Residents and visitors in southeastern Pennsylvania can usher in 2026 with a range of concerts, tributes, and celebrations this weekend. From orchestral film score performances to fireworks and family-friendly festivals, the region offers options for all ages amid the holiday finale.
The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform a New Year's Eve concert on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center, led by conductor Anthony Parnther, known as “Hollywood’s go-to conductor” according to Billboard. The program features scores from films including Sunset Boulevard, Psycho, Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz, and E.T. Tickets are available at ensembleartsphilly.org.
In Reading, the Symphony Orchestra presents a James Bond music concert on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Santander Performing Arts Center, directed by Andrew Constantine and featuring vocalist Morgan James. The city collaborates with Berks Festival Inc. for fireworks at 9:30 p.m. from Mount Penn, with music broadcast on WEEU-AM 830 and streamed online.
Disney on Ice's Jump In runs from Friday through January 3 at Philadelphia's Xfinity Mobile Arena, revisiting classic and modern Disney films. The seventh annual HiJinx Music Festival spans Saturday and Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, promising high-energy shows with tickets covering both nights.
Phoenixville's Colonial Theatre hosts a Talking Heads tribute band, Start Making Sense, on Saturday at 8 p.m., alongside a Moulin Rouge-themed New Year's Eve fundraiser starting at 9 p.m., hosted by local mayor Peter for those 21 and older. Screenings include John Carpenter's 1982 The Thing on Friday at 7 p.m. and Trading Places on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Other highlights include Broadway songs at Newtown Theater on Saturday, comedy with Chris Monty on New Year's Eve, Queen and AC/DC tributes at Sellersville Theatre, and a mushroom drop in Kennett Square starting at 7 p.m. with free entry for food donations. PEEPSFEST in Bethlehem features activities and a chick drop on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, while Ephrata Cloister offers historical lantern tours exploring 1777 wartime events on select evenings.
