Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

The Calendar of Events is organized as follows:

September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
Ongoing Activities

SEPTEMBER 2010

Through September 5, 2010
ICONS OF COSTUME: HOLLYWOOD’S GOLDEN ERA. Fashionistas and movie buffs converge during this James A. Michener Art Museum exhibition, where designs worn by Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and other big names take center stage. On weekends, aspiring stars can see if they have what it takes when they don the clothes and read the lines for the “Casting

A major art exhibition, a Puerto Rican parade, and grassroots community events keep the party going during Philadelphia’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, taking place from September 15 to October 15, 2010. The culturally inclined can check out special exhibitions, including The African American Museum in Philadelphia’s VOICES: African American and Latina Women Share their Stories of Success and Taller Puertorriqueño’s Faces/Facades: Mirror of a Community, while sports fans get their fill at the Phillies’ Latino Family Celebration at Citizens Bank Park. And of course, visitors and residents will be dancing all month long thanks to fun fiestas such as the

Spanish-speaking visitors to Philadelphia can feel truly welcomed at many of the region’s tourist attractions, thanks to a wealth of bilingual docents, translated audio guides and multi-lingual written materials. Each year, more than one million domestic visitors to Greater Philadelphia are of Hispanic origin. Because of this influx, the region’s historical and cultural highlights are busy making accommodations so that their Spanish-speaking guests don’t have to miss out on a thing.

Historical Interpretation:

• Independence Visitor Center (IVC) – The best place to launch a visit to Philadelphia is at the IVC, where multilingual concierge staff can assist with all

Renoir fans, consider your vacation planned! This summer, Philadelphia will boast more Renoir works than any other city in the world thanks to Late Renoir, displaying 100 pieces at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from June 17-September 6, 2010, and the Barnes Foundation, which always houses the largest collection of the Impressionist’s works. To make it easy for art-loving visitors, the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have created the Summer with Renoir Hotel Package, which includes untimed tickets to both museums. Here are the details of this special offer, the first hotel package collaboration by these two

Egyptian history buffs eager to visit Philadelphia for the Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt exhibition—making its world premiere at The Franklin Institute science museum, June 5, 2010 through January 2, 2011—need look no further than visitphilly.com/cleopatra. The special section on the Philadelphia region’s official tourism Web site allows visitors to plan their Egyptian adventure in Philly from start to finish.

On visitphilly.com/cleopatra, visitors can:

• Get full exhibition details and purchase tickets
• Book a Cleopatra VIP Hotel Package, including overnight accommodations for two and two VIP (untimed, bypass-the-line) tickets to the exhibition
• Learn the story

The following girls’ weekend itinerary is available at visitphilly.com/cleopatra:

LOCATIONS: Northern Liberties, Old City, Washington Square, Rittenhouse Square, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, University City and Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia; Kennett Square and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

TRANSPORTATION: Foot, taxi, bus, Phlash, subway or car

DURATION: Three days and two nights

TRIP SYNOPSIS: Strong, shrewd, beautiful and beguiling, Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh to rule Egypt before the completion of the Roman conquest, has been portrayed reverently by historians and Hollywood alike, making her an enduring icon and role model to women. As such, the world debut of Cleopatra: The Search for the

Restaurants, Bars And Entertainment:

• Abner’s of University City – Abner’s has been a part of the Philly college experience for more than 20 years, serving up cheesesteaks, gyros, pizza and more to hungry students until the wee hours of the morning. 3813 Chestnut Street, (215) 662-0100, abnerscheesesteaks.com
• Abyssinia Restaurant & Bar – Voted the number one ethnic restaurant in the city, Abyssinia cooks up savory and authentic Ethiopian cuisine in a neighborhood packed with African dining destinations. 229 S. 45^th Street, (215) 387-2424
• Ajia Japanese Fusion – With an all-you-can-eat menu, Japanese restaurant Ajia places a strong emphasis

Restaurants And Bars:

• Amada – The restaurant that many consider responsible for starting the tapas trend in the city—and Jose Garces’ first Philly venture—also has big plates including a roasted suckling pig. 217 Chestnut Street, (215) 625-2450, amadarestaurant.com
• Beneluxx – This dark, cozy wine and beer spot also offers an extensive cheese and chocolate menu. Patrons use the glass cleaner in the center of the tables so they can taste multiple vintages without mixing flavors. 33 S. 3^rd Street, Lower Level, (267) 318-7269, beneluxx.com
• Buddakan – Stephen Starr’s original temple of modern Asian cuisine offers creative takes on

Tickets go on sale today for Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt, making its world debut at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, June 5, 2010 to January 2, 2011. During the show’s run, the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the National Constitution Center will sell joint tickets for Egyptian-loving visitors, and 11 hotels will offer the Cleopatra VIP Hotel Package, complete with two untimed VIP tickets to the blockbuster Cleopatra exhibition. Also getting in on the pharaoh fun, regional attractions will highlight their Egyptian ties, and area restaurants will dish out some inspiring

Visitors in the mood for a summer festival, an art display or a tour around town will find just what they’re looking for in Philadelphia, the second-largest, Hispanic-populated city in the northeast. With the Hispanic population growing faster than any other ethnic group in the region, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, many new arts and cultural opportunities are emerging that celebrate Hispanic traditions. Here’s a look at what’s going on this spring and summer:

Festival Fever:

• Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas’ first annual Latin Roots & Rhythms Festival gets underway from May 7 through 9. The three-day event, taking place

This summer, Historic Philadelphia amps up the fun with new shows, exhibitions and festivals for the whole family. The new 3-D, 360° Liberty 360 show delves into our nation’s most significant symbols of freedom. Special exhibits uncover Ancient Rome, inspiring local women and everyone’s favorite childhood toy, the Slinky®. On the waterfront, Penn’s Landing swings into summer with multicultural celebrations, a film series and top-notch music, including the star-studded Roots Picnic. And, of course, the best place to celebrate the nation’s birthday is in America’s birthplace—the Wawa Welcome America! bash includes three fireworks shows, concerts, a parade and more.

