🥊 Celebrate RockyFest | Things to Do

Hello hello! It’s the last month of the year and while I’m sure you’re all ready to veg out on the couch for the chilly season, there’s truly way too much cool stuff happening around Philly to miss. (But if the couch beats your FOMO some nights, I have something for you too.)

This week’s lineup:

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at [email protected])

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If you’ve passed by the Art Museum lately, you might have noticed a certain famous artwork: a second casting of Sylvester Stallone’s famous Rocky statue is now perched on top of the PMA steps, and he’ll stay there for the rest of the month as part of the city’s first-ever RockyFest. This weekend, the celebration features date nights, bus tours, and happy hours around Philly — and, of course, a movie marathon.

But before that, make sure you check out my coworker Mike Newall’s ranking of all Rocky films. Does your list align with Mike’s? Let me know.

📺 Your next obsession: One of the most popular shows on Netflix right now was filmed in Philadelphia and stars West Philly-raised Colman Domingo. The Madness is a conspiracy thriller following a CNN pundit who’s framed for murdering a white supremacist in the Poconos and it’s Domingo’s most Philly project yet. I talked to him about making the show authentically Philly.

❤️ See your faves: The Giant Heart and the Baldwin 60000 locomotive — two of the most beloved attractions in the city — are back on display, now in a new gallery at The Franklin Institute.

🎄 Holiday watch list: ‘Tis the season for corny Christmas movies and this year there are three featuring the Kelce family, thanks to Hallmark and Lifetime. My colleague Stephanie Farr watched Christmas on Call, in which the Kelce brothers’ mom Donna Kelce makes a cameo; here’s why she thinks you’ll love it.

🎻 Classics and more: The classical holiday season is heating up already with familiar favorites like The Nutcracker and family fun like The Philadelphia Orchestra performing The Muppet Christmas Carol. Find your next classical concert with our handy guide.

🍽️ Looking back: Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan has released his annual list of the 10 best restaurants in Philadelphia, including newcomers Mawn and Pietramala. Eat your way through his picks.

🎭 Everything is like high school: A group of friends gather to pregame before their 20th high school reunion and the drama starts even before they get to the party. Still, The Comeuppance, running at the Wilma Theater, will leave you feeling hopeful (somewhat).

📅 My calendar picks this week: PHILADANCO! Our Voices, Our Choices…This is US!, PAX Unplugged, Deck the Alley 2024

Calling all book nerds and history buffs: The Philadelphia Rare Book and Print Fair is this weekend (Dec. 6-8) at the 23rd Street Armory. The armory will be taken over with incredible finds and delicate works from all over the world. Explore dozens of booksellers from across the country showcasing historic works and fascinating stories, whether you’re a curious newcomer or a budding collector. Additionally, the book fair will host several author talks and events, including a panel on The Ins and Outs of Book Collecting.

🛍️ Holiday gift shopping: Winter wonderlands, Christmas villages, and holiday markets have popped up all around the Philadelphia region with local artisans and vendors offering trinkets and craft goodies for everyone, whether you’re searching for gifts or treating yourself. Find the perfect present at one of the area’s 20 best holiday markets.

🍷 Take them out: If you’ve got family and friends coming into the city for the holidays this month, you might be searching for where to go out. You’re in luck — we rounded up 37 (!) new bars where you can bring your out-of-towners to enjoy the season. Explore all the cool spots in the city and suburbs with our guide.

🎤 Plan ahead: After Kendrick Lamar dominated the year (for so many reasons), he ended 2024 with a surprise release of the new album GNX. Now he’s planning a tour with SZA next year that will land at the Linc next summer. Don’t miss it.

🍸 Caffeinated fun: Philly’s latest drink trend is the espresso martini, where sippers can combine coffee and liquor for delicious (if occasionally crazy) nights. Here’s where you can find the best espresso martinis in the city.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca and classical music critic Peter Dobrin break down the best upcoming concerts.

🎤 Friday: A Wu-Tang Clan triple bill features Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, and GZA, a.k.a. The Genius. The trio will be celebrating the upcoming 30th anniversary of three of the best Wu-Tang solo albums: Raekwon’s Only Built for Cuban Linx (which was filled with Ghostface features), GZA’s Liquid Swords, and Return to the 36 Chambers: the Dirty Version by the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. All three came out in 1995, and Friday’s Franklin Music Hall show is one of only three dates on a mini-tour.

🎤 Also Friday: Patti LaBelle turned 80 in May. She’s been performing since she was a student at John Bartram High School in Southwest Philly in the late 1950s. Since then, her career has had many stages, from years with Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, to 1970s futuristic funk superheroes LaBelle, to her long tenure as a Queen Diva of R&B. She’s celebrating all that time well spent with the “80/65″ tour, commemorating six and half decades in show business, at Parx Casino on Friday.

🎻 Saturday: Bring the family to the Philadelphia Orchestra Children’s Holiday Spectacular. Dancers from the Rock School and boys and girls choirs join the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Tristan Rais-Sherman in this Saturday morning concert of Christmas classics — excerpts from The Nutcracker, Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time Is Here,” and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride, among others. See the show on Dec. 7 at Marian Anderson Hall.

🎻 Tuesday: Next week, experience A Soulful Christmas, also at Marian Anderson Hall. J. Donald Dumpson’s annual gospel show returns to the Kimmel, this time bringing together singers from 14 area congregations into one choir with gospel singer and songwriter Ricky Dillard. The concert is sold out, though some last-minute tickets may be available.

Read more music picks.

This week I’ve been watching the trippy murder mystery show Cross. Plus, I’m deep in holiday watch mode, from seeing Wicked and Gladiator II with the fam over the weekend (Glicked, anyone?) to enjoying terrible Christmas movies, like Lindsay Lohan’s latest, Our Little Secret, and Chad Michael Murray’s The Merry Gentlemen.

What are you watching to get into a festive mood? Let me know!

This story has been updated to reflect that the Rocky Statue atop the PMA steps is a second casting of the original.