Christmas Village in Philadelphia Announces Return with Holiday Lights, Ferris Wheel, Carousel and Preview Weekend
Christmas Village in Philadelphia presented by Bank of America will again transform LOVE Park (1600 JFK Blvd.) and City Hall into a traditional, open-air German Christmas Market. Christmas Village returns for its 14th season, running from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve, with a preview weekend on Saturday, November 20 to Sunday, November 21. Follow the smell of German gingerbread and Swiss Raclette cheese to Philadelphia’s largest holiday attraction. Enjoy holiday sights and sounds with tens of thousands of twinkling lights, festive decorations, live music, and multiple children’s activities. Attractions this year include a double-tier Christmas Village Carousel, Ferris Wheel presented by T-Mobile, and Kids Train presented by SEPTA.
Come ready to shop for high-quality international and local gifts and decorations. Warm up with a glass of warm mulled wine or hot cocoa while enjoying European foods and drinks. Watch for the return of German American Weekend presented by the German Consulate General in New York and other theme weekends, plus wine and spirit tastings events. Open-air outdoor seating, expanded food offerings, and even more decorations are waiting to bring you the best Christmas feeling ever. Plus, Santa always has a surprise up his sleeve – stay tuned for new additions. Admission is always free, with food, drink and shopping pay as you go.
Since debuting in 2008, Christmas Village in Philadelphia presented by Bank of America has grown into one of the region’s largest and most unique holiday destinations – and one of the largest and most celebrated authentic German Christmas markets in all of America.
“Christmas Village is a holiday tradition for the entire family that also provides an opportunity for local small businesses and artists to reach a wider audience,” said Bank of America Greater Philadelphia Jim Dever. “As we continue to focus on positively impacting our community, I can think of no better way to encourage the spirit of supporting local vendors during the holiday season.”
Christmas Village in Philadelphia and the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, with locations at Love Park, City Hall Courtyard and City Hall North Apron, have created an expansive Christmas wonderland in the very heart of Center City. For the 2021 season, organizers of Christmas Village are pleased to announce the return of presenting sponsor Bank of America, who will help make the festivities possible. Christmas time is reunion time, and this major holiday attraction will draw shoppers, visitors and families from around the region and the greater tri-state area – and beyond. Public transportation, such as SEPTA and Amtrak, will ensure that you get to Christmas Village before the mulled wine gets cold!
“Christmas Village in Philadelphia is gearing up for one of our largest and most festive seasons ever in LOVE Park,” said Christmas Village President Thomas Bauer. “The joy and wonder of Christmas Village each year for us is seeing grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren all come together and make memories together. While we see new visitors each and every year, we love seeing all the people that come out and have done so for five years, ten years and some for all thirteen years we have been in Philadelphia. Organizing Christmas Village is a year-round, full-time process for us, and we’re beyond grateful for the support of the City of Philadelphia and the ongoing enthusiasm of our loyal visitors. Seeing our visitors’ excitement when the first guests arrive for the Preview Weekend or on Thanksgiving Day is the best feeling in the world. We’ll be waiting for you to treat you with hot mulled wine!”
Christmas Village kicks off with a special Preview Weekend. Get ready for holiday sips, sights and shopping on Saturday, November 20 and Sunday, November 21, 2021. Enjoy some early holiday cheer and experience the new layout and meet the season’s vendors. This year, over 110 international and local merchants and artists are set to sell high-quality and lovingly crafted gifts in decorated tents and wooden houses that will pop-up throughout Philadelphia’s iconic LOVE Park, and around City Hall.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Christmas Village in Philadelphia at LOVE Park,” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “Christmas Village has grown into a must-do family tradition that brings together multiple generations. Each and every year, Christmas Village fills LOVE Park with holiday cheer, twinkling lights, fun attractions and high quality gift items. Christmas Village, together with Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, also offers an outstanding opportunity for Philadelphia small businesses, bringing their local handmade arts and crafts to the largest audience in the region during the holidays. Thanks to our partnership with The Welcoming Center and Sable Collective, visitors can expect to see more local businesses that represent the diversity of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods at Christmas Village this year.”
For 2021, come ready to shop for everyone on Santa’s list. Across at Dilworth Plaza, Christmas Village organizers will also curate 50+ local vendors at The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market. Together, shoppers will have 160 reasons to skip the malls and shop in Center City this year. With everything from ornaments, toys, apparel, jewelry, decorations, home goods, artwork, sweets and more, there will be something for everyone of all ages – even fido.
