Holidays in the Park: Winter around the World

Fairmount Park Conservancy is excited to welcome the public to Lemon Hill Mansion in East Fairmount Park for multiple fun-filled days this holiday season. Experience how different countries and cultures celebrate the winter season with a continuation of our “Winter around the World” theme.

On the first weekend, we will showcase the seasonal and holiday traditions of the Caribbean (Saturday, December 7) and Japan (Sunday, December 8) in partnership with the Caribbean Community in Philadelphia and the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia. Each date will feature creatively decorated spaces, musical performances, mini-workshops, and food vendors – all catered toward the country/region being celebrated that day.

On December 14, we will host a Family Free Day in partnership with the Vendors Association of FDR Park. The popular Southeast Asian Market will come to Lemon Hill for this one-day event, complete with a visit from Santa Claus (10:00 AM-12:00 PM) and cooking demos throughout the day to celebrate the region’s food and culture.

Fairmount Park Conservancy and Lemon Hill Mansion are partnering with Ormiston Mansion, Laurel Hill Mansion, Woodford Mansion, and Historic Strawberry Mansion to present the 2024 Holidays in the Park. For more detailed info on all of the holiday house tours, please visit parkcharms.org.

2024 SCHEDULE: 

Saturday, December 7 from 10:00 am–4:00 pm: In partnership with the Caribbean Community in Philadelphia ($5 per person, free for 12 and under)

Celebrate Caribbean culture and holiday traditions with musical performances, food samples, creatively decorated spaces, and more.

• 11:00-11:30 AM: Haitian kite making (a Christmas tradition) with artist Frito Bastien
• 12:00-3:00 PM (with set breaks): Trinidad North Steel Drum Co
• 10:00 AM-4:00 PM: Free Caribbean food and drink samples
• 10:00 AM-4:00 PM: Cosmic Cafe + Ciderhouse serving food and drink

Sunday, December 8 from 10:00 am–4:00 pm: In partnership with the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia ($5 per person, free for 12 and under)

Celebrate Japanese culture and holiday traditions with musical performances, food vendors, activity tables, creatively decorated spaces, and more. There will be origami making throughout the day and kadomatsu workshops, led by instructor Tamiko, on the hour, starting at 11:00 AM. (Workshop space is limited and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.) A full schedule of performances will be announced soon.

Saturday, December 14 from 10:00 AM–4:00 PM: In partnership with the Vendors Association of FDR Park (FREE)

Join us for a special Family Free Day at Lemon Hill. Take a picture with Santa (10:00 AM-12:00 PM) and celebrate the food and culture of Southeast Asia by visiting the popular Southeast Asian Market. There will also be several cooking demos throughout the day.

ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY IN PHILADELPHIA: Caribbean Community in Philadelphia (CCP) is a grassroots non-profit organization, fiscally managed by CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia. It was initially established in 2013 by founding president and strategic project director, Miranda Alexander, through our online social media platform. This organization is dedicated to building a well-represented image of the Caribbean Diaspora People and providing a safe space to interface and explore rich Caribbean cultural identity and heritage. We help to reframe our multi-cultural and multi-linguistic identity narrative through an 8-part programming initiative focused on: arts and culture, sports, health, education, seniors, immigration, business, climate change, and natural disaster support. Our diverse, transformative, and collaborative community-based organization is driven by progressive ideas, bold actions, and a strong foundation of connected organizational grassroots support.

ABOUT THE JAPAN AMERICA SOCIETY OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA: The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP) is a private nonprofit organization that has inspired mutual curiosity, understanding, and collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia for more than 30 years through art, business, and culture. We operate: Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center hosting over 40,000 visitors annually; produce the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival with over 30,000 attendees; present a US-Japan Business and Public Policy Series; and provide Japanese arts, business, and cultural educational programming for all ages.

ABOUT THE VENDORS ASSOCIATION OF FDR PARK + THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARKET: The Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park is a partnership of the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, Vendors’ Association of FDR Park, and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s FDR Park. The Southeast Asian Market in FDR Park is a community of refugees and immigrant members who have called FDR Park their home since the 1980’s. For 35+ years they have cultivated an open community space all their own, providing a cultural hub for social gatherings, sharing of ethnic cuisines, and business opportunities through vending. This unique market is a vending community that has blossomed from the original Lao and Khmer sellers, expanding to Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian vendors — each a part of the Southeast Asian refugee and immigrant narrative of Philadelphia, all finding a haven in FDR Park. Shoppers can enjoy many native cuisine dishes, culturally specific produce, plants, clothing, and jewelry, as well as services provided by entrepreneurs speaking multiple languages.

TICKET PRICES:

• December 7 and 8: $5 per person (children 12 and under free)
• December 14: FREE for all

IMPORTANT TICKET NOTES: Tickets are not timed for December 7 and 8 (come anytime between 10 AM–4 PM, capacity permitting). On December 14 though, in order to allow us to manage capacity better, there will be morning and afternoon tickets. You can come anytime within your timeframe though and are not required to leave by the end time.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

• Please see important ticketing notes above.
• Lemon Hill Mansion has public restrooms.
• Lemon Hill Mansion has a staircase entrance that is not ADA accessible.
• Tickets are not timed. Come anytime between 10 AM–4 PM, capacity permitting.
• If you cannot attend Lemon Hill Mansion on the date/time of purchase, you can exchange your tickets for another date/time (capacity permitting) by emailing [email protected].
• If you’re planning to visit other historic houses in East Fairmount Park, please check their opening dates parkcharms.org as they vary by each house (all hours are 10 AM–4 PM).
• All of the houses charge a $5 admission fee, which can be purchased through each house’s website or at the door (there is no ‘all house pass’). Tickets purchased on this platform are valid at Lemon Hill Mansion ONLY.
• There is no bus transportation this year. The Historic Houses of East Fairmount Park are conveniently located within a short drive of each other or by SEPTA’s Route 32 bus.

PARKING/GETTING THERE: There is plenty of parking in the lot behind Lemon Hill Mansion and also along Lemon Hill Drive. As always, never leave valuables in your car! If traveling by public transit, the nearest stations are at 31st and Girard Ave and Art Museum Drive (both are roughly a 1/2 mile walk away). The nearest Indego bike station is at 31st and Girard (roughly a 1/2 mile away).

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY: These are rain or shine events. In the case of really inclement weather making travel dangerous, we will notify participants via email with any event updates.

QUESTIONS?: Feel free to reach out to [email protected].