Press Release: Christmas Village in Philadelphia will return to LOVE Park this year
2017 SEASON GUIDE:
1) 2017 Preview Photos
http://bit.ly/christmasvillage17images
2) Hours/Schedule
Christmas Village in Philadelphia officially opens daily, starting on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 23), to coincide with Philadelphia’s annual Thanksgiving Parade. Christmas Village will remain open through Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24.
Daily market hours are Friday through Saturday 11:00am to 8:00pm, and Sunday through Thursday 11:00am to 7:00pm. Thanksgiving Day hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm, and Christmas Eve hours are 11:00am to 5:00pm.
3) Theme Weekends
Look for music, performances, and entertainment to celebrate our theme weekends. Full schedules and additional info can be found here: http://www.philachristmas.com/events
* November 25 and 26 – Opening Weekend
* December 2 and 3 – 10th Anniversary Weekend
* December 9 and 10 – German American Weekend
* December 16 and 17 – Charity Weekend with Make-A-Wish® Foundation
* December 23 and 24 – Christmas Weekend
4) Grand Opening Ceremony (11/26)
Christmas Village in Philadelphia will have its Grand Opening Ceremony on Sunday, November 26 from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. Invite your family and friends to come sing along to holiday selections by the Camden Catholic High School Band. You can meet the original Christkind from Nuremberg after she officially opens the market by reciting her traditional prologue. Take photos with her as she does her traditional walk of the market. In Germany, she is the person that brings the Christmas gifts to the kids, and she won’t be coming to the City of Brotherly Love empty handed!
5) Birthday Bash with the introduction of the new mascot (12/02 and 12/03)
Christmas Village will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a weekend full of birthday specials:
Saturday, December 2:
2:00pm: Meet the new mascot Phil – Santa’s 10th reindeer! He will walk around the market and hand out birthday balloons and sweets to children.
3:30 pm: Join the big birthday bash on the Christmas Village stage in the center of LOVE Park! Listen to Phil’s story and make sure to grab a slice of the birthday cake sponsored by Whole Foods.
4:00pm: Say hi to Phil and take home a booklet of his story.
Sunday, December 3:
12:00pm – 4:00pm: Phil will stroll through the market and hand out candy, balloons and story booklets.
6) Visit from St. Nikolaus (Wednesday, 12/06)
Saint Nikolaus plays a major role for German kids within the Advent time. On the evening of December 5th, German kids clean their boots and put them in front of the door. Overnight, St. Nikolaus comes and fills the boots with either candy or small gifts for the kids who have been good, or with coals for the naughty ones.
Since St. Nikolaus day is on December 6th, we’re going to celebrate this special day in German culture at the market, too. Bring your kids to our boot filling event as St. Nikolaus will fill children’s boots with sweet treats at no cost, sponsored by Power Crunch. Every boot that is dropped off at the information booth on December 6 between 11:00am and 3:30pm will be filled with special treats and returned to the child at 4:15pm by St. Nikolaus himself. Afterwards, children will have the opportunity to talk to St. Nikolaus and take pictures with him.
Registration:
In order to accommodate everybody, please sign up your children at entertainment@philachristmas.com by providing the number of children attending the event, their age, and potential food allergies.
7) School Tours
Christmas Village in Philadelphia is once again offering school classes a wonderful journey through time with merchants, craftsmen, and traders. Explore the history of European Christmas markets from the very beginning to the present day with a professional tour guide.
The tour includes:
* A guided tour through Christmas Village in Philadelphia
* Storytelling in a cozy Christmas atmosphere
* A traditional German lunch
* A sweet treat for every student and teacher
* An interactive quiz where students have the opportunity to explore the market on their own
If you are interested in booking a “Live History Lesson at Christmas Village” this Holiday season, please send an email to entertainment@philachristmas.com.
8) Senior Tours
For the first time, Christmas Village will be offering guided tours through the market for senior communities. The tour will be held by a professional guide, who will focus on explaining the historical aspects of Christmas markets in Europe.
The tour includes:
* A guided tour through Christmas Village in Philadelphia
* A traditional German lunch
* A cup of hot chocolate with topping
* A cup of hot Gluhwine (mulled wine – non alcoholic alternatives)
* A cone of fresh frosted almonds
* VIP serving on all food lines
* Christmas Village souvenir mug to take home
If you are interested in booking one of our senior tours this Holiday season, please send an email to entertainment@philachristmas.com.
