Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Fashion and design are in season this fall in Philadelphia, and the city is welcoming the cooler months with events, exhibitions and openings tailored to inspire winter wardrobes and new home looks. It all kicks off on September 12 with the second annual Philadelphia Collection, a two-week celebration of all things stylish. The focus then moves to design, with special exhibits, events, open houses and openings, including the buzzed-about move of the Calderwood Gallery to North Broad Street and the first design show house in Chestnut Hill since 1997. Here’s a look at how residents and visitors can stay en

Music lovers can tune up for fall in Philadelphia with music festivals that feature breakout artists, innovative rockers and under-the-radar trendsetters. Here’s a look at some of the city’s harmonious happenings:

• The free and first-time WHYY Connections Festival kicks off with the Hot Club of Philadelphia playing their gypsy-jazz, along with the screening of Ken Burns’ latest film Prohibition and a post-movie performance by Manu Chao. Listen in the following day for a diverse range of national and local indie-rock, hip-hop, roots-and-rockabilly artists, including Dr. Dog, The Baseball Project, Toy Soldiers, Kuf Knotz, Birdie Busch and others. September 2-3. Great

Halloween fans eager to start the bewitching season early can head to Philadelphia for the famous and feared Terror Behind the Walls at Eastern State Penitentiary, haunting even the bravest of the bunch beginning September 23, and for some costume inspiration at Mummies of the World: The Exhibition, running at The Franklin Institute now through late October. Thrill-seeking families, couples and friends continue their Halloween excursion with the hayrides, parties, festivals—and more haunted houses, of course—that transform one of the country’s most historic regions into a Halloween destination sure to scare, surprise and entertain. From devilish dance parties and peculiar

Fashion and design are in season this fall in Philadelphia. The runways will be packed with two fashion-focused events that span two weeks: Philadelphia Fashion Week and the first-ever Philadelphia Collection 2010. Design fans will get their fill, too, thanks to the sixth annual DesignPhiladelphia, a celebration of everything from interior design to architecture to culinary arts and more. Best of all, many of these events run over the long Columbus Day weekend, October 8-11, making it easy for fashion and design fans to hit all the runway shows, exhibits, workshops, pop-up boutiques and trunk shows on their lists. Style-loving

The Philadelphia region offers up the “Perfect 10” girlfriend getaway during the three-day Columbus Day weekend, which includes Sunday, 10/10/10. Here are 10 reasons to plan a trip and book a value-added hotel package today at visitphilly.com:

1. Cleopatra: The ultimate “10,” the elusive Queen Cleo remains a mystery to most—archeologists are still searching for her body today. With 140 artifacts and multimedia features at The Franklin Institute, Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt offers a unprecedented look into the dynamic pharaoh’s fascinating life, including her rule, the opposition to her throne and her legendary romances with

Fall is a cool time to come out and celebrate being gay and lesbian in Philadelphia. For the first time ever this year, the city welcomes hunks from around the country for the U.S. National Mr. Gay competition. Gay and lesbian travelers can also look forward to outdoor festivals, fabulous fundraisers and a medley of musical theater shows and performances at popular venues throughout the city. Here’s a look at fall in gay-friendly Philadelphia and The Countryside®:

A Little Competition:

• The temperatures may be dropping, but the competition heats up during the second annual Gayborhood Games at Voyeur Nightclub,

The cornerstone of Philadelphia’s haunted season, Terror Behind the Walls at the historic Eastern State Penitentiary amps up the scary factor this year with a VIP offer that pairs the acclaimed haunted house with a chilling nighttime tour of the prison’s cellblocks. Thrill-seeking families, couples and friends continue their Halloween excursion with the hayrides, parties, festivals—and more haunted houses, of course—that transform one of the country’s most historic regions into a Halloween destination sure to scare, surprise and entertain. From devilish dance parties and peculiar pumpkin patches to eerie explorations through some of the region’s most historic sites, there’s something

Come fall, Philadelphia and The Countryside® abound with opportunities to experience local festivals celebrating the region’s rich tradition of farming and seasonal harvests. From a fest that hails garlic in the Pocono Mountains to an urban harvest from Lancaster County farms in downtown Philly and a parade dedicated to all things mushroom in Kennett Square, fall is the best time to sample local homegrown flavors.

In Season In September:

• September 4-5: Garlic shows up in everything from salsa to ice cream at the 16th annual Pocono Garlic Festival at Shawnee Mountain Ski area, with garlic-themed vendors, crafts, cooking demos,

Gay and lesbian travelers looking to extend their summer fun into autumn need look no further than Philadelphia in 2009 and beyond. With a handful of new restaurants, bars, clubs, events and hotels to complement Philadelphia’s cherished and historical gay-friendly heritage, Philadelphia is the place to Get Your History Straight And Your Nightlife Gay®.

Make It A Weekend—Or More:
One of the nation’s leading gay-friendly hotel chains, Kimpton makes its Philadelphia debut on October 15 with the Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, a 24-story property housed in the 80-year-old American Institute of Architects building. Themed “Art in Motion,” the Art Deco

Consider yourself warned: Dracula is taking over Philadelphia this Halloween season, along with Edgar Allan Poe, a Sphinx and other thrill-ebrities who will wreak delightfully scary havoc with ghoulish events and ghostly attractions throughout the region. Dracula events range from kid-friendly treats at Sesame Place during The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular to a six-hour vampire dance party at Shampoo Nightclub to a Dracula Parade with larger-than-life puppets. Ghost tours, scarecrow festivals, haunted houses and dinner in a cemetery round out the region’s Halloween offerings.

Thrill seekers who book one of the 80 featured hotel packages on gophila.com/withlove will receive a special

It’s the time of year when visitors wander the cobblestone streets of Historic Philadelphia and ask the question, are they or aren’t they…haunted. Halloween offers lots of “Poe-tential” for literary encounters with spooky characters, as well as family-friendly ghosts and goblins who some think still inhabit the centuries-old neighborhood.

Halloween enthusiasts who book one of the 80 featured hotel packages on gophila.com/withlove will receive a special treat at check-in. The giveaway includes a Philadelphia Privileges coupon book, a five-pack of With Love postcards, a With Love pin and Philly Fill-Ins word games, along with other brochures, coupons and maps. After

As summer’s high temperatures subside and leaves turn red, orange and yellow, Philadelphia and The Countryside® welcomes autumn with special exhibitions, Halloween haunts and all-ages annual events. Princess Diana, Jim Henson, Henri Matisse, George Washington Carver and Barkley L. Hendricks lead the lineup, which also includes Body Worlds 2 at The Franklin Institute Science Museum, tattoos galore at the Independence Seaport Museum, Eastern State Penitentiary’s Terror Behind the Walls, fall festivals and much more.

Fall Into A Philadelphia Hotel:
As part of the new With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ campaign, fall-loving visitors who book one of the 80 featured packages