🛫 Airport hacks for holiday travel

Parker Picks Police Chief

Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker will appoint Kevin Bethel as the city’s new police chief, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Bethel, 60, is the chief of school safety for the School District of Philadelphia and formerly worked as a deputy commissioner under former Philadelphia police commissioner Charles H. Ramsey. Bethel will take control of a department challenged by a staffing shortage of 1,000 officers and stubbornly high rates of violent crime. [Inquirer]

SEPTA Faces Yet Another Possible Strike

Engineers and conductors on regional rail have voted to authorize a strike if their unions can’t reach a deal with SEPTA on a contract. Meanwhile, the transit authority is still working to avert a strike by transit police officers. All of the SEPTA worker unions are demanding higher pay. [6ABC]

Dog Bar to Open in Brewerytown

The Boozy Mutt, a restaurant and bar designed for humans and their canine companions, has plans to open in December in Brewerytown. It will have amenities like an outdoor dog park, a doggie bath, and a citywide special that comes with a biscuit for Fido. To keep the peace, a “rufferee” trained in dog behavior will oversee the premises. [Billy Penn]

🥁 Thanksgiving Day Parade | Thursday | 8:30 a.m.

Unsurprisingly, Philly has the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the country, with floats, balloons, and music and dance performers. [Free, Center City]

🏃 Turkey Trot Benefit | Thursday | 9 a.m.

A Thanksgiving morning 5-mile run and 1-mile walk benefitting a Germantown non-profit that serves people in need. [$35-$45, Andorra]

🎻 Philadelphia Orchestra plays The Nightmare Before Christmas | Friday - Sunday | Times Vary

Watch Tim Burton’s classic movie as the Philadelphia Orchestra performs the film score live. [$36+, Center City]

🎄 Christmas in Kensington Market Opening | Friday | 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Shop for secondhand holiday decor and gifts at Thunderbird Salvage’s pop-up Christmas market. [Free, East Kensington]

⛸️ RiverRink Winterfest | Opens Friday | Hours Vary

A riverside skating rink opens for the winter season, along with boardwalk games and rides. [$5 for rink admission, $12 for skate rental; Old City]

💅 Barbie Dream Party | Friday | 8 p.m.

Dance to bubble-gum pop hits from the 90s to the present at this Barbie-themed party. [$15, Callowhill]

🎷 Philadelphia Undefeated Jazz Festival | Saturday | 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Listen to six hours of live music performed by Philly jazz artists. [$35, South Philly]

🎙️ Lauryn Hill & The Fugees at the Wells Fargo Center | Saturday | 7:30 p.m.

The celebrated R&B singer plays with her old band on a tour commemorating the 25th anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” [$54.50+, South Philly]

PHL Airport Hacks for the Holiday Season

Air travel during the holiday season is already stressful. On top of that, Philadelphia International Airport has a reputation for poor customer satisfaction. Earlier this year, it came in last place among similarly-sized airports in customer surveys conducted by the data analytics company J.D. Power. But is PHL really that bad? In this episode from October, the City Cast Philly team discusses the pros and cons of this and other local airports. We also share our hacks for your next trip through the terminals.