Behind The Magic
Christmas is Evan’s favorite holiday!
His role at Old City Santa involves scheduling sessions, assisting with equipment, and developing the brand.
He guides families through the experience to answer their questions.
Evan’s passion for the holiday season and bringing families together inspires every aspect of his work.
Ever since Old City Santa began in 2017, he has focused on innovating the experience each year.
Mimi began capturing Christmas photos at her studio in Manayunk.
During the experience, Mimi takes family portraits and circles the room to capture each magic moment.
She brings bubbly energy as families explore their surroundings and pose for the camera.
Mimi takes pride in capturing the wonder that families will remember forever. It gives her even more of a reason to love Christmas.
Santa Claus gifted Phil his first drum kit ever when he was a kid, and since then, they’ve grown close.
When Santa needs a strong eye for lighting and composition, he appoints Phil as his personal photographer. Phil is a dedicated visual storyteller with technical expertise when it comes to the camera.
Phil is a creative leader that families can trust while on set with Santa.
The Origins
The Shift
Duportail
In 2017, Old City Santa began in the historic district of Philadelphia.
Families would meet Santa at 227 Quarry Street, which was a traditional brick building that dated back to the mid-1800’s.
In 2020, Old City Santa paused due to the current state of affairs.
This time allowed the team to assess Old City Santa, and take the experience to a higher level.
After this evaluation, the team adopted a story-centric approach.
From 2021-2022, Old City Santa occupied The Duportail House in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania.
This historic property dated back to the 1740’s, and served as a backdrop for the experience.
Many great memories were made at this location as Old City Santa continued to evolve and innovate.
During this time, NBC 10 featured Old City Santa on television.
Old City Santa would continue to grow, add interactive props, and enhance the experience.
The new style would draw inspiration from Disney, Rockwell, and Dickens.
This approach allowed Old City Santa to truly become an immersive Christmas photography experience for families.
Today wrote an article about how we transformed this space into a Christmas photography set.
The Logan Hotel
As of 2023, Old City Santa is at The Logan Hotel in Philadelphia.
Operating inside of a luxury hotel has elevated the experience while still remaining authentic to its vintage charm and magical wonder.
Families can stay overnight and enjoy the luxury amenities before or after their experience.
Philadelphia Style recognizes Old City Santa in The 12 Best Holiday Events in Philadelphia
Stay with Old City Santa
