(PHILADELPHIA) – Saturday, November 26, 2016 –Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, City Representative Sheila Hess, sponsors and other guests will turn on thousands of multicolored LED lights of official holiday tree this evening at the Philly Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration and Dedication – the City of Philadelphia’s 23rd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration — on Dilworth Park in Center City.

Mayor Kenney shared the stage at the City Hall’s Dilworth Park with a lineup from the entertainment fields of music, dance and theater to ring in the winter holidays. The Holiday Tree Lighting, which unofficially ushers in the holiday season in Philadelphia, is free and open to the public.

“The Philly Holiday Festival is a celebration of holiday happenings that begin a brand-new tradition in Philadelphia,” said Mayor Kenney. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring more people into Center City to shop, dine and enjoy the true Philly experience, while creating more holiday activities and civic pride in our neighborhoods across the city, from Manayunk to Mantua.”
Mayor Kenney will be joined by City Representative Hess, tree-base creator David Korin, of David Korins Design, and festival sponsors. The Philly Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration will be filled with more than two hours of dazzling family-friendly holiday entertainment.

The entertainment will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Performers include: The Hill-Freedman Choir World Academy in Northwest Philadelphia (This Christmas); Bethany Miracle Dancers, of South Philadelphia; J-Hoop & The Philly Hoop Starz (hula hoop performers) from neighborhoods citywide; Philly Pops and Philly Pops Festival Brass quintet (Christmas medley of music); Anne Frank Elementary School Choir in Northeast Philadelphia; Singers Aliyah Khalyn and Paolo Lee (Some Day at Christmas); I AM PRESH local dance troupe; the city Parks & Recreation’s Young Performers Theater Camp POP-UP Choir (walking carolers) and Miss Philadelphia 2016 Holly Harrar, of Pottstown, PA. in Chester County .

At 5:15 p.m., Mayor Jim Kenney and City Representative Sheila Hess will begin a brief closing ceremony to light the tree with background music of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” The true star of the evening is a towering presence of glimmer lights — the 40-foot-tall tree decorated with mostly hand-made ornaments that will sparkle featuring more than 4,000 lights. The spectacular tree was harvested locally at Strathmeyer Forests, Inc. tree farm outside of Gettysburg (in Dover, PA.). The tree is green in many ways; its lights are 155 percent LED and the tree base changes in color and is managed by a micro-processor LED control.

At the finale of the evening, Mayor Jim Kenney, event sponsors and guests officially will turn on the lights of the holiday tree — a fresh 4,000-pound Colorado Fir harvested in Pennsylvania and adorned with LED lights with a glowing Liberty Bell tree topper to officially ring in the city’s holiday season shortly after 5:30 p.m.

The tree is set on a newly designed tree base showcasing iconic Philadelphia scenes and landmarks and more than 20 city neighborhoods that will be colorfully illuminated. David Korins Design, which designed for the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash Hamilton, developed the custom 7-foot custom fabricated steel platform-surround. Inspire, a new energy PA-based energy company, officials will power the tree using wind power and buy-carbon credits to offset any carbon emissions emitted from the tree lights. The tree lighting is part of the Philly Holiday Festival, an ongoing seven-week celebration of holiday events.

Nearby is the Wintergarden at Dilworth Park, offering a variety of exciting cold-weather activities for families, residents, visitors, office workers and students. The Rothman Institute Ice Rink, in its third season on the north side of Dilworth Park, is accompanied by the popular Rothman Institute Cabin, with a new menu by Brûlée Catering at the Dilworth Park Air Grille. Rink, cabin and grille will remain open for business until Sunday, February 26, 2017.

On the south side of the park is the Dilworth Park Wintergarden, featuring America’s Garden Capital Maze and the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market. Enter the Maze free of charge through February 26. The Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market offers more than 30 vendors displaying a variety of crafts, candles, handmade hats, gloves and many other holiday gift items. It is open every day through December 24.

Admission to the Rothman Rink is $3 for children 10 and under, $5 for adults, and skate rental is $10. Hours are Noon to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; Noon to 11:00 p.m. on Friday; 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday; and Noon to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, please email groups@rinkmanagement.com. Learn to Skate lessons are available, with five-week sessions for $99, including lessons, admission and skate rental. Sled Skating, sponsored by Magee, offers adults and children with disabilities the opportunity to reserve a sled to use on January 7 and February 4, from 9:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. For questions or to sign up for Learn to Skate, please email lessons@rinkmanagement.com, and for questions regarding Sled Skating, or to reserve a sled, please email sleds@rinkmanagement.com. For complete information and holiday hours, please check the Dilworth Park website, www.dilworthpark.org.

In the backdrop of the Philly Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration, Dilworth Park has been transformed magically into a European Christmas wonderland for the annual Christmas Village in Philadelphia now through Christmas Eve Saturday, December 24th At the Christmas Village in Philadelphia, visitors can experience an authentic German Christmas market with more than 80 vendors who set up shops in wooden booths and a large tent, offering their goods from all around the world. Be sure to find the perfect gift such as beautiful ornaments, fashionable jewelry and clothes, unique decoration items and much more.
Enjoy European foods, sweets and drinks, such as Bratwurst, Sauerkraut, Schnitzel and Lebkuchen (gingerbread) or special hot Gluehwein (mulled wine). Watch daily performances from area bands, dance groups on the Christmas Village stage. Also take in special attractions from meeting Santa to exclusive wine-tasting tours in cooperation with Chaddsford Vinery.

Visitors will find the Christmas Village accompanied by the Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market featuring more than 20 local arts and craft vendors. Don’t miss the festive Kaethe Wohlfahrt tent highlighting popular holiday gifts from Germany including glass ornaments, music boxes, nutcrackers and incense smokers. To get more information, visit http://philachristmas.com/

The holiday Tree is scheduled to be on display at Dilworth Park through the first week in January.

The City of Philadelphia holiday tree returned in recent years to the City Hall after a brief relocation elsewhere. The holiday tree Lighting celebration was held at City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza in 2009 and 2010. Due to the nearly three years of renovations at Dilworth Park (formerly Dilworth Plaza), the Holiday Tree lighting was held at LOVE Park, from 2011 to 2013. Dilworth Park reopened in September 2014 after undergoing a more than $50 Million renovation project that has completely transformed the west side of City Hall.

The Philly Holiday Festival is a partnership between the City of Philadelphia, Office of the City Representative, 6ABC, Visit Philadelphia, and Welcome America, Inc. A full calendar of events is available at visitphilly.com/holidayfest and 6abc.com. Holiday revelers also can stay up to date on social media at #PhillyHolidayFest, and tune into 6ABC, official media partner for the Holiday Festival.

Official sponsors are 6ABC (media sponsor), Welcome America Inc., Visit Philadelphia, Center City District, One Liberty Observation Deck, David Korins Design, Geno’s Steaks, Inspire Energy, Wawa, T Mobile, Century 21 Department Store, Proof Productions, Inc, Bethany Miracle Center, Kindy’s Factory Outlet, and Sautter Crane Rental.

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