Modern

The following itinerary is available on visitphilly.com/artlovers:

LOCATIONS: Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Avenue of the Arts, Old City in Philadelphia; Merion, Pennsylvania

TRANSPORTATION: Foot, taxi, bus, regional rail or car

DURATION: Three days and two nights

TRIP SYNOPSIS: Philadelphia is an art lover’s kind of town—one that’s bursting with beauty on the inside and out. The region boasts one of the country’s top five art museums, the world’s greatest collection of Impressionist works, an internationally lauded public arts initiative and some under-the-radar arts gems, all waiting to be explored, experienced and pondered at a pace that’s all your own.

FRIDAY

In Philadelphia and The Countryside®, June weekends kick off a jam-packed season with must-do concerts, big exhibitions and all-day festivals. So what’s going on? Cleopatra, along with 155 ancient artifacts, makes its world debut, and The Roots headline their third annual picnic/concert. Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO program, Late Renoir, Art in the Open and the Kimmel Center’s Summer Solstice pack a culture punch. Philly Beer Week brews up some sudsy fun, and TD Bank International Cycling Championship, Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon and a new soccer stadium get people moving—or cheering.

With so much happening all over the region, visitors will want

As part of the “Phanatic Around Town” tourism and fan initiative, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), sponsor of the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO® Phanatic—one of 20 hand-painted statues around town—today announced “Phanatic Tuesdays.” This social media promotion encourages visitors to snap photos with the Phanatic statue of the week and upload them to the visitphilly fan page on Facebook or share them via Twitter (using a #Phanatic hashtag to help Twitter users track all Phanatic-related tweets).

On each Tuesday from now through September, GPTMC will reveal the statue of the week at twitter.com/visitphilly and facebook.com/visitphilly. Today’s “Phanatic

The new Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, announced today 31 commissions in music, dance, drama and the visual arts, as well as the participation of 111 regional arts and cultural partner organizations collaborating on an expansive and diverse array of programs, performances, events and exhibits occurring throughout Philadelphia in spring 2011.

Kicking off one year from today on April 7, 2011, the 25-day festival will focus on collaboration, innovation and creativity among Philadelphia arts organizations. The $10 million endeavor is funded through a generous grant from The Annenberg Foundation and is the vision

The first Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, will make its mark on the cultural landscape with 31 commissioned works premiering April 7 through May 1, 2011. Commissioned by PIFA and/or by its partners, 44 artists from the worlds of music, dance, film, circus arts, visual arts and theater are collaborating with cultural organizations to create innovative works that capture the inventive, no-holds-barred spirit of Paris: 1910-1920, the inspiration and theme of the 25-day festival.

“Mrs. Leonore Annenberg, who funded the festival through The Annenberg Foundation, had a lifelong interest in advancing arts and

The first-ever Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), inspired by the Kimmel Center, will present a schedule of programs, events and exhibits that is unprecedented in Philadelphia for its scope and diversity.

“The excitement and support we have received from the region’s arts and cultural organizations and civic groups allow us to foster a terrific range of innovative collaborations and creative programming,” says J. Edward Cambron, executive director of PIFA. “We will offer so many different events conceived with so much imagination that our festival is sure to intrigue new and diverse audiences, as well as long-standing arts fans.”

While Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt makes its world premiere at The Franklin Institute, June 5, 2010 through January 2, 2011, attractions across Philadelphia and The Countryside® will accentuate their connections to those qualities that crown Cleopatra as one of the most intriguing women in history. As enrapturing as the African queen herself are museums and learning centers that advance the study of the ancient civilizations that she influenced and exhibits that reflect her passion for beauty and seduction. Here’s a look at how visitors can explore the Philadelphia region before or after their visit to

Restaurants, Bars And Entertainment:

• 10 Arts by Eric Ripert – In this intimate space located inside the glitzy Ritz-Carlton, Chef Eric Ripert presents American cuisine with an emphasis on organic, locally grown ingredients. 10 S. Broad Street, (215) 523-8273, 10arts.com
• 10 Arts Lounge – Inside the lavish Ritz-Carlton, this retro lounge serves up cocktails and fine wines in a swanky, upscale atmosphere. 10 S. Broad Street, (215) 523-8273, 10arts.com
• Apothecary Bar and Lounge – Cozy couches and an innovative cocktail menu with ingredients like cayenne pepper, fresh ginger and aloe help a laid-back crowd unwind. In warm weather, guests

Starting March 21, DC-ers can use the low-cost Megabus to travel to nearby Philadelphia—and there are plenty of reasons to make a trip this spring. Once they arrive at 30^th Street Station or Historic Philadelphia, the city’s two Megabus stops, visitors can choose from a ton of big-name events and exhibitions, such as Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds 2 & The Brain at The Franklin Institute and the National Constitution Center’s Ancient Rome & America.

For even more savings, DC visitors who book one of the 70