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The Mummers are one of Philadelphia's most iconic holiday traditions, now represented in living color at City Hall. (Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

For a vivid taste of what to expect come New Year’s Day, Art in City Hall presents Fancy Folks: Art And Mummery, a photography exhibit of all things Mummery opening December 19 with an open-to-the-public reception from noon-2 p.m.

The exhibit will consist of 28 works chosen out of 112 entries. They will be presented in display cases along the first, second and fourth floors of City Hall, NE corner.

This exhibition will also comprise photos and artifacts from the Mummers Museum, which will be displayed in the Art Gallery at City Hall, Room 116. Get up close with classic Mummer regalia!

The best way to view the exhibition is to enter City Hall through the NE corner visitor’s entrance, which is across from the Masonic Temple and the Courtyard Marriott. The building is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

Fancy Folks: Art And Mummery
When: December 14-February 24; opening reception Monday, December 19, noon-2 p.m.
Where: City Hall
Cost: Free
More info: www.phila.gov

Bundle up the family for this annual holiday tradition. (Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC)

UPDATE: The ceremony has been postponed to Thursday, December 8 at 5 p.m.

Mayor Nutter will flick the switch at the annual City Hall Tree Lighting celebration this Wednesday, December 7 Thursday, December 8.

Since City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza is currently closed for renovations, the ceremony will take place across the street at Love Park, where the festive tree will be perfectly situated in the center of the Philadelphia Christmas Village.

Special holiday musical performances will accompany the ceremonial lighting.

Afterwards, take a stroll through the charming Christmas Village for some special holiday shopping and snacks. The European wonderland includes more than 50 international vendors selling arts, crafts and seasonal holiday gifts in quaint wooden booths and a 2,400 square foot Kathe Wohlfahrt tent selling a huge variety of special German Christmas ornaments.

When you’ve built up your appetite, head to the food tent for bratwursts, beer and other German specialties from Brahaus Schmitz, then quench your thirst with some hot German Gluhwien (mulled wine) from Chaddsford Winery. Save room for assorted European desserts.

Once the city’s official tree has been lit, we can christen this as holiday season in Philadelphia!

City Hall Tree Lighting
Where: Love Park, 16th Street & JFK Boulevard
When: Wednesday, December 7, Thursday, December 8, 5 p.m.
Cost: Free
More info: www.phila.gov

This historic marker, one of many in Philadelphia, was erected to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first Annual Reminder, a demonstration led by gay activists on July 4 from 1965-1969. (Photo by K. Ciappa for GPTMC)

For the second time in the history of Philadelphia, the rainbow flag will fly alongside the stars and stripes in honor of LGBT History Month.

Join Mayor Michael Nutter as he hosts the 2nd Annual City of Philadelphia LGBT History Month Celebration and Flag Raising Ceremony, Thursday, October 6 at 2 p.m. in front of City Hall (Northeast side).

The flag will fly from October 6 through the end of the month as a visual demonstration of the city’s partnership with LGBT community organizations. This year’s event will highlight several key organizations that are marking significant anniversaries this October: 40th Anniversary of Metropolitan Community Church, 20th Anniversary of The COLOURS Organization and the inaugural year of the Philly Trans March.

Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will sing the National Anthem and there will be hand-held rainbow flags for everyone to wave in support. This weekend also brings Outfest 2011, during which there will be Historic Marker Dedication at Giovanni’s Room, 2:30 p.m.

As with last year, the LGBT History Month Celebration aims to inspire us all through the work of strong community organizations that help give meaning to the fight for equality.

2nd Annual City of Philadelphia LGBT History Month Celebration and Flag Raising Ceremony
When: Thursday, October 6, 2-3:30 p.m.
Where: City Hall, northeast corner, facing JFK Boulevard
Cost: Free
More info: www.phillygaycalendar.com

See some of the city's greatest buildings, listen to the world's largest organ, smell the fantastic mix of food in the city's most vibrant market and feel the energy of one of Philly's most exciting neighborhoods. (Photo credits clockwise from top: Darryl Moran courtesy Franklin Institute, G. Widman for GPTMC, J. Smith for GPTMC)

True to its title, Philadelphia Urban Adventures’ new Soul of Center City walking tour encompasses all things Philadelphians love about the Center City district.

To begin with, guests congregate at the city’s physical and political center: the City Hall courtyard. Your trusty guide will lead you East toward the Wanamaker Building, where (if you’re lucky enough) you’ll hear a performance of the world’s largest pipe organ.

Guests will hit all the Philly hotspots: Reading Terminal Market, Love Park, Basilica of St. Peter and St. Paul, Franklin Institute, Avenue of the Arts, The Philly Pretzel Factory and Rittenhouse Square, to name a few.

