If you’re not sure what to do for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, check out some happenings below. For more events, go here. Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront

There will be not one but two New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Delaware River waterfront. The first one is scheduled for 6 p.m. (good time for kids), and the other one will be at midnight. This is a free event. Here you can find best spots where you can watch the fireworks.

New Year’s Eve Parties/Concerts

• J.S. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (38th and Chestnut), 4 – 8 p.m.

Choral Arts Philadelphia and the Bach Festival of Philadelphia, led by Artistic Director Matthew Glandorf, will offer a rare performance of J.S. Bach’s complete Christmas Oratorio BWV 248. The concert will include an extended intermission, food and drink concessions. For more information and tickets ($15-$45), click here.  Continue Reading

The 23rd annual Philadelphia Marathon activities will take place from November 18-20. The half marathon will take place on Saturday, Nov. 19 and the full marathon will be held on Sunday, Nov. 20. Here’s some important information for those who are planning to attend and those whose plans may be affected due to street closures.

Marathon Races, Activities, Cheer Zones

Here you can find information on weekend race activities, and information on the races is available here. Information for fans, including cheer zones, can be found here.

Street Closures

2016 Philadelphia Marathon Course Map (click to enlarge)

Streets will be closed in many parts of the city in connection with the marathon on the weekend of Nov. 18 – 20. Delays can be expected. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes, avoid areas along the race course, allow for extra driving time and proceed with caution during Race Weekend. Due to increased security in the Parkway area, parking and traffic regulations will be strictly enforced. Street closures will be enforced on a rolling basis as runners go by.

Some of the major areas impacted include:

• The Benjamin Franklin Parkway Friday, Nov. 18 through Sunday, Nov. 20

• Citywide along the 26.2-mile route of the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 20

• The I-676 off-ramps at 22nd Street (westbound) and 23rd Street (eastbound) will be closed on Saturday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 20 after 4 a.m. for event security preparation. Ramps at 15th/Broad may also close, if needed.  Continue Reading

SEPTA has released 1,000 new SEPTA Key cards that include the Travel Wallet feature, which means that customers can load them with cash value and pay as they go on all buses, trolleys and the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines.

These new SEPTA Key cards are available for purchase at the Sales Office and Fair Kiosks at SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market Street. SEPTA is using a soft-launch approach for the Travel Wallet to help familiarize customers with this new way of paying and to address any issues that customers experience before moving to a larger rollout.

Customers will be required to put a minimum of $10 on the card, with a maximum of $250. Those who already have SEPTA Key Cards from previous Weekly and Monthly TransPass purchases can also load money onto the Travel Wallet at the SEPTA Headquarters locations.  Continue Reading

The 2016 Presidential Election is over, and now it’s time to look more closely at how Philadelphia and, in particular, West Philadelphia residents voted.

According to unofficial citywide results, Hillary Clinton received 560,542 votes (82.18 percent of total votes) after 98.75 percent (1665 out of 1686) precincts reported their results. Donald Trump received 105,418 votes (15.46 percent).

And here are the election results in West Philadelphia (by ward). For more 2016 Election results, including results by division, visit: www.phillyelectionresults.com.

Ward 6 (Mill Creek):

Hillary Clinton – 5,865 votes (96.29 percent)

Donald Trump – 121 votes (1.99 percent)  Continue Reading

A reminder to vote posted near The Woodlands on Woodland Avenue.

In case you hadn’t heard, today is election day. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters who are in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote. Check on your voter registration status here and find your polling place here.

Other than the presidency, the seats on this year’s ballot include (from the non-partisan Committee of Seventy):

• One of PA’s two seats in the U.S. Senate

• All 18 PA seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
James Roebuck (D) is running unopposed in the 188th District and Vanessa Lowery Brown (D) is running opposed in the 190th.  Continue Reading

If you purchased a SEPTA TransPass and could not use it due to the recent SEPTA transit strike, don’t throw it away. SEPTA is offering a credit voucher for unused Weekly or Monthly TransPasses (passes not punched in the validation block) that will be good towards the purchase of another SEPTA fare product. SEPTA customers may bring the unused TransPass product to any Pass Sales location – SEPTA Sales Offices and Retail Outlets.

Requests for fare credits for unused TransPasses will be honored through January 31, 2017.

Weekly TransPass valid for travel October 31 – November 6, 2016

• $20.00 Credit Voucher
• Credit available beginning Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Weekly TransPass valid for travel November 7 – November 13, 2016

• $4.00 Credit Voucher
• Credit available beginning Monday, November 14, 2016  Continue Reading