November 30, 2023
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
The city will declare Sunday, Dec. 3 as Rocky Day, with an assist from Balboa himself, Sylvester Stallone.
It's been an eventful week in Philadelphia, starting with the Eagles' nail-biting overtime victory against the Bills on Sunday and continuing with the first snow – however minuscule – of the season on Tuesday. But the weekend has even more in store, as holiday revelers prepare to march to City Hall and Sylvester Stallone sweeps into town for the first Rocky Day.
The Christmas Village will kick off a new contest for a good cause through its Festival of Trees fundraiser. Over in South Philly, the Magic Gardens will resume its seasonal Friday nighttime tours. And while it may be too cold for popsicles, you might want to stop by West Philly for a few to line your freezer, as Lil Pop Shop is closing its doors for good on Saturday.
New to the Christmas Village at LOVE Park this year is the Festival of Trees, which runs through Christmas Eve. The installation features 20 Christmas trees, decorated by city businesses and institutions like Wawa, Rita's Water Ice, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Eagles. Visitors can vote for their favorite design by making a donation to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia via cash, card or Apple Pay. Donors receive a snowflake token to drop in the ballot box in front of their preferred tree, and anyone who gives more than $10 will get a bonus voucher for free hot chocolate.
On Dec. 3, 1976, "Rocky" opened in theaters across the nation, showcasing Philly landmarks like the Italian Market and Philadelphia Museum of Art through its famous training montage. Star and writer Sylvester Stallone returned to the city for five sequels — and the first two spinoff "Creed" movies — and on Sunday, he'll visit Philly once more for the first official Rocky Day. Stallone will appear at the Parkway Visitor Center by the Eakins Oval at 11 a.m. to christen a new Rocky Shop and help declare Dec. 3 as Rocky Day, via a city resolution. Show up to shop for boxing robes at the new store, or run up the museum steps like Balboa.
Now in its third year, Philly's holiday parade will once again celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Chinese New Year on Saturday night. The parade starts at 5 p.m. at Second and Market streets, continuing along Market until City Hall. Marching bands, dance groups and floats will be featured, but no word yet on whether SEPTA SpongeBob will return.
West Philly's beloved popsicle and pie shop closes for good this weekend after more than a decade in business. Lil Pop Shop announced earlier this fall that it would shutter its brick-and-mortar store at 265 S. 44th St. on Saturday, Dec. 2. Its catering business, Popalong, will continue into 2024, but if you want one more cheesecake popsicle, head to the storefront between noon and 9 p.m. (Its partner in frozen treats, Weckerly's, is open until Dec. 23.)
Starting this weekend, Philadelphia's Magic Gardens will host special evening tours every Friday through Jan. 5. The mostly outdoor gallery will be illuminated with colorful lights, allowing visitors to glimpse the many mosaics, statues and rogue bike wheels in the South Philly art space. The mosaicked basement, often closed to guests, will also be open during these nighttime tours. Tickets are available from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting at $20 for adults and $10 to $13 for kids. If it snows or rains, the tours will be canceled and all tickets will be refunded.
Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
| @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.
