211 Things to Do in Philly This Week and Weekend

Philadelphia Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker continues at the Academy of Music through December 31st. / Photograph by Alexander Iziliaev

THIS WEEK’S TOP 5 PICKS

#1 George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker Philadelphia Ballet teams up with Tchaikovsky, the Sugar Plum Fairy, and some rodents of unusual size for this holiday staple. Through December 31st, Academy of Music.

#2 One-Man Nutcracker Or save a few bucks and go see Chris Davis. He’s the Sugar Plum Fairy, the toy soldiers, the mice, the whole damn thing. December 9th-January 5th, Proscenium Theater at the Drake.

#3 The Starting Line The Philly pop-punks throw hometown holiday parties on two different stages. December 12th at TLA, December 13th at Fillmore Philly.

#4 Handel’s Messiah Nobody handles Messiah like the Philadelphia Orchestra. December 12th-14th, Kimmel Center.

#5 AWFUL Wrestling The Art Wrestling Federation Urban League does a two-fer this weekend. December 12th & 13th, PhilaMOCA.

FESTIVALS, FOOD, OTHER FUN STUFF

MUSIC/HOLIDAYS
A Philly Holiday Spectacular
Chris Dragon leads the Philly Pops in a show full of seasonal favorites. Featuring vocalists Nikki Renée Daniels and Jeff Kready, the Philly Pops Chorus, the St. Thomas Gospel Choir and the Philadelphia Boys Choir.
$50-$136, December 13th at 3 p.m. & December 14th at 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

HOLIDAY/LIGHTS
Grand Illumination
American Heritage Credit Union’s campus in the Northeast will bedecked out with lights and decorations for gawking and photo taking. Hey that’s my credit union!
Free, daily at dusk, through January 1st, American Heritage Credit Union, 2060 Red Lion Road.

HOLIDAYS/SPOOKY
A Twisted Christmas
Lincoln Mill Haunted House in Manayunk once again decks its halls with holiday decor and lots of scare actors, animatronics, and special effects this weekend.
$30, December 12th & 13th, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Lincoln Mill Haunted House, 4100 Main Street.

SHOPPING
West Craft Fest
Find unique holiday gifts handmade by dozens of local makers and artists, including accessories, jewelry, art, toys and more. The fair runs all weekend, and there are different vendors on Saturday and Sunday (100 total!), so check the schedule to make sure you get what you want. (Or just go both days, why not?)
Pay as you go, December 13th & 14th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., outside Black Hound Clay Studio, 715 South 50th Street.

ART/WRESTLING
AWFUL Wrestling
The Art Wrestling Federation Urban League returns to PhilaMOCA for two shows this weekend: Spectacular Holiday Spectacle 2 on Friday and A Murder Mystery on Saturday.
$25, December 12th & 13th, 8 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

SHOPPING/WINTER
Christmas Village
The “authentic German Christmas market” — featuring food, crafts, trees, etc. — returns to LOVE Park and the City Hall courtyard for outdoor shopping, sparkling selfie-taking and festive loitering.
Pay as you go, through December 24th, LOVE Park and the City Hall Courtyard, in the neighborhood of 15th and JFK.

HOLIDAY/LIGHTS
Rose Tree Festival of Lights
Media gets festive with Delco Fare & Flair Nights featuring food trucks, vendors, music and more. Rose Tree Park remains lit up through January 3rd.
Free, December 13th and 14th, 5-8:30 p.m., Rose Tree Park, 1671 North Providence Road, Media.

SHOPPING
Conshohocken Winter Market
Hotel West & Main in Conshy hosts two weekends of vendors, cocktails and live music in a heated tent.
Pay as you go, December 12th-14th, Plaza at Hotel West & Main, 46 Fayette Street, Conshohocken.

See Also: The Best Places to See Holiday Lights Around Philadelphia

HOLIDAYS/LIGHTS
Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village
Everybody loves the Light Show, with its seven stories of LED bulbs, swaying water fountains and a deranged story of Santa, snowmen and dancing toys, but let us sing a carol of praise for the Dickens Village. The artfully arranged maze of shuddering, ruddy-faced animatronics perform a surprisingly moving and terrifying approximation of A Christmas Carol and permits visitors to imaging a world in which the super rich suffer their overdue comeuppances.
Free, through December 24th, Wanamaker’s, 1300 Market Street.

LIGHTS/HOLIDAYS
LumiNature
Stroll from one fanciful light display to another, dodging neon circus performers and frostbite in this lovely nighttime attraction at the zoo. My favorite part of LumiNature is the spooky, blissful and slightly deranged voiceover espousing a nondenominational mythology about slumbering animals and ambiguous wintry wonders. Also there’s a new Ferris wheel.
$22-$32, continues through January 3rd, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.

HOLIDAYS/SHOPPING
Holidays on the Hill
The handsome Chestnut Hill neighborhood is once again hosting all kinds of holiday activities and attractions including carolers, late night shopping and appearances by benevolent cryptid Santa Claus. And then there’s the special events, including Stag & Doe Nights on Wednesdays.
Free unless you buy something, through December 25th, 8000 to 8600 blocks of Germantown Avenue.

LIGHTS/HOLIDAYS
Holiday Light Show at Shady Brook Farm
Every winter a real live working farm in Yardley sets up a two-mile stretch of illuminated holiday attractions. Drive yourself through or hop in the back of an open air wagon. Then pull over for cocoa, s’mores, some fudge puppies and a feeling that these may just be the best moments of your life.
$15-$45, 5-9 p.m., through January 4th, Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley.

LIGHTS/HOLIDAYS
Electrical Spectacle Light Show
Franklin Square’s annual winter attraction is back, with twinkling lights, fire pits, and a fun excuse to stroll around drinking hot chocolate. There’s also fire pits, a heated tent, cocktails of various temperatures, “seasonal food,” and more. (P.S. Nearby, you’ll find Chilly Philly mini golf and street curling.)
Free to enter, through January 4th, 5-9 p.m., Franklin Square, 200 North Sixth Street.

WINTER/ICE SKATING
Winterfest
The family-friendly Winterfest — along the Delaware River, just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge — returns for more ice skating, hot chocolate sipping, food munching, game playing, etc. You can even rent a little warming cabin.
Free till you skate or buy or do something else that costs money, through March 1st, Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 South Columbus Boulevard.

HOLIDAYS
Lights Up! Holiday Weekends in West Chester
Events include the toy drive and breakfast December 10th, a concert and photos with Santa December 13th, plus carolers, Christkindlmarkt and more.
Free till you spend money, through January 4th, multiple locations in downtown West Chester.

