Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Items Tagged: Holidays

May 24 2012

Philly's Festive Before, During & After The Fourth Of July

Wawa Welcome America! Festival Features The Roots, Queen Latifah, Philly Pops, A Military Concert & Fireworks Galore

When it comes to celebrating America’s birthday, nobody rocks it like Philadelphia, America’s birthplace, and 2012 will be no exception thanks to a calendar filled with festive happenings before, during and after the Fourth of July. This year’s revelry includes patriotic ceremonies; a hometown-style parade that features a salute to the U.S. military; the nation’s largest free outdoor Independence Day concert starring The Roots, Queen Latifah, Joe Jonas, Common and Daryl Hall; dazzling displays of pyrotechnics; historic storytelling; outdoor movies; and much more.

With the value-packed Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, visitors can join in America’s birthday blowout without blowing the

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Jan 25 2012

GPTMC Brings The Romance To February With 29 Nights Of Dates Promo

Part Of The With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® Campaign, Contest Features Nearly 70 Prizes, Including A Grand-Prize Vespa

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is about to make the most romantic month of the year even more romantic with its 29 Nights of Dates promotion running throughout the month of February. A component of GPTMC’s popular With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® campaign, which is heavily focused on couples this winter, the facebook.com/visitphilly sweepstakes features nearly 70 prizes, including a Vespa—all valued at more than $13,000.

Fox 29 is GPTMC’s media partner for the 29 Nights of Dates promotion and the official station of love this winter.

How It Works:
From February 1-29 (yes, it’s a leap year),

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Tagged: GPTMC, Holidays
Dec 30 2011

Fall In Love In Philadelphia: The City That Invites You "With Love"

There’s Lots To Adore, Including Hotel Packages, Spa Treatments & Restaurants

Philadelphia, aptly dubbed the City of Brotherly Love, caters to lovers looking to re-energize their relationships at cultural sites, romantic eateries, outdoor attractions and other swoon-worthy spots. Couples can make it a weekend—or longer—by booking special hotel packages, some of which are romantically themed, on visitphilly.com/hotels. One popular deal, the Philly Overnight® Hotel Package comes with two nights and free hotel parking.

Here are a few suggestions for embracing the region’s romantic side:

Cozy Cuisine:

  • Tucked in a corner brownstone a few blocks off Rittenhouse Square, Friday Saturday Sunday has long been a local favorite of amorous couples craving
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Dec 5 2011

Philadelphia Museums Up The Retail Ante For The Holidays

Shops Inside Area Museums Sell Unusual Gifts & Benefit A Good Cause

This season, savvy holiday shoppers have a creative option for finding the perfect present: They can pop by the excellent museum stores of Philadelphia and The Countryside®. Gallery-side vendors from Center City to Bucks County to the Brandywine Valley offer artisan-made jewelry and ceramics, mini modern design marvels, classic kids’ toys, humorous gifts, historic tomes, fair-trade crafts, silk scarves, signature home accessories and Philadelphia-themed treasures—and support the venues that host them. Most museums also promote great seasonal deals on annual memberships that score members free admission throughout the year—and discounts in their shops. Here, find some museums that make shopping

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Nov 30 2011

Mummers 101: The Scoop On Philly's New Year's Day Tradition

Tips For Watching 10,000 Men And Women Twirl, Sashay & Strut Up Broad Street

New Year’s Day is about celebrating, and there’s no better place to fete than at the Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade, a 112-year-old tradition in which 10,000 men and women dressed in colorfully lavish costumes dance, strut and entertain during a three-mile trek up one of the city’s main streets. An unforgettably wild ritual, the parade and subsequent performances are all family-friendly, yet exciting enough to entertain everybody. While a carnival-like atmosphere welcomes anyone who decides to stop by at the last minute, a little advance preparation guarantees a clear view. Better still, spending the night in the city ensures an early

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Tagged: Events, Holidays
Nov 2 2011

Philly's More Fun When You...Race A Goat? Indeed.

Gay Bingo, Granny Races, Graveside Runs & More Make Philly Quirky All Year Long

As if making an international name for itself in the 19th and 20th centuries with an underdog championship boxer movie character, dueling cheesesteak purveyors, the Mummers and, well, a cracked bell didn’t make Philadelphia quirky enough, it seems the 21st century will continue to propagate that fun-loving mystique with strange and wonderful annual events held every month of the year. Here’s a look at the city’s quirky side:

January:

  • Setting the standard for quirky events, the Mummers Parade kicks off every New Year with more than 15,000 men, women and children spending thousands of dollars on
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Apr 11 2011

Philly Homegrown™ Cooks Up Ideas For Easter And Passover Meals

Spring Brings A New Crop Of In-Season Ingredients

Experienced cooks and novices looking to create an Easter meal or Passover Seder can head to Philly Homegrown™’s visitphilly.com/food for information on where to buy the freshest local ingredients and recipes on how to use them. Here’s a look at what’s cooking in April on visitphilly.com/food:

For Passover, foodies will find:

