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Summer Fireworks
Fireworks light up the Philadelphia skies after many Camden Riversharks minor league baseball games in the summer. Viewers watching from the New Jersey side of the Delaware River enjoy a spectacular view of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and the Philadelphia skyline, along with the colorful pyrotechnic extravaganza....
Credit: Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC
Fourth of July Parade
The colorful Philadelphia Independence Day Parade is a highlight of the WaWa Welcome America! festivities, a celebration jam-packed with parades, patriotic ceremonies, several fireworks displays, family activities and the nation’s largest Fourth of July outdoor concert. The 2011 Independence Day party runs from June 24 through July 4....
Credit: Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC
The Roots Picnic
Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson and Kirk “Captain Kirk” Douglas of the pioneering hip-hop group The Roots wow the crowd during the annual Roots Picnic, a day-long concert at Penn’s Landing. The 2009 show also featured Philly’s own Santigold, Writtenhouse, Back to Basics, TV on the Radio, The Black Keys, Public Enemy...
Credit: Photo by M. Kennedy for GPTMC
Swann Memorial Fountain
On hot summer days, Philadelphia’s Swann Memorial Fountain, also known as “The Fountain of Three Rivers,” serves as a favorite oasis for city residents and visitors alike. The fountain’s three main figures, sculpted by Alexander Stirling Calder, represent the city’s major waterways: the Delaware, Schuylkill and Wissahickon Rivers....
Credit: Photo by T. O'Keefe for GPTMC
Sesame Place
Kids go wild over the Rock Around the Block Parade at Sesame Place, the only theme park in the nation featuring the popular TV show’s most lovable characters, including Zoe and Big Bird. A water park, rides, interactive activities, fireworks and the brand new Sunny Day Carousel add to the...
Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
Valley Green
Part of Philadelphia’s 4,400-acre Fairmount Park, Valley Green is located along the Wissahickon Creek. Visitors to the park often partake in fishing, biking and hiking activities....
Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
Hispanic Fiesta, Penn’s Landing
The Hispanic Fiesta, held annually each summer, is part of Penn’s Landing’s PECO Multicultural Series....
Credit: Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC
Soft Pretzel, Philly Soft Pretzel Factory
Introduced to the region by German (“Pennsylvania Dutch”) settlers in the 18th century, pretzels—dough twisted into three loops, then baked, salted and served hard—quickly became a favorite local snack. Now, of course, there’s the famous Philly soft pretzel, purchased from street vendors or from bakery storefronts such as the Philly...
Credit: Photo by J. Varney for GPTMC
Skyline from Penn Park
Penn Park, which sits along the banks of the Schuylkill River, provides fields and tracks for sporting enthusiasts, as well as a perfect location for a picnic with a skyline view. Green space, restaurants, bars, shops, museums, galleries and two major education centers (Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania) make...
Credit: Photo by J. Fusco for GPTMC
Recent Releases
Fact Sheet: Family Fun In Philadelphia
Historical Sites & Attractions:
- Wannabe sailors can visit the nation’s most decorated battleship, the Battleship New Jersey, and take tours of the ship, ride the 4-D flight simulator, climb into the onboard helicopter and sleep in the sailors’ bunks as part of its award-winning Overnight Encampment program. 62 Battleship Place, Camden, (856) 966-1652, battleshipnewjersey.org
- America’s most famous flag maker greets guests in her interactive 18th-century upholstery shop at the Betsy Ross House. Visitors learn about Betsy’s life and legend from the lady herself. Summer brings a weeklong, annual Flag Fest celebration with free events every day. Also,
Backgrounder: Philadelphia Breweries
America’s Greatest Brewing City Reclaims Its Sudsy Heritage
One hundred years ago, Philadelphia was known as the greatest brewing city in the Western Hemisphere, or the “Cradle of American Libation,” according to food critic Craig LaBan of The Philadelphia Inquirer. In fact, it was in Philadelphia taverns that the American Revolution took hold. Today, area craft breweries have reclaimed the region’s reputation by brewing some of the world’s best beer and earning the recognition as Maxim’s “favorite beer burg” and one of the “The 5 Best Beer Cities in America” according to GQ, among other notable designations assigned by the national press. Visitors can tour the facilities, sample
...Record Visitation & Impact Numbers Underscore Importance Of Travel For Philadelphia
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) released its 2013 annual report, which reveals that the region welcomed a record 38.8 million domestic visitors in 2012. Those visitors generate economic impact and taxes for the region and support residents’ jobs. Titled The Evolution of a Destination and Its Marketing, the report also emphasizes the major changes in Philadelphia and in marketing since GPTMC began.