HOLIDAYS
Carnival of Lights
Downtown Pottstown gets into the spirit of the season with lights, games amusement rides, spaghetti dinners, and more
Pay as you go, through January 1st, Pottstown.

HOLIDAYS
Comcast Holiday Festivities

• Comcast Holiday Spectacular — This 15-minute show features “holiday singalongs, performances by the Philadelphia Ballet, and an enchanted sleigh ride around the world” on the Comcast Center’s all powerful video wall/data collection device. Free, every hour, through January 1st, Comcast Center, 1701 JFK Boulevard.
• DreamWorks Shrek’s Festive Flight — Comcast’s Universal Sphere revives its seasonal “cinematic experience” featuring Shrek, Donkey, Gingy, and friends “on a magical journey from Philadelphia to the North Pole.” Free, shows every 15 minutes, through January 3rd, Comcast Technology Center, 1800 Arch Street.

HOLIDAYS/TOURS
Winter Tours Around Town

• BYOB Holiday Lights Trolley — Take a three-hour tour around town in a “vintage trolley,” sipping your own hooch and checking out the lights and sights, and making stops at Christmas Village, Miracle on South 13th Street, Electrical Spectacle, etc. $91.10, through December 21st, stars at Urban Village Brewing, 1001 North 2nd Street.
• City Sightseeing: Holiday Lights Tour — Enjoy a 90-minute hop on/off tour around town in a “Victorian style trolley,” with lights, music and live narration. BYOB. $46.95, through January 5th, meet at the Bourse, 21 South 5th Street.
• Holiday Lights Tour — Philadelphia Trolley Works leads this one. You know the drill,: lights and sights, BYOB, good cheer. $47.95, through January 4th, meet across from Maggiano’s, 12th and Filbert streets.

HOLIDAYS
Holidays in Manayunk
As always, the hills of Manayunk will be busy throughout the holidays season. There’s the storefront decoration competition through December 31st, free Jolly Trolley rides through December 20th, the Rudolph Run on December 13th, Hanukkah giveaways December 14th-22nd, and more.
Free, through December 31st, multiple locations in Manayunk.

WINTER/KIDS
A Very Furry Christmas @ Sesame Place
The Langhorne theme park’s annual Xmas attractions include the 1-2-3 Christmas Tree Light Show, Elmo’s Christmas Wish, the Sesame Street Christmas Parade, A Very Merry Sesame Street Sing-Along, and more.
$39.99-$46.99, through January 4th, Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne.

WINTER
Wild Lights @ Elmwood Park Zoo
Norristown’s not-so-little zoo gets into the spirit every year with live entertainment, music, “unique animal encounters” and North Pole sovereign citizen Santa Claus.
$27, through December 30th, 5-9 p.m., Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown.

WINTER/LITTLE TRAINS
Holiday Garden Railway @ Morris Arboretum
Miniature trains wind their way through a quarter-mile of tracks in Morris Arboretum’s large outdoor display, encouraging onlookers to consider a life scaled down so we might ride these rails through the tiny winter wonderland. Alas, our problems would surely follow us, and thus would two worlds be poisoned.
$22,, Thursdays-Sundays, through December 30th, Morris Arboretum, 100 East Northwestern Avenue.

HOLIDAYS
Festival of Trees
All the rooms in the Pearl S. Buck House, a picturesque stone farmhouse in Bucks County, will be decked out with decorations, trees and vignettes. Candlelight tours are available in the evenings.
$18, through January 4th, Pearl S. Buck House, 520 Dublin Road, Perkasie.

HOLIDAYS
Holidays at Fonthill Castle
The massive 110-year-old estate in Doylestown will be decked out in holiday finery and open to the public for lots of different tours, including the self-guided Holiday Lights Meander tours on Saturdays and Sundays.
$20, through December 31st, Fonthill Castle, East Court Street & Route 313, Doylestown.

WINTER/HOLIDAYS
Yuletide at Winterthur
Every year this stately old Delaware estate becomes a “storybook setting, where holiday magic, rich history, and beloved literature come to life.” Also: Lots of finely decorated Christmas trees. Fridays and Saturdays call for candlelit tours, music, fire pits, cocktails, and such.
$21, through January 4th, Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library, 5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur.

LIGHTS/HOLIDAYS
Astra Lumina
This display of secular cheer and electric lights is billed as a “An Enchanted Night Walk Amongst the Stars.” Based on the photos, it looks like a pretty/spooky place to stroll through snapping photos and being like maybe the whole world doesn’t suck.
$29.61, through December 31st, Abington Art Center, 515 Meetinghouse Road, Jenkintown.

FLOWERS/WINTER
A Longwood Christmas
Longwood Gardens glows up for the season with gorgeous outdoor and indoor light displays inspired by nature. There’s also live holiday music, open-air fountain shows, and the Garden Railway. Timed tickets are required, and weekends in particular sell out. One of the few attractions open on Christmas Day.
$16-$30 (free for kids ages four and under), through January 11th, Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square.

FOOD/SHOPPING
Owlidays Bake Shop
Red Owl Tavern in Old City is selling croissants, pastries, quiches, pies and other handmade baked goods to benefit Philabundance.
Pay as you go, through December 24th, Red Owl Tavern, 433 Chestnut Street.

WINTER/ICE SKATING
Rothman Rink
The Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink and Cabin returns to Dilworth Plaza, along the western face of City Hall. In addition to the skating, there’s hot chocolate, food, cute little penguins for kids to hold onto while they’re going around the rink, and more festiveness. (See below.)
$10 for skate rental, $10 for 90-minute skate sessions, through February 22nd, Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

WINTER
Wintergarden
Decked out with little trees and twinkling lights, this “whimsical outdoor sanctuary” is a chill place to hang out in the winter.
Free, continues through March 26th, Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

SHOPPING/HOLIDAYS
Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market
Local artists and vendors sell their handmade goods in a festive outdoor setting.
Free till you buy something, continues through January 1st, Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

WINTER/SHOPPING
Gingerbread Competition & Display
New Hope’s festive shopping village has become menagerie of twinkling lights, empty cookie houses and soulless cookie humanoids. Do not eat these things.
No cover, through January 17th, Peddler’s Village, 2400 Street Road, New Hope. 

TRAINS/WINTER
North Pole Express Train / Santa’s Steam Train Ride
New Hope Railroad has a bunch of festive, family-friendly train rides to Lahaska and back. Includes hot chocolate, cookies, live music, appearances by winter wraith Santa Claus and more. (Psst. There are also adult excursions with wine and tapas and such.)
$19 for kids, $94-$153 for adults, through December 30th, New Hope Railroad, 32 West Bridge Street, New Hope.

