Shop Hyper-Local With These Neighborhood Holiday Events
Get merry and support Philly businesses with these special shopping events on Small Business Saturday and beyond.
Festive holiday shopping around Philly / Photograph by Daryl Moran for Chestnut Hill Business District
This holiday season, beginning with Small Business Saturday on November 29th, neighborhoods throughout the city are getting festive and highlighting their unique businesses with pop-up events, loads of lights, Santa sightings and more. If you’re looking for extra merriment with your holiday shopping (a jolly trolley, perhaps?) hit up these Philly neighborhoods for everyone on your list.
Chestnut Hill
This charming neighborhood’s annual Holidays on the Hill is full of old-timey Christmas cheer. Think Victorian street carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides, and Santa visits. On Small Business Saturday (November 29th), Santa will be roaming the Avenue from noon to 3 p.m. for photos — along with plenty of shopping, of course.
Chestnut Hill’s popular Stag & Doe Nights will take place every Wednesday in December from 5 to 9 p.m. The events feature extended store hours, holiday specials, a roving brass quartet and free refreshments. You may even catch a glimpse of Santa strutting down the Avenue.
Then, on December 6th at 9 a.m., come for the holiday parade featuring floats, marching bands, antique cars, Santa and the Phanatic.
And while you’re hanging around Chestnut Hill, head to Morris Arboretum to see the Holiday Garden Railway (even better if you can snag nighttime tickets to see it all lit up).
East Passyunk
Tree lighting on East Passyunk / Photograph courtesy of EPABID
Kick off the season on Small Business Saturday (November 29th) with specials at boutiques up and down the Avenue. East Passyunk is home to some of Philly Mag’s favorite stores including Tildie’s Toy Box (giving out $10 gift cards for every $100 spent), the sustainable Good Buy Supply (giving out coupons to the first 100 shoppers), vinyl haven Latchkey (giving out double reward stamps), Occasionette (get a tote full of freebies with a $75 purchase), custom Philly sports gear fashionista N.R.S Boutique (free gift with $50 purchase), and more.
Plus, Nice Things Handmade is hosting their 15th annual ornament show featuring local artists through January 9th.
East Passyunk will be “Decking the Avenue” all season long with photo-worthy decorations, lights, and pop-up musical performances. Come on December 4th for Open Streets and the tree lighting and holiday celebration at 5:30 p.m. There will also be photos with Santa that night. (If you miss out, he’ll be back on December 11th at Urban Jungle.)
Then on December 13th, the fourth annual Passyunk Ave. Hot Chocolate Crawl returns! Over two dozen participating restaurants, bars, and cafes will offer their takes with classic cocoas ($3), premium and boozy cocoas ($6), and ice cream-infused creations ($8). Tickets include a souvenir mug (with a lid) and access to all the hot chocolate specials. There will also be retail specials that day, as well as holiday music by the East Passyunk Opera Company.
Manayunk
The Manayunk Jolly Trolley / Photograph courtesy of Manayunk
Head to Main Street to check out the dozens of small businesses. On November 29th, shop specials for Small Business Saturday. Grab a Manayunk Shop Small Passport at any participating business. When you make a purchase, you’ll receive a passport sticker for that store — collect six stickers from different businesses, and you’ll be eligible for a special prize from the Manayunk Welcome Center.
And stick around to see the businesses all lit up for the holidays. Be sure to vote for your favorite display in the “Manayunk Gets LIT” competition, where Main Street businesses deck their storefronts with thousands of lights for merriness and bragging rights. Voting runs through December 17th.
To make things a little easier, there will be free Jolly Trolley rides up and down Main Street. The trolley begins its run on December 4th and will run through December 20th on Thursday and Friday nights (5 to 9 p.m.) and Saturdays from 1 to 9 p.m. Those nights, there will also be live entertainment, drink deals, and shopping specials on Main Street.
Bring your pups for Santa Paws photo sessions at Pet Friendly Dog Bakery on the morning of December 6th (reserve online). Then, on December 13th, dress in your holiday best for the three-mile Rudolph Run. And to round things out, gather on December 18th for a Hanukkah lighting in Canal View park with Mount Airy Chabad.
Old City
Photograph courtesy of Old City District
Historic Holidays in Old City kick off on Small Business Saturday (November 29th) with special offers throughout the day. In addition to neighborhood stores, a number of Old City restaurants have deals on gift cards.
Stop by the Betsy Ross House on December 3rd for the annual tree lighting including live performances and special guests. The Betsy Ross House’s menorah lighting will take place on December 14th.
In addition to season-long specials, don’t miss the Holiday Shopping Sip & Stroll on December 6th. That same day, swing by Elfreth’s Alley for their “Deck the Alley” holiday celebration, and Independence Seaport Museum for Winter on the Waterfront, a day of family-friendly holiday activities including gingerbread-boat-building, crafts, a cannoli flavor contest, and more.
Roxborough
Photograph courtesy of Roxborough
Start off your Small Business Saturday (November 29th) with a Snowflake Scavenger Hunt: Discover artist-designed snowflakes at participating Ridge Avenue businesses, then scan the check-in codes for a chance to win prizes. The scavenger hunt runs through December 6th.
Come back for their tree lighting and holiday market on December 6th. The festivities also include an ugly holiday sweater contest and a visit from Santa.
Northern Liberties
Photograph courtesy of Northern Liberties Business Improvement District
NoLibs kicks off the season with their tree lighting on December 2nd with live entertainment, Santa, and a cookie-decorating station.
Then, they’re getting festive with the second annual Northern Liberties Holiday Shopping Stroll and Vendor Market on Saturday, December 13th, and Sunday, December 14th. Grab a map and punch card at the pop-up market (914 North 2nd Street), then visit participating businesses to collect punches — no purchase required, but if you spend $20 or more at a store you get two punches. Each store will also have surprises and events like discounts, free snacks, and demos. Shoppers that get six or more punches will be entered to win one of three grand prizes — just bring your card back to the pop-ip market by December 14th. You can also stop by Laser Philly’s Winter Wonderland (829 North 2nd Street) for photos with Santa and other festive activities.
Fishtown
The Fishtown Freeze and Shopping Spree returns on December 6th and 7th. / Photograph by Cody Aldrich
On December 6th and 7th, catch the annual Fishtown Freeze and Shopping Spree. Stroll around Fishtown to discover unique ice sculptures at more than a dozen stores, and maybe even catch an ice-carving demo! Plus, more than 25 independent shops and restaurants around the neighborhood will be offering sales, free refreshments, and more surprises. A highlight? The winter garden festival at the NKCDC garden with Santa, local vendors, and mulled wine from Mural City Cellars. And if you come on Saturday, December 6th, you can hop on the free holiday trolley to make your shopping spree a little easier.
