Philadelphia's iconic Wanamaker Building is set to bid farewell to its beloved Christmas light show and Dickens Village after this year, as new owner TF Cornerstone plans to transform the building into a mixed-use development. The news has sparked concerns that these decades-old holiday traditions would be permanently discontinued.
However, thanks to an unprecedented fundraising effort by over 1,000 contributors, who collectively raised $600,000 to support the events, organizers have been able to ensure their return for at least one more year, until 2027. Philadelphia Visitor Center has assured that it remains committed to preserving these iconic attractions and is in talks with the building owner TF Cornerstone to find ways to continue these holiday traditions in the future.
For this year, however, the festivities will begin on November 28th, with a unique 10-minute light show happening every hour on the half-hour, accompanied by extended organ concerts. Dickens Village will also reopen, allowing guests to immerse themselves in a recreation of Charles Dickens' classic book "A Christmas Carol". While the experience is free and open to the public, attendees must reserve their time slots online in advance.
Visitors can enjoy the attractions during the following hours: from November 28th to December 11th, the exhibits will be open on Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). From December 12th to December 23rd, they will be open daily from noon to 8 pm. The last entry is allowed 30 minutes before closing.
Interestingly, during this time, the building will undergo significant construction, which may impact the continuation of these holiday events beyond 2027. As the transformation takes place, Philadelphia Visitor Center is working on long-term sustainability efforts to ensure that these cherished traditions continue in the years to come.
However, thanks to an unprecedented fundraising effort by over 1,000 contributors, who collectively raised $600,000 to support the events, organizers have been able to ensure their return for at least one more year, until 2027. Philadelphia Visitor Center has assured that it remains committed to preserving these iconic attractions and is in talks with the building owner TF Cornerstone to find ways to continue these holiday traditions in the future.
For this year, however, the festivities will begin on November 28th, with a unique 10-minute light show happening every hour on the half-hour, accompanied by extended organ concerts. Dickens Village will also reopen, allowing guests to immerse themselves in a recreation of Charles Dickens' classic book "A Christmas Carol". While the experience is free and open to the public, attendees must reserve their time slots online in advance.
Visitors can enjoy the attractions during the following hours: from November 28th to December 11th, the exhibits will be open on Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 6 pm (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). From December 12th to December 23rd, they will be open daily from noon to 8 pm. The last entry is allowed 30 minutes before closing.
Interestingly, during this time, the building will undergo significant construction, which may impact the continuation of these holiday events beyond 2027. As the transformation takes place, Philadelphia Visitor Center is working on long-term sustainability efforts to ensure that these cherished traditions continue in the years to come.
this year's gonna be epic with the 10-minute light shows and extended organ concerts, can't wait to reserve my time slots online! 
but i gotta wonder what'll happen after next year... like, will they find a way to make it work with all the construction? 
might have to keep an eye on that 
, but at the same time, it's like they're setting up a ticking time bomb by transforming the whole building into a mixed-use development... i mean, what if that construction messes with their plans for these events in 2027? and what about after that? will they just leave us hanging or keep working on finding ways to make it happen again? 
Like we haven't seen it all before. But seriously, thanks to all you contributors who made this happen, I guess it's nice that these old traditions will stick around for another year. I'm sure TF Cornerstone didn't exactly have to beg to keep them going... 
they actually saved christmas light show 
from bein cancelled after over 1k ppl pooled together $600k 
now they can at least keep it goin till 2027 
wut r they gonna do tho wen its all done? 
. I guess you could say TF Cornerstone finally found some Christmas cheer – all thanks to the Philly Visitor Center keeping the magic alive! The Dickens Village is back, and it's like stepping into Scrooge's world... minus the whole "being miserable" vibe 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned Dickens Village, right? They really should figure out a way to make it work post-2027 though... can you imagine the city without all that festive cheer? 
that they were able to raise enough money to keep the Christmas light show and Dickens Village going for at least one more year! I mean, can you imagine Philly without all the festive magic? 
but honestly how long can this keep up? all those renovations and construction is gonna make it super hard to keep these events going in 2027 lol 
I was literally about to freak out when I heard they were gonna cancel the Christmas light show 
, but then this amazing fundraising effort happened and now we get to enjoy it for at least ONE MORE YEAR 
. Can't wait to see it all lit up from Nov 28th - Dec 11th and then again on the 12th-23rd, can you even handle how magical it's gonna be? 
but i guess all that crowdfunding magic worked its charm 
! now let's just hope the new owner doesn't mess with the whole vibe of the building, you know? it's still got so much character and history 
can't wait to check it out this year and see what they do for the future 
at life! 
? It's gonna be MAGICAL 
. Now, I'm a bit worried about the construction impact 
! Let's make this holiday season one for the books 
. It was like a Christmas wonderland, but without all the crowds! I'm so glad to hear that Wanamaker's will be having its Christmas light show again this year - it's such an underrated gem. Have you ever been to Philly during the holidays? The organ concerts are supposed to be epic 
. By the way, have you tried that new craft beer in Philly? I've heard great things about it...
I mean, can you even imagine Philadelphia without those iconic traditions? The fact that over 1,000 people came together to raise $600,000 is just AMAZING! 
It's clear that the community is passionate about preserving these holiday experiences.
but at least those holiday traditions got a reprieve 
for now they're gonna be back till 2027 so lets make the most of it & enjoy those extended organ concerts & dicken's village 
I'm so relieved they were able to scrape together enough cash to keep the Christmas light show and Dickens Village going for at least one more year 
. I'm glad Philly Visitor Center is taking steps to work with TF Cornerstone to find ways to keep these traditions alive 
. I mean, can u imagine walking into that iconic building without those twinklin' lights & gettin' immersed in A Christmas Carol vibes? 