ON STAGE

THEATER
One-Man Nutcracker
An annual tradition this time of year, Chris Davis performs every part in this “witty and irreverent” iteration of the classic holiday story/ballet, from the Sugar Plum Fairy to the mice to creepy uncle Drosselmeyer. Directed by MK Tuomanen. Narrated by Severin Blake.
$39.19, December 9th-January 5th, Proscenium Theater at the Drake, 302 South Hicks Street.

COMEDY
Chad Daniels
The Minnesota standup and podcaster — Pretend Problems, with Kelsey Cook, Middle of Somewhere with Cy Amundson and — released a special called Empty Nester on Netflix last year.
$34-$46, December 12th & 13th, Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

CABARET
It’s Giving Cabaret
The Bearded Ladies Cabaret is celebrating the holidays as only they can: “There will be drag! There will be sing-alongs! There will be acrobatics, jazz, and the resurrection of Philadelphia’s favorite long-dead French chanteuse.” (That would be Edith Piaf, expertly played by Jarbeaux.) The shows start at 9 p.m., so don’t expect a family-friendly holiday romp. (The December 14th show warns of “copious amounts of holiday foods and nudity.”) Each of the five shows has a different lineup and theme, so you’re guaranteed a unique performance each time.
$11-$52, December 10th-14th, 9 p.m., Greek Hall at the Wanamaker Building, 1301 Chestnut Street.

DANCE
The Tapcracker
The Lady Hoofers’ all-tap adaptation of the holiday classic includes music by both Tchaikovsky and Duke Ellington, and transports audiences to Paris, where “an infestation of rats has thrown the city into chaos.” The family-friendly performance is a lively 90 minutes, and lots of fun.
$45-$65, December 13th and 14th, Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street.

THEATER
The Nice List
Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the world premiere of this family-friendly musical comedy The Nice List, “filled with laughter, dazzling choreography, and plenty of Christmas spirit.” Book and lyrics by Phoebe Kreutz, music by Gary Adler. Directed by Alan Muraoka.
$64-$74, December 9th-28th Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol.

MUSIC
Handel’s Messiah
Nobody handles Handel like the Philadelphia Orchestra. Led by conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Featuring soprano Lucy Crowe, countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, tenor Frédéric Antoun, baritone Quinn Kelsey, and the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir led by director Joe Miller.
$29-$240, December 12th-14th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
Lantern Theater Company presents the Christmas classic adapted and performed by Anthony Lawton.
$40, December 13th-28th, St. Stephen’s Theater, 923 Ludlow Street.

MUSIC
They Are Gutting a Body of Water
The Philly shoegaze band has three shows at the First Unitarian Church on the schedule in the next two weeks. TAGABOW’s Lotto, released in October, is noisy, heavy and gorgeous.
$25.81, December 12th, 13th & 19th, 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street.

COMEDY
Sarper Guven
You may recognize the Turkish-born comedian from his multiple appearances in the 90 Day Fiancé-iverse. He plays a pair of midday shows at Helium this weekend.
$39-$49, December 13th and 14th, 4 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

DANCE
MOMIX
The esteemed company of “dancer-illusionists” returns with Alice, which Third Coast Review calls a “trippy remix” the works of Lewis Carroll.”
$84-$105, December 12th-14th, Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.

COMEDY
Brian Simpson
The L.A.-based comedian and podcaster has appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast and released a standup special on Netflix called Live from the Mothership. So.
$38-$59, December 11th-13th, Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.

MUSIC
Pig Destroyer
The long-running and much cherished grindcore band returns for a pair of shows at Johnny Brenda’s this weekend. As far as I can tell, there’s no new record, but you can still buy Pig Destroyer butt plugs.
$41.65, 9 p.m.; December 13th (with Deadguy, Intercourse) and December 14th (with Malignancy and Chepang); Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
The Temptations & The Four Tops
This tour is an annual tradition and a unbeatable two-fer for Motown fans. We’re talking “My Girl,” “Can’t Help My Self,” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” “It’s The Same Old Song,” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Just My Imagination,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “World of Confusion” and more.
$75-$336, December 13th & 14th, 7 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

MUSIC
The Starting Line
It’s always a special occasion when these Philly pop-punk veterans throw their annual hometown holiday party, but this time the Starting Line guys will arrive at the TLA and the Fillmore with something extra to celebrate: a new record. Eternal Youth, released in September is just the band’s fourth studio album in their 27 years of off-on existence, and their first since 2007. Because pace yourself!
$59-$144, with Home Grown, Copeland, Hidden In Plain View, and Ace Enders, December 12th at TLA, 334 South Street; December 13th at Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

DANCE/HOLIDAYS
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
Philadelphia Ballet performs the classic holiday showdown between the Mouse King and the Sugar Plum Fairy, featuring that time-honored Tchaikovsky score.
$28-$297.92, through December 31st, Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street.

THEATER
A Wrinkle in Time
The Arden Theatre presents John Glore’s stage adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s beloved fantasy novel about a young girl’s “thrilling journey across time and space.” Directed by Rebecca Wright.
$40-$51, through January 25th, Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

THEATER
Shrek The Musical
Delaware Theatre Company presents the timeless story of an ogre forced to help a bunch of refugees from famous fairy tales. Also a donkey, a princess, Lord Farquad, etc. Book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. Music by Jeanine Tesori.
$34-$72, through December 21st, Delaware Theatre Company, 200 Water Street, Wilmington.

THEATER/HOLIDAYS
A Sherlock Carol
This holiday mystery masterfully weaves two classics, Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and a famous Arthur Conan Doyle story featuring all the favorite characters of Scrooge, Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Tiny Tim, and more. by Mark Shanahan directed by Catherine Pappas
$26, through December 14th, Stagecrafters Theater, 8130 Germantown Avenue.

THEATER
This Is the Week That Is
1812 Productions’ annual current-events satire shifts with the headlines, and includes musical parodies and improv comedy. This is This Is the Week That Is’s 20th, year and no two shows are the same.
$44-$47, through December 31st, Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place.

THEATER/HOLIDAYS
A Christmas Carol
People’s Light stages Zak Berkman’s adaptation of the Charles Dickens ghost story, “infused with original music and traditional English carols.” Stars Ian Merrill Peakes as Scrooge. Directed by Molly Rosa Houlahan.
$50-$74, through January 4th, People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern.

THEATER
Little Women
Hedgerow Theatre presents Kate Hamill’s adaption of the Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel about regular-size girls coming of age during the Civil War. Directed by Abby Weissman.
$35, through December 28th, Hedgerow Theatre Company, 64 Rose Valley Road, Rose Valley.

