December 13, 2023

A holiday haunted house and a 'Star Trek' concert: Your weekend guide to things to do

Nature lovers can count birds at the Pennypack Environmental Center, while procrastinators can browse Christmas markets

By Kristin Hunt
PhillyVoice Staff

Provided image/Lincoln Mill

At the Lincoln Mill Haunted House, Santa is neither holly nor jolly.

At this point in the month, you've likely sipped eggnog, donned an ugly sweater and watched somewhere between two and 275 Christmas movies. But the holidays are a marathon, not a sprint, and this weekend is yet another leg of the race.

Keep the spirit alive by browsing one of several new holiday market pop-ups, or visit an evil elf-invested haunted house for a Christmas event with a Halloween edge. The Roddenberries will perform in a Trekkie holiday spectacular at City Winery, while the Pennypack Environmental Center will host a Christmas bird count that's less about Christmas and all about spotting avian species.

Rock like Spock at City Winery

Get the weekend started early with a Thursday show celebrating the space odyssey "Star Trek." The Roddenberries will perform parody numbers and cabaret-style comedy about the long-running TV and film franchise at a City Winery holiday special starting at 8 p.m. Members of the "sci-fi party band" will be in costume, and audience members are encouraged to don their best Quarks, too. The best outfits will earn prizes.

Have a haunted holiday

At festive bars and restaurants around town, the holidays are merry and bright. But at Lincoln Mill, the season is the stuff of nightmares. The Manayunk haunted house will offer a Christmas-themed spin on their usual show Saturday between 6 and 10 p.m. The story will once again center on fictional mill owner Viktor Kane, who was so cruel to his workers that they transformed into evil elves. Expect creepy carols and ominous boughs of holly upon entry, which costs $32.

Count birds for science

Go hunting for birds — in a friendly, non-threatening way — at the Pennypack Environmental Center on Saturday. The nature preserve will host a Philadelphia edition of the nationwide Christmas Bird Count, an annual Audubon Society event that tallies bird species across the country. Seasoned birders and amateur enthusiasts alike are welcome to count feathered friends on the center's feeders from 10 a.m. to noon. The data collected will contribute to the longest-running community science bird project in the U.S. and help Audubon keep track of populations.

Pick up last-minute (or punk rock) gifts

Still need something for your ex-step-cousin, thrice-removed? Head to one of several holiday markets in Philly for a last-minute, locally crafted present. Lovett Park in Mount Airy and the Bok Building in South Philly will each host a pop-up on Saturday, while Tattooed Mom will offer a specially curated vegan market on South Street this Sunday. Mohawked anarchists can check out 23rd Street Armory all weekend long for records, clothes and art at its punk rock flea market.

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