Animatronic Snowmen, Cartoon Penguins, the PA Ballet and More at Comcast’s 2014 Holiday Show

Comcast Center Holiday Spectacular in 2013 | Photo by Joseph Kaczmarek

The flame in our jack-o-lanterns is still going strong, and we haven’t even begun to think about what we’re serving for Thanksgiving, but local businesses are already announcing plans for the holidays to give eager elves the chance to get the ball rolling on their [insert your winter holiday of choice] plans.

We pretty much know what we’re going to get at Macy’s, and the Nutcracker will be marching through with a tale that seems to never get old, but the Comcast Center is incorporating some new elements to its annual Holiday Spectacular. At the top of each hour starting on Thanksgiving Day and running through New Year’s Day, the Center’s lobby will come alive with:

• The sounds of a 64-piece orchestra playing traditional holiday tunes, like “Jingle Bell Rock” and “12 Days of Christmas.”
• 12 animatronic snowmen located throughout the lobby will provide the audience with “a very special surprise.”
• Snippets of The Nutcracker performed by the Pennsylvania Ballet.
• Ice-skating animated penguins!
• A sleigh ride through the Pennsylvania countryside before it zips above the city of Philadelphia.

The Comcast Holiday Spectacular can be seen for 15 minutes at the top of each hour from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. starting Thanksgiving Day and running through New Year’s Day.