Sesame Place Celebrating All Holidays With 'A Very Furry Christmas'

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, PA —Sesame Place is ready for the holidays.

The amusement park kicks off its "A Very Furry Christmas" Friday with a celebration of all-new holiday experiences devoted to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve and Day.

Sesame Place Philadelphia will transform into a sparkling Christmas wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, family-friendly attractions, and holly jolly fun, including seasonal special events, tasty treats, and unique photo opportunities with Sesame Street friends in their holiday best.

This year’s celebration begins Friday with a special Season Pass Member-only preview.

On Saturday, Sesame Place Philadelphia will officially welcome Santa Claus at Santa’s Grand Illumination, in which Santa himself will illuminate the park in a dazzling display to kick off the holiday season.

New this year, guests will be able to have one-on-one interactions with Santa in two different ways:

• Guests can meet Santa Claus at Santa’s Christmas Dine, a fun-filled holiday feast featuring photo opportunities with Santa and Sesame Street friends on select dates through Friday, December 29. Reservations are required for Santa’s Christmas Dine.
• Santa Claus will also welcome guests at Santa’s Furry Workshop. This magical, must-do Christmas Meet & Greet will receive an innovative upgrade to its queue, providing more fun and more comfort for guests as they prepare to meet Santa. The queue will wind through three themed sections with fun interactive elements, activities for families, Christmas card-worthy photo opportunities, and food and beverage options.

“We’re proud to create this quintessential holiday experience for our guests,” said PJ Schweizer, events and production manager at Sesame Place Philadelphia. “Santa’s Furry Workshop is one of our most popular Christmas attractions. Our new queue will keep families engaged, and we are excited to see guests’ reactions to the magical, immersive enhancements we have planned this year.”

This year, guests can also gather in Sesame Studio Theater for a festive Christmas Storytime, followed by a Meet & Greet with a surprise furry friend!

During "A Very Furry Christmas," Sesame Place Philadelphia will also celebrate special holiday events with new and exciting entertainment offerings.

• Guests can celebrate the Festival of Lights with a Hanukkah Celebration on Dec. 8 through 10. In addition to a Hanukkah sing-along and Menorah Lighting Ceremony, guests can enjoy an all-new Hanukkah Storytime and Hanukkah activity station.
• Only on Dec. 24, guests can gather on Sesame Neighborhood for Santa’s ‘Twas the Night Celebration, a spirited Christmas Eve send-off for Santa Claus on the night of his Big Ride.
• Each night of Kwanzaa, Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, guests are invited to join their favorite furry friends for a Kwanzaa Celebration, including a Kinara Lighting Ceremony and an-all new African Dance Group Performance.
• Sesame Place Philadelphia will ring in 2024 with its dazzling “C…is for Celebrate!” New Year’s Eve Fireworks on Sunday, December 31. For the first time, The Count’s Countdown to New Year’s Celebration Dine with Elmo & Friends experience will be available from Dec. 30 through Jan. 7.

In addition to these new experiences, guests can anticipate the return of fan-favorite holiday fun.

Highlights of "A Very Furry Christmas" include Meet & Greets at Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland, shopping at the Merry Marketplace, and delectable delights at Cookies and Cocoa with Cookie Monster. Guests can also jingle bell rock along to their favorite heartwarming holiday shows, including Elmo’s Christmas Wish, A Very Merry Sesame Street Sing-Along, the Furry Friends Christmas Dance Party, 1-2-3 Christmas Tree Light Show, and the Sesame Street Christmas Parade.

The Sesame Place Store, the largest Sesame Street-themed shop in the world, is now open daily, just in time to find perfect holiday presents, including ornaments, cozy winter wear and themed Spirit Jerseys, Loungefly bags, and holiday mementos from the popular Nutcracker and Gingerbread collections.

Season Pass Members will receive special rewards throughout A Very Furry Christmas, including an exclusive viewing area for Santa’s Grand Illumination.