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IT’S ELECTRIC! FRANKLIN SQUARE DEBUTS HOLIDAY LIGHT
SHOW FOR WINTER EVENINGS IN THE SQUARE
PHILADELPHIA, November 14, 2013 – Tonight, Historic Philadelphia, Inc. debuted a brand new holiday
nighttime light show in Franklin Square for the 2013 holiday season. Franklin Square’s Electrical
Spectacle: A Holiday Light Show is a new tradition for the holidays sparked by Benjamin Franklin’s
imagination and is the key to fun in Franklin Square this season. Funded by a grant from the William Penn
Foundation, the Show will bring visitors to Franklin Square throughout November and December to experience
one of Philadelphia’s most popular public spaces. Providing an original twist on typical holiday light shows,
Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle is designed specifically for the Franklin Square space, incorporating an
electric 10-foot tall kite and key, highlighting Benjamin Franklin’s famous electricity discovery in his namesake
Square, and thousands of lights programmed to winter-themed music from The Philly POPS® conducted by Peter
Nero.
Celebrations Throughout the Square and Season
Winter time fun envelops all of Franklin Square to celebrate the holiday season from November 14 – December
31, culminating in the traditional family-friendly New Year’s Eve celebration. Other additions to the season will
be holiday music playing on the Parx Liberty Carousel, warming stations in Philly Mini Golf and seasonal fare.
The centerpiece attraction will be Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle: A Holiday Light Show, the free light
show that will illuminate the Square nightly. The Square’s nighttime magic will begin at 4 pm, with the first
showing of Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle igniting at 4:30 pm. The light show will create holiday charm
in the Square on every half hour every evening (weather permitting) from November 14 – December 31, 2013
(closed Thanksgiving and Christmas). Eight shows will run each night, with the first one at 4:30 pm and final
show at 8 pm. Each night at 4:30 pm, a young guest will be chosen from the crowd to “ignite” the first show.
The two alternating seven-minute shows will each feature two of the following songs: “Sleigh Ride” and “A
Christmas Festival” by The Philly POPS® conducted by Music Director Emeritus Peter Nero and “Carol of the
Bells” remixed by Starchild Excalibur.
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Special attractions, guests, and holiday traditions including Hannukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa will be
highlighted throughout the season. Promotional partners who will provide entertainment and family activities on
various nights include African American Museum in Philadelphia, Arden Theatre Company, Brandywine
Conservancy, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Independence Seaport Museum, Lantern Theater Company,
Philadelphia History Museum, Please Touch Museum, and WHYY. For a complete schedule, visit
historicphiladelphia.org.
Take a festive train ride around the Square with the Lightning Bolt Holiday Express to enjoy the sights of the
season. Tickets are $5 adults/$4 children. The Lightning Bolt Holiday Express comes to Franklin Square on
Saturdays and Sundays, November 16 - December 29 from 4:30 - 7:30 pm. Santa Claus will be in Franklin
Square with free appearances on Friday, November 29, and Santa Saturdays, November 30 – December 21 from 4
- 7 pm. Warm up with Seasonal Fare from Philly Food Trucks with sweet and savory seasonal selections from
the Philadelphia Mobile Food Truck Association, providing a rotating variety of favorites from 4 - 8 pm daily.
B101 B Crew Holidays Fun Days will take place on various days when B101 Buzzbee and the B Crew make
appearances in the Square with music, games, and appearances by on-air personalities. B101 is the official radio
partner of Holidays in Franklin Square. Visit historicphiladelphia.org for a complete list of all special events and
activities.
Amy Needle, President and CEO of Historic Philadelphia, Inc., said, “At Historic Philadelphia, Inc., we know
that young and old from around the region have come to love Franklin Square in the summer, fall, and spring.
Thanks to the support of the William Penn Foundation, we are expanding our operation into the winter season and
hope that guests from the entire Greater Philadelphia region join us for this new holiday tradition.”
Fun Facts
Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle: A Holiday Light Show boasts over 50,000 LED lights, with thousands of
additional lights throughout the Square. The display features a sculptural kite flying high above the fountain
reenacting Benjamin Franklin’s famous electricity experiment. LED lights dance to music down a custom 250foot sculpted kite string and hundreds of feet of holiday garlands, which cover the Square. The historic Franklin
Square Fountain is incorporated into the show with programmed LEDs under water, adding a magical flair. The
displays utilize over 10 miles of copper wire, and a sound system plays over 4,000 watts of holiday music. The
show operates on the typical power available in a U.S. home and took almost two weeks to program by hand. The
programmer’s mouse traveled the equivalent of over 3 miles to set all the cues and blinks for the Spectacle.
With the brand new light show and the heated Pavilion in Franklin Square, holiday parties in the Square will be
the city’s newest hot spot for 2013. The 36-foot by 36-foot Pavilion, opened in 2012 is climate-controlled, or in
nicer weather, all of the French doors can open to take advantage of the Square’s setting. The Pavilion can be
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Franklin Square Debuts Holiday Light Show for 2013 * Page 3 of 4
rented for holiday and birthday parties, corporate events, and special events, by reaching out to
historicphiladelphia.org/franklin-square/plan-a-party/.
New Year’s Eve
The Franklin Square Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown is a family-friendly version of the famous New Year’s
Eve celebration with a dropping “square” in lieu of the famous ball. Families are invited to enjoy music and
crafts beginning at 3 pm on December 31 in Franklin Square. The event culminates with an exciting countdown
to 6 pm with the lowering of the New Year’s Eve Square from its perch high above SquareBurger. Guests have a
great view of the Penn’s Landing 6 pm fireworks from the Square. (FREE) The Square Drop, which started in
2010, has become a delightful family tradition which includes family fun and fireworks. The 2-foot by 2-foot
cube sits 30 feet above the ground atop its perch on SquareBurger and is lowered during the countdown. It
contains over 1,200 lights in the colors of the Franklin Square logo. Kids can enjoy dancing and music in the
Pavilion in Franklin Square after the fireworks, and the park will remain open until 8 pm, with the final showing
of Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle: A Holiday Light Show. (Note, there will not be a 6 pm showing of
Electrical Spectacle as the Square Drop and fireworks will happen at 6 pm. All other showings will take place as
scheduled.) New Year’s Eve in Franklin Square is sponsored by Adventure Aquarium.
