Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

As if making an international name for itself in the 19^th and 20^th centuries with an underdog championship boxer movie character, dueling cheesesteak purveyors, the Mummers and, well, a cracked bell didn’t make Philadelphia quirky enough, it seems the 21^st century will continue to propagate that fun-loving mystique with strange and wonderful annual events held every month of the year. Here’s a look at the city’s quirky side:

March 2010:

• The luck of the Irish may have run out for some of the Emerald Isle natives and descendants interred at Laurel Hill Cemetery, where on St.

Como el corazón de la cultura y de la vida hispanoamericana en Filadelfia, el Centro de Oro es la sede de numerosas organizaciones internacionales no lucrativas, de muchos establecimientos cuyos propietarios van en la tercera o en la cuarta generación, y de residentes cuyos orígenes representan a casi todos los países de habla hispana del mundo. Los visitantes a este animado enclave—a poca distancia del Centro de la Ciudad (Center City) en taxi—pueden agasajarse con platillos auténticos de la cocina latina/caribeña en Isla Verde, obtener inspiración en las obras de artistas puertorriqueños en el Taller Puertorriqueño o hacer un valiente

The hub of Latino culture and life in Philadelphia, El Centro De Oro is home to several international non-profit organizations, many third and fourth generation family-owned businesses and residents descending from almost every Latino country across the globe. Visitors to this lively enclave—just a short cab ride from Center City Philadelphia—can feast on authentic Latin/Caribbean dishes at Isla Verde, get inspired by the work of Puerto Rican artists at Taller Puertorriqueño or feel their way through a flamenco dance lesson at Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas. Here are some suggestions for those who want to get a taste of the Latin flavor

Lights on, curtains up. It’s Philadelphia’s moment, as the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) turns a bright spotlight on the city’s arts and cultural scene. For three weeks, from April 7 through May 1, 2011, audiences will revel in an array of one-time, only-in-Philadelphia productions by some of the region’s top talents—many of whom will partner with or present international performers. PIFA will feature music, dance, fashion, fine arts, poetry, cuisine and more—all generously flavored with the essence of Paris, circa 1910-1920.

Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA promises to be an out-of-the-box arts festival that honors the

In July 2009, the Kimmel Center, Inc. appointed J. Edward Cambron as executive director of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), a city-wide arts and cultural festival inspired by the Kimmel Center. In this role, he oversees all aspects of the annual festival, which will take place April 7 through May 1, 2011. Mr. Cambron comes to PIFA with almost 30 years experience in arts research, management, marketing and development.

Mr. Cambron spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Orchestra Association (POA), where he served in leadership capacities for more than 20 years. After joining the

In July 2007, Anne Ewers assumed the role of president and CEO of Kimmel Center, Inc., (KCI), the $35 million organization that owns and operates the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, home to eight resident companies presenting a wide range of music, dance and theater offerings, and manages the Academy of Music and Merriam Theater.

During her first year with the Kimmel Center, Ms. Ewers led the company in retiring its $30 million construction debt, raised the endowment from $40 million to $72 million and closed the 2007-2008 fiscal year with a $1.2 million surplus to be used for

DESCRIPTION: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts destination in the heart of Philadelphia and the centerpiece of the city’s Avenue of the Arts. The Kimmel Center consists of two freestanding performance halls enclosed beneath a spectacular 150-foot vaulted glass ceiling or, in the words of architect Rafael Viñoly, “two jewels inside a glass box.”

Notable architectural facts:

• 61,048 linear feet of structural steel tubing supporting the glass roof
• 1,400 tons of steel supporting the glass end walls
• 156,677 square feet (3.6 acres) of glass glazing

LOCATION: Broad & Spruce Streets, Philadelphia, PA

OPENED: December 16, 2001

The time was 1910 through 1920, the waning days of the “Belle Epoque” (or the “Beautiful Era”). The place was Paris, where a previous generation of artists had already changed the rules with their groundbreaking leap into Impressionism. The City of Lights was a magnet for artistic rebels who reshaped and redefined art, and the atmosphere was one of unprecedented imagination and creativity that would dictate how the world defined and interpreted art for the rest of the
20th century and beyond.

The first-ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), April 7-May 1, 2011, takes its inspiration from that

FESTIVAL NAME: Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA)

DATES: April 7 through May 1, 2011

OVERVIEW: The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) creates a place on the world stage for the city’s arts and cultural scene with a three-week festival featuring free and ticketed performances and activities. Inspired by the Kimmel Center, PIFA celebrates the collaboration, innovation and creativity present in every art form. The first-ever festival—centered around the theme “Paris: 1910-1920”—showcases newly commissioned works, unexpected partnerships with both local and international artists and non-traditional and emerging art forms, along with classic performances that will engage residents

¡Luces! ¡Arriba el telón! Filadelfia estará en su momento cuando el «Festival Internacional de Arte de Filadelfia» (Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts o PIFA) enfoque un brillante reflector sobre el escenario de arte y cultura de la ciudad. Durante tres semanas desde el 7 de abril hasta el 1 de mayo de 2011, el público se deleitará con una serie de producciones —únicas y en exclusiva para Filadelfia— presentadas por algunos de los productores más talentosos de la región, muchos de los cuales presentarán artistas internacionales o actuarán en colaboración con ellos. PIFA presentará música, danza, modas, bellas artes,