THEATER/HOLIDAYS
A Christmas Story the Musical
The classic Jean Shepherd story turned classic movie — about a kid who wants a gun and a dad who wins a lamp — has more recently become a big, Broadway musical. Book by Joseph Robinette, music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. Directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford.
$25, through January 4th, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street.

THEATER
The Pirates of Penzance
Quintessence Theatre Group presents Gilbert and Sullivan’s comedic opera about a young man whose potential romance is thwarted by his sworn service to pirates. Directed by Alex Burns.
$65, through January 4th, Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Avenue.

THEATER
Elf the Musical
Bucks County Playhouse presents the family-friendly story of the boy who became a man but thought he was an elf, but on stage and with music. Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin, music by Matthew Sklar, lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Directed by John Tartaglia.
$32-$72, through January 4th, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope.

THEATER
The Mountaintop
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall’s drama reimagines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night, centered around a chance encounter with a housekeeper just after his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. Directed by Brett Ashley Robinson. Stars Akeem Davis and Kishia Nixon.
$50-$60, through December 14th, Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

MOVIES

Ju Dou
Fengliang Yang and Yimou Zhang’s 1990 romance about lust and violence in a Chinese countryside. Stars Gong Li, Wei Li and Baotian Li. Tagline: “An Erotic Tale of Forbidden Passion.” Now that’s a good tagline.
$15.50, December 8th & 19th, 4 & 7 p.m., Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street.

This Week @ Lightbox Film Center

• My Father is Coming (Monika Treut, 1991) stars
  Alfred Edel, Shelley Kästner and Annie Sprinkle. A struggling actress lies to her father about how well her life is going, but must continue the farce when he comes to visit. December 10th, 7 p.m.
• Silvestre (João César Monteiro, 1981) stars Maria de Medeiros, Teresa Madruga, Luís Miguel Cintra. “A bewitching combinatory adaptation of the Bluebeard tale and a 15th century Portuguese fable of a damsel who disguises herself as a knight errant, Silvestre is both radically feminist and fascinated with the dark, primal logic of the paternal order.” December 14th, 5 p.m.

$15.28, Lightbox Film Center at the Living Room at Bok, 800 Mifflin Street.

The Santa Clause
John Pasquin’s 1994 fable about the downsides of murder and identity theft. Stars Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson. Tagline: “This Christmas, the snow hits the fan.” That’s not a good tagline.
$5, December 13th & 14th at 10 a.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.

Hong Kong Classics

• A Chinese Ghost Story (Siu-Tung Ching, 1987) “Director Siu-Tung Ching and producer Tsui Hark add a supernatural flair to this action-packed wuxia classic about a traveling tax collector finding love in the most unlikely place: a haunted temple guarded by a hideous tree spirit with an absurdly long tongue.” December 11th.
• Bullet in the Head (John Woo, 1990) “John Woo directs the hell out of this action-packed war film about three Hong Kong gangsters on the lam in Vietnam who witness the madness and depravity of war in the midst of a bloody conflict.” December 10th, 13th, & 18th.

$15.50, Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street.

Deeper in Dreams: A David Lynch Retrospective
A series of films made by and inspired by the beloved director, artist and iconoclast.

• The Straight Story (David Lynch, 1999) December 12th & 19th. Film Society Center.
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (David Lynch, 1992) December 12th. Film Society East.
• Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces (David Lynch, 2014) December 12th, Film Society East.
• Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001) December 13th, 14th, & 17th, Film Society East.
• Inland Empire (David Lynch, 2006) December 20th. Film Society Center.
• More Things That Happened (David Lynch, 2007) December 20th, Film Society Center.

$15.50; Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street; Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street.

Winter Wonderland
The Film Society finishes the year with this curated collection of “overplayed winter classics and overly debated alt-choices.”

• The Long Kiss Goodnight (Renny Harlin, 1996) December 12th, 14th, & 27th, Film Society Center.
• Carol (Todd Haynes, 2015) December 11th, Film Society East.
• The Muppet Christmas Carol (Brian Henson, 1992) December 20th, 27th, & 28th. Film Society Center.
• Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990) December 18th, 20th, 26th, & 27th, Film Society Center.
• Dial Code Santa Claus (René Manzor, 1989) December 14th, 20th, & 26th, Film Society Center.
• The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940). December 10th, 12th, 21st, & 28th, Film Society Center.
• Fanny and Alexander: Television Version (Ingmar Bergman, 1983). December 13th & 20th, Film Society Center.
• Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974). December 19th, 20th, 21st, & 27th, Film Society Center.
• Gremlins (Joe Dante, 1984). December 20th, 21st, 26th, 27th, & 28, Film Society Center.
• Gremlins 2: The New Batch (Joe Dante, 1984). December 26th, 27th, & 28th, Film Society Center.

$15.50; Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street; Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street. 

ART, GALLERIES & MUSEUMS

Under $100, Under $1,000
This group exhibition and sale includes works by Philadelphia artists who were inspired by Isaiah Zagar and his Magic Gardens. Continues through January 11th.
$15 admission, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street.

Now Showing @ the Art Museum

• Dreamworld: Surrealism at 100, PhAM is the last stop on this world-touring exhibition featuring works by Miró, Max Ernst, Magritte, Dalí, and lots more. Through February 16th.
• Julie Mehretu: In Focus “Her painted and printed surfaces are typically covered in swarms of calligraphic lines, architectural grids, geometrical patterns, and expressive, meandering notations that cohere into fantastical topographies.” Through May 10th.
• Krishna Reddy: The Movement of Life A major exhibition of works by the India-born printmaker and sculptor Krishna Reddy (1925-2018) of the influential printmaking studio Atelier 17 in Paris. Runs through December 8th.
• A Pleasant Madness: Surrealism at the Julien Levy Gallery — exhibition of works created by artists in the orbit of the influential NYC gallery owner, including Max Ernst, Dorothea Tanning and Arshile Gorky. Ongoing.
• Framed! European Picture Frames from the Johnson Collection. Through April 20th.
• Head to Toe: African and Asian Wearables, includes jewelry, headdresses, and textiles from the Ira and Myrna Brind Collection. Through January 19th.
• Mythical, Divine, Demonic: Animal Imagery in South Asian Art. Through February 9th.
• Zoe Leonard: Strange Fruit, “empty fruit skins that have been sutured together and sprawled across the gallery floor by the artist.” Ongoing.
• Expanded Painting in the 1960s and 1970s — radical innovations in painting by Alma Thomas, Sam Gilliam and more. Ongoing.