While you shop, follow the sweet scent of gingerbread and fresh-made waffles to the full menu of European food, sweets and drinks, including mouthwatering German Bratwurst or Schnitzel served on a roll (Brötchen). The huge outdoor grill hut will be back again, giving spectators an up-close view of the sausages firing up in front of their eyes! Look out for Käsespätzle (soft cheese egg noodles freshly made in a huge cast-iron pan, decorated with onions) and different draft beers, including exclusive creations of local Fairmount Avenue based Brewery Techne and Mainstay Independent Brewing Company at Northern Liberties. Also, enjoy special menu additions, like Dumplings along with the popular Bratwurst, Belgian Fries, and try a mug of traditional German Glühwein (spiced mulled wine served hot) and rich hot chocolate. The talk of the town – and one of the market’s most popular dishes – is also back this year. Look for the Swiss Raclette cheese booth to return with its critically acclaimed swiss melted cheese. Many of these great food options will now also be available in the Courtyard of City Hall where Christmas Village will create a second food area around the Carousel.
On top of the great shopping and dining experiences, visitors will enjoy the return of the Wish Wall, a festive light installation inside the open-air outdoor seating and beer garden, themed weekdays and weekends, tasting tours presented by Chaddsford Winery and Boardroom Spirits, Beer Flights from the breweries Techne and Mainstay Independent, and live music during weekday evenings and most of the day on the weekend.
HIGHLIGHTS 2021:
The full details for the new season will be released in early to mid-November. In the meantime, enjoy this preview of new surprises and returning favorites for 2021:
* Christmas Village in Philadelphia presented by Bank of America will return to LOVE Park with additional decorations, upgraded layout and more event space to shop and stroll.
* In an effort to promote equity and reflect the diversity of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, the City of Philadelphia’s Commerce Department partnered with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to provide grants to support minority-owned vendors at the Christmas Village. Through these grants, The Welcoming Center and Sable Collective will each recruit three or more local minority-owned businesses to vend at the Christmas Village and provide them with a booth at little or no cost.”
* The Alm, the events authentic German Beer Garden, presented by the German Consulate General in New York with its many traditional decorations will ensure that you can enjoy your food and drinks in a typical German ambience.
* The holiday season starts with the return of a Preview Weekend on 20th and 21st of November.
* Take part in this year new exclusive Spirits Tasting Events with Boardroom Spirits distillery or raise a glass of wine at our returning Wine Tastings with Chaddsford Winery.
* For beer lovers, this year there will be Beer Flights that can be ordered exclusively online together with a small surprise and enjoyed, for example, in our in-house Beer Garden on the market. Also watch out for our exclusively branded beer cans in Christmas Village design.
* Crowds’ favorite vendors such as Käthe Wohlfahrt and the Raclette Hut are excited to come back.
* Don’t miss a concentrated load of German tradition at ourrac yearly German American Weekend on December 11th and 12th. Grab a German style Bratwurst while you’re watching German Dance Groups in their traditional dresses.
* Children’s favorite attractions like the Ferris Wheel presented by T-Mobile, the new larger double-tier Carousel and the Kids Train presented by SEPTA will get an upgrade and ensure that we’ll hear gleeful children’s laughter again this year.
*The Courtyard will be even cozier this year with a new seating area and a topped-up food court that leaves nothing to be desired.
After the special preview weekend, Christmas Village will officially open daily for the season Thanksgiving Day after Philadelphia’s annual Thanksgiving Parade on Thursday, November 25, 2021. Invite your family to experience a ceremonial start into a wonderful season with a relaxing walk over our spacious created Christmas Wonderland and celebrate it with the first sip of Glühwein of this year. Stroll past numerous vendors and let the tempting aroma of European food draw you in for a quick break in one of our lovingly decorated seating areas. After a festive beginning into Christmas season 2021, a program full of weekday and weekend events awaits you to keep your Christmas spirit high until the holidays.
Christmas Village is one of the many great events taking place at LOVE Park this season. Visit https://www.phila.gov/
Follow @philachristmas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit www.philachristmas.com for more information about the new holiday season.
2021 EVENT DATES:
First Day: November 25th
Last Day: December 24th
Preview Weekend: November 20th and 21st
2021 HOURS:
Sunday to Thursday, 11:00am to 7:00pm
Friday to Saturday: 11:00am to 8:00pm
Thanksgiving Day: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Christmas Eve: 11:00am to 5:00pm
LOCATION:
LOVE Park (1600 JFK Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19103)