Across the Philadelphia region this summer, new and redesigned children’s attractions are sprouting up with the same speed that many parents feel their kids are growing up. Some of the innovations are child-focused, while other experiences appeal to everyone in the family by providing fun learning tools to bring mature subject matter to the child’s level. Thanks to the diversity of the destination and its offerings, kids and their parents can interact with giant sand castles, talking 3-D images of Ben Franklin and even life-sized LEGO animals—all during one or more fun-filled, educational and affordable trips to Philadelphia and The

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched a new video series available at visitphilly.com, highlighting the culture, history and vitality of the city’s Northwest neighborhoods. Funded by the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC), the project is part of an increased effort to market the vibrant, culturally rich communities of Chestnut Hill, East Oak Lane, Germantown, Mt. Airy and West Oak Lane to residents and visitors alike.

Saleana Pettaway, actress, dancer, choreographer, affiliate professor at Eastern University and lifelong resident of Northwest Philadelphia, hosts the vodcasts, which give an overview of the area and spotlight eating and drinking,

With the new decade comes a spate of impressive restaurant openings in Philadelphia from big-name, nationally lauded chefs like Marc Vetri, Daniel Stern and Michael Schulson. Early 2010 also brings many first-time ventures from emerging talents, plus additional spots from celebrated veterans. Here’s a look at the most anticipated new tables in town:

New Offerings From Celebrated Chefs:

• On the heels of opening MidAtlantic Restaurant & Tap Room last fall, chef Daniel Stern has set up shop in Two Liberty Place with R2L, an Art Deco-inspired restaurant and lounge featuring his unique take on creative American cuisine (rabbit nachos

Philadelphia celebrates African-American history 365 days a year, but things really heat up in February when the region’s museums, arts and cultural organizations and historic sites recognize Black History Month. For the first time, the new permanent exhibition at The African American Museum in Philadelphia will be open in February. Just one highlight of the city’s celebration, Audacious Freedom explores the experiences and contributions of African-American trailblazers in Philadelphia and the U.S.

Those celebrating Black History Month in the Philadelphia region this winter can take advantage of the long weekend (February 12-15) by booking one of the 70 hotel packages—including

This spring, Philadelphia and The Countryside® continues its event-filled year with Pablo Picasso, Body Worlds 2, a Roman Empire exhibition and so much more, giving visitors plenty of reasons to spend a weekend or more in town. The Philadelphia Museum of Art examines an art master’s most dramatic years with Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris, while the inaugural Philagrafika 2010: The Graphic Unconscious debuts as a one-of-a-kind print festival. Science and history buffs will be busy with Gunther von Hagens’ can’t-look-away Body Worlds 2 & The Brain at The Franklin Institute and the National Constitution Center’s Ancient Rome &

This is a CBS 3/The CW Philly press release.

CBS 3 and The CW Philly will highlight the next generation of influential Black artists in Philadelphia in celebration of Black History Month. The stations will air a series of five vignettes throughout February, each focusing on a different young artist speaking about his or her profession and role in contributing to Black History.

Featured artists include: Music Director Jeri Lynne Johnson; Poet Ursula Rucker; Jazz Pianist Orrin Evans; Singer/Songwriter Nikki Jean, and Philadanco member Chloé Davis. The spots are hosted by CBS 3 and The CW Philly’s Natasha Brown, Anne-Marie

During the three-day weekend in February, travelers to the Philadelphia region can enjoy a romantic getaway or a presidential adventure—or a bit of both. Where better to celebrate the Presidents’ Day/Valentine’s Day weekend than in the birthplace of the nation and the City of Brotherly Love? After long walks in the region’s picturesque countryside, visitors can take in a few presidential sites—there are plenty in Philadelphia and The Countryside®—followed by a romantic dinner for two. Mix in a mural ride on a “Love Train,” a mating tour around the nation’s first zoo, the Oath of Office, a birthday cake

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched visitphilly.com, the new, renamed tourism Web site that replaces the popular gophila.com—a site that has received 40 million visits, ranked #1 on Google for the search term “Philadelphia” and built authority that equates to nearly 30,000 links to it. The dramatically enhanced Web site strengthens GPTMC’s ability to market Philadelphia and The Countryside® as a premier visitor destination to an ever-growing online audience who accesses travel information from their home computers, their laptops and their phones.

On visitphilly.com, travelers can book hotels, flights, rental cars and attraction tickets for Philadelphia

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched its 2010 $1.7 million tourism marketing campaign with 25 new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ ads, bringing the total to 115 personalized love letters addressed to travelers with all sorts of interests. Along with a winter TV commercial, the new ads will begin appearing today in publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly and Real Simple.

“For the next push of With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™, we’re running ads on television and in popular entertainment and lifestyle magazines to keep Philadelphia top of mind for travelers during this need period for hotels,” said Meryl Levitz,

Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today launched visitphilly.com, the new, renamed tourism Web site that replaces the region’s popular and official tourism Web site, gophila.com.

WHY: GPTMC embarked on the new Web site project in order to achieve a dramatically enhanced Web site that strengthens GPTMC’s ability to market Philadelphia as a premier visitor destination to an ever-growing online audience.

NAME CHANGE: The new name, visitphilly.com, improves the marketability of the site by using words that are easy to remember and that say what we want users to do—visit Philly.

In addition, as consumer behavior leans more