$14-$23 admission, Philadelphia Art Museum, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Juried Art Exhibition
William Way LGBT Community Center’s annual art exhibition returns, showcasing the works “46 emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists,” as selected by Stamatina Gregory of the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art. See examples of the art here.
Free, through December 11th, William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce Street.

Sam Maitin
Two Penn institutions are hosting exhibitions celebrating the Philadelphia painter-sculptor-printmaker (1928-2004). We the People: Sam Maitin is at the Annenberg Center, through February 21st. Meanwhile, Maitin in Philadelphia: Mayor of the Arts is at Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center through December 19th.
Free; Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street; and Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center, 3420 Walnut Street.

Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets
This new major exhibition at the Barnes collects works from “two most important Rousseau collections in the world,” their own and the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. Through January 11th.
$30 museum admission, Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Jane Austen Christmas at 250
Jane Austen would be 250 years young if she hadn’t died, and while the concept is fearsome and unnatural, the Historic Odessa Foundation in Delaware is celebrating with this long-term Christmas installation in the which every room the Wilson-Warner House houses a vignette inspired by the author’s novels. Through December 31st.
$15, Historic Odessa Foundation, 201 Main Street, Odessa.

Here, There & Delaware: Travel Poster Prints & Illustrations of Erick Sahler
Inspired by the WPA.
Museum admission is $15, through December 31st, Historic Odessa Foundation, 201 Main Street, Odessa.

Bespoke Matter
Artists Sophie Glenn, Leslie A. Grossman, Elizabeth Hamilton, Leah Kaplan, and Lisa Marie Patzer “explore traditional decorative arts through untraditional lenses.”
Free, through January 20th, Park Towne Place, 2200 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design
An exhibition celebrating the two-time Oscar-winning costume designer, who worked on Sinners, the Black Panther movies, Dolemite Is My Name, and lots more. Includes sketches, costumes, insight into the design process and more.
Included in museum admission of $20, ongoing, African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street. 

The Declaration’s Journey
This major exhibition at the Museum of the American Revolution features more that 120 objects, documents and works of art to explore “the history and global impact of the Declaration of Independence from 1776 to today.
$27, through January 3rd, 2027, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 South 3rd Street.

Clay as Care
This exhibition at the Clay Studio explores the intersection of ceramic and wellbeing with works by artists “whose practices address healing, rest, and resilience,” including Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Adebunmi Gbadebo, Ehren Tool, and Maia Chao. Through December 31st.
Free, Clay Studio, 1425 North American Street.

Pictures of Belonging: Miki Hayakawa, Hisako Hibi, and Miné Okubo
This group exhibition at PAFA “reveals a broader picture of the American experience through the artworks and life stories of three trailblazing Japanese American women in dialogue with each other for the first time.” Includes 70 paintings and drawings. Through January 4th.
$9, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 128 North Broad Street.

Now Showing @ Fabric Workshop and Museum

• The Living Temple: The World of Moki Cherry — Longterm retrospective exhibition of “colorful textiles, costumes, and posters to ceramics, video, and sound” by “boundary‑breaking Swedish artist Moki Cherry (1943–2009).” Runs through April 12th.
• Lisa Alvarado: Talismans for a Theater of Resilience — An exhibition of painting, textiles, and other “multi-sensory works rich with visual and sonic resonance” by the Texas-born artist. Through April 12th.

Free, Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street.

Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade
A solo exhibition of “dynamic, large-scale figurative paintings explore facets of Black life, including family, friends, and community” by the Baltimore artist. Through March 1st.
$20 admission, Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford.

Now Showing at the Michener

• Anila Quayyum Agha: Interwoven — Two decades of sculpture, embroidery, painting and drawing by the Pakistani-American visual artist. Through January 11th.
• Tanis — Daniel Garber’s masterwork lives at the Art Museum, but returns to the Michener every three years, as required by law. The painted depicts Garber’s daughter in a lush green Bucks County setting. Runs through February 15th.

$15 museum admission, Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8th

MOVIES/HOLIDAYS
Krampusnacht
Blood Sick Underground Cinema and Saturn’s Core Audio & Video present a “transgressive xmas party” features screenings of “short films from the 90s UK wave of The Cinema of Transgression,” a zoom Q&A with director Richard Baylor, and more.
$14.52, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

COMEDY/BOOKS
Book It!: From Hell
Philadelphia comedian, author and podcaster Ryan Shaner celebrates the release of his new novel Solomon. Also: Live standup by Shaner, Sidney Gantt, Jim Gillespie, Chris Faga and Peggy O’Leary.
$26-$34, 7:30 p.m.,Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

More Monday Stuff

• MUSIC: Speedy Ortiz, with Phoebe Rings, @, and Dylan Baldi. $25.65, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
• COMEDY: DL + DL Anything Goes: Episode Philly with Don Lemon and DL Hughley. Sold out, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• ART: Collage Mixer and Materials Swap. Free, 6-9 p.m., Tattooed Mom, 530 South Street.
• MUSIC: Chicago Fire, with Karl Blau and Paperdisk. $15.14, 7 p.m., Ortlieb’s Lounge, 47 North 3rd Street.
• SCIENCE/TALK: Rebel with a Rulebook: What to Do with the 300-Year-Old Rules for Biological Names, Science on Tap discussion led by biologist Jason Downs. Free, 6-7 p.m., National Mechanics, 22 South 3rd Street.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9th

MUSIC
Chris Isaak
You know Chris Isaak, the singer-songwriter who gave us “Wicked Game” and “Somebody’s Crying,” and the actor from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and The Chris Isaak Show. But what do you really know? It’s time for Two Truths and a Lie!

• Chris Isaak played a SWAT commander in The Silence of the Lambs and Michael Caine in Space (uncredited) on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
• This is the IMDB description for “Wicked Game”: “A couple is depicted making love in a sexual way to each other while frolicking on a deserted beach.”
• Chris Isaak and Harry Connick Jr. do not get along.

