Your Guide to Philly in December 2023

December can be overwhelming – so many gifts to buy, friends to see, and festive events to enjoy! The City Cast Philly team has curated this list of some of our favorite things to do this month to help you make the most of the holiday season, or just beat the winter blues.

Things To Do

• ⛸️ Go ice-skating at the IBX RiverRink Winterfest or Dilworth Park. Open through February.
• 🌳 Learn to ID trees on a winter walk with the Philadelphia Mycology Club. 12/9 @ 1:00 p.m.
• 🎞️ Watch “Naughty and Nice” movies at the Philadelphia Film Society. Running 12/1-12/17.
• 🧖 Relax at Island Spa in Edison, NJ. For $45/weekday or $55/weekend day, you can steam and soak away your winter blues. Open year-round.
• 🎤 Check out the MISSION Story Slam at National Mechanics in Old City. (City Cast Philly host Trenae Nuri will be performing!) 12/5 at 6 p.m.

Grab a Bite or a Drink At ...

• Tinsel for holiday cocktails and Xmas decor on steroids.
• Enswell for coffee during the day, or oysters and bone marrow at night.
• Wm. Mulherin’s Sons to have a pizza date night next to a roaring fire.
• Prince Tea House for tea and a slice of green tea crepe cake.
• Spice C for soup and hand-drawn noodles. Our rec: get the fish soup with spicy broth!!

Holiday Shopping for Locally-Made Goods

🧶 West Craft Fest

This West Philly craft fair runs from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. on 12/9 and 12/10 at the Rotunda at 40th and Walnut Streets. Each day features different vendors, so plan your visit accordingly!

🎁 HANDMADE x El Mercado Cultural

South Philly’s Fleisher Art Memorial hosts this art show and craft fair on 12/9. The event will feature members of Fleisher’s El Mercado Cultural program among the vendors.

Happy December! Let us know if you end up checking out any of these recs, or have some of your own. ❄️