9) Storytimes
The Free Library of Philadelphia will once again bring storytimes to Christmas Village! A variety of seasonal and holiday books will be read to children of all ages every Wednesday at 11 AM. Seating will be provided for kids and parents to ensure a comfortable cozy storytime!
10) Entertainment (Daily)
Look for more live music, concerts, dance performances, children’s choirs, big bands, and festive fun, taking place on our new stage right in the center of LOVE Park.
Music schedule on the main stage:
* Monday through Thursday – 4:00pm to 7:00pm
* Fridays – 12:00pm to 1:00pm and 4:00pm to 8:00pm
* Saturdays – 12:00pm to 8:00pm
* Sundays – 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Selected early announced performances include:
* November 24, 2017 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm: Philly POP Festival Brass
* Saturday, December 2 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm: St. Thomas Gospel Choir
* Saturday, December 2 from 7:00pm – 8:00pm: The Graduates Philly
* Saturday, December 9 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm: Franklinville-Schwarzwald Maennerchor
* Saturday, December 9 from 3:00pm – 4:00pm: GTV Almrausch
* Sunday, December 10 from 2:30pm – 3:30pm: Ken Delmar and the Cheers German Oompah Band
11) HoHo Happy Hours on every Wednesday (11/29, 12/06, 12/13, 12/20)
This year, Christmas Village in Philadelphia will bring back its special Wednesday night happy hour series called HoHo Happy Hour. On every Wednesday (11/22, 11/29, 12/06, 12/13, 12/20) from 4:00pm to 6:00pm, all visitors are invited to enjoy amazing performers and incredible food and drink specials. Enjoy hot mulled wine from Chaddsford Winery for $5 (refills will only be $3!) or get two delicious Bratwursts for only $11 at the German Grill.
This year Christmas Village will also partner up with local restaurants. Be one of the first 100 customers to buy a cup of mulled wine and you will receive a free food sample from our amazing restaurant partners: The Little Lion, Dim Sum House by Jane G’s, Tir Na Nog and Revolution Taco.
* November, 29: The Little Lion
* December, 6: Dim Sum House by Jane G’s
* December, 13: Revolution Taco
* December, 20: Tir Na Nog
12) Live Wine Tastings at Christmas Village
Chaddsford Winery is hosting live wine tastings at Christmas Village in Philadelphia every Tuesday and Thursday from November 28th through December 21st. Experience the charm of a traditional German Christmas market while enjoying samples of Chaddsford’s award-winning, locally-produced wine as well as sweet and savory tasting samples from Übel und Sachs and The Bacon Jams.
Each ticket includes:
* Three wine samples (2 oz. each) from Chaddsford Winery
* Live Wine Tasting
* Sampling plate with a selection of Christmas Village products
* $5 Coupon towards a bottle of Chaddsford wine bought at the wine tasting
* $5 off all orders over $25 at The Bacon Jams booth
* $1 Coupon towards a product at the German Sweets Booth
Tickets can be purchased via Groupon https://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-christmas-village-in-philadelphia or on-site at the Information Booth.
13) Annual Bratwurst Eating Contest (12/08)
On Friday, December 8 at 5:30pm Christmas Village will again host its annual Bratwurst eating contest to kick off the Army-Navy Game as well as our all-time favorite German American Weekend. It is an amateur competition with no entry fee. Each contestant has to eat as many Bratwursts as possible (max. 10) in fifteen minutes. The contestant who eats the most or finishes them all first will be declared the winner. The winner will receive a trophy along with a gift package containing a variety of Christmas Village products. Interested in participating? Sign-up by sending an email with your name and contact details to entertainment@philachristmas.com
14) Friday Lunch Concert Series
Christmas Village is proud to announce the coming back of the beloved Friday Lunch Concert Series! Every Friday at 12:00pm you can enjoy great food while listening to cool tunes from amazing performing artists.
Schedule:
* Friday, November 24: Philly POPS Festival Brass
* Friday, December 1: Aviance
* Friday, December 8: Jennifer Logue
* Friday, December 15: M.T.B
* Friday December 22: Gin Canaries
15) Favorite Foods for 2017
* Mulled wine
* German bratwursts
* Spatzle (soft egg noodles)
* Potato pancakes
* Schnitzel
* Belgian Fries with a variety of different sauces
* Döner Kebab
* German sweets like gingerbread, stolen and chocolate
* Crêpes
* Wandering waffles with speculoos dipping sauce
16) Highlights of the new vendors for 2017
* chocoidea – Special Shaped Chocolate Products
* German Spatzle Booth – various traditional dishes with original German Spatzle
* Heimat Berlin – Star shaped Lampshades
* Kreambo – Chocolate-coated Marshmallow Treats and Macarons
* The Truffleist – Truffle products for delicious, unique dishes
For a full vendor list visit www.philachristmas.com/vendors.html
17) Photos with Santa
Complete your Christmas experience with a visit to Santa’s House at Christmas Village! The holiday Saint himself will be in attendance at LOVE Park from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve. Bring your children or even the whole family to take pictures with Santa and make heartwarming memories that will last for years to come!
