Holiday festivities kick off in Center City Philadelphia

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- Signs of the holiday season are popping up everywhere you look. From holiday sales to light displays and more, people and places are getting ready to celebrate.

Action News reporter Eva Pilgrim reports from Franklin Square where their annual winter holiday festivities kicked off on Thursday.

Amy Needle from Historic Philadelphia says, "It's nice out, and maybe get a little more fun in before the madness of the holiday happens."

The Rothman Institute Ice Rink at Dilworth Park opens to the public Friday at noon. This year there are new lights over the rink and a new cabin to enjoy.

Michelle Shannon from the Center City District explains, "It's going to be open as a place where skaters and their families can come in to get warm, grab a bite to eat, grab a cocktail in the evening."

The Nutcracker himself is standing guard, keeping watch as Love Park transformed, basically overnight. Construction on the Christmas Village started on Wednesday.

Robert Whaley is a carpenter who worked on the display. He says, "We started building up the booths, we're getting the tents on today, and we should be done by tomorrow (Friday)."

At the Blue Cross Blue Shield River Rink preps continue. There's no ice on the rink yet, but the fire places and sofas are already in the soon to be lodge. The river rink plans to open for Black Friday.

If you want to check out the light show at Franklin Square it will be happening each night from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a display at the top of the hour.