Society, which completed a big new entrance and lobby renovation of the Film Society Center.
The Philadelphia Film Festival, in October, welcomed 33,000 attendees, which PFS calls its highest turnout ever, while the three theaters welcomed 200,000 customers throughout the year, also a record.
Colman Domingo attends the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition on Monday, May 5, 2025, in New York.
The very busy Colman Domingo
It was another eventful year for the Temple alum and West Philly native, who was nominated for the best actor Oscar for the second straight year, for last year’s Sing Sing. In 2025, he was in four movies — Dead Man’s Wire, The Running Man, and voice roles in The Electric State and Wicked: For Good. He also appeared in the TV series The Four Seasons — created by and costarring Upper Darby’s Tina Fey — and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. He even guest-judged on RuPaul’s Drag Race and cochaired the Met Gala.
In 2026, Domingo is set to appear in both the Michael Jackson biopic Michael and Steven Spielberg’s new sci-fi film, Disclosure Day. He’s also at work on his feature directorial debut, Scandalous!, and said at PFF that he hopes to finish the film in time to bring it to next year’s festival.
This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows David Corenswet in a scene from “Superman.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)
Local actors and filmmakers shine
The Philadelphia-born Penn alum David Corenswet debuted as Superman this summer, a film that also featured a small appearance by Jenkintown’s Bradley Cooper. Cooper directed and played a supporting role in In This Thing On?
Mount Airy native and Temple alum Da’Vine Joy Randolph followed up her Oscar win by appearing in three movies, Shadow Force, Bride Hard, and Eternity — the latter of which also starred Downingtown’s Miles Teller — and continuing on Only Murders in the Building.
Willow Grove’s Dan Trachtenberg directed not one but two films in the Predator franchise, the animated Predator: Killer of Killers and the live-action Predator: Badlands. Penn alum Gavin O’Connor directed The Accountant 2. In addition to creating Task, Berwyn’s Brad Ingelsby wrote the movies Echo Valley and The Lost Bus, both for Apple TV.
West Philadelphia’s Quinta Brunson continued to star in Abbott Elementary, which had her filming in Citizens Bank Park the night of Kyle Schwarber’s historic four home runs. She also played a voice role in Zootopia 2.
Exterior entrance to Netflix House, King of Prussia Mall, Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
No theater loss
Philadelphia, in a rarity, did not lose any movie screens in 2025.
Then, in August, it was announced that the Riverview movie theater on Columbus Boulevard, which has sat empty since 2020, would reopen in 2026 under the auspices of Apple Cinemas, with the city’s only IMAX screen. However, recently it didn’t appear that any construction work had begun there yet, and the Riverview’s impending return had also been announced in 2024.
In February, an effort was announced to revive the Anthony Wayne Theater in Wayne. Ishana Night Shyamalan, the film director and daughter of M. Night, is a member of the board seeking to bring the theater back.
In November, the first-ever Netflix House “fan destination” opened in King of Prussia, and it includes a theater that will feature such special events as Netflix’s NFL games on Christmas Day and the Stranger Things series finale on New Year’s Day.
And about two hours north of the city, in the town of Wind Gap, the Gap Theatre reopened in March after it was closed for five years. The theater shows more than 50 films a month, mostly sourced from the collection of Exhumed Films.
A still from Mike Macera’s “Alice-Heart,” part of the 2025 Philadelphia Film Festival’s “Filmadelphia” section.
Indie-delphia
It was also an eventful year for local independent film.
Delco: The Movie, which was in the works for several years, had its premiere in January. Two other films, both of which premiered at the 2022 Philadelphia Film Festival, finally saw their release this year: The Golden Voice, directed by Brandon Eric Kamin, and Not For Nothing, from Tim Dowlin and Frank Tartaglia, who died in 2022.
Mike Macera’s Alice-Heart, featuring a cast and crew full of Drexel and Temple alumni, premiered at PFF and won the Filmadelphia Best Local Feature Film Award.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1985 death of Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh, the documentary “The Swede of Philadelphia” opened in area theaters in November.
Documenting sports stars
There were, once again, several prominent sports documentaries about Philadelphia athletes of the past and present. CNN aired Kobe: The Making of a Legend, about Lower Merion’s Kobe Bryant, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of his death. To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1985 death of Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh, the documentaryThe Swede of Philadelphia opened in area theaters in November.
Amazon’s Prime Video premiered Saquon, which followed the Eagles’ Saquon Barkley for several years, in October. This year’s Eagles team is featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks for the first time as part of the currently-airing Hard Knocks: In Season with the NFC East.
David Lynch appears at the Governors Awards in Los Angeles on Oct. 27, 2019.
Remembering David Lynch
The January death of David Lynch, who lived in Philadelphia as a young art student and was inspired by the city in his work, was commemorated locally with everything from a new mural in the “Eraserhood” to showings of his movies at most area theaters that feature repertory fare.
When the Film Society Center reopened after the renovation, the first showing was a 35mm screening of Lynch’s Callowhill-inspired Eraserhead.
Planning a movie marathon this holiday season? We asked Bryn Mawr Film Institute’s staff to compile 20 of the most iconic films it’s screened since its founding two decades ago. Also this week,we delve into how Allen Iverson helped popularize a TGI Fridays on City Avenue, plus several new eateries, including a burger joint in Ardmore, are on their way.
The Bryn Mawr Film Institute marked its 20th anniversary this year.
The Bryn Mawr Film Institute has screened countless films since the beloved institution opened its doors two decades ago. But what are the most memorable?
