Chestnut Hill 'Night of Lights' Set For Oct 8 Through Oct 17

CHESTNUT HILL, PHILADELPHIA — Chestnut Hill will transform into an interactive exhibition of local history and architecture next month as "Night of Lights" kicks off.

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 through Sunday, Oct. 17, Germantown Avenue between Highland Avenue and Willow Grove Avenue will host Night of Lights.

Night of Lights brings projected, archival photos highlighting the history of Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Germantown, and Springfield Township to eight storefront windows while neighboring historic buildings are illuminated with colored lights.

This year, the Night of Lights format allows visitors even more time to explore layers of neighborhood history and provides the opportunity to participate in additional in-person events while safely social distancing.

It all kicks off at 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 8 with a “Flip the Switch” gathering and ceremony at the George Woodward Co. Offices, 8031 Germantown Ave., featuring an antique car display, wine tastings from Jefferson Vineyards, and remarks from local officials who will flip the switch to commence the exhibition. In the event of inclement weather, "Flip the Switch will be held Oct. 9.

The evening will feature live storytelling, musicians, an oral history recording station, interpreters stationed at projection windows, and more special activities.

An enhanced virtual experience – accessible on-site and at home – will allow visitors to explore
community histories while offering a platform for people to tell their own stories.

Using the Chestnut Hill commercial corridor as a canvas for sharing and interpreting multiple layers of histories of Chestnut Hill, Mt. Airy, Germantown, and Springfield Townships, Night of Lights is truly a participatory, community-based event, offering visitors of all ages a free and accessible opportunity to discover the history of the area while becoming active participants in the stories being told and collected.

Projection Themes and Addresses:

• Sustainability: Energy Retrofit How-To for Your Old House (8440 Germantown Ave.)
• Repurposing Historic Buildings (8140 Germantown Ave.)
• Neighborliness by Design: The Woodward Legacy in Chestnut Hill (8042 Germantown Ave.)
• Mower General Hospital (8200 Germantown Ave., Germantown Avenue side)
• On the Street Where You Live: The Pedestrian Experience in Chestnut Hill (8200 Germantown Ave., Hartwell Avenue side)
• Philo T. Farnsworth (inventor of the television) (8341 Germantown Ave.)
• Wissahickon Postcards (8236 Germantown Ave.)
• Highlights of Historic Buildings in Springfield Township (8335 Germantown Ave.)

Additional events and activations are planned throughout the 10-day run that complement the
Conservancy’s efforts and promote the community’s local history, including a prohibition-style
speakeasy on Oct. 9; McNally’s 100th anniversary celebration featuring a 1921 themed menu, and craftspeople demonstrations highlighting masonry, woodworking, metalworking, and stained-glass on Oct. 13; a haunted tea social with a fortune-teller on Oct. 16; the burying of a time capsule to honor George Woodward Co.’s 100th anniversary on Oct. 17; and more.

See full details about Night of Lights here.

Chestnut Hill Conservancy’s Night of Lights is presented in partnership with the Chestnut Hill Business District, George Woodward Co., Bowman Properties, and Chestnut Hill Local, and is a participant of Design Philadelphia and Archives Month Philly.