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City Hall as winter wonderland?

    by Jeff Shields
    Published 

City Hall as a winter wonderland? The makeshift plywood city going up in Dilworth Plaza is The Christmas Village in Philadelphia, a European-flavored open-air bazaar opening on Thanksgiving Day and continuing through Christmas Eve.

City Representative Melanie Johnson said German American Marketing, Inc. has been pushing the concept for several years. A press release advertising it promised a "light-filled extravaganza, with choir and orchestral performances, a sea of evergreen trees, and more than 50 vendors marketing their wares." Santa will also be stationed there for photos by Firefly Photography. Monday's will be "Pet night with Santa."

The organizers are paying $17,000 for use of the plaza from Nov. 17 though Dec. 24, Johnson said. "I think this will absolutely add something really great to City Hall," Johnson said. It will be open 11 a.m. through 9 p.m. daily, Johnson said, adding that City Hall's own traditional tree lighting ceremony is Dec. 3. More info at www.philachristmas.com.

-- Jeff Shields

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