Fishtown Weekly
Welcome to the Fishtown Weekly Newsletter!
This week, we're bringing you the latest news and events from the Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. From the Fishtown Freeze and Winter Wonderland Festival to the opening of Carbon Copy, Philadelphia's first combined winery and brewery, to the Fishtown Pickle Project's Feast of the Seven Pickles, there's something for everyone in Fishtown. Plus, don't miss out on the special holiday events and discounts at local businesses.
Stay up to date with the Fishtown Weekly Newsletter and get the scoop on all the best things to do in Fishtown!
Events
Icy weekend at Fishtown Freeze and Winter Wonderland Festival
Fishtown hosted the Fishtown Freeze and Winter Wonderland Festival this past weekend, featuring live sculpture carvings and a holiday shopping spree with discounts at local stores.
Shop Small in Philadelphia Neighborhoods
Fishtown is home to many small businesses, including Cake Life, Jinxed Fishtown, and Minnow Lane. On December 10, the Fishtown Business Improvement District hosted its fourth annual Fishtown Freeze, bringing together families and businesses for winter fun. Support these small businesses by shopping local and attending events like the Fishtown Freeze.
Carbon Copy brewery-winery to open this weekend in West Philadelphia
Carbon Copy, Philadelphia's first combined winery and brewery, opened its doors in West Philadelphia in December 2020. The brewpub offers house-made beer, wine, wood-fired pizza and shareable small bites. It took over the space formerly home to Dock Street Brewery West, and opened a new location on Washington Avenue in Point Breeze in 2019, with a Fishtown location on Front Street planned for early 2023.
Lessons from Qatar: How Philly is already planning for the 2026 World Cup
Philadelphia Soccer 2026 host city officer/executive Meg Kane recently returned from a whirlwind tour of Doha, Qatar, as part of FIFA's observer program. Kane observed tournament essentials like branding, transportation, and other infrastructure elements. She noted the accessibility of transportation, the affordability of Uber rides, and the omnipresent World Cup branding. Kane looks forward to FIFA's rollout of the 2026 brand story and hopes to bring the world to Philly's story, including live shots at John's Roast Pork on Snyder, Fishtown, Bartram's Garden, and the Italian Market. Kane is confident Philly will deliver on ease of transport and wants everyone to feel invited to the party.
Macy's at 13th and Market's legendary Dickens Christmas Village, plus the light show with live organ music and Julie Andrews' narration, and Evil Genius' "Twas an Evil Christmas" gathering in Fishtown with a 20-foot Christmas tree, make the season bright.
WP Gallery in Rittenhouse is hosting a 30th anniversary exhibition of stikman figures, the work of a Philly-based artist who has managed to stay anonymous. The show features a variety of mediums, from wire with random objects to spray paint on canvas, and includes a silent auction of a “peace and love” edition steel multiple. The artist has done formal exhibitions before, including a 2015 show in the former Fishtown gallery LMNL. The show runs through Jan. 25.
This Is The Perfect Gift For Die-Hard Philadelphia Flyer's Fans
Fishtown is the perfect place to find the perfect gift for the Flyers fan in your life this holiday season. The Flyers are offering Santa Sacks with two upper-level tickets to a game, a signed puck, a Gritty ornament, and two lower-level tickets to Wings Lacrosse. Get your package today and make this holiday season one to remember!
It’s peak pop-up dining season in Philly. Here are two highlights.
Musi BYOB's back-of-house team is serving up a snack-y selection of dishes at ITV on East Passyunk Avenue through the end of the month. Meanwhile, in Pennsport, chef Ange Branca is taking over the kitchen at Cake & Joe for 12 nights to serve up a beefy spin on the Feast of the Seven Fishes. In Fishtown, Feast of the Seven Pickles is a collaboration dinner between Fishtown Pickle Project and Paffuto Philly.
Fishtown's annual holiday celebration is back! On December 13, 2022, join the Fishtown community for a festive evening of music, food, and fun. Enjoy live music from local bands, sample delicious food from local vendors, and take part in holiday activities like caroling and tree lighting. Don't miss out on this special event!
BSH Weekly Power Rankings: the top five and bottom five of the week
The Flyers' power play went 3-for-6 this week, and the injured reserve list is full of players from both the Flyers and the Avalanche. Laughton had 3 points, and the Phillies signed shortstop Didi Gregorius for 11 years, $300 million. Streaming services are full of NYC/LA-based holiday rom-coms, and Jake Voráček is out for the foreseeable future. Sami Ristolainen is still without a point, and the Flyers are averaging 1,672 less fans per game than the last pre-COVID NHL season. Fishtown's own James Holzhauer won 21 Jeopardy! games and $748,286 before finally taking an L.
Food
The 13 Best Happy Hours In Philadelphia To Grab A Drink
Fette Sau in Fishtown offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. with discounts on drinks and snacks. Enjoy a pint of draft beer for $5, Old Fashioneds for $8, and a burnt ends sandwich plus spicy slaw for a discounted price.