$75-$360, 7:30 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

More Tuesday Stuff

• MUSIC: A Soulful Christmas, honoring Bishop Hezekiah Walker, hosted by Patty Jackson (WDAS) and Craig Hayes (WIMG). Tickets not available at press time, 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC: Victor Vieira-Branco trio. No cover, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m., 48 Record Bar, 48 South 2nd Street.
• MOVIES: Last Orders (Fred Schepisi,2001) Says IMDB: “A group of old friends reminisce about their lives over the years after the death of one of their crew.” Stars Michael Caine, Helen Mirren, Bob Hoskins and Tom Courtenay. Presented by the Chestnut Hill Film Group. Donations suggested, 7 p.m., Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue.
• MUSIC: Weirs, Hour and Channel Marker. $10-$20 sliding scale, 7:30 p.m., The Perch. 2321 Emerald Street.
• COMEDY: Jeffrey Keller & Friends. $31-$41, 7:30 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
• MOVIES: Avant Garde Cinema: City Symphonies, a program of “short poetic documentaries,” with discussion led by Jesse Pires (Lightbox Film Center). $30-$40, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
• MUSIC: Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, with Mike Polizze. Sold out, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

• MUSIC: Chokecherry, with the Sewing Club. $22.22, 8 p.m., Warehouse on Watts, 923 North Watts Street.
• MUSIC: The Ladybug Transistor, with Giant Day and False Tracks. $21.69, 7:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
• MUSIC: J.I.D., with Young Nudy. $35-$124, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
• MUSIC: Take 6 — Spread Love At Christmas. $48-$75, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Anthony McGill (clarinet), with Randall Goosby (violin) and Joshua Mhoon (piano), presented by the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. Sold out, 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.
• COMEDY/POP CULTURE: Chicks in the Office, Ria and Fran’s Holiday Spectacular. $65-$123, 7:30 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC: Too Many Zooz, with Muscle Tough and Street Beans. $33, 8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10th

COMEDY
Matt Rogers
The comedian/actor/podcaster co-hosts Las Culturistas with Bowen Yang and has appeared in Fire Island and The After Party. Also he’s played “Matt Rogers” on a whole lot of shows with “RuPaul” in the title.
$59-$77, 8 p.m., with Henry Koperski, TLA, 334 South Street.

MOVIES
We Here
Mural Arts Philadelphia presents the debut of Gustavo Garcia’s documentary about sculptor Roberto Lugo’s community art project in Kensington in 2023-’24. Followed by a Q&A with Garcia, Luga and more.
Free, 3-5 p.m., Perelman Building of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2525 Pennsylvania Avenue.

MUSIC
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads the acclaimed London-based Chamber Orchestra of Europe in performing an all-Brahms program. Featuring Veronika Eberle on violin and Jean-Guihen Queyras on cello.
$29-$132, 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Cowgirl Clue
If there was an episode of Always Sunny where Dee tried to become a pop star, she’d probably come up with something like this Texas-born dance-electronic artist. With canned beats, vocal hooks low in the mix, and videos full of running horses and sitting on cars, it’s hard to tell what’s serious about Cowgirl Clue. But no judgement if you dig her vibe.
$22.22, 8 p.m., with Her New Knife and sweet93, PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

More Wednesday Stuff

• MUSIC: Ian Maksin, “A healing, multilingual musical journey across the globe.” $35-$50, 7 p.m., David Gvinianidze Arts and Music Center Inc., 6820 Jackson Street.
• KIDS: Blippi. $40-$95, 6 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC: AJ Suede, with Phiik & Lungs, Qnorapname and Career Crooks. $15.26, 8 p.m., Silk City, 435 Spring Garden Street.
• COMEDY: Brandi Denise. $31-$41, 7 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
• MUSIC: Kneebody. $37.08, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.

• MUSIC: Ambler Symphony Holiday Sing-A-Long. $10, 7 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.
• MUSIC: John Gorka. $25-$42, 7 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
• COMEDY: Free F#ckin’ Comedy Show. Free, 8 p.m., Tattooed Mom, 530 South Street.
• TRIVIA: The Sopranos Quizzo, hosted by Emmie DiCicco and Anna Troxell of Creepoid. Free, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11th

COMEDY/VIDEOS
GO/TE: A Night of Comedic Video Entertainment
Comedians Michelle Gold and SCROTE (a Michael Watkins, Joe Bell and Dan Angelucci) show their funny videos at PhilaMOCA.
$10, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

SCIENCE/HISTORY
Dinner with King Tut
Author Sam Kean will discuss his book Dinner with King Tut: How Rogue Archaeologists Are Re-creating the Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Tastes of Lost Civilizations. Kean is also the host of the science podcast The Disappearing Spoon.
Free, 6-8 p.m., Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street.

More Thursday Stuff

• MUSIC: Polyrhythmics, with Owls By Day. $27.74, 8 p.m., MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut Street.
• MUSIC: Starship featuring Mickey Thomas. $53-$146, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
• BOOKS: Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare, author Eddie Fishman discusses his work with Ali Velshi. $30-$40, 6:30 p.m., Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall East.
• MUSIC: A Great Big Pile of Leaves, with Prawn and Goings. $46.40, 7:30 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.
• MUSIC: Phoebe Katis & Taylor Kelly. $22.90, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
• COMEDY: Julie Kim. $28-$36, 7:30 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
• MUSIC: The Happy Fits, with Pom Pom Squad and Double Standard. $45-$156, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

• MUSIC: The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight. $60-$238, 8 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.
• MUSIC: The Heavy Heavy, with Laney Jones and the Spirits. $33-$77, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.
• MUSIC: Everett Bradley’s Holidelic. $30-$55, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: PVRIS, with Dua Saleh. $60, 8 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
• MUSIC: Bumpin Uglies, with Ballyhoo and Joey Harkum. $35, 8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.
• MOVIES: Diane Keaton Double-Feature — Lovers & Other Strangers (Cy Howard, 1970) Mrs. Soffel (Gillian Armstrong, 1984), presented by Bright Bulb Screenings. Free, 7 p.m., The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street.
• MUSIC: SML, L.A. jazz/improv supergroup. $39.14, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC: Late Night Thoughts, with Eric Hunker. $20, 7:30-10 p.m., the Fallser Club, 3721 Midvale Avenue.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12th

MOVIES/MUSIC
In The Mirror of Maya Deren
Bowerbird presents Austrian filmmaker Martina Kudláček’s documentary about Maya Deren, “ arguably the most important and innovative avant-garde filmmaker in the history of American cinema.” In The Mirror of Maya Deren features a soundtrack by avant-garde saxophonist/composer John Zorn.
Pay what you like, 8 p.m., the Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street.

MUSIC
The Dream Syndicate
You could say this dreamy, groovy, psychedelic proto-alt rock band from L.A. had its heyday in the ’80s, but they’ve been pretty much “reunited” since 2012, so it’s all relative. Right now, Steve Wynn and co. are touring behind a deluxe reissue of Medicine Show, their 1984 major label debut.
$36.65, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
Dan the Movie
Singer Dan Bruskewicz — formerly of TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb — is an underappreciated creator of groovy, hip-shaking indie rock with country-soul sensibilities. Dan the Movie, his current band, is just about to drop their long-awaited debut EP. Every track on Mama, Don’t Let That Freight Train Turn Out to Be a Goldmine is a showcase for the frontman’s formidable wit and swagger and fun as hell.
$18.35, 7:30 p.m., with Big Club, Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.