This tour is great for recent transplants and long-time Philadelphians alike; you’ll get the chance to delve into some rare history about the city and its key locations, as well as appreciate Philadelphia’s contrasting architectural styles.

Wear comfortable shoes; this tour is only three hours, but it covers some serious ground. But do not fret — your dip in calories will be replenished with a warm, soft, perfectly-salted Philly pretzel and spoonful of unnaturally vibrant water ice. Enjoy!

The Soul of Center City Tour
Where: City Hall Courtyard, Broad and Market Streets
When: noon, held on a “join-in” basis; call ahead
Cost: $29 plus tip
More info: www.philadelphiaurbanadventures.com

'Score' features the work of 24 local artists whose works are inspired by sports and athletics.
(Photo courtesy Art in City Hall)

Philadelphians are known for their love of sports. Fittingly, the latest exhibit as part of the Art at City Hall program draws on local artists’ creative inspiration drawn from their love of athletics.

Featuring the multimedia works of 24 local artists, Score (on view through September 16) presents a compelling conversation about the general perception that sports and art exist as polar opposites.

Whether inspired by their personal experiences as sports fans, professionals involved in the business of sports, or as participants in athletics, the artists in Score come from various backgrounds, including a competitive rower turned collage artist, a sports photographer from the 80s and even a dumpster diver.

Objects on display include a sculpture made from roller blades, a recycled material collage of rowing on the Schuylkill River, and a clay “Philly Phanatic Teapot” composed entirely of Philly Phanatic heads.

Whether you’re a die-hard Philly sports fan, an art lover or both, be sure to swing by City Hall and check out this intriguing exhibit! An opening reception is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, from 5-7 p.m.

Exhibit hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

“Score” at City Hall
When: Now through September 16
Where: City Hall, 1st and 2nd Floor, NE corner display cases
Cost: Free
More info: www.phila.gov/artincityhall

Little known fact: City Hall houses a locally sourced art gallery, the latest exhibition of which is on display now. (Photo by J. Smith for GPTMC)

The Department of Alternative Affairs may sound like something from a science fiction film, but don’t expect to find men with black suits and Ray Bans skulking through the office corridors.

Instead, Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy will be bringing you an effusion of artists from local artist collectives Extra Extra, FLUXspace and Little Berlin, all based out of Kensington.

From June 24 through July 29, City Hall will change into a more colorful summer wardrobe, as the Art Gallery in Room 116 transforms into a hotbed of collaboration, inspiration and artistic education.

The Art Gallery at City Hall, or “Art In City Hall” program, launched in June 2010, dedicated to featuring work by arts and cultural organizations from the Philadelphia region. Exhibitions have ranged from off-the-wall furniture design to an exhibition of art and documentary photography inspired by City Hall’s French Second Empire architecture (part of PIFA).

Admission is free!

The Department of Alternative Affairs at City Hall
When: June 24-July 29
Where: Room 116 in City Hall, East Portal Market Street Entrance
Cost: Free
More info: www.littleberlin.org

PIFA is lighting up the Avenue of the Arts both figuratively and literally. (Image courtesy The Lighting Practice)

City Hall, the focal point of Philadelphia, is soon to become (one of) the focal points of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) as it’s transformed nightly beginning Friday, April 15 through May 19 by a special sound and lighting project officially titled Styling a Second Empire: A Light and Sound Experience.

The display, which will operate nightly from dusk to midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, will feature animated graphics, moving lights and color-changing effects that re-interpret the architectural elements on one of Philadelphia’s most attractive and historic buildings.

The gorgeous transformation joins 14 other buildings along the Avenue of the Arts as “performers” in a free, outdoor art display in honor of PIFA. The buildings will be united in a “ballet of light,” set to original music, and will enliven the skyline nightly for visitors and residents along four blocks of Broad Street, from Market to Pine. Note: as you’ve probably noticed, the 14 buildings’ light display is already existing, having been installed in December 2008, but has been redesigned for this special month-long show.

The project is created by The Lighting Practice, a Philadelphia-based lighting design firm, working with students from the University of the Arts and sound system designers from Metropolitan Acoustics, and in partnership with Center City District and PIFA.

Celebrate the 100-year history of City Hall, once at the forefront of architectural fashion with its French Second Empire style, as you celebrate PIFA.

Styling a Second Empire: A Light and Sound Experience
Where: Avenue of the Arts
When: April 15-May 19, dusk to midnight Sunday-Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday
Cost: FREE
More info: www.pifa.org

The design plans include a fountain with three-foot-high jets fed with recycled rainwater, plus brightly lit gateways to transit made of shatter-proof glass and protected by graffiti resistant film. (Images courtesy Center City District, KieranTimberlake and OLIN)

After more than two years of meetings and revisions, the Philadelphia Art Commission granted unanimous concept approval to an ambitious $50 million overhaul of Dilworth Plaza, adjacent to City Hall.

