"Waterfront Winterfest" is Coming to Penn's Landing

Look for it November 29th through January 5th (via)

Halloween is over, people. If you haven't swapped your 15-foot, rowhome-hangin' spiders out for Thanksgiving cornucopias and Peanut's related inflatables Christmas decorations, you're seriously slacking. Winter is nigh, so get on that. With the change in season comes the time for one of Philly's wonderful holiday institutions -- ice skating on Penn's Landing. 

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Blue Cross RiverRink, The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is taking one of your favorite holiday past times and ramping it up big time. 

Behold, Waterfront Winterfest, and it's going to be something to see.

Waterfront Winterfest will run from November 29, 2013 through January 5, 2014, 7 days a week from 11am to 1am and become the hub of Philadelphia's winter activities. While the ice skating rink will still be the centerpiece of the Penn's Landing area, the parking lot will be transformed in to a winter garden and forest offering "majestic views of the Delaware River and Ben Franklin Bridge." (Pro tip: follow the official Instagram account, @PhillyWinterFest, and you'll have your spot for holiday pictures mapped out before you get there.)

You won't need to bring a bagged lunch, either. An indoor warming tent called The Lodge will house a pop-up restaurant from Chef George Sabatino (formerly of Stateside and currently at Morgan's Pier) as well as the Art Star Holiday Market, a "completely unique retail experience" featuring shops laid out in chic'd up shipping containers. If you happened to visit the PHS Pop-Up Garden on Broad Street this summer, you have an idea of how amazing these shipping containers are going to look.

 

Topical layout of Waterfront Winterfest (via )

So yes, Waterfront Winterfest is going to be way cooler than trudging out to the King of Prussia Mall for some crowded holiday shopping and a long wait for a table at the Cheesecake Factory. Do yourself a favor and keep it local this holiday season while having fun and attempting to ice skate. If that doesn't work for you, grab some of Chef Sabatino's "Thanksgiving Leftover Hot Pockets" and caramelized pumpkin donuts. You may be sore but you'll be well fed, that much I know.

In reading the press release, the events should really put the experience over the top:

"Waterfront Winterfest will also be home to the best holiday light show in Philadelphia, featuring Klip Collective’s patented projection-mapping technology under the direction of Ricardo Rivera, a visual artist, filmmaker, and pioneer of video projection mapping. Playing every evening on the hour from 5 – 11PM, this musically synced light show will feature a festive mash-up of color, lights, hip hop beats, and dancing elves projected onto the winter garden. In addition to annual special events like Skating with Santa, a blow-out Opening Day celebration, and of course, the TWO SugarHouse Casino New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the waterfront, the entire winter festival space will have daily rotating entertainment curated by Jess Conda of Brat Productions."

Admit it, winter in Philadelphia rocks and you can't wait to bust out the cable knit sweaters, ear muffs, and Andy Williams (I see you, BEN FM).

Rendering of Waterfront Winterfest (via)