  • Bakeries selling locally baked matzo
  • Restaurants offering Seder catering options
  • How Chef Michael Solomonov of acclaimed Israeli restaurant Zahav does Passover, along with his Charoset recipe using local apples and honey

For Easter, the site features:

  • A round-up of local bakeries (think South Philly legends Termini Bros.
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Tagged: Holidays, Local Food
Nov 30 2010

Give The Gift Of Philly This Holiday Season

Gift Recipients Will Swoon Over Philly-Themed Tees, Totes, Sports Gear & Stationery

Shoppers making their lists and checking them twice can give the gift of Philly this holiday season thanks to new lines offering Philadelphia-inspired goods. From retro tees and soft pretzel-adorned onsies to authentic sports gear and Liberty Bell-emblazoned chocolates, the gifts are perfect for Philly fans of all ages and persuasions. Here’s how gift givers can show some Philly love this holiday season:

  • Retrophilly.com: This newly launched online boutique pays homage to Philadelphia neighborhoods, schools, nightclubs, restaurants and more from the 1950s through 90s—think The Black Banana nightclub, St. Maria Goretti High School, Electric Factory and The Arena for
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Tagged: Holidays, Shopping
Nov 12 2010

Give Thanks For These Turkey Day Recipes

Philly Homegrown™ Cooks Up Ideas For New & Classic Thanksgiving Dinner Dishes

Experienced cooks and Turkey Day novices eager to give their Thanksgiving dinner extra yum appeal can head straight to Philly Homegrown™’s visitphilly.com/food to score recipes for all aspects of their mammoth meal, which they’re encouraged to use local ingredients to prepare. Submitted by top local chefs, the recipes—from a classically prepared turkey to a not-so-typical oyster hash—will satisfy seafood lovers, vegetarians and others partaking in the annual dining feast. Here’s a look at what’s cooking in the Now in Season section of visitphilly.com/food:

  • Appetizers: Oyster hash recipe courtesy of Mike Stollenwerk, chef/owner of Fish and Fathom Seafood House; blended
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Jun 27 2008

Travelocity's IgoUgo.com Names Philadelphia One Of "10 US Cities With Tourism Sites To See"

Blog Calls gophila.com “Undeniably Fresh”

IgoUgo travel blog, a partner of Travelocity, named Philadelphia one of  “10 US Cities with Tourism Sites to See” this month. The trip planning Web site called gophila.com, Greater Philadelphia’s official tourism Web site, “undeniably fresh” and “full of multimedia options” and went on to say, “But besides being up-to-date, informative, and easy to use … it’s just plain fun.”

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May 5 2008

Mother's Day Marks Its 100th Anniversary In 2008: Philadelphia Resident Anna Jarvis Conceived National Holiday

Philadelphia, The City Of Motherly Love, Will Honor Moms On Saturday, May 10, 2008

To mark the 100th anniversary of Mother’s Day, started by Philadelphia resident and West Virginia native Anna Jarvis to honor her mother Anna Marie, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) and the Office of the City Representative are organizing the City of Motherly Love" celebration on Saturday, May 10, 2008. The open-to-the-public event will take place at 12:00 noon at the Wanamaker Building, where the first Mother’s Day celebration took place in 1908 thanks to Philadelphia entrepreneur John Wanamaker. (Another Mother’s Day commemoration took place simultaneously in West Virginia.) The building is located at 13th and Market Streets

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Tagged: Events, GPTMC, Holidays
Jan 24 2007

Updated Takes On Chocolate Sweeten Valentine's Day In Philly

Region Serves Up Creative Ways To Indulge In All-Things Chocolate

Couples seeking to sweeten up their sweeties with chocolate this Valentine’s Day have many delectable choices in Philadelphia and The Countryside. For starters, every weekend in February, Chaddsford Winery is inviting couples to sample sweet wines paired with chocolate from nearby Eclat Chocolate. And, when it comes to wine, chocolate and love, there’s little reason not to indulge in further temptations:

Sensual Snacking:

  • With a name like Naked Chocolate Café, it’s no surprise locals are buzzing about the city’s newest confectionary shop. Already known for its frozen hot chocolate and Aztec drinking chocolate, Naked Chocolate cultivates the sensual
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Sep 6 2006

Attention Shoppers: Philly Museum Shops Offer Unique Holiday Gifts Without The Admission Price

Smart, Stylish And Unexpected: That’s What You’ll Find In Philly

Real shoppers know museums are more than repositories of cultural exhibitions: museums, they know, make for excellent retail, and Philadelphia’s museums are no exception. With its amazingly dense array of distinguished, distinctive cultural centers, the Philadelphia area offers, by extension, seriously great shopping. In Philly, holiday shoppers can find Latin American folk furniture for sale near Old Masters. In Philly, nature ornaments inspire retail stampedes just steps from a trifecta of Wyeths. And only in Philly are slimy stocking stuffers up for the grabs just a few meters from the country’s most historic collection of medical oddities.
 

