November 15, 2026
Courtesy/American Swedish Historical Museum
Holiday shopping and traditional Lucia performances are part of the American Swedish Historical Museum's annual Lucia & Christmas Market in South Philadelphia. The event returns Dec. 5-6 with Scandinavian food, handmade gifts and children's performances.
Children dressed as gingerbread cookies and Christmas gnomes will help bring Swedish holiday traditions to life when the American Swedish Historical Museum hosts its annual Lucia & Christmas Market in South Philadelphia.
The two-day celebration will take place Dec. 5-6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum in FDR Park, combining traditional performances with Scandinavian food, handmade gifts and holiday shopping.
At the center of the event is Lucia, a Swedish tradition celebrating light during the darkest weeks of the year. Children will perform Christmas songs and dances alongside Lucia and her attendants in the museum's Grand Hall, with performances scheduled for 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day.
The outdoor market, known as a Julmarknad in Sweden, will be held in a heated tent. Shoppers can browse handmade ceramics, ornaments, jewelry, wooden crafts and other Scandinavian gifts.
They can also visit Mormor's Attic, a secondhand sale featuring gifts and decorations, or pick up baked goods from the SWEA Philadelphia bakery. The Swedish Christmas Café will serve lunch and sweets, while folk duo Last Chance will perform holiday music throughout the event.
Admission also includes access to the museum's regular galleries and two exhibitions marking its 100th anniversary: From Taste to Tech: 100 Years of Nordic Innovation & Impact and A Century in the Making: 100 Years of ASHM.
The museum has hosted Lucia celebrations since the 1930s, continuing a tradition observed in Sweden each December.
Tickets cost $10 for nonmembers, $8 for museum members and $5 for children ages 5-12. Children younger than 5 can attend free. Tickets are available online or at the entrance.
The museum is located at 1900 Pattison Ave. in FDR Park, with free parking available.
More information and tickets are available through the American Swedish Historical Museum.
Dates: Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5-6, 2026
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day
Lucia performances: 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. both days, in the Grand Hall
Location: American Swedish Historical Museum, 1900 Pattison Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19145
Admission: $10 for nonmembers, $8 for members, $5 for children ages 5-12; free for children younger than 5
Activities: Swedish Christmas market, Lucia children's performances, Scandinavian food, handmade gifts, holiday music and museum exhibitions
Parking: Free
Tickets: Available online or at the entrance
Information: American Swedish Historical Museum
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