The Rundown | Dec. 10-17

Santa Claus
Santa will be located by the Gateway tree at Broad Street and East Passyunk Avenue on weekends throughout December. | Image: Filip Mroz

The holidays are here, and all kinds of things are happening around the city. Some are online. Some are in-person. Here, take a look.

Frisky for the Holidays

Calling all sexy vixens for a special two-hour striptease aerobics masterclass featuring sultry holiday tunes! Join Timaree and Deb for the 10th annual “Frisky for the Holidays” workshop, which will be virtual this year. Get ready, Santa Baby, ’cause this will be one HOT holiday party! As in past years, the playlist will include a mix of hip-hop and holiday-themed music. In addition to old favorites like Lady Gaga’s “Christmas Tree” and Selena Gomez’ “Winter Wonderland,” we’ll have a handful of new routines to keep you on your “mistletoes.” And, of course, you’ll also do some raunchy grinding on the floor. Cost: $18 for a virtual ticket. Dec. 11, 8-10pm. Phillydancefitness.com

The Polar Express

The Philadelphia Film Society, for the third year, is sponsoring a food drive benefiting Philabundance. This year, the free screening and food drive will take place at the PFS Drive-In at the Navy-Yard on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 6pm. Come see Robert Zemeckis’s beloved animated Christmas film “The Polar Express” on the big screen at the Drive-In at the Navy Yard and get into the season’s spirit of giving by donating a canned good or non-perishable food item in lieu of paid admission. Tickets for this event are free but registration is required. A donation of a non-perishable food item is suggested. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis. Filmadelphia.org

Santa visits East Passyunk

Santa will be located by the Gateway tree at Broad Street and East Passyunk Avenue. Folks will be able to bring their own camera and take holiday photos with Santa at no cost, while adhering to social distance guidelines. There will be three chances for photos with Santa this year: Sunday, Dec. 13 from 11am – 1pm; Saturday, Dec. 19 from noon – 2pm; and Sunday, December 20 from noon – 2pm. Visiteastpassyunk.com

Holiday auction

Join the CEC for The Season of Hope Holiday Auction to Benefit the CEC. The Community Education Center, with the local artist and small business communities, as well as loyal community supporters, will come together to give a much-needed financial boost to the center as much of the center’s earned income has been severely curtailed due to covid restrictions. The donated items range from prints by renowned local artists to beauty salon services by La Pearl’s Beauty Emporium. To access the auction, see www.cecarts.org and Facebook – CEC ARTS. 

Love + Grit Sweepstakes

This holiday season, the good folks at Visit Philly encourage you to give gifts to people you love from places you love. As restrictions persist and calls for equality and justice continue, there is an opportunity to make change and strengthen the community by shopping with Black-owned businesses, which are disproportionately at risk of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. So here’s your chance to win 10 gifts valued at $500 from Black-owned shops for yourself or someone you love by entering the Love + Grit Sweepstakes, a holiday contest inspired by Visit Philly’s podcast. Visitphilly.com

Image: Erin McKenna

Cooking, drinking, art and more

Are you an inexperienced cook looking for advice? Do you like a good drink? How about taking in some cool art? Philly has you covered with these upcoming events.

Deri Dari

Deri Dari, the brand new virtual cooking experience for aspiring chefs and inexperienced home-cooks alike, launched in Philadelphia on Dec. 3 – ahead of a national rollout to cities like New York and Chicago coming next year. Deri Dari is a custom-built, virtual platform aimed at connecting at-home cooks and those eager to improve their culinary skills with a professional chef. Users can browse a range of dishes or themes, i.e. holiday meals for a family, or can search directly by chef. Cooking experiences range from 30-90 minutes and include grocery delivery for added convenience. Classes start at $15 for a side dish. More information can be found on the Deri Dari website, derdari.com

Pre-Columbian art

The Getty Research Institute and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have announced a two-part virtual event exploring the display of one of the most important private collections in the United States of avant-garde and pre-Columbian art. During the first half of the 20th century, Louise and Walter Arensberg carved out a unique place in the history of collecting. No one before them had made such audacious connections between modern painting, Renaissance literature, and pre-Columbian sculpture; and few, if any, used collecting more forcefully as a medium for artistic creation and intellectual exploration. Tuesday, Dec. 15, 6–7:30pm, with a second installment next March. philamuseum.org.

