A holiday pop-up, Chanukah Wonderland, opened on Wednesday at the corner of 47th and Pine Streets, in the ground-floor commercial space of Garden Court Towers. The pop-up, hosted by Chabad House at Penn, is open daily (except Saturday) through Tuesday, Dec. 31., from 12-6 p.m. It is offering fun activities for the whole family, including games, crafts, giant menorah lighting daily at 5 p.m., a story time daily at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., traditional Jewish food and treats, and more (see picture).

Admission is $5 per person, $10/family.

Here’s information on holiday hours and closings at some popular local stores and supermarkets. But first, check out SEPTA’s holiday service schedule in case you’re planning some trips around the city.

SEPTA’s Holiday Service Schedule

On Christmas Eve, Metro (Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines and trolleys), buses and Regional Rail will operate on a weekday schedule. On Christmas Day, Metro and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule. Bus routes 204, 310, 311 and LUCY will not run on Christmas Day. All Regional Rail lines will run on special Christmas schedules (see more info here).

On New Year’s Eve, all metro lines and bus routes will operate on a weekday schedule. Additional trains on the Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line will operate before and after the New Year’s Eve fireworks at Penn’s Landing, with late night trains available. The New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront features two shows, one at 6 p.m. and the second at midnight, over the Delaware River.

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UPDATE: Imani Ayala has been found! (We have removed the flyer)

The family of 14-year-old Imani Ayala, who went missing last week in West Philadelphia, is asking for the community’s help to find her. Imani was last seen on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, at 9 p.m. at her residence in the Mill Creek/Mantua area. She left home and was captured on RTCC Cameras at the 52nd and Market Street SEPTA Eastbound Platform. Since then, Imani has not been seen or heard from.

Imani is 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 165 pounds. She was last seen wearing a dark grey hooded sweatshirt, black pants, and sneakers.

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Organizers of the annual West Holiday Craft Fest, scheduled for this weekend at The Rotunda on Penn’s campus, have moved the event after they say the university demanded that vendors omit some pro-Palestinian art and sign a written agreement.

Penn owns The Rotunda, the 115-year-old distinctive round building on the south side of Walnut Street near 40th. The venue hosts hundreds of events a year mostly focused on the arts.

Some 30 vendors from the Fest will move instead to the Black Hound Clay Studio at 50th and Baltimore on Dec. 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to an Instagram post Friday evening detailing the changes (see below).

The conflict began when an individual contacted Penn, West Holiday Craft Fest and management from The Rotunda objecting to politically-themed art and naming pro-Palestinian vendors in particular, according to organizers.

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The Friends of Walnut Street West Library is hosting a Huge Holiday (INFLATION FREE) Book Sale at Walnut West Library on Monday, Dec. 16, noon to 7 p.m., and Tuesday, Dec. 17, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is an annual fundraising event and its priced-to-sell policy remains: most books are still $1 and $2.

As usual, the Friends of Walnut West will use the proceeds to support programs, equipment and supplies at this library branch located at 40th and Walnut. For example, their 2022 sale funds went toward purchasing new desk chairs for the library staff, a new beanbag chair in the Teen Corner, and supplies for several children’s programs.

You can find more details about the library, including events, on the Free Library of Philadelphia website, and the Friends’ Facebook page.

If you’d like to join or volunteer with the WWL Friends, leave your name at the checkout table.

UPDATE (12/16/2024): The Streets Department are waiting for the property owners to make the necessary repairs, according to Ciani Beatty, Constituent Services Manager of the Office of Councilmember Jamie Gauthier. “Once the repairs are complete Streets will be able to repave the area. The condition of the ditch is safe with backfill and asphalt.”

UPDATE (12/12/2024): There is finally some progress. The pit has recently been filled in with asphalt. However, it hasn’t been smoothed so it’s still dangerous to use for bicyclists. See a new photo below. Thank you to Hanna and Julia (see more info below) for sending us updates on this issue.

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