UPDATE: The Holiday Craft Fest has been postponed until Sunday, Dec. 12.

West Holiday Craft Fest will return this Saturday Sunday after last year’s pandemic-related hiatus. This year, the popular arts and crafts festival will be held at a new, outdoor location in University City, since large gatherings are still limited at The Rotunda, where the fest was held in the past. The 2021 Holiday Craft Fest will be held at the LAWN and Pivot Park, located at 37th and Filbert Streets, just north of Market (see map).

VIX Emporium, the longtime organizer of the fest, has recently shared more details about the Fest, where folks are invited to shop for unique, handmade holiday gifts. Continue Reading

       One of SEPTA’s 2021 holiday buses.

Decorated SEPTA buses and “jolly trolleys” are coming to spread holiday cheer!

Folks are invited this Saturday, Dec. 11, to check out and tour the holiday buses at various West Philly locations. Here’s where and when you can find them:

40th St. Trolley Portal (40th and Baltimore Ave.)
10am – 4pm

Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)
10am – 4pm

West Winter Craft Fest (37th and Market)
10am – 4pm Continue Reading

Winter holidays are approaching fast, so here’s our little guide to where you can celebrate and buy locally-made gifts. These past two years have been very hard for small businesses, so please remember to support them this holiday season.

Also, please check out the 3rd District Holiday Shopping Guide recently released by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s Office and the West Philly Favorites campaign organized by the University City District. More information is below.

Handmade Holidays

When: Saturday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh)

Bartram’s Garden is inviting families to celebrate Handmade Holidays with them this Saturday. Some of the planned events and activities include: a local vendor marketplace, pie-making contest, winter tree ID workshop, a Faulkner demo, wreath and holiday greens sale, campfires and seasonal refreshments. Please note that Bartram’s signature wreaths were for pre-sale only and all sold out, but there will be a wreath making workshop where attendees can make their own wreath. Some holiday greens and plants (poinsettias, Christmas cactus and houseplants) will be available for sale on Saturday. Masks are required for this event. Click here for more details. Continue Reading

After a two-year break, Philadelphians are again invited to celebrate July 4th at the “Wawa Welcome America” festival, which includes a concert at the Mann Center for Performing Arts (5201 Parkside Ave) and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The concert will be held at TD Pavilion at the Mann Center, beginning at 7 p.m., and will feature Bebe Rexha, Flo Rida, and a special performance by the Philly POPS. Gates open at 4 p.m. The concert is free, but tickets are required (click here). Those who can’t make it to the concert or are not ready to mingle with crowds yet can watch it live on NBC10 and TeleXitos. Continue Reading

If you want to dispose of your Christmas tree in an environmentally friendly way, there are a few options.

The City’s Streets Department is again offering its free Christmas Tree Recycling Program. From Monday, Jan. 4 through Saturday, Jan. 16 residents can drop off their trees (free of all decorations and untied) to any of the six Sanitation Convenience Centers open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The West Philadelphia center is located at 5100 Grays Avenue.

Residents can also drop off Christmas trees on Saturdays, Jan. 9 and Jan. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at an additional 13 designated locations throughout the City. In West Philadelphia these locations are 43rd and Powelton Ave. and 54th and Woodbine Ave.  Continue Reading

In addition to the Holiday Gift Card Promotion (running through Dec. 24) and West Philly Forward Fundraising campaign where you can donate directly to local businesses and organizations, University City District has recently launched another campaign supporting West Philly businesses – West Philly Favorites.

The new campaign features a curated series of gift packs filled with handcrafted and locally produced items from small neighborhood businesses, including VIX Emporium, Renata’s Kitchen, Jezabel’s Cafe, Metropolitan Bakery, Snapdragon Flowers, and more. All proceeds from sales of West Philly Favorites packs go to participating businesses.  Continue Reading