Ashanti To Perform At Philadelphia Tree Lighting Celebration

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia's Tree Lighting Celebration is all set for Dec. 4 and Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress Ashanti will perform at the event.

This year's tree lighting celebration will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 on the north side of City Hall, at North Broad Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

Guests and viewers are encouraged to be there by 6:45 p.m., as the tree will be lit at 7 p.m.

After the lighting, Ashanti will perform, as will the Philadelphia Girls Choir, Laurin Talese and iHeartRadio’s DJ Nico.

Through 8 p.m., guests can enjoy a variety of festive giveaways and experiences throughout the celebration, courtesy of the event's sponsors. Free activities and giveaways will be offered through the event thanks to sponsor Candy Cane Lane.

For those who cannot attend in person, the celebration will be broadcast live on 6abc at 7 p.m. and hosted by Cecily Tynan and Rick Williams. The broadcast will also feature a 6 p.m. pre-show and on-the-ground coverage by Alicia Vitarelli.

The tree will be on display from mid-November through the New Year, and during that time visitors can take a ride on the Ferris wheel or trackless train and enjoy holiday pop-ups on the north side of City Hall.

This year’s holiday tree is a Concolor/White Fir again from L.R. Stutzman & Sons, LLC, Division of Yule Tree Farms in Hornell, New York. The tree is approximately 75 years old and stands more than 50 feet tall and has a circumference of about 75 feet.

"This tree was planted by my father, Dan Stutzman Sr., around 75 years ago, so there is a bit of sadness when you see something that has been a part of three generations of tree growers leave the farm, but it’s awesome to think of the smiles it’s going to provide being seen by so many people," Dan Stutzman, Owner, L.R. Stutzman & Sons, said. "We thank the great people of Philadelphia for welcoming a tree from Stutzman Farms to be a part of their Holidays. It’s a cherished tradition and we are delighted to play our part."

A crew of four men at L.R. Stutzman & Sons spend roughly a week tying the tree from top to bottom to prepare it for cutting. It is then “fallen” by an experienced forester who is in sync with a crane operator, making it so that the tree never touches the ground and is loaded onto the flatbed truck to make its way to Philadelphia.

A refreshed custom-fabricated glimmering cityscape tree base by Proof Productions will be on display this year, featuring an acoustic soundtrack playing holiday favorite songs. The base will showcase holiday messages of “love” and “joy” translated into multiple languages presented by Language Service Associates, making this year’s holiday messages more accessible for non-English speaking visitors in the community.

The tree will be adorned with 6,000 LED pure white and color lights, 100 meteor lights, and a custom tree topper.

A livestream of the tree will available online here, courtesy of 6abc.

Guests can also test their luck and take a spin on Philadelphia Zoo’s prize wheel featuring exclusive giveaways including Philadelphia Zoo tickets to LumiNature, passes to the new 110-foot Philly Zoo Pherris Wheel, holiday snow globes, and light-up wristbands.

Families can also get creative at the Arctic Creation Station, a hands-on holiday craft area perfect for kids of all ages.

Philadelphia International Airport will host Free Photos with PHL, featuring a festive backdrop and travel-themed props highlighting new destinations for 2026 and guests can take home a festive holiday greeting card to commemorate the season.

F1 Arcade is popping up with an experience with exclusive swag, interactive fun, and race-day energy.

There will also be a free hot apple cider bar, a giant gumball machine filled with surprises from local businesses, and gift card giveaways to enjoy a complimentary Wonder meal.

Language Services Associates, the official interpretation and translation partner of the Philly Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration, will offer branded lip balm and hand warmers, along with a special raffle to win an autographed soccer ball signed by members of the 2025 MLS Philadelphia Union Soccer Club team.

Ensemble Arts Philly will invite attendees to enter to win exciting prizes, including gift certificates, branded merchandise, and tickets to "Cirque Dreams Holidaze," coming to the Miller Theater this December.

Event partners at PhillyGoes2College will be onsite encouraging and empowering students through an interactive experience to share their plans for life after high school—whether that’s college, trade school, the military, entrepreneurship, or direct entry into the workforce.

Additional festive treats include free hot chocolate courtesy of the Second Alarmers.

Learn more about the Philly Holiday Tree and events surrounding it online here.