The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner recently asked its staff to compile a list of what they believe are the 20 most iconic films BMFI has screened.
Among them are cinematic classics like The Sound of Music and Casablanca, modern hits like Barbie, as well as movies with local ties such as Silver Linings Playbook and Rocky (you didn’t expect it to not make the list, right?).
Last month, a TGI Fridays on the Lower Merion-Philadelphia border launched a new membership program inspired in part by Allen Iverson. The Sixers legend frequently hung out at the restaurant on City Avenue, which became known as “Club Fridays.” The Inquirer’s Alex Coffey revisits how the chain became an NBA hangout and how its manager is paying homage through the new offer.
A police chase that ended in Lower Merion this fall led law enforcement officials to arrest a crew that allegedly attempted to rob five armored vehicles throughout the region this summer. The Inquirer’s David Gambacorta delves into how an anonymous tip, jokes, Cash App, and a car theft probe helped police and the FBI capture the suspects. You can also catch a video of Gambacorta discussing the story here.
Chabad of Penn Wynne held a menorah lighting Sunday at the Penn Wynne Library to mark the first night of Hanukkah. The event was held on the same day that an attack during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia left at least 15 people dead, something that struck especially close to home for Rabbi Mendy Levin. An Australian native, Levin knew one of the rabbis killed, but like many others, turned out to celebrate the Jewish holiday. Local religious and elected leaders have called for resilience, a theme on display Sunday night as the celebration used flares to light the menorah after the oil had frozen. (Fox29)
Malik Syd Rashied, 55, of Philadelphia, who was involved in multiple carjacking attempts at Bryn Mawr College and Bryn Mawr Square shopping center earlier this year, has been sentenced to seven to 16 years in a state correctional institution after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including robbery of a motor vehicle and assault. (The Times Herald)
City Ave District is being recognized with a Main Street designation through Gov. Josh Shapiro’s Main Street Matters program. The designation will allow the district, which straddles Bala Cynwyd and Philadelphia, to apply for state funding and technical assistance as it implements its five-year strategy.
Bala Cynwyd on City Avenue is expected to welcome several new tenants next summer. The shopping center will add two fast-casual restaurants, salad-focused Chopt, and Lebanese concept NAYA, which offers pitas, shawarma, and build-your-own bowls, as well as Hammer & Nails Grooming Shop, which caters to men.
🏫 Schools Briefing
The Lower Merion School District is mourning the death of longtime physical education teacher Julie Bucher, who died last week. Ms. Bucher taught at Gladwyne Elementary from 1998 to 2024, before retiring at the start of this school year. She “knew every student’s name” and “cared deeply about their well-being,” Principal Veronica Ellers said in a message to the community.
Earlier this month, Lower Merion High School senior Nick Mazzeo took home first place in the New Balance RunningLane National Cross Country Championship’s overall competition, becoming the only athlete at the school or in the Central League to capture the honor.
Black Rock Middle School was recently recognized among the Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools’ “Schools to Watch” for the 2025-26 academic year. The program selects schools based on a number of factors, including academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and organizational structures and processes.
Reminder for families: The district will be closed for winter break starting Wednesday. Classes will resume Jan. 5. See the district’s full calendar here.
🍽️ On our Plate
Love & Honey Fried Chicken opened at 1111 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr last week. Known for its fried chicken, tenders, and sandwiches, the new location is owned by franchisees Bill Kirkland and Sharon Purser. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be a grand opening event on Jan. 17.
A new burger joint is opening soon in Ardmore. Bikini Burger is taking over 44 Rittenhouse Place, though an official opening date hasn’t been announced yet.
With an Ardmore location on the horizon, internet-popular PopUp Bagels held a one-day pop-up at Di Bruno Bros. recently. The Inquirer’s Julie Zeglen tried them out, noting they were warm, fresh, and easy to rip and dip.
🎤 Dogs in a Pile: Tickets are going fast for the New Jersey band’s four-night stint at Ardmore Music Hall. Dogs in a Pile blends funk, jazz, rock and roll, and psychedelia. ⏰ Thursday, Dec. 18-Sunday, Dec. 21, times vary 💵 $39.85-$71.42 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
✨ Winter Solstice Celebration and Cookie Exchange: Celebrate the changing of the seasons at Linwood Park, which will be lined with luminaries. There will also be a cookie exchange. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 20, 4-6 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Linwood Park
✡️ Cirque du Chanukah: Celebrate Hanukkah by watching an acrobatic performance and enjoying dinner at this all-ages event. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:45-8:30 p.m. 💵 $10-$60 📍 Kaiserman JCC
🎄 Christmas Crafts: Make a one-of-a-kind gingerbread house during this workshop. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 21, 4-5:30 p.m. 💵 $37.10 📍 The Candy Lab
🍜 Laughter and Lo Mein: Enjoy a meal and a movie during this longtime tradition. There will be a family-friendly movie option (Happy Feet) as well as a dark comedy for adults (Bad Shabbos). ⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 24, 3-6 p.m. 💵 $10-$18 📍 Kaiserman JCC
Part of a planned five-residence project, this newly built Narberth twin spans four levels. The main floor has a family room, dining room, and kitchen with a quartz island, high-end appliances, light and white wood cabinets, and a walk-in pantry. Its four bedrooms are spread across the second and third floors, including a primary suite with a walk-in closet and a double-sink vanity. It also has a finished lower level with a half bathroom, as well as a covered front porch. Its twin, which spans the same size, is also for sale.
