Holiday Party Bands and DJs in Philadelphia
CTO Music Artists provides live bands, DJs and Fusion sets, and jazz ensembles for holiday parties across Philadelphia. We have played more than 10,000 events since 1997. The one thing to know about holiday entertainment is that December books first. The best bands and DJs are gone by early fall, so the time to lock in a December date is the summer before. DJs start at $1,800 and bands at $3,000.
Live Holiday Entertainment Across Philadelphia
The right holiday format depends on the party. A full live band turns a company party or a big celebration into a real event, a DJ runs a festive dance night and handles a New Year's Eve countdown, and a jazz ensemble sets a warmer, more restrained tone for a cocktail reception or a seated dinner. Holiday and seasonal songs are available on request, woven in rather than laid on thick.
Entertainment for Every Kind of Holiday Party
Holiday parties are not all the same event, and the entertainment should match which one you are throwing.
Company Holiday Parties
A company holiday party has to work for a room that spans departments, ages, and comfort levels, some of whom would rather be anywhere else. The arc that works is a gentle one, warm background music while people arrive and eat, then a build toward a dance floor for the guests who want it, without ever forcing the reluctant ones onto it. This is a corporate booking with a festive coat on, and we treat it that way.
New Year's Eve and Private Holiday Celebrations
New Year's Eve is its own animal, built entirely around the countdown, and it is the single most contested date on the calendar. Private holiday celebrations at home or in a small venue, whether for Christmas, Hanukkah, or simply the season, ask for a format sized to the room, which usually means a DJ, a duo, or a trio rather than a full band. Tell us which of these you are planning and we will point you to the right fit.
Why Philadelphia Hosts Book CTO Early
Holiday booking is a supply problem more than anything else. One band can only play one party a night, and December Saturdays are the most requested dates of the entire year, so the groups people want are claimed months in advance. Hosts who book CTO in the summer get their first choice, and hosts who wait until November get what is left.
Nearly thirty years of playing the Philadelphia holiday season means we know how to pace these rooms, and our Google rating is 4.9 across 71 reviews. You can see recent work in the photo gallery, and there is more about CTO on the site.
How to Book a Philadelphia Holiday Party Band
For a December date, reach out in the summer or early fall. For New Year's Eve, earlier still. The date and the specific band are both constraints, and both go quickly in this season.
Ensemble pricing, before travel or add-ons:
- String and jazz ensembles. $1,200 to $2,500.
- DJs and Fusion sets. $1,800 to $2,500.
- Small bands. $3,000 to $4,000.
- Large bands. $7,500 to $18,000.
Send your date, your Philadelphia venue, and a rough head count, and we will tell you what is still open. The event planning form is the fastest route, and full ranges are on the pricing page. If your holiday party is a company event, our Philadelphia corporate events page covers the year round side of that work, and this page sits within our wider special events entertainment.
Call or text: 215-220-9928
Email: info@cto.art
Office: 45 E City Avenue #1796, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
Have Questions? Chat with our Entertainment Concierge