MUSIC/HOLIDAYS
Béla Fleck & the Flecktones
The legendary banjoist and his band present Jingle All the Way featuring the “jazz-infused holiday classics” on the 2009 record of the same name. With special guests Jeff Coffin and Alash. (And now, a joke by banjo teacher told me years ago: What do you call a banjo player in a suit? Defendant.)
$62-$117, 7:30 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.

PARTY/FUNDRAISER/BOOKS
Winter Holiday Party: Share Your Story
North Philly community arts org Taller Puertorriqueño celebrates the launch of their oral history project Batiendo La Olla with Spanish holiday music, food, raffles and more. Also record a 60-second story for the time capsule project.
$45, 6-9 p.m., Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 North 5th Street.

MUSIC
Hoots & Hellmouth
Rootsy gospel-rock mainstays Hoots & Hellmouth celebrate their 20th anniversary with a big ol’ headlining show at the Ardmore Music Hall. Should be a blast.
$30, 8 p.m., with The Tisburys, Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.

More Friday Stuff

• HOLIDAYS/SING-ALONG: WRTI Silent Night Sing-In, led by John Conahan, register and join in. Free, 5:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC: Rhett Miller, with Alice Carolyn. Sold out, 6 p.m., 118 North, 118 North Wayne Avenue, Wayne.
• MUSIC: Flat Mary Road, with Dream Waste and Cranes Are Flying. $10-$20, 7:30 p.m., Abyssinia, 229 South 45th Street.
• MOVIES: Die Hard (John McTiernan, 1988) A guy goes into a bad building. Tagline: “It will blow you through the back wall of the theater!” $15, 7 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.
• MOVIES: Gremlins — Joe Dante’s 1984 classic is a cautionary tale about following simple directions. Stars Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Keye Luke, Gizmo and Stripe. Tagline: “Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous.” $17, 9:45 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.
• MUSIC: Mini Trees, with Grocer. $21.86-$24.03, 7 p.m., Warehouse on Watts, 923 North Watts Street.

• MUSIC: Bitchin Bajas. $32.96, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.
• MUSIC/HOLIDAYS: The Roddenberries: Gingerbread & Circuses, The 3rd Annual Holiday Spectacular. $25-$40, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: All Them Witches, with King Buffalo. $92-$189, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.
• COMEDY: Pete Correale. $48-$78, 9 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
• DANCE PARY: Santa Rave. $16-$22, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.
• MUSIC: Shai Hulud, with Holder, OMIT ALL and Damage Control. $34.41, 7:30 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• COMEDY/TRUE CRIME: Small Town Murder, hosted by James Pietragallo and Jimmie Whisman. $75, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
• ART: Common Thread Kensington Storefront Winter Exhibition, curated by artist Monica Mathieu and made by the staff artists and participants of the Color Me Back Program. Free, 4-6 p.m., 3208 Kensington Avenue.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13th

MUSIC
Algernon Cadwallader
The shouty, passionate emo punks released their first album in 14 years on Saddle Creek in September. Pitchfork gave Trying Not to Have a Thought an 8.4, saying: “It’s a comeback album that reintroduces four friends who still crave technical prowess and percussive playfulness. More than that, it makes the case for why emo was never just about adolescent angst, but the purity of feeling alive in the present.”
$29.91, 8 p.m., with Gladie and Snoozer, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

HOLIDAYS
Selfies for a Cause with Santa and the Grinch
Stop by Liberty Place on Saturday for pics with Santa and the Grinch in the rotunda. The photos are $10, which benefits Morris Animal Refuge. Speaking of animals, you can bring your pups along with the rest of your family!
$10, noon-5 p.m., 1625 Chestnut Street.

HOLIDAYS/SHOPPING
HANDMADE at Fleisher Art Memorial
This indoor juried craft market organized by Fleisher Art Memorial features handmade and artisanal gifts at varying price points, all by local artists. Fleisher’s 127th Annual Adult Student Exhibition will also be on display in the galleries, with many works available for sale.
Free to attend, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catharine Street.

GAMES/LGBTQ+
GayBINGO
AIDS Fund’s popular, campy GayBINGO promises music, prizes and “drag queen antics” while raising emergency funds for people living with HIV in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Hosted by the Bingo Verifying Divas (BVDs). This Saturday: ’Twas the Night Before Christmas GayBINGO! & Holiday Toy Drive.
$50, 6 p.m., Rodeph Shalom, 615 North Broad Street.

ARTS/MUSIC/SHOPPING
Haunted Christmas
PBC hosts a festive, all-day event featuring vendors, a Krampus puppet show (set to music by The Cramps), animated short films by local artists and live music by The Ghosts of Gingerband Past and Sing Slavic. Also: beer.
Free, noon-7 p.m., Philadelphia Brewing Company, 2440 Frankford Avenue.

HOLIDAYS
Passyunk Ave. Hot Chocolate Crawl
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.
$14.74 (plus pay-as-you-go for cocoas), 11 a.m.-5 p.m., pick up your mug at 1842 East Passyunk Avenue.

More Saturday Stuff

• ART/SHOPPING: Handmade, local vendors show off their handmade and artisanal items. Free till you buy something11 a.m.-5 p.m., 719 Catharine Street.
• MUSIC: Roddy Walston, “Christmas to the Bone 2025.” $26.56, 7:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
• COMEDY/PODCAST: Are You Garbage?, hosted by H. Foley and Kevin Ryan. $23-$74, 8 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.
• COMEDY/BRUNCH: Robyn Schall’s Holiday Extravaganza Comedy Brunch. $35-$50, noon, City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Eric Roberson Presents The Greatest Gift. $50-$75, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MOVIES: Home Alone (Chris Columbus, 1990) Tagline: “Holy cow!” $15, 12:30, 4:30 & 7 p.m., $13.50, Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.
• MOVIES/TALK/ART: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2010) Says IMDB: “Dying of kidney disease, a man spends his last, somber days with family, including the ghost of his wife and a forest spirit who used to be his son, on a rural northern Thailand farm.” Curated by Maori Karmael Holmes of BlackStar Film Festival. $15, 1-4 p.m., Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

• COMEDY: Gavin Matts, NYC comedian (from Hacks). $23.86, 7:30 p.m., Next In Line Comedy, 1025 Hamilton Street.
• MOVIES: Cinderella (Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske) A Disney Jawn. A pretty plebe uses the dark arts to ascend the social ladder without consequence. Stars Ilene Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton. Tagline: “A love story with music.” $6, 11 a.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
• MUSIC: BlocoFunk Winter Dance Party. $20.75, 8 p.m., MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut Street.
• SHOPPING/MUSIC: 48 Record Bar Pop-Up Vinyl Market. Pay as you go, noon-4:30 p.m., 48 Record Bar, 48 South 2nd Street.
• DRAG/BRUNCH: Big Wig Brunch: The Ultimate Drag Experience. $25, noon, Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.
• COMEDY: Sammy Obeid. $41.50, 3:30 p.m., Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.
• MUSIC: Great Lake Swimmers, with Abe Partridge. $25.07, 7:30 p.m., MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut Street.