SHOW DEVELOPERS AND PARTNERS
The new attraction is being produced by Historic Philadelphia, Inc., the non-profit organization that manages and
operates Franklin Square. The display was designed by Parker 3D of Scotch Plains, New Jersey. The team was
led by creative director John Carter whose holiday window designs have been seen in Lord and Taylor, Macy’s,
and Saks Fifth Avenue among others. Mr. Carter was named by the New York Times Magazine as one of 30
artists most likely to change culture for his environmental interactive sculpture. The final concept was developed
in collaboration with Parker’s 3D industrial designer Gregg Nelson and the whole Parker team.
The William Penn Foundation was one of the first supporters when Historic Philadelphia, Inc. planned to renovate
the Square in 2006 and has continued to supports its growth to build attendance and grow operations. In 2012, the
William Penn Foundation gave Historic Philadelphia a grant to create the Pavilion in Franklin Square which
doubled its birthday party and special event business. Now in 2013, the Foundation has provided a grant to create
the new Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle: A Holiday Light Show.
According to Shawn McCaney, Senior Program Officer at the William Penn Foundation, “The Foundation is
very interested in new models and approaches to activate and increase the use of existing parks and public spaces
in Philadelphia. The appeal of the Electrical Spectacle is that it helps to make Franklin Square a year-round, allseason public space for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors.”
The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, works to close the achievement gap for
low-income children, ensure a sustainable environment, foster creativity that enhances civic life, and advance
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Franklin Square Debuts Holiday Light Show for 2013 * Page 4 of 4
philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. With assets of nearly $2 billion, the Foundation distributes approximately
$80 million in grants annually. Learn more about the Foundation at www.williampennfoundation.org.
In addition to the William Penn Foundation, Franklin Square’s Holiday Celebration thanks The Philly POPS®,
B101, PECO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98, George Peltz and MJK Electrical
Corporation, VisitPhiladelphia, and Econsult Solutions.
Historic Philadelphia, Inc. holiday packages and gift packages are available. Treat the kids and kids at heart to a
Franklin Square Holiday Passport – one carousel ride, one round of Philly Mini Golf, one cup of hot chocolate,
and “Electrical Spectacles” glasses. Passes are $15 adults/$13 children. Give the gift of a full year of fun with the
2014 Franklin Square Season Pass and use the pass now through December 31 as a bonus for unlimited rides on
the Parx Liberty Carousel and rounds of Philly Mini Golf. Special holiday pricing through December 31 is $75
individuals/$250 for family of four. Visit historicphiladelphia.org or Franklin Square’s ticket office for more
information. Sponsorships for Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle are still available. Contact Historic
Philadelphia, Inc.’s development office at (215) 629-5801 ext. 217.
ABOUT FRANKLIN SQUARE AND HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA, INC.
Fun family entertainment and a beautiful park are just steps away from the Liberty Bell, in one of William Penn’s
original five squares, and the only one dedicated to fun. Award-winning Franklin Square, managed and
operated by Historic Philadelphia, Inc., is a family-friendly play place located in the heart of Historic
Philadelphia, featuring Philly Mini Golf, a renovated vintage marble fountain, playgrounds, the Parx Liberty
Carousel, and the acclaimed SquareBurger, with offerings from STARR Restaurants. After a day of experiencing
the treasures of Philadelphia’s history, putt through some of the city’s most famous icons, take a ride on
hometown racehorse heroes Afleet Alex or Smarty Jones aboard the carousel, and enjoy a rest next to the
refreshing fountain. Awarded Best of Philly® two times by Philadelphia Magazine and one of the Five Coolest
Playgrounds in the United States by Yahoo! Also named Best of Four Square 2012 for Philadelphia Entertainment
and Best of Style 2013 by Philadelphia Style for “Philly’s Best Photo Op.” The Philadelphia Inquirer recently
called Franklin Square, “One of the city’s great public spaces.”
Franklin Square is located in Historic Philadelphia at 6th & Race Streets. Franklin Square hours for
November and December are: November 14 – December 31: 10 am - 8 pm, daily (closed Thanksgiving and
Christmas). All hours are weather permitting. Convenient parking for Franklin Square is available at EZ
PARK, 9th & Race Street, just blocks from Franklin Square. Historic Philadelphia, Inc. guests enjoy an exclusive
price of just $7 for up to six hours by asking for a voucher at Franklin Square’s ticket office.
Franklin Square is an initiative of Historic Philadelphia, Inc. (HPI). HPI makes our nation’s history relevant
and real through interpretation, interaction, and education, strengthening Greater Philadelphia’s role as the
destination to experience American history. Historic Philadelphia, Inc.’s programs include the Betsy Ross
House, Once Upon A Nation storytelling and immersive walking tours, Franklin Square, and Lights of Liberty.
For more information, (215) 629-4026 or visit www.historicphiladelphia.org or buy tickets in person at the
Historic Philadelphia Center, 6th & Chestnut Streets. Follow Franklin Square at twitter.com/FranklinSqr or on
Facebook at http://on.fb.me/FranklinSquare.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: High-resolution photographs are available for media usage at:
http://tinyurl.com/HPIphoto. Email [email protected] for login information.