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

Southeastern Pennsylvania is continuing to emerge as a major force in the nation’s wine industry. As wineries usher in changes that promise to significantly enhance their visitor experience, Pennsylvania wines as a whole are making steady gains in quality, quantity and recognition. The Commonwealth is the fourth-largest producer of grapes in the country, and 123 wineries operate within its borders, marking an approximate 500% increase over 30 years ago. And by winning awards at the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, the Starwine International Wine Competition, the Los Angeles County Fair Competition and international

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

APRIL 2010

April 11, 2010
1^st ANNUAL CHERRY BLOSSOM 5K. Amateur and experienced athletes run five kilometers through Fairmount Park as part of the annual month-long Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia. Held in the morning to raise funds for maintenance of the city’s cherry blossom trees, the race is followed by Sakura Sunday, which features performances by modern and traditional Japanese bands, origami and calligraphy stations, a cherry tree planting festival and tours of Sofas Japanese House and Garden. (215) 790-3810, jasgp.org/cherryblossomfestival

April 11, 2010
SCHULYKILL MILE TIME TRIAL. Every ten seconds, another runner will take

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

Philadelphia, aptly dubbed the City of Brotherly Love, caters to lovers looking to re-energize their relationships at cultural sites, romantic eateries, outdoor attractions and other swoon-worthy spots. And thanks to the With Love, Philadelphia XOXO™ campaign, couples who book one of 70 hotel packages—including some romantically themed offers—featured on visitphilly.com/withlove receive a special gift at check-in. The giveaway includes Philly Fill-Ins word games, a five-pack of With Love postcards, a With Love pin and the Official Philly Brag Book, filled with 200 reasons to love the Philadelphia region, along with maps and coupons. The packages are bookable online at visitphilly.com/withlove

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 &

The following itinerary is available on gophila.com/barkleyhendricks.

LOCATION: Historic Philadelphia, Center City and North Philadelphia

TRANSPORTATION: On foot, by taxi or car

DURATION: Two nights and two days

Note: Locations picked by Barkley and friends are indicated as such. Other places are suggestions of the tourism office.

Philly’s flavors, faces, rhythms and spaces have always been on the cutting edge of cool. Need proof? Acclaimed artist and local son Barkley L. Hendricks is bringing his Birth of the Cool career retrospective home to his alma mater, the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA), through January 3, 2010—making this

Pet lovers are crazy about their animal companions and spend more than $40 billion a year in the U.S. on pet services and accoutrements to prove it. For those who love to spoil their pet but hate to leave him behind while traveling, the Philadelphia region proves to be the “purr-fect” getaway. Pet-friendly hotels, restaurants and retail shops welcome visitors and their animal companions in all sections of the city and its suburbs. From canine-friendly parks to Very Important Pet (VIP) hotel programs, the Philadelphia region makes it easy for visitors to bring their furry friends along for the ride.

In Philadelphia and The Countryside® visitors motivated by adrenaline can attempt just about any type of active and sometimes challenging outdoor activity. Thanks to the area’s excitingly varied terrain and legendary tradition of athleticism, no matter the season, there’s a zip line, ski slope, rock wall, mountain-bike trail or white-water river ready to be conquered in the city and in the four nearby counties. Here’s a look:

By Air:

• Tree Canopy Tours – Spring Mountain Adventures in Montgomery County is one of the only places in the country that offers treetop canopy tours—a series of zip line and rope

Wide-angle Panoramas With Skyline In Background:

• South Street Bridge: Skyline view from west, over the Schuylkill River. As of April 2008, parts of the bridge are under construction and access could be tricky.
• Penn Tower Hotel (roof, 22 stories high): Close to Schuylkill River, skyline view from west. 33^rd Street & Civic Center Boulevard, (215) 898-0405 (Request official permission well in advance of shoot.)
• University of Pennsylvania High Rise Residences (roof or glass-walled penthouse lounges, 26 stories high): East-facing view overlooking the center of University of Pennsylvania campus with sight lines through to Center City; unobscured view from

Thanks in part to the popularity of TV shows like The Amazing Race and movies like National Treasure (filmed partially in Philadelphia) that send people around the world on the search for clues, prizes and hidden treasures, Philadelphia attractions are mapping out creative ways to help visitors get to know the region. City-wide scavenger hunts, card games that rely on knowledge of historic buildings and participatory re-enactments of Colonial playtime allow both kids and adults to learn more about the city while jumping right into the action. Here’s a look at some of the fun and games taking place in

