Wanamaker Christmas festivities face cutbacks if fundraising goal isn’t met, organizers say

The Philadelphia Visitors Center said it will be forced to cut back on hours the Wanamaker Building will be open for the Christmas light show and Dickens Village experience unless it receives $50,000 by the end of the month.

A crowdfunding page was started in July to help keep the longstanding holiday tradition alive after the sale of the Macy's store, which closed in March. While over $300,000 has been raised, organizers said it's still short of its goal. Magnets, candles, art and special viewing experiences are being offered as incentives to entice smaller donors to contribute.

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Kathryn Ott Lovell, president and CEO of Philadelphia Visitor Center, said that since the Wanamaker Building is no longer housing a retailer, an independent effort from residents and community partners is required to cover wages for staffing and security as well as costs for installations, insurance, decorations, signage and more.

"We are fully committed to bringing these holiday attractions back for 2025, but reaching our fundraising goal is crucial to not just make them happen, but to open for a range of days and hours that people expect," Lovell said in a statement. "Falling short would mean scaling back these traditions in a significant way."

Last year, the light show began the day after Thanksgiving and ran five times per day from 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Cutbacks could significantly limit the public's access to the festivities. Officials say the final decision on hours and the ticketing process will be announced in early October.

Since 1956, the light show has been set up and managed by the Wanamaker Building's various store tenants. Macy's, which closed this year after nearly two decades in Center City, would draw tens of thousands of visitors every day to the store for the holiday attractions. The 10-minute light show is accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ playing Christmas classics, and the Dickens Village experience is a re-creation of the streets of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

The Wanamaker Building's new owners, New York-based TF Cornerstone, had plans approved this summer to transform the space into a mixed-use building with high-end retailers, luxury apartments, office spaces and rooftop lounges. It's unclear what will be required to maintain the holiday traditions beyond this year, said Elissa Hill, associate vice president with Philadelphia Visitors Center's communications firm.