“Philadelphia is a better, more complex destination appealing to more types of travelers and more trip types,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of GPTMC. “Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all marketing. Today, we use
...Visitphilly.com Enhances Its Hotel Search Engine
The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced a new hotel search engine for visitphilly.com: BookDirect. A product of JackRabbit Systems, the search engine:
- Gives consumers the opportunity to compare and shop for rates as always, but enables them to book accommodations on their preferred hotel’s website. That means they can secure the best available rate and build or use loyalty points.
- Makes it easier for visitors to find the hotel that best suits their needs thanks to a new map view and search results that are filtered by amenity, location, price and property.
“Experience tells us that
...Latin Rhythms Liven Up Mainstream Philadelphia Stages This Season
Expect Performances By Prince Royce, Juanes, Miguel & Others
Philadelphia’s concert schedule gets a boost this spring and summer thanks to the addition of several concerts headlined by Latino artists. Scheduled to perform in the coming months: Prince Royce, Juanes and Miguel, to name a few. Here’s a look at how Latin rhythms will liven up Philadelphia’s stages:
Festivals & Concerts:
- Latino artist Prince Royce promises to attract a wide audience to the EL ZOL Concert at Penn’s Landing. That’s because the triple-platinum-selling vocalist’s sweet version of “Stand by Me” is the first bachata song ever to be played on mainstream American radio. Opening for Prince Royce will
What's New & Notable In Philly's Restaurant Scene This Spring?
In Bloom: BYOBs, Gastropubs, A Biergarten, A Raw Bar, A Noodle Bar & More
Spring in Philadelphia means more than baseball and cherry blossoms: It also means brand-new BYOBs, gastropubs, a biergarten, a raw bar, a noodle bar and the list goes on. Among the crowd of culinary creators are a number of second, third and beyond acts by some of the region’s hottest restaurateurs. And, as is appropriate in the warm weather, there’s news on the ice cream front too. Here’s what’s cooking in Philly this spring:
Recent Openings:
- Northern European cuisine, including smoked fish, smørrebrød, bitterballen and lots of beets, get their day in the sun thanks to Chef Joncarl Lachman’s
In Philadelphia, See History In A Whole New Light
Benjamin Franklin Life & Legacy Museum To Open In Late Summer 2013
Philadelphia is brimming with historical riches, and the sites and attractions that show off the city’s historic side are constantly evolving to create richer experiences for modern-day visitors. This year brings upgrades, expansions and exhibitions designed to shine a new light on Philadelphia’s well-established historical attractions.
Renovated & Renewed:
- The Pearl S. Buck Museum reopens after the completion of its eight-year interior restoration project on June 26, which would have been the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer’s 121st birthday. Tours of the national historic landmark home feature increased access to collections, including clothes that she wore, tableware and linens that
The With Art Website Wins A Webby Award
Honor Is The First Webby Award For A GPTMC Site
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) awarded the With Art Philadelphia™ website, found at withart.visitphilly.com, a Webby Award. Dubbed the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, the IADAS-sponsored awards honor online excellence around the world. A collaboration of GPTMC, the City of Philadelphia and more than a dozen other civic and cultural partners, the With Art site nabbed a recognition in the Association category. GPTMC worked with Northern Liberties-based web firm BlueCadet to create the site—complete with vibrant photography, renowned artworks, an interactive map, art itineraries, event and exhibit listings and more. It is
...Philadelphia's Quirky Attractions Pay Homage To The Unusual
For those visitors who like to stray off the beaten path, Philadelphia is bursting with attractions that pay homage to the unusual. The region boasts a slew of delightfully quirky spots, including a bench that seems to contradict the laws of sound, the country’s largest bug museum, an anatomical model made of a human nervous system and more. Here’s a look at some of the Philadelphia-area attractions that make the region just a little delightfully weird:
Collections Of A Natural Kind:
- There’s an unsettling site at the entrance to the bookstore at Drexel University College of Medicine’s East Falls
What's In The Midtown Village & The Avenue Of The Arts Neighborhood?
Restaurants, Shops, Bars, Cafes, Theaters And Galleries
Spanning from Broad to 10th Streets and from Market to Pine Streets, Midtown Village is the lively center of downtown Philadelphia. Other neighborhoods converge here, but Midtown Village—a new but buzzing city enclave—maintains a distinct personality thanks to a business boom that includes independent shops and restaurants, small cafes, alfresco tables along every sidewalk and a rainbow street sign-lined Gayborhood. On the neighborhood’s western border lies a district appropriately named for its place as Philadelphia’s performance hub: the Avenue of the Arts, which runs along Broad Street from City Hall to Lombard Street. The wide stretch is home to
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