How to Make It Through November in Philly

November in Philadelphia feels quiet, thoughtful, and a little meditative. As the city breathes in the cool air and slows down, you start noticing more — faces, light, small details.
It’s the time to catch a few festival films, join a painting or ceramics workshop, see a new theatre performance, wander through a giant craft market and buy art in a friendly way, dive into the dreamlike world of surrealist artists, watch a.
Twin Peaks retrospective and remember how strangely beautiful this world can be.

How to Make It Through November in Philly

November in Philadelphia feels quiet, thoughtful, and a little meditative. As the city breathes in the cool air and slows down, you start noticing more — faces, light, small details.
It’s the time to catch a few festival films, join a painting or ceramics workshop, see a new theatre performance, wander through a giant craft market and buy art in a friendly way, dive into the dreamlike world of surrealist artists, watch a.
Twin Peaks retrospective and remember how strangely beautiful this world can be.
Theater
Nov 18 – 30 2025
Broadway musical adaptation of the classic film about time travel — spectacular and nostalgic.
Place:
Academy of Music (Ensemble Arts Philly)
240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
From Nov 18 2025 – Jan 2026
Holiday comedy about Ralphie and his dream gift — full of humor and family warmth.

Place:
Walnut Street Theatre
825 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Nov 11 – 23 2025
A modern retelling of Andersen’s fairy tale about love, loyalty, and courage.

Place:
Wilma Theater
265 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Oct 31 - Nov 23
$20 – $45
Drama about two astronaut sisters torn between ambition and connection — poetic and tense.

Place:
InterAct Theatre Company
302 S Hicks St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
Through Nov 16
Political and social drama exploring race, protest, and identity.

Place:
Azuka / Simpatico Theatre
133 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Nov 7 – 30
~$5–$15
Anton Chekhov’s timeless classic reimagined — a poignant story about love, art, and human dissatisfaction. This modern interpretation explores the fragility of dreams and the search for meaning in creative life.

Place:
Walter K. Gordon Theater
314 Linden Street Camden, NJ 08102
Nov 6 – 15
$15-$30
World Premiere by R.T. Bowersox: An elderly woman grieving her fiancé’s 50th death anniversary is confronted by a young man claiming to be his reincarnation.

Place:
TheatreXPPhiladelphia, Inc
200 W Tulpehocken St, Philadelphia, PA 19144
Nov 5 – 22
A new musical inspired by a Korean-American adoptee who returns home after her father’s death, discovering a trove of preserved memories and confronting identity and belonging.

Place:
Theatre Horizon
401 DeKalb St, Norristown, PA 19401
Nov 5-7
Solo stand-up from the Emmy-winning comedian. Sharp humor, self-irony, social satire — part of his 2025 tour.

Place:
The Met Philadelphia
858 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19130
Oct 30 – Dec 14
~$37
A poignant re-imagining of the last night of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., examining legacy, hope and mortality.

Place:
Arden Theatre Company
40 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Nov 26 – Dec 28
The March sisters navigate love, loss and dreams in this fresh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic.

Place:
Hedgerow Theatre Company
64 Rose Valley Rd, Rose Valley, PA 19063
Oct 30 – Dec 7
A bold staging of Shakespeare’s tragedy of ambition, power and guilt.

Place:
Lantern Theater Company at St. Stephen’s Theater
923 Ludlow St, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Art Shows
Nov 7 – 9
from $20
Annual craft and design show featuring around 195 artists from across the U.S. — jewelry, textiles, glass, ceramics, and mixed media.

Place:
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch St, Philadelphia
Nov 7 – Dec 14
Free
Annual fundraising show of Vox Populi members — small works, each priced $99.

Place:
Vox Populi Gallery
Nov 8 2025 – Feb 2026
$30 general / $23 students
Major centennial exhibition celebrating 100 years of Surrealism — featuring ~200 works by Dalí, Miró, and others.

Place:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Nov 2 – 23
Free
Annual exhibition featuring diverse local artists — all works priced under $300.

Place:
Philadelphia Sketch Club
Nov 14 2025 – Jan 11 2026
Adults $30, Seniors $28, Students $5 (members free)
A large exhibition exploring how the Declaration of Independence influenced global movements and its own history.

