Philadelphia Neighborhoods Light Up with 2014 Tree Lighting Celebrations by South Street, East Passyunk, Mt. Airy, Glen Foerd

Starting tonight, Philadelphia neighborhoods will light up for the 2014 holidays with festive celebrations, parties, parades and tree lightings by South Street Headhouse District, East Passyunk Business Improvement District, Go Mt. Airy, Glen Foerd on the Delaware and Christmas Village.  All events listed below are free (unless otherwise noted) and open to the public. Make sure to bring your family to one or all of them. Don't forget to bring an unwrapped toy to the events on South Street and East Passyunk as part of the Joy of Sharing Campaign by CBS Philly. 
 

Photo credit: Visit Philly

Wednesday, December 3, 2014
City Hall and Christmas Village

Head to Philadelphia City Hall for the Holiday Celebration and Tree Lighting Spectacular with a 35-foot-tall Norway spruce from Linvilla Orchards. Entertainment starts at 6:00pm, with the ceremony at 7:00pm. Tonight is also the first night the Christmas Village Christmas Tree in LOVE Park will be lit. Stop by after today for photos with the twinkling tree and the iconic LOVE Statue.

Thursday, December 4, 2014
East Passyunk's Tree Lighting Party

Kick off the holidays with the annual Tree Lighting Party at the Singing Fountain (Tasker Street and East Passyunk Avenue) from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The free celebration will include live music, carolers, holiday sweets, shopping and other surprises. Don’t forget to bring an unwrapped gift for a toy drive to benefit local youth. After the party, stay until 9:00pm for extended shopping hours as the Deck the Ave campaign kicks off with shopping, sales and other festivities during December. 

Friday, December 5, 2014
Go Mt Airy Tree Lighting

Mt. Airy rings in the Holiday Season with events all weekend, kicked off by a tree lighting at the Lutheran Seminary at 4:45pm, with music from the Salvation Army Brass Band, followed by a community run Caroling session down the Avenue. That same evening, take pictures with Santa at Rothe Florists from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.  The event is free and includes warm cider, cookies and candy canes for all.  There will be a store-wide sale on all holiday trimmings.

Saturday, December 6, 2014
Gilded Age Christmas at the Mansion

Glen Foerd will partner with Settlement Music School’s Kardon Northeast Branch to bring musical and ballet performances to the family friendly event Christmas at the Mansion. From 1:00pm to 6:00pm the public is invited to experience the mansion in full holiday décor, enjoy performances and children’s crafts. The Dining Car will be selling holiday sweets and cookies. Join Santa at 5:00pm as he makes an appearance at our outdoor holiday tree lighting and joins guests in singing holiday carols, followed by the tree lighting ceremony at 5:30pm.

Sunday, December 7, 2014
Winter Wonderland, Tree Lighting and Headhouse Holiday Market

South Street Headhouse District presents their annual extravaganza Winter Wonderland from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Historic Headhouse Square Shambles on 200 Pine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147.  Free family fun will include the annual holiday tree lighting, Santa Claus arriving on a firetruck, free horse-drawn carriage rides, performances by Philadelphia Dance Academy and Society Hill Dance Academy, and the Headhouse Holiday Market in conjunction with PHAIR. Brauhaus Schmitz will serve mulled wine and other treats. Before or after the festivities, stroll the district and check out holiday displays at 30+ businesses competing in the Window Wonderland Storefront Challenge. 

UPDATE: EVENT IS POSTPONED UNTIL 2015 
Lantern Parade and FREE Concert

The Christmas fun continues after the trees are lit! Help us light up the city with the Lantern Parade at Christmas Village in Philadelphia: Presented by NRG Home. This German-style Lantern Parade starts at 5:00pm. Bring your homemade lantern and meet at the iconic LOVE Statue. The Snow Queen, along with Gerda and Kai fromEnchantment Theatre Company’s The Snow Queen, will lead the parade of lights around LOVE Park and Center City. The parade will end at the Christmas Village stage with a sing-a-long led by children from East Passyunk’s Alphabet Academy Daycare and a free concert by the The Philly POPS Festival Brass.  Join the parade with your family, or simply come to watch! All lanterns should contain battery-operated candles or lights, no flames.

Come Hungry! Mt. Airy Street Fare Announces Full List of Food Trucks and Restaurants for Fall's Hottest Festival

Street Fare: Sip, Savor, Stroll brings tasty bites and beverages back to Mt. Airy on Thursday, September 18, 2014, from 6:00pm to 10:30pm.  Sip and savor gourmet eats and drinks from 50+ of the region’s best gourmet food trucks and local restaurants stationed along Germantown Avenue, between Sedgwick and W. Mt. Airy Avenue. Stroll the Avenue for family fun, live music and handmade crafts. Street Fare is organized by Mt. Airy USA and annually attracts over 11,000 people.  For event updates, visit gomtairy.com, call 215-844-6021, follow @gomtairy on Twitter and like “Go Mt. Airy” on Facebook.