More than 185,000 people each day are within a 10-minute walk of Dilworth Plaza, including 50,000 workers in nearby office buildings. The renovations will have a major positive effect on Center City.

Click here for our initial overview of the design plans.

Previously-revealed elements include new plantings, a lawn with potential use as a concert or event space, a programmable fountain with three-foot-high jets fed with recycled rainwater, a cafe with outdoor seating and two iconic glass entrances to the underground concourse.

And even more details are now set in stone. For example, the overhauled plaza will include a public art installation on the north side; artist Janet Echelman unveiled her proposed creation, a sheet of lighted dry mist that rises from the ground in time with the movement of the subway lines beneath it.

Developers are working with C&G Partners, the graphics firm behind New York’s 9/11 site renovation, to develop a system of real-time digital transit and visitor information and to make City Hall’s attractions interactive with personal handheld devices.

Plus: the sustainable design of the plaza will help achieve many of the objectives of Greenworks Philadelphia by reducing by 38% the existing impermeable paving, adding dozens of new trees and other landscaping and reducing storm-water runoff through an irrigation system with water supplied by a rain-collecting cistern.

With the Commission’s stamp of approval, Dilworth Plaza moves one step closer to becoming a high-quality, well-managed civic space, gateway to transit, and a centerpiece that links together the primary districts of Philadelphia. Construction is to begin in September and should last about 27 months, hopefully being completed in December 2013. We can’t wait.

Additional images, below.

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To kick off his 2011 Volunteer Impact Challenge, a call-to-action designed to tap into the time, talent and generous volunteer spirit of Philadelphia citizens, Mayor Nutter will host a free event with a scavenger hunt, volunteer activities, and addresses from the Mayor and other prominent officials this Saturday, January 22nd. The event takes place at the Free Library’s Central Branch, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The festivities coincide with the launch of the brand-new Serve Philadelphia website, the sleek, user-friendly online component of the SERVEPhiladelphia program, the crux of the 2011 Challenge.

Over 100 organizations are already registered on the website. You can search based on neighborhood, service type, organization, and more.

Some opportunities we found through a quick browse include PhillyPatientRide, a program that provides free transportation through PhillyCarShare to patients who may have no other way to getting to life-saving doctor’s appointments; Wissahickon Park maintenance, from planting trees and shrubs to cleaning up trails; and leading After School Activities Partnerships chess clubs for local students.

Register for the kick-off event, and view a full schedule of the day’s activities, online. Lunch and a SERVEPhiladelphia T-shirt will be provided to everyone who registers in advance.

Check out a video about SERVEPhiladelphia below.

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Get a bird’s eye view of the parade on Broad Street from the Kimmel's balcony, open to the public. (Photo courtesy Kimmel Center)

You may still be unsure how to spend your New Year’s Eve — for some guidance, check out our top picks — but your New Year’s Day plans are certainly set.

Philadelphia’s Mummers Parade, January 1st, is a one-of-a-kind celebration in which 10,000 men and women dressed in lavish costumes twirl, sashay, pirouette and strut through the city, starting at 10 a.m. at Broad and Washington Streets in South Philadelphia, and heading north to City Hall in Center City.

Three comic clubs, two fancy division units, 17 string bands, 10 fancy brigades and eight wench brigades are expected to march. Translation: plan ahead to find a great viewing spot. And the early forecast calls for temperatures in the 50s (!!) so you won’t have to brave frostbite while you wait.

This year the viewing arrangements are facilitated by the city’s pledge to host a more family-friendly Mummers extravaganza. Expect more performance sites, and bathrooms, bleachers and food vendors at each of them.

Places to watch — six free performance zones:

• Broad and Shunk Streets
• Broad and Wolf Streets
• Broad Street and Washington Avenue
• Broad and Pine Streets — new this year!
• Broad and Sansom Streets
• 15th and Market Streets

Ticketed seats:

• City Hall judging station: Seats on bleachers at City Hall cost $19 and are available in advance at the Independence Visitor Center or Fairmount Park Welcome Center.
• Fancy Brigades shows at the Pennsylvania Convention Center: Rather than a full strut up Broad Street, the Fancy Brigades stop at Washington Avenue then head to the Convention Center for ticketed shows at noon and 5 p.m. (tickets are $17, available online).

Note: Also check out the MummersFest, today through the 30th from 4 to 9 p.m. and December 31st noon to 7 p.m. at the Convention Center, for an insider’s look at the Mummers’ year-long preparations. Tickets are $4.

Mummers Parade:

When: January 1st, 8:50 a.m. until about 7 p.m.
Where: Parade runs along Broad Street, beginning at Oregon Avenue and ending at City Hall
Cost: Free along main route; $17 for Fancy Brigade shows
More info: www.mummers.com