• MUSIC: Danny Brown, with Underscores and femtanyl. $108-$239, 8 p.m., TLA, 334 South Street.
• MUSIC: Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble Holiday Potluck, bring a dish. $25, 7 p.m., Holy Saviour Club, 436 East Main Street, Norristown.
• MUSIC: An Acoustic Evening with Chris Young, “It Must Be Christmas,” with MaRynn Taylor. $72-$147, 8 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.
• DRAG/BURLESQUE: Sizzle — A Sagittarius Variety Show. $15-$20, 7-10 p.m., Club 624, 624 South 6th Street.
• MOVIES: The Serpent and the Rainbow (Wes Craven, 1988) stars Bill Pullman, Cathy Tyson, Zakes Mokae, Paul Winfield. Says IMDB: “An anthropologist goes to Haiti to research a drug that makes someone appear dead by suspending all vital signs.” Tagline: “Don’t bury me… I’m not dead!” $15.50, 10 p.m., Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street.
• MOVIES: Go (Doug Liman, 1999) Stars Sarah Polley, Jay Mohr, Taye Diggs, Katie Holmes, Scott Wolf. Tagline: “When the lights go down, the world is yours.” This would be a good tagline for a movie about raccoons. $13.50, 10 a.m., Hiway Theater, 212 Old York Road, Jenkintown.

• MOVIES/COMEDY: Jesus Saves Chapter 2 Movie premiere, comedy show and afterparty hosted by Christopher “Play” Martin and John Gabbana. $25.65-$37.65, 6 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
• MUSIC/HOLIDAYS: Home for the Holidays at Ardmore Music Hall, with Tom Hamilton (of Joe Russo’s Almost Dead). $33, 7:30 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.
• KIDS/HOLIDAYS: Cookie Decorating Party, plus appearance by no-clip champion Santa Claus. $252.61, 10:30 a.m.-noon, The Gas Lamp Hotel, 140 North 2nd Street.
• CABARET/DRAG: Slay Ride: a 2025 HoliGay Spectacular, with Alyssa Edwards, Kori King and Frankie Grande. $45.54, 6:30 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• MOVIES: The Year Without a Santa Claus (Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr., 1974) Says IMDB: “When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his elves set out to change his mind.” Sorry, melancholy Santa. No days off. CW: Snow Miser. $5, 10:30 a.m., Hiway Theater, 212 Old York Road, Jenkintown.
• MUSIC: Jon Langford & Sally Timms (of the Mekons). Sold out, 8-10 p.m., Harmonie Hall, 4372 Fleming Street.
• MOVIES: Dogme 95 Short Film Festival, locally-made shorts presented by Death Drive Pictures. $15.50, 7 p.m., Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14th

MUSIC
MGK
Inkjet-tatted rapper-singer-songwriter MGK, fka Machine Gun Kelly, has charted many times — “Lonely Road” (with Jelly Roll), “Bad Things” (with Camila Cabello), “My Ex’s Best Friend” (with blackbear), “Rap Devil” and more — but the critics have never really been on board. Pitchfork went to town on his latest record, Lost Americana: “This is no doubt a deeply cursed record, a Hold Steady album that instead of referencing Youth of Today aspires to educate today’s youth about the existence of Alice Deejay’s ‘Better Off Alone.’ But while Lost Americana isn’t good, per se, there’s something about MGK’s dedication to the bit, his quality-agnostic enthusiasm for the idea of popular rock music as a form, and the brutal honesty he embeds within its nonsense that makes it genuinely fascinating to listen to, and at times even successful when you take it on its own terms.”
$40-$228, 8 p.m., with Julia Wolf Xfinity Mobile Arena, 3601 South Broad Street.

MUSIC/HOLIDAYS
A Black & White Holiday Swing
Clef Club Radiance Community Big Band dresses up spiffy and provides the soundtrack to this “elegant evening to remember celebrating togetherness and community.”
$35, 6-7 p.m., Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, 736 South Broad Street.

PUPPETRY
Just F*cking Do It! Puppetry Slam
The Greater Philadelphia Area Puppetry Guild and the Puppet Slam Network presents an event of short-form competitive puppetry. The evening’s theme is Naughty or Nice.
No price listed, 8 p.m., The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street.

More Sunday Stuff

• MUSIC/HOLIDAYS: One Tree Holiday: Tyler Hilton & Kate Voegele plus Alex2eCity Winery, 990 Filbert Street. $30-$55, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Audrey Hobert. $184-$436, 8 p.m., TLA, 334 South Street.
• MUSIC: The String Queens. $30, 7 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.
• BOOKS/PARTY: Holiday Book Fair & Swap, plus blind date with a book and a bottle of wine. Brought to you by Pray Tell Winery, the Head and the Hand Books and Books & Brew Philly. Sold out, noon-3 p.m., Pray Tell, 1615 North Hancock Street.
• FOOD/TEA: Holiday Tea @ Carpenters’ Hall, hosted by Dolley Madison. $85, 3:30-5 p.m., Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut Street.
• MOVIES/ART: Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio (Bickerstaff, Phil Grabsky, 2025) Stars Marco Bocci. $20, 12:30 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
• MOVIES: We’re No Angels (Michael Curtiz, 1955) Stars Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray. Tagline: “A strangler… A swindler… A safecracker… Yet you’ll love them!” Hey everybody, meet my favorite strangler. $13.50, 1:30 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.

• COMEDY: Well There’s Your Problem, an engineering disasters podcast. $52.07, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.
• HOLIDAYS: Community Menorah Lighting, presented by the Betsy Ross House and Old City Jewish Arts Center. Free, 4:30 p.m., Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street.
• COMEDY/PODCASTS: And Then We Had Sex, with Kristen Sivills and J-Rod. $32.99-$42.99, 7 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
• MUSIC: Have Mercy, with FLAKE and Screenager. $29.07, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• MOVIES: Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974) Tagline: “Christmas is coming early this year. And it’s murder.” VHS Club presents Sunday Scaries. Free, noon, Arts League, 4226 Spruce Street.

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