  • Anatomical Stocking
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Tagged: Holidays, Shopping

Archived Releases

Jan 24 2012

29 Days In February Means 29 Nights Of Dates In Philly

Among The Lovely Prizes: Restaurant Gift Cards, Hotel Stays, Tour Tickets & A Red Hot Vespa

Romance abounds in February, and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is making it possible for couples to celebrate their love in style thanks to the month-long 29 Nights of Dates promotion. A component of GPTMC’s popular With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® campaign, which is heavily focused on couples this winter, the facebook.com/visitphilly sweepstakes features nearly 70 prizes, including a Vespa—all valued at more than $13,000.

From February 1-29 (yes, it’s a leap year), fans of facebook.com/visitphilly will have a chance to win one of 29 fun, romantic and inspired Philly dates. Fans are encouraged to check facebook.com/visitphilly each day

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Nov 3 2011

8 Days And 22 Ways To Spend Philly New Year's Week, December 26-January 2

Families, Couples, Singles, Sports Fans & Culture Vultures Can Make Memories In Philadelphia

From the day after Christmas until the day after the New Year, December 26, 2011 through January 2, 2012, there are plenty of exciting and entertaining things for families, couples, singles, sports fans, culture vultures and everyone in between to do day and night in the Philadelphia region. Check out some of the Philly New Year’s Week’s highlights below, and then head to visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com for more fun happenings:

Holiday Lights, Camera, Action:

  1. A Philadelphia tradition since 1956, the Christmas Light Show at Macy’s in Center City illuminates a large wall inside the Wanamaker building, a National Historic
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Oct 5 2011

NHL Classic, Two Fireworks Shows, Mummers And Eagles Ring In The New Year In Philly

The Three-Day Weekend Packs In Celebrations And Sports

Families, partiers and sports fans will all find fun ways to enjoy the three-day New Year’s weekend in Philadelphia, which will host two free fireworks shows on Saturday, the day-long Mummers Parade on Sunday and the Winter Classic hockey game on Monday. Here are just a few of the New Year’s highlights.

Saturday, December 31:

  • As a preview to the NHL Winter Classic (see January 2 listing), Citizens Bank Park hosts the Flyers/Rangers Alumni Game at 1:00 p.m.—a perfect way for sports fans to end 2011. Former Flyers and Rangers will step onto the ice and back in this
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Tagged: Events, Holidays
Aug 31 2011

Loved Ones Share Holiday Experiences In Philadelphia

Festivities Include Holiday Lights, House Tours, Two New Year’s Eve Fireworks Shows & Mummers

In Philadelphia and The Countryside®, families partake in old and new traditions to make happy holiday memories, many of which are free or low-cost. Parents who remember standing in awe of the Enchanted Colonial Village at Lit Brothers department store can take another peek inside the busy bakery, the bustling village store and the seven other restored scenes with their own children at the Please Touch Museum®. Or, they can start a new holiday tradition when they catch The Comcast Holiday Spectacular on the 2,000-square-foot LED screen inside the 57-story Comcast Center. On New Year’s Eve, revelers ohhh and ahhh

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Tagged: Events, Holidays, Winter
Aug 17 2011

Philadelphia Dresses Up: Where To Celebrate Halloweeen 2011

Hayrides, Soirees, Historical Frights & The Best Haunted House In The Country

Halloween fans eager to start the bewitching season early can head to Philadelphia for the famous and feared Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary, haunting even the bravest of the bunch beginning September 23, and for some costume inspiration at Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, running at The Franklin Institute now through late October. Thrill-seeking families, couples and friends continue their Halloween excursion with the hayrides, parties, festivals—and more haunted houses, of course—that transform one of the country’s most historic regions into a Halloween destination sure to scare, surprise and entertain. From devilish dance parties and peculiar

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Jun 27 2011

10 Big Events During Fourth Of July Weekend In Philly

The Long Weekend Means Concerts, Festivals, Fireworks & Fun, Fun, Fun

As the birthplace of America, Philadelphia throws a Fourth of July bash like no other city, with free festivals, concerts and fireworks, plus other fun events around the region that pack the long holiday weekend. Families can join in dozens of free activities—parade, concerts, fireworks and more—thanks to the 11-day patriotic party known as Wawa Welcome America! Plus, modern-day Americans can get to know our first president during Discover the Real George Washington: New Views from Mount Vernon at the National Constitution Center, view ancient people at The Franklin Institute’s Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, check out a Civil

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Apr 12 2011

Philly Paints The Town Red, White And Blue For Annual Fourth Of July Festivities

Wawa Welcome America! Celebrates With The Roots, Three Fireworks Shows, A Patriotic Ceremony At Independence Hall & Dozens of Free Activities

The Fourth of July is always festive in Philadelphia as Wawa Welcome America! commemorates America’s birthday with 11 days of fun, free and patriotic happenings. From June 24 through July 4, the city where American independence was established, celebrates with patriotic ceremonies, a parade, fireworks shows and the nation’s largest free outdoor Independence Day concert featuring legendary hip-hop artists The Roots, along with special guests Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael McDonald, Estelle, Sara Bareilles, DJ Jazzy Jeff and others.

With two weekends of revelry, visitors will want to stay over. One popular deal is the two-night Philly Overnight® Hotel Package,

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Tagged: Events, Holidays, Summer