DONNA SCHORR, a young-at-heart Baby Boomer
Director of Communications

Yes, I take a train ride to the city every day, and at this age, I’m no expert on late night clubbing. But I’ve lived in or near Philly for decades (never mind how many), and I can tell you a lot about great things to see and do that don’t cost a fortune. Here are some of my sentimental favorites:

Rittenhouse Square
When I miss my dad, I visit his memorial bench in one of the most loved green spots in the city, Rittenhouse Square. Here is the heart and

Much Ado About Arboretums
In part because the Quakers who settled in Pennsylvania were meticulous about identifying and cataloguing the forms of natural life they discovered here, the Philadelphia region is internationally recognized for its wealth of arboretums. Chestnut Hill’s Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania breaks ground this fall for a new Horticulture Center. The first new major building at the arboretum in 100 years, the 33,000-square-foot center will boast a large indoor assembly space. This project will be Penn’s first newly constructed “green” building, with plans to achieve Platinum Level LEED™ Certification. Also this fall, the arboretum’s

For visitors looking to explore the Philadelphia region’s beautiful and historic outdoors from the seat of a bicycle, the back of a horse or with a paddle in hand, the following vendors are ready to provide the equipment and guidance necessary. All of this information and more is available at boundlessphiladelphia.com.

By Bicycle:
The Philadelphia region boasts hundreds of miles of trails and a wide network of quiet country roads, many of which wind past rolling hills, horse farms and battlefields. Here’s a list of bicycle rental shops:

• Breakaway Bikes: For rentals right on Chestnut Street in Center City

Boundless Philadelphia™, a $1.7 million campaign by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation to promote the region’s outdoor offerings, kicks off its second year with three new initiatives: enhanced features on BoundlessPhiladelphia.com, major partnerships and a hotel package. These enhancements will raise the visibility of the campaign to runners and cyclists and offer visitor-friendly amenities to all outdoor enthusiasts.
 

Research shaping Boundless Philadelphia’s™ marketing plan found that outdoor activities are important to 44% of potential visitors to Philadelphia (source: TNS Travel and Transit, April 2007) and that the lack of a comprehensive outdoor Web site was the single biggest

Already an established favorite among cyclists, Philadelphia continues to build its reputation as a great biking region thanks to new events, expanded trails, locally made products, city-to-countryside routes and reliable bike clubs. These assets help make the city one of the most important cycling destinations in the country.
 

New Developments:
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is embarking upon a plan to produce one of the largest bike rides in the country this summer. Taking place on September 9, BikePhilly 2007 is expected to draw thousands of cyclists for rides that run from 10 to 50 miles over city

The Philadelphia region continues to create a regional “runner heaven” with the opening of a new spur of the Schuylkill River Trail and the completion of the Streuble Trail in Chester County. This system of linked greenway trails are a key reason why Philadelphia’s running scene continued its competitive streak this year, generating record numbers of participants in the region’s three marquee events: The Philadelphia Marathon, The Jefferson Hospital Distance Run and the Broad Street Run. These competitions, in addition to the hundreds of other races held throughout the region, help make the Philadelphia region a favorite choice for

Summer is outdoor time, and Philadelphian’s love to play outside. In fact, every city resident lives within one mile of one of the Fairmont Park System’s 63 parks. From the leafy trails, historic gardens and the exuberant crowds at festival upon festival, there’s plenty of outdoor fun in the city that William Penn designed as a “Greene Countrie Town.” For complete listings of these and other outdoor activities in Boundless Philadelphia™, visit www.gophila.com/outdoors:

Boundless Events:

• Devon Horse Show And Country Fair – The oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed horse competition in the United States, held on Philadelphia’s Main Line,

Firmly established as a heritage tourism hotspot, Philadelphia is ready to show off its green side, with a new tourism campaign that invites visitors to come play outside. Called Boundless Philadelphia, the $1.7 million effort promotes the quality and quantity of the Philadelphia region’s natural assets and outdoor experiences. Although surprising to some, the area consistently ranks as one of the best biking, running and rowing cities by national publications such as Runner’s World and Bicycling Magazine. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) is at the helm of the three-year campaign, which aims to show the average