Christmas Village Returning To Center City Philly On Thanksgiving

PHILADELPHIA — Center City Philadelphia will soon be in the full holiday swing, as Christmas Village in Philadelphia is set to open next weekend.

LOVE Park, City Hall's Courtyard, and North Broad sections are once again transforming into an open-air German Christmas Market.

Christmas Village returns for its 16th season with more than 120 vendors, running from Thursday Nov. 23 to Sunday, Dec. 24. However, a preview is being held Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

This year's village will have later hours after dark, through 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and through 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. With the change in time, visitors are invited to see the new European market lights being added to last year’s brand-new rustic wooden huts.

Along with these new highlights, visitors can enjoy hot chocolate, German Bratwurst and Schnitzel, Swiss raclette cheese, Belgian fries, and other European delicacies.

There will be holiday sights and sounds with decorations, live music, children's activities, plus the double-decker Christmas Village Carousel, the Ferris Wheel and the Kids Train.

And with the village comes a wide selection of high-quality international and local gifts and decorations.

For adult beverages, an assortment of handcrafted beverages, including warm Glühwein (mulled wine), a Christmas Bock brewed for the village by Brewery Techne, drinks spiked with local Boardroom Spirits, will be available. Non-alcoholic beverages such as hot chocolate and apple cider, will be available, too.

Dec. 9 and Dec. 10 will mark German American Weekend at the village, as well. Watch for tickets to go on sale for exclusive spirits tastings.

Admission is always free, while food, beverages, and shopping are pay-as-you-go.

Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The village will be closed Nov. 20, Nov. 21, and Nov. 22.

Thanksgiving Day hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while Christmas Day hours are noon to 5 p.m.