Opening hours of Santa’s House:
November 23 (Thanksgiving Day): 9:00am – 5:00pm
November 24 (Black Friday): 11:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday, November 25: 11:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday, November 26: 11:00am – 7:00pm
Friday, December 1: 11:00am – 8:00pm
Saturday, December 2: 11:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday, December 3: 11:00am – 7:00pm
After December 8: Open every day – Mon-Thurs from 12:00pm – 7:00pm; Fri-Sat from 11:00am – 8:00pm and Sun from 11:00am – 7:00pm
18) Family Fun Kids’ Corner
The Kid’s Corner is coming back to Christmas Village with The Sand Castle, cartoonists and kids performers! It will be open Saturdays 11:00am to 8:00pm and Sundays from 11:00am to 7:00pm.
19) Dog Fridays
Bring your four-legged friend to Philadelphia’s biggest outdoor Holiday event! On every Friday Christmas Village transforms to a paradise for dog lovers:
SANTA PAWS
Want to include your furry friend on the Holiday card this season? Come out on Fridays to celebrate your pet(s) with us and treat them to a special photo shoot with Santa that they deserve.
FRIDAY SPECIAL AT KYLIE’S CANINE TREATS
The famous dog treat vendor Kylie’s Canine Treats spoils every dog visiting his hut on Friday with one free treat, so make sure to stop by! And if that’s not enough, all dogs visiting his hut on Fridays will be entered into a drawing where one winner chosen on Christmas Eve will receive a free one year supply of Kylie’s Canine Treats.
PAWS PHILADELPHIA
Once again, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) will be coming back to Christmas Village with their furry friends. PAWS is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving Philadelphia’s homeless, abandoned, and unwanted animals. Come to Christmas Village to pet the animals and even sign up to take one home! That’s right, you will have a chance to adopt a puppy to bring home with you this Holiday season.
PAWS will be at Christmas Village on:
Friday, December 8 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Friday, December 22 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm
20) General Information – Christmas Village in Philadelphia
Now in its 10th anniversary season, Christmas Village in Philadelphia has grown into one of the region’s most unique and charming holiday attractions. After breaking attendance records with 750,000 visitors last year, organizers expect to increase this number in 2017. Following a successful season at its temporary venue at City Hall, Christmas Village is excited to move back to its home at LOVE Park, just across the street from last year’s location.
21) Connect with Christmas Village
Spread the cheer by following @philachristmas on Twitter and Instagram, liking Christmas Village on Facebook, or visiting www.philachristmas.com.
22) Made in Philadelphia Market at Dilworth Park
From Saturday, November 18, 2017 until Monday, January 1, 2018 Christmas Village in Philadelphia will be accompanied by the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market (across the street in Dilworth Plaza). More than 50 local artisans, designers, crafters and confectionaries will offer unique selections for gifts and special holiday foods in white, festively lit tents topped with original Herrnhuter Stars. In contrast to the authentic German Christmas Village with international vendors, the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market offers a wide variety of arts and crafts of local vendors from the greater Philadelphia area. With such a wide selection, visitors will be sure to find the perfect gift for their loved ones and themselves, like fashionable jewelry and clothes, unique decoration items, and so much more. At the same time, a wide choice of locally-made sweets and foods will be available for visitors’ enjoyment, as well as ice skating at the Rothman Ice Rink, conveniently located right by the Holiday Market.
Admission is free, so come by and enjoy the vibrant holiday atmosphere and shop local to find unique gifts for your family and friends!
Made in Philadelphia Market is again presented by Center City District in partnership with the operators of Christmas Village in Philadelphia.
23) Menu for Made in Philadelphia
More sweets and treats are just steps away on Dilworth Plaza during Made in Philadelphia with fresh-made donuts, waffles, fresh-cut French fries, Philadelphia soft pretzels, hot cocoa, and more.
24) Photos for Made in Philadelphia
25) Connect with Made in Philadelphia
To find out more info on our vendors and programming, please visit http://www.madeinphila.com/holiday-market/