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This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
There are few facades more iconic in Bryn Mawr than the marquee of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI), an enduring Main Line institution and watering hole for cinephiles from across the region.
BMFI has turned 20, marking two decades of the nonprofit community theater founded by Juliet Goodfriend in 2005. In the early 2000s, Goodfriend found herself dismayed when a historic movie theater in neighboring Ardmore was converted into a short-lived gym. To protect Bryn Mawr’s historic Seville Theatre from the same fate, Goodfriend rallied a team of local stakeholders around the theater. In December 2004, BMFI purchased the Seville, and in March 2005, the film institute opened its doors. Today, BMFI screens new and historic films, hosts lectures, teaches courses for children and adults, and celebrates the art of the film.
“It means a lot … to see what this place has become through the generous support and engagement of the community,” said Andrew J. Douglas, deputy director of the film institute who has worked at BMFI since it first opened.
To celebrate BMFI’s 20th anniversary, its staff compiled a list of 20 of the most iconic films the theater has screened, from Philly-based flicks to beloved musicals:
‘Blue Velvet’
If there’s an iconic filmmaker with a Philadelphia connection, it’s the late David Lynch, said Jacob Mazer, BMFI’s director of programs and education.
Blue Velvet is Lynch’s 1986 mystery thriller. It follows college student Jeffrey Beaumont after he discovers a severed ear in a vacant lot in his suburban hometown and is drawn into a dark world of crime.
“When we look at this arc of [Lynch’s] career, it’s really the film where he finds his way,” Mazer said.
Lynch began his filmmaking career in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and regularly discussed basing his landmark debut Eraserhead on the city in the 1970s. When Lynch returned to Philly for a retrospective of his work at PAFA in 2014, he visited BMFI for a screening of his films and a Q&A session with the audience. Blue Velvet was the first film BMFI played to commemorate Lynch after his death in January.
‘The Philadelphia Story’
There’s a lot of local love for The Philadelphia Story, George Cukor’s 1940 romantic comedy set on the Main Line and based on the life of socialite Helen Hope Montgomery Scott, said Gina Izzo, BMFI’s communications director.
Plus, Izzo added, “It’s funny. It holds up.”
‘Lawrence of Arabia’
The annual summer screening of David Lean’s 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia is the oldest-running BMFI tradition. It’s a movie that is just “not done justice on a small screen,” said Mazer.
‘The Sound of Music’
Each December, lovers of The Sound of Music descend on BMFI for what Izzo describes as an “interactive screening” of the 1965 musical directed by Robert Wise. Over the course of three hours and many songs, The Sound of Music tells the World War II-era story of Maria (Julie Andrews), a young woman who becomes a governess for the von Trapps, an aristocratic Austrian family.
At the annual Christmastime screening at BMFI, moviegoers sing along from their seats and, each year, wear increasingly elaborate costumes. Last year, there were nuns, goats, and “brown paper packages tied up with strings” (a la the song “My Favorite Things”). The showings sell out months in advance.
As Izzo put it, “It’s sort of our Rocky Horror Picture Show equivalent.”
‘Harold and Maude’
Hal Ashby’s Harold and Maude has been a mainstay at the Seville Theatre since it was released in 1971. It was the last movie shown on the Seville’s single screen before the theater was twinned (split into two screening rooms) in the 1980s.
“Harold and Maude just comes back again and again and again” in the theater’s history, said Mazer. “It’s one of the quintessential cult movies.”
A view from one of the projection booths inside the Bryn Mawr Film Institute in Bryn Mawr on March 8, 2018.
‘Casablanca’
Michael Curtiz’s 1942 romantic-drama Casablanca is “one of the great examples of the difference [between] seeing a movie in a theater with other people versus by yourself at home,” said Douglas.
BMFI screens Casablanca every summer, and Douglas teaches an annual lecture on the film. When he watches Casablanca at BMFI, Douglas says he regularly hears people sniffling at sad moments or guffawing at funny ones, a stark comparison to the muted reactions one often has from the comfort of their own couch.
“You’re reminded how funny it is, you’re reminded how moving it is, and you’re reminded, in a sense, how human it is,” he said.
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’
Why include Wes Anderson’s 2014 film The Grand Budapest Hotel? Put simply, people just love Wes Anderson, Izzo said.
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey was the first film shown at the theater after it developed the capacity to screen 70 mm film. Mazer called the 1968 movie an “iconic film” in cinematic history.
‘Silver Linings Playbook’
In a way, Silver Linings Playbook is a “modern-day Philadelphia Story,” said Douglas. The 2012 film, directed by David O. Russell, follows Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper), recently released from a psychiatric hospital who works to win back his estranged wife, and Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow also struggling with mental illness, as she prepares for an upcoming dance competition.
Philadelphia’s favorite rom-com is an homage to Delco, Eagles fans, and the Montgomery County-born-and-raised Cooper. It’s a “local guy makes good” story, Douglas said, referring to Cooper. It’s also the highest grossing main attraction in BMFI history.
“For our community, it was an enormously meaningful movie‚” Douglas said.
‘La La Land’
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known as Pasek and Paul, are a composing and songwriting duo responsible for the lyrics in La La Land, the acclaimed 2016 musical directed by Damien Chazelle.
Pasek is “Bryn Mawr’s son,” Izzo said. The composer graduated from Friends Central, the Wynnewood Quaker school, and is a longtime supporter of BMFI. When Pasek and Paul won an Oscar for the movie, everybody at home “had a little piece,” said Izzo.
‘Barbie’
Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie felt like the “big wave back after the pandemic,” Izzo said. People dressed in pink and flocked to the movies after months of isolation and uncertainty.
Parasite, Bong Joon Ho’s 2019 South Korean Oscar winner, was the third-longest running main attraction in BMFI history with a 16-week run.
“We were proud to show that one,” Izzo said. “It was very popular here.”
‘Rocky’
Rocky, the 1976 film directed by John G. Avildsen about boxer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone), may seem like an obvious addition to any Philly-area iconic movies list. But the local history behind the movie is deeper than meets the eye, Mazer said.
Rocky was one of the first to be filmed with the Steadicam, a revolutionary invention of Garrett Brown, a Haverford High School graduate and prolific Philadelphia inventor. The Steadicam, created by Brown in 1975, is a camera stabilizing device that revolutionized the movie industry, allowing filmmakers to shoot scenes without having to mount cameras onto cranes or dollies.
In testing out his new invention, Brown shot various scenes around Philadelphia, including one of his future wife running up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. That scene would later become an iconic motif of Rocky, shot by Brown.
“It’s this place where film history and Philadelphia history really connect,” Mazer said.
Brown is a friend of BMFI and has given numerous lectures at the theater, including for the 40th anniversary of Rocky.
‘Superman’
James Gunn’s 2025 Superman is another story of a local hero. David Cornswet, who played Superman, was raised in Lower Merion and graduated from the Shipley School, a Bryn Mawr private school. Cornswet hosted a friends and family debut of Superman at BMFI.
‘Brooklyn’
Brooklyn, John Crowley’s 2015 period drama, stars Saoirse Ronan as Ellis Lace, a young Irish immigrant to New York City. The movie was immensely popular at BMFI, said Izzo.
‘On the Waterfront’
Elia Kazan’s 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront helped revolutionize BMFI’s educational programming. The film was the first of the theater’s one-night seminars, during which moviegoers listen to a short lecture, sit for a screening, and then stay for a discussion. Now, they’re a popular part of the theater’s educational menu.
‘RBG’
RBG, Julie Cohen and Betsy West’s 2018 documentary about late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was the highest-grossing documentary screening in BMFI history. It’s also in the top 20 of the highest-grossing screenings in the theater’s history (including movies and documentaries).
National Theatre Live: ‘The Audience’
Though movies are at the core of BMFI’s work, the theater has expanded its repertoire to include cinematic presentations of ballet, theater, opera, and behind-the-scenes tours of art museums, all filmed and fit for the movie screen. BMFI’s most popular alternative program to date was a screening of The Audience, a 2013 play starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. BMFI sold out 13 showings of the show.
Izzo and Douglas said the screenings help transport locals to places that can be difficult to get to — New York City’s Broadway, London’s West End, or European museums.
“Even at current prices, it’s still a tremendous bargain for access to the arts,” said Douglas.
‘Metropolitan’
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of Whit Stillman’s 1990 movie Metropolitan, the director visited BMFI in 2022 for a screening of the film and Q&A with the audience. Metropolitan follows the Sally Fowler Rat Pack, a group of young Manhattan socialites in the throes of debutante season.
Stillman’s visit to BMFI “was the beginning of a really nice friendship,” Mazer said.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Roberta Fallon, 76, of Bala Cynwyd, cofounder, editor, and longtime executive director of theartblog.org, prolific freelance writer for The Inquirer, Daily News, and other publications, adjunct professor at St. Joseph’s University, artist, sculptor, mentor, and volunteer, died Friday, Dec. 5, at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital of injuries she suffered after being hit by a car on Nov. 24.
Ms. Fallon’s husband, Steven Kimbrough, said the crash remains under investigation by the police.
Described by family and friends as empathetic, energetic, and creative, Ms. Fallon and fellow artist Libby Rosof cofounded the online Artblog in 2003. For nearly 22 years, until the blog became inactive in June, Ms. Fallon posted commentary, stories, interviews, reviews, videos, podcasts, and other content that chronicled the eclectic art world in Philadelphia.
The site drew more than 4,500 subscribers and championed galleries and artists of all kinds, especially women, LGBTQ and student artists, and other underrepresented innovators. “I think we have touched base with every major arts organization in Philadelphia at one point or another, and many of the smaller ones,” Ms. Fallon told The Inquirer in May. “We became part of the arts economy.”
She earned grants from the Knight Foundation and other groups to fund her work. She organized artist workshops and guided tours of local studios she called art safaris.
For years, she and Rosof raised art awareness in Center City by handing out miniatures of their artwork to startled passersby. She said in a 2005 Inquirer story: “We think art needs to be for everyone, not just in galleries.”
She mentored other artists and became an expert on the business of art. “She was so generous and curious about people,” Rosof said. “She was innovative and changed the way art reached people.”
Artist Rebecca Rutstein said Ms. Fallon’s “dedicated art journalism filled a vacuum in Philadelphia and beyond. Many of us became known entities because of her artist features, and we are forever grateful.” In a 2008 Inquirer story about the city’s art scene, artist Nike Desis said: “Roberta and Libby are the patron saints of the young.”
Ms. Fallon never tired of enjoying art.
Colleague and friend Gilda Kramer said: “The Artblog for her was truly a labor of love.”
In November, Ms. Fallon and other art writers created a website called The Philly Occasional. In her Nov. 12 article, she details some of her favorite shows and galleries in Philadelphia and New York, and starts the final paragraph by saying: “P.S. I can’t let you go without telling you about what I just saw at the Barnes Foundation.”
She worked at a small newspaper in Wisconsin before moving to West Philadelphia from Massachusetts in 1984 and wrote many art reviews and freelance articles for The Inquirer, Daily News, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia Citizen, and other publications. In 2012, she wrote more than a dozen art columns for the Daily News called “Art Attack.”
She met Rosof in the 1980s, and together they curated exhibits around the region and displayed their own sculptures, paintings, and installations. Art critic Edith Newhall reviewed their 2008 show “ID” at Projects Gallery for The Inquirer and called it “one of the liveliest, most entertaining shows I’ve seen at this venue.”
Ms. Fallon stands in front of a mural at 13th and Spruce Streets. She is depicted as the figure profiled in the lower left in the white blouse.
Most often, Ms. Fallon painted objects and sculpted in concrete, wood, metal, textiles, and other material. She was a founding member of the Philadelphia Sculptors and Bala Avenue of the Arts.
She studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and Temple University’s Tyler School of Art and Architecture, and later taught professional practice art classes at St. Joseph’s. Moore College of Art and Design, which will archive Artblog, awarded her an honorary doctorate.
“Roberta was an exceptional creative artist” and “a force,” artist Marjorie Grigonis said on LinkedIn. Artist Matthew Rose said: “Robbie was a North Star for many people.”
Her husband said: “Her approach to life was giving. She succeeded by adding value to wherever she was.”
Ms. Fallon (second from right) enjoyed time with her family.
Roberta Ellen Fallon was born Feb. 8, 1949, in Milwaukee. She went to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to study sociology after high school and dropped out to explore Europe and take art classes in Paris. She returned to college, changed her major to English, and earned a bachelor’s degree in 1974.
She met Steven Kimbrough in Wisconsin, and they married in 1980, and had daughters Oona and Stella, and a son, Max. They lived in West Philadelphia for six years before settling in Bala Cynwyd in 1993.
Ms. Fallon was a neighborhood political volunteer. She enjoyed movies and reading, and she and her husband traveled often to museums and art shows in New York and elsewhere.
They had a chance to relocate to Michigan a few years ago, her husband said. But she preferred Philadelphia for its art and culture. “She was like a local celebrity in the art scene,” her daughter Stella said.
Ms. Fallon and her husband, Steven Kimbrough, visited New York in 1982.
Her husband said: “Everybody likes her. Everybody wants to be around her. She made a difference for a lot of people.”
Her daughter Stella said: “The world would be a better place if we all tried to be like my mom.”
In addition to her husband and children, Ms. Fallon is survived by four grandchildren, a sister, a brother, and other relatives.
The Washington Post recently sparked a familiar debate by ranking the top sports cities in the country — and left Philadelphia off the list. While local journalists rushed to defend our passionate fandom, they missed the most important question: Does our city truly deserve the title of “Best Sports City” if we systematically deny our own children the chance to participate?
If we believe in the power of Philadelphia sports, it’s time for our professional teams and our famous citizens to commit to making every child a winner by funding athletics in the Philadelphia School District.
Angela McIver at the meeting of the Phiadelphia Board of Education in 2020.
I could not, in good conscience, vote for a budget that answered that question by allocating four times the amount of money for school police than it did for athletics programming.
I believe funding decisions like these are an indictment of our priorities.
For our students, the impact of this financial neglect is not abstract — it is a daily indignity. For example, while my children were on the Central High School swim team, the team routinely had to scramble for practice facilities. One of their regular practice pools was a therapeutic pool for children with disabilities, which kept the water temperature above 80 degrees — a condition dangerous for intense athletic training.
A swim team practices at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center, in South Philadelphia in 2022.
Across the district, our track teams often have no actual track, forcing students to run laps in crowded school hallways. Our baseball teams must clear rocks and debris off their own fields just to hold a practice session.
While school districts across this region consistently allocate between 1% and 1.5% of their budget to athletics, Philadelphia allocates a mere two-tenths of 1% (0.2%). Consider the scale: In 2023, when I wrote an op-ed about school budgets for The Inquirer,Lower Merion spent nearly $4 million on athletics for two high schools and three middle schools. Philadelphia spent a mere $9 million for 57 high schools and more than 150 middle schools.
Students and coaches from Steel Elementary, pictured here in March, were hoping to establish a track team —its first Philadelphia School District-sponsored extracurricular activity.
If the Philadelphia School District could allocate funding according to the formula used by our neighboring districts, we could transform thousands of students’ lives. Unfortunately, competing financial realities (like the cessation of COVID-19 funding and the critical need to address deteriorating facilities) relegate athletics to the bottom of the priority list.
A challenge to Philadelphia’s champions
We know the benefits of participation in sports are profound: lower rates of depression, better mental health, stronger self-regulation, and increased confidence. Investing in athletics develops students’ passions and talents.
Moreover, in a city grappling with gun violence, the impact is immediate and tangible: it keeps thousands of our students off the streets during the times when they are most likely to become victims of, or engage in, disruptive behavior.
Unfortunately, the reality is that this funding gap reflects a systemic financial disparity facing our city. I recognize the immense difficulty the current administration faces in allocating dollars while working with far less funding per student than wealthier suburban districts. If Philadelphia truly values its sports identity, it’s time for those who embody that spirit to step up.
My challenge goes out directly to:
Our professional sports teams (Eagles, Sixers, Phillies, Flyers, Union): If our city’s identity is tied to your success, then your success must be tied to our children. Commit a percentage of your organization’s substantial revenues to help close the school district’s athletics funding gap to finally bring parity with suburban districts.
Our celebrities and ambassadors: Every time Kevin Hart, Quinta Brunson, Hannah Einbinder, or Bradley Cooper says, “Go Birds!” on the red carpet, they use their platform to amplify Philadelphia pride. Now, we need them to use their wallets and voices to amplify opportunity. Commit to a sustained, philanthropic effort to fully fund athletics across our public schools.
We have amazing, talented children with gifts to share. A true “Best Sports City” doesn’t just celebrate its pros; it gives every child the chance to become one.
Let’s turn our fanatical passion into foundational funding.
Angela McIver served as a member of the Philadelphia school board from 2018-2021.
The Lower Merion Village offers social activities and volunteer opportunities for older adults and people with disabilities in the Main Line community.
A group of Lower Merion residents has come together to help one another age in place. More and more older adults prefer to remain in their homes, a choice that comes with some logistical concerns.
Lower Merion Village, part of the national Village to Village Network, is setting out to ease some of those burdens by connecting residents to social events, as well as transportation, household help, and other services.
While Lower Merion Village isn’t accepting members yet, its organizers have their sights set on being a resource to help longtime residents thrive in the community they love.
SEPTA missed Friday’s federally imposed deadline to finish repairs to the heat-detection system on its Regional Rail cars. The agency said the lapse was due to a shortage of the thermal wire required to make the repairs. Installation of the backordered wire for 30 of SEPTA’s remaining trains is expected to be completed next week.
Narberth residential parking permits for 2026 are now available. Fees range from $10 for a single car to $100 for a fourth vehicle.
Bryn Mawr College last week announced Airea “Dee” Matthews, professor and co-chair of the creative writing department, as its next provost. Matthews will assume the role on Jan. 1.
Looking for a crafty holiday gift for those on your list? Several Lower Merion shops, including Past Present Future in Ardmore, and Something Different by Eric in Bryn Mawr, have goods like funky snow globes, cat-themed pillows, and other unique housewares.
For those shopping in Ardmore, township metered parking spaces and the township garage on Cricket Avenue are free on Saturdays this month.
On Sunday and Monday, Santa will be visiting parts of Lower Merion aboard a Merion Fire Company of Ardmore fire truck. The big man will visit Wynnewood, Ardmore north of the railroad tracks, and Haverford on Sunday, and then the Ardmore section south of the railroad tracks on Monday.
Brook J. Lenfest sold his 14,000-square-foot Haverford home, which was the most expensive recorded residential sale in the Philadelphia area among public records last week. The CEO of telecommunications company NetCarrier’s Avonwood Road home went for $5.9 million. (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Narberth’s GET Café is the subject of a new documentary that will debut at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute tonight at 7 p.m. David Block’s Brewing Possibilities focuses on the cafe’s mission to support neurodivergent individuals through employment and community building. Tickets to the premiere are $30. (Patch)
Black Rocks’ book fair runs through tomorrow and winter concerts continue throughout this week and next. See the district’s full calendar here.
Lower Merion tackle/defensive tackle Kechan Miller has signed on to play college football at Temple University next year.
🍽️ On our Plate
Hanukkah begins Sunday night. Looking for takeout or catering options? Main Line Today has rounded up 10 local spots offering everything from sides to main dishes.
🎳 Things to Do
🎄 Home for the Holidays: Take a look inside the main house at Stoneleigh, all decked out for the holidays. There will also be seasonal treats and musical performances. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 13-Sunday, Dec. 14, times vary 💵 $15 for Natural Lands members and $20 for non-members 📍Stoneleigh
🛍️ Ardmore Holiday Market: Over 20 vendors will be selling handcrafted goods at this inaugural event. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Schauffele Plaza
🎵 Funky Brunch: Holiday Edition: Shop local vendors while sipping beer and enjoying brunch at this family-friendly event. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
✡️ Menorah Lighting: Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with a lighting of the giant menorah at Suburban Square. There will also be food, drinks, and activities like donut decorating. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Suburban Square
🖌️ Kwanzaa Crafternoon: Kids can make a colorful Kwanzaa craft out of paper, stickers, and markers during this drop-in event. ⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 17, 3-5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Gladwyne Library
This Penn Valley home has a distinctive look thanks to its midcentury modern design. The majority of the home’s living space is on the first floor, which has an updated eat-in kitchen and six of the home’s seven bedrooms. The primary suite has three walk-in closets and sliding glass doors that lead to an atrium and an office. There’s another suite on the lower level, but perhaps most unique is the glass-encased indoor pool. The home also has a large deck and patio.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
They say it takes a village to raise a child. But what about to age in place?
More than ever, older adults want to age in their homes. According to a 2024 survey by AARP, 75% of adults ages 50 and over want to stay in their homes as they get older, and 73% want to stay in their communities.
Economic and logistical barriers, however, can make aging in place difficult. Single-family homes in suburban neighborhoods can be isolating for older adults, especially those who don’t drive.
Moving into a retirement community with built-in care and socialization, on the other hand, can be expensive. This paradigm often forces older adults to make difficult decisions about if, and how, they can age in their homes.
To combat these challenges, a group of Lower Merion residents is building the Lower Merion Village, a local chapter of the nationwide Village to Village Network. The network seeks to “change the paradigm of aging” by connecting older adults to social events, transportation, household help, and other services while keeping them in the neighborhoods they know and love.
Lower Merion Village volunteers tabling at an Earth Day celebration in Wynnewood Valley Park in April.
Bonnie Asher, a member of the Lower Merion Village’s program committee, got introduced to the village model through her mother, who lived in her suburban Maryland home until her death at 99.
Asher remembers worrying about her mother, especially as she got older and driving became a challenge. Getting involved in a village changed her mom’s life. Suddenly, she made new friends, got rides to the doctor’s office, and signed up for lectures, which she brought Asher to when she visited.
“Those connections were just really important,” Asher said.
The Village to Village Network is a national nonprofit that originated in Boston and has since spread from Fairbanks, Alaska, to upstate New York. The network provides guidance and resources to local chapters, which cater to older adults’ needs on a hyperlocal level.
Villages are membership-driven, self-governing organizations that are run by volunteers, and, at times, have a small paid staff.
There are five existing villages in the Philadelphia region: Penn’s Village (Center City), Village on the Ridge (Roxborough), East Falls Village, Shtetl 2.0 (Northwest Philly), and the Northwest Village Network (Northwest Philly).
In 2023, a group of neighbors in Wynnewood began tossing around the idea of starting a village. One conversation turned to a few gatherings at a neighbor’s house, then a monthly meeting at the library.
As the Wynnewood group dreamed up their village, its members got connected with Sara Crimm, also a Wynnewood resident and the founder of Families CCAN, a nonprofit focused on adults with disabilities.
Crimm saw the village as an opportunity to create a strong community infrastructure for both older adults and people with disabilities who want to stay, and thrive, in Lower Merion. Crimm met with the village organizers, and the newly formed coalition quickly got to work.
In spring 2024, Families CCAN received around $21,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds as part of Lower Merion Township’s ARP Non-Profit Vitality Grant Program. The funds were earmarked to help get the village off the ground, and most of the grant money went to pay Crimm’s salary as its first and only staff member.
With that foundation, the village has launched a growing slate of social events as it works to establish its official nonprofit structure. The group takes weekly walks, perusing the Wynnewood Valley Park Sensory Garden or the local fall foliage. They’ve baked challah with Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia and hosted lectures — last month’s was on “ethical wills.” They meet monthly for coffee at Narberth’s GET Cafe.
When Asher moved to Lower Merion, her kids were already out of school, so she missed out on the opportunity to make friends through her children’s activities.
“One of the things that I’ve already gotten from the experience is making new friends. At this age, it’s just amazing,” said Asher, 74.
With regular lectures, walks, volunteer commitments, and lunches, Asher said with a laugh, “I got kind of busy.”
“We’re safer living in communities that are connected,” Crimm said, noting that many of the village programs are designed to build social connections and ward off the loneliness and depression that can sneak into older adulthood.
The Lower Merion Village is still in its infancy. It’s not officially accepting members yet, and Crimm is working to build a dues structure, create a website, and establish the organization as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
The Lower Merion Village plans to charge an individual membership rate of $125 per year and a household rate of $200 per year. The village hopes to provide a scholarship option down the road for people who can’t afford it. The membership will come with access to all of the village’s programs, as well as to a network of volunteers who can help with household tasks, give rides, and troubleshoot technology.
Transportation is a particularly difficult issue for older people in Lower Merion, Crimm said. While SEPTA can take people into Center City or out to Norristown, getting around within the township can be difficult for people. Rideshares like Uber offer a temporary, but costly, solution.
Crimm noted that Lower Merion’s village will be less expensive than neighboring villages and assisted living communities. (Penn’s Village members pay $600 annually to gain access to services, and a one-bedroom apartment at Sunrise of Haverford, asenior living community that offers healthcare services, starts at $3,770 per month).
When asked about the misconceptions around aging, Crimm said there’s a pervasive ageism in how we see older adults’ wants and needs.
“These are people who are so rich in experience, and they have so much to give back,” she said. “Let’s support people to stay in their neighborhoods and to make those neighborhoods richer and stronger.”
Those interested in getting involved in the Lower Merion Village can email lowermerionvillage@gmail.com.
The jingle bells are ringing, the Hanukkah party guest list is filling up, and you still don’t have a present for the coolest, artsiest person on your shopping list.
Looking for a kooky snow globe? Bespoke Eagles memorabilia? An art print unlike any other? Don’t worry! If you’re living on (or traveling to) the Main Line, here’s where you should be shopping for crafty presents.
Sweet Mabel Gallery
Narberth’s Sweet Mabel Gallery is an iconic local business, run by husband-and-wife duo David Stehman and Tracy Tumolo. Sweet Mabel got its start in 2005 when Tumolo took over her grandfather’s former barbershop in Narberth. She and Stehman, who were graphic designers, decided to turn the barbershop into a local gallery and store stocked with colorful American and Canadian folk art.
To celebrate the shop’s 20th anniversary, Sweet Mabel is displaying and selling works from local artists, all under $100. An anniversary ceremony will be held on Dec. 5 from 6-9 p.m. at the storefront on Haverford Avenue. Plus, if you find the perfect gift, Sweet Mabel will wrap it for free.
ArtStar, a Philadelphia gallery and boutique, is bringing a collection of bespoke craft vendors to Ardmore for two weekends this month. The Ardmore Holiday Market, organized in partnership with the Ardmore Initiative, will take place Dec. 6 and 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Schauffele Plaza.