La Colombe's new winter pastry selection includes gingerbread scones, peppermint mocha cookies
La Colombe Coffee Roasters' Fishtown cafe is offering a Winter Seasonal Pastry Menu, featuring Gingerbread Scones, Peppermint Mocha Cookies, Carrot Cake Muffins and Strawberry French Crullers. Head Baker Sydney Dempsey has crafted the menu, available through February. Visit the cafe at 1335 Frankford Avenue.
Kismet Bagels opening 2nd brick-and-mortar location
Kismet Bagels, which opened its first brick-and-mortar in Fishtown, Philadelphia in 2020, has added a second location in Rittenhouse. The takeout-only shop serves coffee, bagel sandwiches, loose bagels, schmears and spices.
Where to eat the Feast of the Seven Fishes in Philly this Christmas season
On Dec. 13, 2022, the Fishtown Pickle Project will be hosting its annual Feast of the Seven Pickles, a unique spin on the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes. The four-course meal features Italian-inspired dishes prominently featuring pickles, and is held at Mural City Cellars. Reservations are available now.
Where to Get Afternoon Tea Around Philadelphia
For a Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired afternoon tea experience, head to Fishtown's The Dutch Eating Place & General Store. Enjoy scones, tea sandwiches, and house-made venison scrapple, shoofly cake, and snickerdoodles, plus a selection of teas from Oma Herbal Teas. Afternoon tea is $35 per person.
Tired Hands Brewing Expands Footprint, Hops Over to Kennett Square
Tired Hands Brewing, founded in a garage a decade ago, has expanded its presence with its fourth location in Kennett Square. The Ardmore-based brewery, known for its French and Belgium-inspired hopped beverages, also operates BrewCafe and Fermentaria in Ardmore, and St. Oner's in Fishtown.
Where to Find the Coolest Urban Wineries in the U.S.
Mural City Cellars is a Philadelphia-based urban winery located in the Kensington neighborhood. They source their grapes from small growers within 300 miles of the city, and offer a range of wines, including a lightly effervescent Riesling pét-nat, a skin-contact Vidal Blanc, barrel-fermented Chardonnay, and single-vineyard Merlot. Bottles feature labels designed by Philadelphia artists, and the wines are available to purchase online, in the tasting room, and in Mural City Cellars' community-focused wine garden in the Fishtown neighborhood.
Other
20 Sustainable Shops and Services in Philadelphia
Fishtown's Modest Transitions is a sustainable boutique and B-Corp that crafts graphic tees, organza trench coats and leisurewear from deadstock fabrics and upcycled secondhand pieces. It is a fair chance employer and advocates for prison reform. Visit their Bella Vista showroom at 700 S. 6th Street.
Real Estate
Income in Fishtown's 19125 zip code rose more than 80% over the past decade, per U.S. Census data.
The 5 Best Family-Friendly Neighborhoods In Philadelphia
Fishtown is a hipster paradise located in Philadelphia, known for its industrial warehouses converted into indie shops and businesses. It's a great place for young families to raise kids, with access to gastropubs, indie music, and huge industrial building art murals. Fishtown is also home to a small-town feel with a population of under 26,000 and plenty of culture and education.
Philly’s Festival Pier to be transformed into massive mixed-use development
Construction is underway at Riverview, a mixed-use development in Fishtown, Philadelphia. The project includes almost 500 apartment homes and a Sprouts Supermarket, as well as a 10-acre park with public access. The development was delayed for seven years due to issues with preserving the Atlantic sturgeon, a fish that once swam up the Delaware River to spawn. The EPA recently called for improved water quality in the Delaware Estuary to protect the sturgeon.
Philly Construction Was Building Steam, But Frozen Capital Could Put That On Ice
The capital markets have slowly begun to thaw in Philadelphia, allowing for new development projects to start in the city. After a lull in construction activity in 2020 and 2021, developers have been able to move forward with projects in Fishtown and other neighborhoods, such as the life sciences developments in University City and apartment buildings in Northern Liberties. Pre-construction work has been accelerated to minimize the amount that needs to be done and redone on-site, and construction companies have been working hard to stay staffed up for when they get the go-ahead.
Gloucester City was named N.J.'s 'cheapest place to live' — and locals say that's OK
Gloucester City — a Delaware River town proud of its blue-collar history, its Irish heritage, and its rough edges — has been named “the cheapest place to live” in New Jersey. The 2.3-square-mile city of 11,229 just south of the Walt Whitman Bridge in Camden County occupies the top spot on a list of 10 relatively inexpensive Garden State communities. PropertyClub, a real estate website in New York, devised the ranking based on rental costs, housing values, and sale prices. Jamie Blanchard opened his Royal Mile Coffee Roasters shop in a former tavern on Paul Street just east of Broadway — Gloucester City’s main drag — two months ago. With a Royal Mile Coffee Roasters cafe in Fishtown, Blanchard said, he was looking to expand in an up-and-coming community nearby. Gloucester City has been named the "cheapest place to live" in New Jersey, with Jamie Blanchard's
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