Northwest Philadelphia will sparkle this season with an abundance of holiday activities in Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Germantown, Roxborough and Manayunk. It starts with the annual celebration of Holidays on the Hill, kicking off on Nov. 19 with “Silent Night Shopping.” Enjoy festive carolers, experience the Circle of Trees lighting, watch the annual holiday parade, and maybe even spot Santa wandering the streets. In Mt. Airy, events include Small Business Saturday and Decemberfest, a holiday shopping stroll. Roxborough’s schedule includes a tree lighting, visit from Santa and the always-popular Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest.
Shop & Scotch – Nov. 20, 5-8 p.m.
Join Philadelphia Youth Basketball and Home Works for a festive evening of Scotch tasting, holiday shopping and seasonal cheer. Explore the showroom and carriage house (8129 Germantown Ave.), meet guest artisan Sean Vass of SA Candles, and enjoy sipping, shopping, and giving back. You’ll be supporting a good cause, as a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Philadelphia Youth Basketball. The event is free but you can reserve a spot here, eventbrite.com, search for “holiday sip shop at homeworks”
Manayunk tree lighting – Nov. 20, 5:30 p.m.
This annual event kicks off at Canal View Park (4418 Main St.). Expect live performances, festive music, special guests and crafts. Family fun will include letters to Santa, ornament decorating, hot cocoa, North Pole elves, and a Santa meet and greet in front of the tree. Nov. 20 also marks the official launch of the annual Manayunk Gets Lit decorating competition among 40-plus businesses in the district.
Circle of Trees celebration – Nov. 22, 5:30 p.m.
Chestnut Hill’s festive tree lighting at Woodmere, 9201 Germantown Ave., is a free community event that offers hot chocolate, cider, cookies, music, goodie bags for children, and a visit from Santa on an antique fire truck just before the lighting of the museum and trees. Attendees are encouraged to bring new, unwrapped, or gently used books or toys to donate to school-aged children. Kids also can have a blast climbing on the hay maze on the front lawn under the lights.
Holly highlights & winter greenery tour – Nov. 22, 11 a.m.
Bundle up for a guided tour highlighting the Morris Arboretum & Gardens’ collection of hollies and other broadleaf evergreens that enliven the winter landscape and provide year-round appeal. Learn some fun facts and get new ideas for your own home garden. Free with general admission. Weather permitting, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.
Holiday Garden Railway – Nov. 22 through Dec. 30
The Holiday Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave., delights visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It features rail cars traveling along more than a third of a mile track. New this year: A 60-foot Holiday Tunnel illuminated with thousands of twinkling lights. Tickets may be purchased here, morrisarboretum.org.
Small Business Saturday – Nov. 29
All Northwest Philly neighborhoods are participating in Small Business Saturday. In Chestnut Hill, shop local and celebrate the season with Courtney’s Carolers, Santa, and special deals from neighborhood businesses. Shoppers are encouraged to show their love for local businesses and #KeepItOnTheHill. In Mt. Airy, they’re hosting a Go Mt. Airy Shopping Crawl. Go to any of the participating stores (listed here, mtairycdc.org) where you can pick up a passport to get stamped as you go. If you collect five stamps or more, you can win a fir tree-scented Wissahickon Wonderland soap, custom made especially for the day by Airy Soap. Even better, you can experience the satisfaction of shopping locally and supporting the small business owners. In Manayunk, more than 50 mall businesses are participating. Back by popular demand is the Manayunk Shop Small Passport, where visitors can shop their way to various prizes and surprises. Shoppers can pick up their passports from the Manayunk Welcome Center (106 Grape St.) or in one of the participating businesses, then earn stickers from different stores, restaurants, studios, cafes, and businesses with purchase. With six stickers, shoppers can redeem their prizes from the Welcome Center and be entered in a larger giveaway. Germantown’s businesses are encouraging community support, reminding everyone that helping local entrepreneurs in turn helps strengthen the neighborhood economy.
Stag + Doe Nights – Dec. 3, 10 and 17, 5–9 p.m. with a kickoff on Nov. 19 for “Silent Night Shopping”
These festive evenings, a decades-long tradition in Chestnut Hill, feature extended store hours, holiday promotions, complimentary refreshments, treats and entertainment at participating shops. There will be free parking all day and night on Wednesdays and weekends through the holidays, at all six of the Chestnut Hill Parking Foundation’s public lots.
Chestnut Hill Community Association’s Holiday Parade – Dec. 6, 9-10 a.m.
Families are invited to join or just watch the parade, which steps off at 9 a.m. from the corner of Rex and Germantown Avenues and makes its way to Market at the Fareway (8221 Germantown Ave). Spectators can enjoy a lineup of fire engines, marching bands, antique cars, horses and special appearances by Santa Claus and the Phillie Phanatic. Interested in marching with your team, group, school or family? Contact the CHCA at 215-248-8811 or info@chestnuthill.org.
Rox 2025 – Dec. 6, 12–6 p.m.
Roxborough Development Corp. is sponsoring a day-long neighborhood celebration with fun, local shopping and community cheer at Roxborough Pocket Park (6170 Ridge Ave.) and beyond. Highlights include an artisan market, with local makers and one-of-a-kind gifts; the Snowflake Scavenger Hunt, where you’ll search for artist-designed snowflakes in Ridge Avenue shops and win prizes; a Wishing Tree, where you can craft your own ornament and share a holiday wish; and the Ugly Holiday Sweater Contest, set for 1:30 p.m. in Pocket Park. The festivities culminate in Santa’s visit to the park, arriving by fire truck at 3 p.m., and a tree lighting at 5:30 p.m., featuring the Roxborough Male Chorus and a joyful countdown to light up the night.
Lincoln Mill Haunted House’s Twisted Christmas – Dec. 12–13
Bring fear into your holiday cheer. Make your way through the haunted holiday attraction decked out with lights, tinsel, ornaments, and plenty of scare actors. Location: 4100 Main St., Manayunk.
Chestnut Hill Community Association’s Holiday House Tour – Dec. 13
Guests can explore a curated selection of Chestnut Hill’s most beautiful homes, each uniquely decorated to reflect the spirit of the holiday season. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., attendees have the option of riding an event trolley from stop to stop or visiting at their own pace in a self-guided tour. Tour tickets can be purchased here, chestnuthill.org/holiday_house_tour.php.
Rudolph Run – Dec. 13
Philadelphia Runner will host this annual run with check-in starting at 8:30 a.m. and the run at 9:00 a.m. Dress to impress for this three-mile fun run along the towpath. Special treats include Brooks footwear testing, red noses, jingle bells, post-run goodies and hot chocolate. The only cost to join the run is a canned or nonperishable food item to be donated to North Light Community Center’s food cupboard. Register here, runsignup.com/Race/PA/Philadelphia/2019RudolphRun.
Hanukkah on Main Lighting Event – Dec. 18, 6 p.m.
Manayunk shines brightly for the Festival of Lights. Join in for a Hanukkah candle lighting in Canal View Park. Candles, latkes and more. During the Festival of Lights, stop by the Manayunk Welcome Center at 106 Grape St. for tasty treats, giveaways, and gelt.
Mt. Airy Decemberfest – Dec. 20, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
This year’s event will look a little different: There’s a shopping stroll all along the Germantown Avenue corridor in Mt. Airy. It will feature live holiday music, a visit from Black Santa (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), festive food and drink, fire pits, a live ice-sculpting demo, and more. Shops throughout the neighborhood will be open and offering cheer along with many gift items that are handmade in Mt. Airy. The stroll runs along the commercial corridor between Grocery Outlet and Wawa, which is about a 20-minute, one-mile walk if you want to do the whole thing. Street parking is available, and the Route 23 bus runs down Germantown Avenue. Many shops will have special offers, refreshments, pop-ups and plenty of holiday cheer.