Image: Andrew Neel Acowe

Virtual museum

The Daring Diagonal Virtual Museum is an innovative and informative platform now available to art enthusiasts, students, architects and designers of all stripes looking for a rewarding stay-at-home online art experience. The museum features 33 galleries filled with striking visuals and fascinating histories. It is the work of renowned Philadelphia architect and art aficionado Joel Levinson. The Daring Diagonal Virtual Museum is perfect for families and individuals looking for a virtual escape during this time of social-distancing, especially when many museums are not open, and during the upcoming holidays. Access to the museum is without charge. Ddvm.org

Image: Tina Witherspoon

Happy Hour: Drinking, Then and Now

Bottoms up! At this festive virtual BYO happy hour presented by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, mixologist Lee Noble from Art in the Age joins curator Jack Hinton for a conversation about the museum’s collection of historic European drinking vessels. Learn all about vice and virtue in drinking culture as Lee demos a history-inspired cocktail. Free but donation appreciated; registration required. Dec. 11, 5-6pm. Philamuseum.org

Pop! The Musical Exhibition

The University of the Arts will present “Pop! The Musical Exhibition,” a web-based, interactive multimedia musical experience. The project will be available for viewing at popthemusicalexhibition.com on Dec. 11 at 8pm, Dec. 12 at 8pm, and Dec. 13, 2pm. Who shot Andy Warhol? The fabulous Warhol Superstar Candy Darling hosts a happening whodunit musical in which the famous – and infamous – denizens of Warhol’s legendary Factory all have motives to pull the trigger. But the pop art icon unravels an even bigger mystery as he confronts not only the prime suspects, but also his art and his own greatest creation: Himself. 

Fun stuff you can do from home

The city is on shutdown for at least another three weeks. Thankfully, we have eventbrite.com to bring us some virtual events that are certain to keep us entertained. Check out eventbrite for details on these and other upcoming events.

Image: Toa Heftiba

Ugly Sweater Christmas Party

Grab a cocktail and join NAAIA Philadelphia online for some holiday cheer, including Christmas songs, games and, of course, outlandish holiday sweaters. The ugly sweaters are optional – but the fun is not! This event is free to attend, but they do welcome donations of any amount to support the Reid Cares Foundation. Tuesday, Dec. 15, 5:30-7pm.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/naaia-philadelphia-ugly-sweater-christmas-party-tickets-129719308945?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Holiday dance tradition

Be one of the first to witness the virtual debut of the 29th Performance Season of “Carols in Color,” a Philadelphia holiday dance musical tradition by Eleone, filmed throughout landmarks in Philadelphia. “Carols in Color,” the holiday dance musical celebration originally conceived and choreographed by Leon Evans, now restaged and adapted by Shawn-Lamere Williams and under the executive direction of Sheila A. Ward, will warm the hearts of you, your family, and friends. Sunday, Dec. 20, 6-7:30pm. $15.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/carols-in-color-2020-the-philadelphia-edition-29th-season-by-eleone-tickets-130750665761?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Turae

This year, thankfully, is almost over. What better way to say “goodbye” to the bad and “hello” to surely better days ahead than to attend a really funny show? Here’s a virtual comedy show via Zoom featuring Philadelphia’s own Turae! Celebrate New Year’s Eve with plenty of laughter! Thursday, Dec. 31, 8pm to 1am on New Year’s Day. $25.

Image: Erik Muller

Virtual Philly Ghost Walking Tour

Although Philadelphia may have played a pivotal role in American democracy, Philadelphia also has a spooky side to inspire world-renowned authors such as Edgar Allen Poe to write “The Murders of Rue Morgue” and “The Raven,” Bram Stoker’s research for “Dracula,” and David Lynch’s inspiration for “Eraserhead.” This virtual walking tour delves in the ghastly tales of supernatural sightings of German soldiers, as well as famous sites such as Bishop White’s House, Pennsylvania Hospital, City Hall, Independence Hall and Walnut Street Theater and so much more. Your guide will take you on a virtual tour of “Philly” from their own home giving you total attention and a chance to learn all about this haunted city. Saturday, Dec. 12, 8-9:30pm. $35.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-philly-ghost-walking-tour-tickets-130188528393?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

Martha Graham Cracker’s Ho-Ho Hoedown

Get ready for a pay-what-you-can live performance from Martha Graham Cracker, the world’s tallest and hairiest drag queen. Martha and her band will perform live from a secret location, and you’ll watch it live on your phone, computer, TV, etc. This is the finest quality livestream. It will look great. It will sound great. The show will be easily accessible via a link that will be provided prior to the performance. Saturday, Dec. 19, 8pm. $1 to $250.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/martha-graham-crackers-ho-ho-hoedown-tickets-131063792331?aff=ebdssbonlinesearch

  • Eugene Zenyatta was raised on old-time Memphis 'rasslin' and strongly prefers the company of dogs to people. His greatest heartbreak came in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Classic.

More Popular Articles

Upcoming Philly Events