The Chestnut Hill Conservancy has announced a full schedule of activities for its ninth annual Night of Lights streetscape exhibition, running from Friday, Oct. 2, to Monday, Oct. 5.

Night of Lights transforms Germantown Avenue between Willow Grove Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, illuminating local histories and architecture. Storefront windows will project videos and archival images from the Conservancy and other historical catalogs.

The exhibitions will extend along Germantown Avenue from the 8700 block to the 8100 block, creating a walkable outdoor gallery. On opening night, storytellers will be stationed at each location.

“What I love about Night of Lights is that it celebrates not only history, but the people, buildings and businesses that continue to shape this community,” Chrissy Clawson, the Conservancy’s director of programs and communications, said in a news release. “We use light and color to draw attention to details that can easily go unnoticed.”

The opening night also will feature live music, interactive activities, local vendors, giveaways and additional First Friday offerings hosted by the Chestnut Hill Business District. Several local businesses will offer refreshments, including The Blue Warbler, Venetian Club and Cider Belly.

Eventgoers can gather starting Friday at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Conservancy, located at 8708 Germantown Ave., for the Flip the Switch opening ceremony at 7 p.m. There will be complimentary soft pretzels and old-fashioned candies, along with glow-in-the-dark stickers, temporary tattoos and event maps.

The celebration also introduces a free, family-friendly book reading on Sunday at 10 a.m. in collaboration with Hilltop Books and Friends of the Chestnut Hill Library. Local children’s author and photographer Doug Wechsler will read from three of his books, sharing fun stories about wildlife in the Wissahickon watershed. A Q&A for curious young nature lovers will follow, along with stickers and a scavenger hunt. The event will be held at Hilltop Books, 84 Bethlehem Pike.

The Conservancy also will debut its first annual “10x10 History Jam” at 6 p.m., Oct. 15 and is calling on speakers throughout Northwest Philadelphia to share compelling stories of the history, arts, architecture and preservation connected to Chestnut Hill and its surrounding areas.

The 2026 Night of Lights exhibitions trace the evolution of the Wissahickon from its Lenape history through modern conservation efforts. Additional exhibitions will explore the history and landscape of Awbury Arboretum; the public gardens of Northwest Philadelphia, including Wyck; and the legacy of historic farms, markets, taverns and recipes.

A returning and expanded exhibition will follow George Washington and the Continental Army’s march through Northwest Philadelphia along present-day Bethlehem Pike and Germantown Avenue in the hours leading up to the Battle of Germantown on Oct. 4, 1777.

This year’s event is part of the city’s official PHL250 programming, with the Conservancy being awarded a $20,000 grant from the Philadelphia City Fund to support its expanded displays. The Philadelphia Cultural Fund also is providing support.

The Chestnut Hill Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the historical, architectural and cultural resources, as well as the open spaces, that define Chestnut Hill and surrounding communities in the lower Wissahickon watershed.

Those interested in volunteering at the opening evening of Night of Lights on Friday, Oct. 2, or speaking at the History Jam on Thursday, Oct. 15, can contact Clawson at chrissy@chconservancy.org.