Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row Lights Up with Holiday Shows

Philadelphia's Boathouse Row is lighting up for the holiday season. Now through Monday, Dec. 23, you can catch the dazzling holiday light display of the historic homes that line the Schuylkill River west of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. All shows run from sunrise to sunset, beginning at approximately 4:40 p.m. and ending at 7:20 a.m.  Check the following schedule for information to catch specific color patterns and sequences: Through Dec. 23: Winter Sparkle features a traveling blue-and-white sequence. Christmas Eve, Dec. 24: Lights will glow red and green. Christmas Day, Dec. 25: An hourly rotation will alternate between red and green for Christmas (every other hour beginning at 4 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on Dec. 26) and blue and white for Hanukkah (alternating hours starting at 5 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m. on Dec. 26). Dec. 26 through Dec. 30: An hourly rotation will alternate between red, dark purple, and green for Kwanzaa (every other hour beginning at 4 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on the following day) and blue and white for Hanukkah (alternating hours starting at 5 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m. on the following day). New Year's Eve, Dec. 31: Dim white lights will be followed by a dazzling bright white light sequence at midnight. New Year's Day, Jan. 1: A sparkling white light sequence will bring the holiday season to a close. The Boathouse Row holiday lights have been a treasured Philadelphia holiday tradition since 1979 and once appeared on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. According to a report by CW PHL17, the lights on the historic buildings were converted to LEDs in 2005, with a complete transformation of the displays occurring in March 2024.