Update:

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, the Office of Faith-Based and Interfaith Affairs, and the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement are partnering with the Kwanzaa Cooperative to host a special event on the first night of Kwanzaa, December 26, 2024. The event will take place from 5:00p.m. to 6:00 p.m at the Eagle Pavilion, located at 640 Waterworks Drive (19130).

Fairmount Park Conservancy, in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, is excited to announce the return of the iconic holiday lights along Boathouse Row. The lights will shine nightly from sunset to sunrise, typically beginning around 4:40 p.m. and lasting until about 7:20 a.m.

First introduced in 1979, the holiday lighting along Boathouse Row has become a beloved tradition. Located along the Schuylkill River, Boathouse Row features historic boathouses, many of which date back to the 19th century, and is now one of Philadelphia’s most recognizable landmarks during the holiday season.

Special Events Schedule: 

December 6 to December 23, 2024: Winter Sparkle (traveling blue & white light sequence)
December 24, 2024: Christmas Eve (red & green)
December 25, 2024: Hourly rotation between Christmas (red & green) at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m., 12 a.m., 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and 6 a.m. and Hanukkah (blue & white) at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m., 11 p.m., 1 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m., and 7 a.m.
December 26, 2024: Kwanzaa (red, dark purple [for black], and green lights) at 5:55 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m., 12 a.m., 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and 6 a.m. and Hanukkah lights at 7 p.m., 9 p.m., 11 p.m., 1 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m., and 7 a.m.
December 27 to December 30, 2024: Hourly rotation between Kwanzaa (red, dark purple [for black], and green) at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m., 10 p.m., 12 a.m., 2 a.m., 4 a.m., and 6 a.m. and Hanukkah (blue & white) at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m., 11 p.m., 1 a.m., 3 a.m., 5 a.m., and 7 a.m.
December 31, 2024: New Year’s Eve (dim white followed by brighter sparkling white light sequence at midnight)
January 1, 2025: New Year’s 2025 (sparkling white light sequence)