Looking for a funky snow globe? A one-of-a-kind charm necklace? Day of the Dead inspired earrings? Ardmore’s Past Present Future is a portal into the world of eclectic antiques and crafts, from embroidered cat-themed pillows to hand-painted ceramic dishes. Sherry Tillman started Past Present Future in Philadelphia in 1976, drawing on her “long-held ties to the local arts and crafts community” to procure unique goods.
Past Present Future is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (or later — “If we are still standing, we are still open,” the shop’s Facebook page reads).
Something Different by Eric
Eric Wells‘ store, Something Different by Eric, isn’t just a gift shop, it’s a hub for people with disabilities on the Main Line.
Wells and his mom, Bernadette Wheeler, started the Bryn Mawr store in 2015. The nonprofit shop is staffed entirely by volunteers, including Haverford College students and special education advocates. Wheeler has said Something Different by Eric is part of a larger effort to “educate the community” and help people “see disabled individuals in action.”
In addition to selling unique housewares, Philly- and Main Line-themed trinkets, sports memorabilia, baby gifts, and greeting cards, Something Different by Eric is stocked with books about mental and physical disabilities.
The shop is open from noon to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
Steve Peikin and Amy Spicer spent four months remodeling their Bryn Mawr home to suit both their tastes. They moved in this spring, once worked was completed.
After a couple purchased a “1980-esque” Bryn Mawr home over two years ago that he loved but she thought felt dated, they landed on a compromise: remodeling it to suit both their tastes.
That meant out with the yellow exterior and in with a brownish gray one, and swapping a more formal interior for a “natural, laid-back feel.”
The result, which took four months to create, is a cozy, updated English Country style home with custom bookshelves, extended ceiling beams, and a new look for the fireplace mantel.
Outside is equally cozy, thanks to a pool, hot tub, and fire pit.
Montgomery County’s former chief information officer has made several accusations against his former employer. In a lawsuit, Anthony Olivieri says he was fired earlier this year because he requested accommodations for his mental health, but also went on to say that officials had engaged in instances of “fraud, waste, [and] wrongdoing” since 2017, including by the county’s CFO.
The community is mourning the loss of two former residents, each that led distinguished careers in the medical field. Last month, world-renowned scientist and Lower Merion native Mark Hallett died of glioblastoma. A Harriton High alum, Hallett was a pioneering expert in movement, brain physiology, and human motor control. And writer, pioneering medical journal editor, award-winning historian, and Bryn Mawr resident Kathleen A. Case died in mid-November from heart failure. She spent 24 years as a top editor for the Annals of Internal Medicine and as vice president for publishing at the American College of Physicians.
In 1989, a Bala Cynwyd woman and Flyers fan earned her way into a club she never sought out. During a playoff game at the Spectrum, Nancy Fineberg was hit in the chin with an errant puck, but she refused to leave until after the game. Soon after, she received a package welcoming her to the “Loyal Order of the Unducked Puck.” The Inquirer’s Matt Breen recently revisited the club’s roots, which date back to the 1970s and were an effort by the team to turn a negative into a positive.
Artist and Gladwyne native Jake Weinstein’s first solo exhibit is on display at Works on Paper Gallery in Center City. “Clankers,” which runs through the end of the month, showcases Weinstein’s longtime interest in robots, designed on paper and in sculpture. Weinstein’s passion for robots was driven in part by his and his father’s love of sci-fi, and his dad’s pioneering work in robotic surgery.
Philadelphia Jewish Exponent recently interviewed Rabbi Matthew Abelson, a Lower Merion resident who joined Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy in Bryn Mawr at the start of the school year as a Jewish studies teacher. The New York transplant, who is a member of Sha’arei Orah Congregation in Bala Cynwyd, shared what inspired him to get into the field.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Today is the end of the first trimester for all elementary schools. There are winter chorus and orchestra concerts tonight and throughout next week, and tomorrow night is the talent show at Penn Wynne Elementary. See the district’s full calendar here.
Lower Merion customers are helping drive Chinatown eatery EMei’s expansion. When owner and township resident Dan Tsao analyzed sales data from his flagship restaurant — known for its Sichuan specialties — he saw many coming from Lower Merion, so he decided to open a spot in Ardmore. He’s targeting a summer debut at the former John Henry’s Pub on Cricket Avenue. Sales data also helped Tsao choose South Philadelphia for further expansion, where he will have a phased opening at the former Marra’s Restaurant & Pizzeria on East Passyunk Avenue.
🦌 Rankin/Bass Holiday Specials: Catch screenings of favorite animated holiday classics The Year Without a Santa Claus, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, and ’Twas the Night Before Christmas during a matinee showing. ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m. 💵 $6.75-$7.75 📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute
🎄 Ardmore Holiday Market: Over 20 vendors will be selling handcrafted goods at this inaugural event. ⏰ Saturdays, Dec. 6, and 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Schauffele Plaza
🇬🇧 Narberth Dickens Festival: Wander around Narberth as it’s transformed into an 1840s, Charles Dickens-themed London, complete with characters from A Christmas Carol. Period vendors, carolers, crafts, food, drinks, and a scavenger hunt round out the event. ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 7, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Downtown Narberth
This 1945 Bala Cynwyd home has been fully renovated, giving it a modern interior while retaining the charm of its mid-20th century roots. The first floor now has an open-concept layout with a family room, an eat-in kitchen with two-toned cabinetry topped with Edison quartz, and a dining room with a butler’s pantry. There are three bedrooms upstairs, with a fourth in the finished basement. The home also has a new Belgard paver patio. There are open houses today from 4 to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.
