Celebrate The Holidays On The Kimmel Cultural Campus

The Kimmel Cultural Campus celebrates the holiday season safely and with an array of offerings, designed to appeal to a range of ages and artistic tastes, alongside The Philadelphia Orchestra and the Campus' esteemed Resident Companies.

"Holiday celebrations across the world all have something in common: togetherness," said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. "As our neighbors across Philadelphia gather together safely with family and friends once again, we embrace being a 'home for the holidays' for moments of shared joy, filling our city with vibrant cultural experiences that foster a spirit of giving and inclusivity."

The seasonal celebration kicks off with the annual WMGK John DeBella Turkey Drop, taking place across the region and broadcasting live from the front of the Kimmel Center on Broad Street (November 23). Later that week, Broadway returns to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with the 6ABC Dunkin' Thanksgiving Day Parade (November 25), with performances from an array of Campus programs, including Anastasia (November 23 - 28), Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (February 22 - 27), and Philadelphia Ballet.

Returning to the stage is the annual A Philly POPS Christmas: Spectacular Sounds of the Season (December 4 - 18), led by Music Director and Principal Conductor David Charles Abell, with West End & Broadway star Scarlett Strallen and Philadelphia native & Broadway legend Hugh Panaro. Philadelphia Ballet's George Balanchine's The Nutcracker® (December 10 - 31) takes the stage at the Academy of Music, while The Philadelphia Orchestra presents several holiday-related events, featuring Holiday Organ Celebration (December 5); Family Christmas Favorites (December 18 - 25), Messiah (December 22 - 23); The Glorious Sound of Christmas® (December 16 - 21); and the annual New Year's Celebration (December 31 - January 2).

A beloved holiday favorite returns to the Campus' Merriam Theater this year in A Charlie Brown Christmas Live on Stage! (December 4). Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the whole Peanuts gang produce their own Christmas play, ultimately learning the true meaning of the season. Classically trained string instrumentalists Black Violin return with the Give Thanks Tour (December 11), featuring a performance lineup of songs focused on giving back to others and being wholeheartedly thankful, while The Hot Sardines bring yuletide classics to the Perelman Theater stage with Holiday Stomp (December 2). Beloved annual holiday celebration, A Soulful Christmas, returns to Verizon Hall (December 14), under the direction of Soulful's Creator, Artistic & Music director Dr. J. Donald Dumpson, for a joyful evening of gospel music and beloved holiday songs; more intimate this year to ensure the health and safety of participating artists, this year's special guest & honoree is Kathy Taylor, Texas-based gospel singer and Minister of Music. And fan-favorite Tuba Christmas returns (December 12), the FREE gathering featuring regional tuba, sousaphone, and euphonium players, this year taking place at Cherry Street Pier.

With something for arts lovers of all ages, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is deeply committed to the health and safety of guests, artists, and staff and proudly certified by GBAC, the gold standard for infection prevention programs. Masks are required to be worn at all times while on Campus, and proof of vaccination alongside photo ID must be provided for those over 12. Guests under 12 will be required to show a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of an event.