Place:
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
Oct 19 – Feb 22 2026
Adults $30, Seniors $28, Students $5 (members free)
Friday, Nov 7, 6 pm–9 pm
First Friday: AAPI Jazz Collective & PAAFF Screening
Evening event with live jazz and film screening (Phil Asian American Film Festival) during “Henri Rousseau” run.

Saturday, Nov 8, 1 pm–4 pm
Rousseau Film Series: “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou”
Curated film screening reflecting themes in the Rousseau exhibition.


Place:
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Festivals
Nov 13–14
$50
8th annual gathering of innovators and changemakers — talks, panels and networking focused on social change.

Place:
1800 Arch St (Comcast Technology Center), Philadelphia
Cinema
Nov 6–16
Film festival showcasing films by/about Asian Americans — features screenings, panels and cultural events.

Place:
Philadelphia (various venues)
Nov 14–16
Full screening of all 18 episodes of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: The Return, part of a broader Lynch retrospective with discussions and panels.

Place:
Film Society East, 125 S 2nd St
Nov 12–23
Long-running festival featuring international Jewish cinema, experimental shorts, and special events.

Place:
The Weitzman National Museum + other venues
Various dates in Nov 2025
Cult, horror, and underground cinema screenings with live Q&As and multimedia performances.

Place:
531 N 12th St, Philadelphia
Nov 14–16
Monthly series of independent, avant-garde, and international films — titles include Who Killed Teddy Bear?, Bye Bye Love, and others.

Wed Nov 5

Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989


Sun Nov 9

George Qui? (George Who?) — Members Screening


Wed Nov 12

The Said and The Unsaid


Sun Nov 16

Bye Bye Love


Wed Nov 19

Looking for an Angel


Sun Nov 30

Who Killed Teddy Bear?



Place:
Bok Auditorium, Philadelphia
Social
Every Tuesday starting Sep 30 – Jan 20
Free
Free live music and cultural activations in hotel lobbies, as part of the city’s nightlife revitalization initiative.

Place:
Hotel lobbies (e.g., Marriott Downtown, Sheraton etc.), Philadelphia
Friday, Nov 7, 2025 (7:00 PM – 9:30 PM)
around $35–$50
This is a social creative night where guests explore a theme from art history (for example: Impressionism, Frida Kahlo, or Renaissance color theory) and then create their own piece of art — usually guided by a local artist or art educator.
Participants get:
  • All art supplies provided (canvas, paints, brushes).
  • A short, engaging talk about the chosen art movement or artist.
  • Step-by-step painting session in a relaxed, party-like setting.
  • A glass of wine or cocktail (“Sip”) included in the ticket.
Essentially it’s a mix between an art workshop, a mini lecture, and a creative social event — very popular among Philly’s young creative crowd.
It usually takes place at Cherry Street Pier, a waterfront cultural hub with exhibitions, open studios, and food/drink stalls — so the atmosphere is casual, open, and community-driven.

Place:
Cherry Street Pier, Philadelphia, PA
NEW SKILLS
Nov 7 
$15 – $25
Create a small handwoven tapestry inspired by birds and sunset motifs. A beginner-friendly textile workshop.

Place:
Fabric Workshop & Museum
Nov 8, 15, 22, 29 (Every Saturday)
Hands-On Screenprinting & Studio Tours
$15 – $25
Learn silk-screen printing and take a behind-the-scenes studio tour. Great for beginners.

Place:
Fabric Workshop & Museum
Nov 16
$30 – $40
Intensive workshop on encaustic painting (wax + pigment) led by fine artist Leah Macdonald.

Place:
498 Ripka Street
Nov 14
$55
Ceramic hand-building workshop exploring organic forms and botanical motifs. All materials provided.

Place:
1724 East Passyunk Avenue
Nov
November 8–9
Weekend Workshop | Painting Metal and Glass Workshop (In-Person) with Frederic Kaplan

November 8–9
Weekend Workshop | The Figure in Clay Workshop (In-Person) with Colleen O’Donnell

November 15–16
Weekend Workshop | Water, Water, Everywhere: How to Paint Water in All Media (In-Person) with James Toogood

November 22–23
Weekend Workshop | Color Matters Workshop (Online) with Kassem Amoudi

Place:
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA)