PHILADELPHIA – Today, the City of Philadelphia announced plans to celebrate Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa through public recognition and celebrations on the iconic Boathouse Row.
Beginning on Sunday, December 2, the City of Philadelphia will celebrate the holiday season by illuminating Boathouse Row in festive colors for the remainder of 2018. In the spirit of inclusiveness and to highlight the diversity of the city, the lights will celebrate Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa this year.
From December 2nd to December 9th, Boathouse Row will be white and blue in honor of Chanukah. The design of the lights will once again make the houses resemble a menorah.
For the first night of Chanukah, one house in the middle of the Row will be illuminated in white lights, representing the Shamash candle, and one house on the far right of the row will be illuminated in blue lights, representing the first candle, while the rest of the houses will be dark. Each successive evening at sundown one more house on Boathouse Row (representing that night’s candle) will turn blue, working from right to left in the Jewish tradition. By the eighth and final night of Chanukah, all nine buildings representing the menorah will be lit.
The City will host an event with the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia on Monday, December 3, at the Fairmount Fish Ladder on Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Drive at 6 pm. The festive program will feature songs and light refreshments, culminating in the illumination of the lights on Boathouse Row. Learn more about the Chanukah on Boathouse Row event.
From December 21st until December 25th, Boathouse Row will be red, green, silver and gold in honor of the Christmas holiday. At the top of every hour after 6:00 pm, the lights will be programmed to display a 5-minute light show which will be visible from various vantage points including the Fairmount Water Works, the Fish Ladder on MLK Drive and the Spring Garden Street Bridge.
From December 26th until January 1st, Boathouse Row will be lit red, green and black in honor of the Kwanzaa holiday. The design of the lights will turn the houses into a kinara, the seven candles used in celebrating the festival of Kwanzaa. For the first day of Kwanzaa, one house in the middle of the row will be illuminated in yellow lights only on the roof, representing the middle black candle and its flame, while the rest of the houses will be dark. Each successive evening one more house on Boathouse Row (representing that night’s candle) will be lit beginning with red on the left and ending with green on the right. By the seventh and final day of Kwanzaa, all seven buildings representing the kinara will be lit to reflect the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa.
Kwanzaa is a non-religious, cultural African American and Pan-African holiday, celebrated worldwide by people of African descent. The holiday focuses on the cultural, ethical, and spiritual visions and values of African culture.
For the second time, the City will join the Kwanzaa Cooperative to host an event on the first night of Kwanzaa, Wednesday, December 26th, to celebrate the Boathouse Row lights being lit to honor the holiday. This event will also be held at the Fairmount Fish Ladder on MLK Drive at 5:30 pm. The festive program will feature speakers and entertainment, culminating in the illumination of the lights on Boathouse Row.
All events are free and will be open to the public. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Office of the City Representative, and the Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement are joining together to produce these celebrations.