Thanksgiving might be over, but we’re not done with the stuffing yet.
In fact, we’re headed right into the holiday season without stopping. Only instead of days old bread crammed into the carcass of a turkey, we’re stuffing stockings.
And just like Oprah, we’ve got no chill …
You get an event! And you get an event! And you, yes you, way up in the back there, with the nose ring and the leather garters—even you get an event!
Seriously though, with turkey day behind us, all eyes turn to the final celebrations of 2018. And that means markets. Parties. Sales and Santas – there’s only one kids, we swear – and trees to be lit, halls to be decked. Food. Drinks. Dessert.
And we’ve got it all – and plenty more – right here.
So in the spirit of sharing – and stuffing – enjoy this O-sized list of things to keep you busy post turkey- and Uncle Fred’s Unabridged Feelings on the State of the Nation-induced nap.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23
Shopping | The Christmas Tree Stand Holiday Market
Thanksgiving’s gone and you know what that means—a mass turkey exodus after seeing the brutal bloodmouth gore of an entire celebration centered around the eradication of their culture. Oh, and also Christmas shopping! Or just straight up Holiday shopping, whatever works best for you, no harm no foul, no intent to injure. So, whatever your preferred nomenclature, come out to Cherry Street Pier to kick off the hottest shopping season of the year. | 11am. Free. Cherry Street Pier. 121 N Columbus Blvd. delawareriverwaterfront.com/christmas-tree-stand
Family Fun | Santa Express
The event of the season for any kiddies with a particular interest in locomotives. Or for any kiddies with an interest in, ya know, the big fat guy in the red suit who hands out presents. And the big fat guy will be there, of course, along with an entire crew of Christmas Elves and the one, the only … Mrs. Claus. There’ll be skating and snacking and, of course, rides on special holiday-decked SEPTA trains. | 1030am. Free. Dilworth Park. 1 S 15th St. centercityphila.org/santa-express
Shopping | Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
We did say this section was going to be all about the stuffing, right? Well, we’re not just stuffing stockings with any old random stuff. We’re all about events, experiences and, well, stuff you can buy. At the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market, which is specifically designed to complement Christmas Village, which we told you all about last week, you can shop til your heart – or the money coming from the ATM – stops. Stuff your face, stuff your kids’ stockings, stuff your hands in your pockets in an attempt to keep yourself from buying anything else—whatever works for you. | 9am. Free. Dilworth Park. 1 S 15th St. madeinphila.com/holiday-market
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24
Festival| Wild Wizarding Weekend
The wildest, most whimsical weekend of the winter season—and not just because it’s the first weekend post-Thanksiving, pre-holidays. No, this is one Sirius (see what we did there?) set of supernatural fun. Explore the Academy of Natural Sciences and try your hand at some hands-on magic-making, then discover the real beasts behind some of the most fantastic stories you’ve ever heard. | 10am. Prices vary. The Academy of Natural Sciences. 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. ansp.org/wild-wizarding-weekend
Shopping | Philly Vegan Pop Flea Market
Flea markets come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big, others small. Some are indoors, while others enjoy the refreshing bite of a wintry weekend morning. Still other prefer to keep it … vegan? Yep. You read that right. This is a vegan pop-up flea market, meaning all the products for sale are 100 percent animal-free. So come out and bring the kids to enjoy the holiday kids craft zone, plus a whole bunch of vegan treats from some of your most favorite meatless Philly eats. | 12pm. Free. Friends Center. 1501 Cherry St. phillyveganpopflea.com/
Tree Lighting | Grand Illumination 2018
Seriously, has anything in the history of anything ever had a name as epic as the “Grand Illumination?” It sounds like something straight out of Douglas Adams’ head, the name for some forgotten epoch wherein the grand wizard of some distant civilization decided it would be great to drag his universe’s sun as close to the planet as possible, killing every single being in the process. But this is not that. It’s a tree lighting ceremony and fireworks display that also collects food for charity. Go. | 7pm. Free. American Heritage Carriage House, 2060 Red Lion Rd. amhfcu.org/grand-illumination
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Social | Mingle and Jingle
It’s simply not the holiday season unless you’ve gathered together at least once with several hundred of your closest friends and neighbors to blow steam from the top of paper cups filled with hot apple cider or hot chocolate as you peruse vendors and/or watch your kids scramble over hay bales and one another, screaming about all the presents they’re going to get this season. So … do that here! Seriously. Santa won’t come if you don’t. | 11am. Free. Phila FOP Lodge 5. 11630 Caroline Rd. philly.carpe-diem.events/mingle-and-jingle
Shopping | Museum Store Sunday
The Mutter Museum is amazing. It holds some of the weirdest, wildest, most out-of-bounds treasures known to man. And this Sunday, they’ll be backing up all that creepy awesomeness with a sale in their museum store. Get away from the family for a bit (or get the family out of the house for a bit) and head on over to the Mutter – or any of several other participating museums – to enjoy exclusive deals and special limited time-only offers. | 11am. Free. Mutter Museum. 19 S 22nd St. museumstoresunday.org/
Shopping | Black Market: “The Love Exchange”
Wondering how to support women-owned businesses this holiday season? Well look no further than The Sable Collective’s 2nd Annual Black Market shopping experience. This year’s theme is “The Love Exchange,” which would be totally creepy if this event were put on by a man (think about that for a second, boys). Join the rest of the City of Sisterly Affection at this free family event full of female-owned and -operated food shops, drink dealers and entertainment providers. | 2pm. Free. The Sable Collective. 3133 N 22nd St. eventbrite.com/black-market-
– CAL SETAR | @CALSFRO