Street Fare will pair award-winning mobile food vendors with notable local restaurants for a night of street eats, craft brews, handcrafted cocktails and wine. Vending spaces for this year sold out in record time. The full list of food and drink vendors is below: 

Bonjour Creperie
Sweet and savory French crepes

Braz BQ
Brazilian barbecue

Calle Del Sabor
Voted Philly's Best Tacos 

Cantina Avenida
Grilled chorizo with guacamole and latin cole slaw on a soft roll

Cupcake Carnivale
Gourmet cupcakes

Curbside Creamery
Ice cream, waffle cones, waffle bowls and ice cream cookie sandwiches

Earth Bread + Brewery
Craft-brewed beers
 
Farm Truck Philly
Farm to table style, seasonally inspired street food. Eclectic menu and accomodates gulten free, vegan, vegetarian

Festival Food Management
Chicken tenders, french fries, funnel cake, lemonade and other beverages

Foolish Waffles
Sweet and savory made-to-order gourmet waffles 

Gigi & Big R
Caribbean Soul Food with jerk chicken, fried chicken, fried fish, oxtail- fresh veggies, greens, cabbage, string beans, red beans, mac n' cheese and candied yams.

Herb Scott Catering
North Carolina pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches

Jimmies Cupcake Company
Artisan cupcakes

Just Jackie's Food Truck
Chef Jacqueline Borelli has competed on Food Networks show Rewrapped. She specializes in using the freshest local ingredients in all of her homemade dishes. Pork Tacos, quesadillas, chicken feta sandwich, seafood burger, beet salad, brie burger melt, smoked brisket BBQ sandwich.

Jyoti
Authentic Indian cuisine

Ka'Chi
Korean with a twist including Korean tacos with bulgogi, michi rice balls, chicken banh mi style sandwich, and rice bowls with self-serve homemade sauces

Kami
Traditional Korean BBQ flavors from scratch with special American twist including Korean Tacos, Korean Cheesesteaks and Bulgogi Burgers

Lil' Pop Shop
Ice-cream and non-dairy popsicles

Mac Mart Cart
Mac n' cheese with gourmet toppings

Mama's Meatballs
Gourmet meatballs

Milk + Sugar
Fresh-baked and made from scratch sweets.

MomMoms 
Polish cuisine with a modern twist 

MomPops
All-natural popsicles

Mucho Bueno
BBQ with a Mexican flare

Nick Merlino Pig Roast
Pork roast (porchetta) sandwiches using Old Italian family recipe, served on homemade foaccacia bread with provolone cheese, broccoli rabe, and long hot peppers

Oink and Moo BBQ
House rubbed and smoked meats using locally sourced ingrediants

Payne Catering
Chicken wings, fried fish, corn on the cob, funnel cake and fried oreos

PB and U 
Homemade all-natural peanut butter creations, including sandwiches, roasted peanuts, peanut butter snacks, shakes, and smoothies

Pbon Phresh Food
Crab cakes, egg sandwiches, sausage grillers, nauti skewers and smores

Phoebes on Wheels
BBQ pulled prok, beef brisket and all the sides

PJ Whelian's
Chicken wings, burgers and fries

Quality Cafe
Middle-Eastern inspired food including chicken or lamb over rice, falafel, chicken or lamb gyro, cheesesteak, french fries, burgers, and drinks

Samosa Deb
Samosa chicken tikka, mango lassi, Thai iced tea, pakora

Scratch Biscuits
American comfort food

Sugar Philly
Specialty macarons and desserts

Sum Pig Food Truck
Gourmet comfort food with buffalo chicken nachos, smoked chicken parfait and pork roll fries

Surf and Turf
Specialty lobster rolls

Sweet Box Cupcakes
Artisan cupcakes

Taco Mondo
Specialty tacos and empanadas

The Cow and the Curd
Fried Wisconsin cheese curds

The Grill Cheese
Vegetarian all grilled cheese sandwiches 

The Hot Diggity
Designer hot dogs including the Kimchi dog, Big Dog with different salsa, a chorizo chili dog and assorted house made chips

The Tot Cart
Gourmet tater tots; gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options available

The Whirly Pig
Roasted whole hog, Cubans, BLTs, Pork Belly, pork cheesesteak and a roast duck sandwich with cheese fries

Trolley Car Diner
Hamburgers, hot dogs, bratwurst, chips, and beer.

Undrgrnd Donuts
Fresh, made-to-order gourmet donuts

Vernalicious
Eclectic, seasonal comfort food

Weckerly's Ice Cream
Ice cream flavors will be a mix of late summer ingredients and fresh, autumn flavors

Wonderland Cakes
Rustic individual crostatas (walnut, pear, goat cheese), gourmet bread pudding (warm bourbon brown sugar with pecans), artisan ice pops (in seasonal fruit flavors and fun flavors like milk and cereal) and cake balls

Zsa's Gourmet Ice Cream
Seasonally flavored small batch ice cream, sorbet, and ice cream sandwiches that feature local ingredients including dairy from Trickling Springs creamery and house made inclusions & baked goods

FAMILY FUN AND LIVE MUSIC 

After enjoying eats and drinks, stroll along historic Germantown Avenue, shop from artisans with handmade crafts organized by Renaissance Craftables. Find a stunning new look inside the Smak Parlour Fashion Truck.  Enjoy fun for the whole family inside our Family Area, featuring locally designed temporary tattoos from Mt. Airy-based Kadillac Tattoo, hairstyles from Culture Hair Salon, plus other arts and crafts for the young ones. Entertainment will include live music on two stages from Akil Dasan, Deb Callahan Band, Johnny Showcase, Papo Gely and the Gin Canaries.

“Street Fare is not only a fabulous street festival, it’s a celebration of the continued revitalization of Germantown Avenue,” said Gupta. “Our local neighbors and businesses are excited to play host and the region better come hungry!”

For event updates and additional information about Street Fare, visit gomtairy.com, call 215-844-6021, follow @gomtairy #stfaremtairy on Twitter and like “Go Mt. Airy” on Facebook.