In West Philadelphia, celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Kwanzaa with music, dance and a special guest: the founder of the holiday.
On the seventh night of Hanukkah, observe the Festival of Lights in a slightly more unconventional way: with improv comedy. A group dubbed The Marvelous Maccababes will re-enact the Hanukkah story with off-the-cuff improv and a latke of laughs.
Boathouse Row will be illuminated for both holidays, too — a sight you definitely don’t want to miss.
There’s plenty more to do on The KYW To-Do List — ice skating, concerts and performances for the whole family — so scroll through to find all the things to do in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs this weekend.
HANUKKAH CELEBRATIONS
DATE/TIME: Sunday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Ceremony takes place at Fairmount Fish Ladder, on Martin Luther King Drive, across the river from Boathouse Row
DETAILS: The City of Philadelphia, as well as the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, will light up Boathouse Row for Hanukkah on Sunday.
PRICE: Free to attend
EVENT: The Marvelous Maccababes Hanukkah
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 7 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Philly Improv Theater, 2030 Sansom St., Center City
PRICE: $12 for advanced tickets; $15 for day-of tickets
EVENT: Friday Nights: Festival of Lights
DATE/TIME: Friday, 5 to 8:45 p.m.
WHERE: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Fairmount
DETAILS: Enjoy Jewish liturgical chants with modern jazz sensibilities by saxophonist Jacques Schwarz-Bart, as part of the museum’s Friday Nights and Holidays at the Museum series.
PRICE: Included with museum admission. Tickets for four with a reserved table are also available.
KWANZAA CELEBRATIONS
DATE/TIME: Saturday, noon to 7 p.m.
WHERE: Mastery Charter School Shoemaker Campus, 5301 Media St., West Philadelphia
DETAILS: Join the Universal Kwanzaa Alliance for dancing, a drum ensemble, a marketplace, and more.
PRICE: $10
EVENT: 53rd Anniversary Celebration
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 4 to 7 p.m.
WHERE: West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut St., West Philadelphia
DETAILS: Dr. Maulana Karenga, the founder of Kwanzaa, joins the annual celebration in Philadelphia, featuring a candle-lighting ceremony, entertainment, a marketplace and more.
PRICE: $10; seniors and children are discounted
SHOWS AND CONCERTS
DATE: Shows run through Sunday
WHERE: Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St., Center City
DETAILS: Cirque Dreams Holidaze lights up the 2019 holiday season with its popular and electrifying stage spectacular, featuring a cast of cirque artists and theatrical talent that the whole family will enjoy.
PRICE: Tickets start at $40
EVENT: Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad St., Center City
PRICE: Tickets start at $49
EVENT: Comedy Night at Herman’s
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 7:30 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Herman’s Coffee, 1313 S. Third St., Pennsport
DETAILS: Take a break between the holidays and laugh the night away at Herman’s final comedy night of the year. BYOB.
PRICE: $5
ATTRACTIONS
DATE/TIME: Friday, 1 to 3 p.m.
WHERE: Maido, 5 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
PRICE: Free to attend
EVENT: Night Vision: Monsters, Myths, and Legends Tour and Happy Hour
DATE/TIME: Friday, 5:30 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Penn Museum, 3260 South St., University City
DETAILS: Learn about the origins of legendary creatures and what exactly makes a monster. Through Night Vision, adults can see the Penn Museum from a whole new perspective during a happy hour with a twist: learning about the collections in the dark, with only flashlights to illuminate the way. Beer and hard cider provided. Attendees must be 21 or older.
PRICE: $25 for adults; $20 for members. Ticket includes two drinks.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
DATE/TIME: Through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia
DETAILS: Make the Holiday Garden Railway display a tradition for your family. The buildings and trains are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle along the tracks and around the surrounding landscape. Attendees can also view the railway at night for an additional cost.
PRICE: Included with admission
EVENT: Character Skate at RiverRink
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Columbus Blvd., Old City
DETAILS: Hit the ice with some of your favorite characters of all time. Come sporting the theme in your own snazzy attire and get ready for tons of fun with photo-ops, giveaways and more. Saturday’s theme is pirates.
PRICE: General admission to Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest is free. Ice skating tickets are $4 to skate or $14 to rent and skate. Tickets are available ahead of time online.
EVENT: Storytime at the Lodge
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Columbus Blvd., Old City
DETAILS: Gather around for a weekly story hour at Blue Cross RiverRink’s lodge. Your little ones can enjoy a brand new story while munching on cookies and cocoa. This week’s story is “Pete the Cat and the Treasure Map.”
PRICE: General admission to Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest is free. Ice skating and food and drinks are pay-as- you-go.
MUSIC
DATE/TIME: Saturday and Sunday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: The Fillmore, 29 East Allen Street, Fishtown
PRICE: Tickets start at $35
EVENT: PnB Rock
DATE/TIME: Friday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St., Philadelphia
PRICE: Tickets start at $35
EVENT: Greta Van Fleet
DATE/TIME: Sunday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St., Philadelphia
PRICE: Remaining tickets start at $180
EVENT: Breakwater
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., University City
DETAILS: Formed in 1971, Philadelphia's own Breakwater brings a fusion of funk, R&B and jazz to the stage. The newly reunited band is going full steam ahead with new music and some classic hits.
PRICE: $20 to $30
EVENT: Parlour Noir
DATE/TIME: Sunday, 6 to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Paris Bistro, 8235 Germantown Ave., Chestnut Hill
DETAILS: Since 2017, Parlour Noir has been a well-spring of traditional jazz music from the historic Mount Airy area. Join the eccentric six-piece ensemble for a special performance.
PRICE: $10