The Fairmount Park Conservancy invites you to celebrate the holidays and visit Fairmount Park’s magnificent historic mansions, decked for the season, aboard a FREE Holly Trolley! Hop on and off the FREE Holly Trolley and visit one, two, or all eight houses to enjoy the charming decorations and special programming. Pay-as-you-go admission to each house is $5.
Trolleys depart from Lloyd Hall, 1 Boathouse Row, and stop at:
East Fairmount Park:
Laurel Hill Mansion
Mount Pleasant
Lemon Hill
Ormiston
Historic Strawberry Mansion
Woodford Mansion
West Fairmount Park:
Cedar Grove
Shofuso
Featured Programming:
Cedar Grove: This stone farmhouse will feature sights and stories of an early American Christmas. Enjoy a Celtic fiddler, carolers and a silhouettist throughout the day.
Mount Pleasant: This elegant grand country estate will host St. Timothy’s Handbell Choir in the morning and a Night Before Christmas puppet show in the afternoon along with snacks.
Lemon Hill: Enjoy tea and cookies at Lemon Hill and beautifully decorated rooms inspired by Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in addition to a harpist, Celtic fiddler and carolers throughout the day as well as an ice carving demonstration outside. Decorated by the Huntingdon Valley and Wayne Woods Garden Clubs.
Laurel Hill: Experience the joy of chamber music and sounds of the holidays on the historic fortepiano in the parlor. Complimentary tea and gingerbread will be served by costumed guides, fiber spinning demonstrations will be available throughout the day, and gingerbread men will be available for purchase. Decorated by the Community Garden Club at Wayne.
Historic Strawberry Mansion: Get inspired by the creativity and beauty on display at Historic Strawberry Mansion, decorated with recycled materials and ornaments! Purchase fresh greens, gifts and recycled ornaments at the annual Gift and Greens Sale. Enjoy music from a harpist in the morning, and a cellist in the afternoon and get a photo with Santa starting at noon. Decorated by The Weeders, The Gardeners, and the Moorestown Garden Club.
Woodford: Learn about the lives of Woodford’s former inhabitants through historic impersonators. Also on site will be carolers, a Celtic fiddler and a blacksmith demonstration. Decorated by The Garden Club of Philadelphia and The Garden Workers.
Shofuso: Shofuso will be decorated with ancient winter symbols like traditional Japanese greens, ikebana flower arrangements, straw and paper ornaments, and a kagami mochi mirror rice cake, for Japanese New Year. Borrow warm slippers and tour the traditional-style Japanese house while sipping warm green tea and experience a Japanese New Year at Shofuso for the first time.
Call 215.320.7540 for additional information.
Snow Date: Saturday, December 13, 10 am – 4 pm