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Christmas Light Show & Dickens Village at Macy’s Center City
A nostalgic family holiday experience, the Christmas Light Show at Macy’s Center City is a Philadelphia tradition that dates back more than half a century.
The free light show features classic songs and stories illuminated with thousands of lights and backed by the sounds of the massive Wanamaker Organ, one of the largest and most famous pipe organs in the world.
For 2023, the Macy’s Christmas Light Show runs:
Macy’s visitors can also enjoy the store’s famous animated holiday windows or explore the by-reservation-only animatronic fun that is Dickens Village, an immersive retelling of the Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol.
The Macy’s Christmas Light Show runs from November 24 to December 31, 2023.
Iconic experiences abound at Macy’s Center City each holiday season. For 2023, the highlights include:
Macy’s Christmas Light Show
Macy’s Center City — housed in the Wanamaker Building, a National Historic Landmark — invites visitors to enjoy the famous Christmas Light Show daily from November 24 to December 31, 2023.
Set in The Grand Court, the show features a free light show of twinkling snowflakes, dancing snowmen and more, with classic songs backed by the famed Wanamaker Organ.
— Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Dickens Village
Another Philadelphia holiday tradition, the vintage animatronic retelling of A Christmas Carol is also back for 2023.
The immersive village — which, like the Christmas Light Show, is free! — occupies the third floor of Macy’s with entry available by advance reservation only. (Scrooges welcome.)
And if that’s not enough holly jolly, guests who select the “Santa with Dickens Village” option when making a reservation can visit the big guy in his office — and even snag a photo with him.
Depending on your vision of Saint Nick, different shades of Santa make an appearance on different days, with Black Santa arriving on Thursdays & Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Saturdays & Sundays from 4 to 7 p.m.
Animated Holiday Windows
Macy’s has been wowing crowds with its elaborate holiday window displays and celebrations since the early 1870s.
The first store to feature holiday windows, Macy’s continues this joyful tradition with gorgeously decorated and illuminated windows showcasing holiday scenes. Constructed of materials including gingerbread, yarn, flannel and wood, the scenes move to the tune of your favorite holiday hits.
Enjoy the festively dressed windows — which, this holiday season, feature enchanting woodland critters — from November 15, 2023 to January 1, 2024.
Located in the heart of Center City (and near plenty of other must-see Philly holiday attractions), the Christmas Light Show is a breeze to get to on public transportation.
SEPTA has several public transit routes that’ll leave you right next to Macy’s Center City. Options include the Jefferson Station stop on the Regional Rail, the 13th Street Station stop on the Market-Frankfrod Line, the City Hall Station stop on the Broad Street Line, and countless trolley and bus routes.
Those arriving by sleigh can also find several public garages and surface lots located near Macy’s Center City offering paid parking.
For more information about the Christmas Light Show at Macy’s Center City, click the button below.
For those looking to indulge in even more seasonal fun, the Macy’s Christmas Light Show is right around the corner from several other holiday attractions in and around Center City Philadelphia.
Christmas Village in Philadelphia — Photo courtesy Christmas Village in Philadelphia
At LOVE Park and Philadelphia’s City Hall, Christmas Village in Philadelphia features a Ferris wheel, a double-decker carousel, tasty German treats and more than 120 vendors in rustic wooden cottages (with shops now open later in the evening). On sale: ornaments, accessories, handmade toys, high-quality arts and crafts, wintry apparel, and much more.
Also at City Hall, Winter at Dilworth Park offers four separate holiday attractions. Lace up and glide around the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink; stroll through the illuminated Wintergarden; shop local at the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market; or relax by the firepits and enjoy seasonal drinks in the chalet-style Rothman Orthopedics Cabin.
Winter at Dilworth Park — Photo courtesy Center City District
A short walk east, Winter in Franklin Square programming offers festive events and winter games. This year’s attractions include the Ben Franklin-inspired Electrical Spectacle Light Show, an 18-hole outdoor mini-golf course packed with iconic winter characters, and street curling.
For more holiday attractions in Greater Philadelphia, click the button below.
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?
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