Christmas Village is coming back to LOVE Park and City Hall for its 15th season of twinkling lights, yummy gingerbread, and all manner of holiday festivities – both Old World and this year, distinctly Philly.
One of the city’s most popular holiday destinations, Christmas Village and its open-air German Christmas Market will hold a preview weekend November 19 and 
20 and open for the season November 24 through December 24.
Special attractions this year include a double-decker carousel, a ferris wheel and a children’s train. That’s on top of the more than 110 local and international vendors, wine and spirits tastings, food offerings, live entertainment and more.
“Christmas Village in Philadelphia is getting ready for a season full of festivities,” said Christmas Village President Thomas Bauer. “We’re excited to update the LOVE Park section with brand-new wooden booths, creating an even more cheerful feeling. This is the biggest investment in the history of our company, and we’re thrilled to share the new look and feel of Christmas with our visitors.”
The event’s authentic German Christmas Market will include The Alm, an Old World-style beer garden, as well as European culinary favorites like Helmut’s Strudel, spiked hot cider and mulled wine, flamed-grilled bratwurst, gooey Swiss Raclette cheese and Belgian fries. German dance bands will keep things lively on German American Weekend on December 3-4.
But this year’s Christmas Village will also be a celebration of the many cultures that make up Philadelphia, according to city Parks and Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell.
“Thanks to the city’s partnership with The Welcoming Center, Esperanza, and the South Street Headhouse District, visitors to Christmas Village will see more local businesses that represent the diversity of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods,” said Lovell, “bringing their local handmade arts and crafts to the largest audience in the region during the holidays.”
As part of the Christmas Market, over 40 local vendors of the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market at Dilworth Park will be selling artworks, toys, jewelry, clothing, sweets and more.
And on Christmas Village’s Family Day, December 10, children can get their photograph taken with the event’s own mascot, Phil the Reindeer, or other favorites like superheroes and princesses.
In addition to the Christmas Village and the Holiday Market festivities, Philadelphia’s Holiday District organizers plan to hold the City Hall Christmas Tree lighting ceremony with performances on December 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., followed by the second annual Market Street Holiday Parade on December 3 from 5 to 6 p.m.
‘Tis the season.