Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

The Calendar of Events is organized as follows:

June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014

JUNE 2013

Through June 2, 2013
ANNUAL STUDENT EXHIBITION. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, the country’s oldest and largest art museum and school, previews the works of third- and fourth-year art students during this 112^th annual exhibition. (215) 972-7600, pafa.org

Through June 2, 2013
DEVON HORSE SHOW AND COUNTRY FAIR. The country’s oldest and largest event of its kind features hunters, jumpers, Saddlebreds, four-in-hand coaching,

MAY 2013

May 4-5
GORUCK CHALLENGE. For those adventure seekers who wish to recreate the experience of participating in urban military combat, this 15- to 20-mile overnight challenge sends teams across the city to navigate a course while wearing backpacks stuffed with bricks. The challenges are led by Green Berets, and a portion of every entry fee benefits the Green Beret Foundation. goruck.com

May 5
BLUE CROSS BROAD STREET RUN. The largest and one of the fastest 10-mile runs in the nation goes from North Philadelphia down the length of Broad Street to The Navy Yard to raise money for

From spring until fall, Philadelphia hosts a variety of festivals that music fans and culture vultures will consider must-dos, must-sees and must-hears. For music fans, there’s the second-annual Budweiser Made In America concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, headlined by Beyonce. Literature lovers will swoon over the Celebration of Black Writing, one of the oldest African-American literary events in the nation. And for movie buffs, the sophomore BlackStar Film Festival, a unique gathering of filmmakers and storytellers of the African diaspora, will be a two-thumbs-up experience. Here are six sizzling festivals worth attending in Philly this spring and beyond:

1. Marking

This spring, the Philadelphia region’s gardens and arboretums are marking the warmer-weather season with a city-wide festival that celebrates the delicate cherry blossom, big bugs sculpted from fallen trees at Morris Arboretum, new behind-the-scenes tours at Longwood Gardens and plenty of beautiful blooms at gardens all across the region. Here’s a look at what’s in bloom:

Garden News:

• More than just flora and fauna have sprung to life at Chestnut Hill’s Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. Eleven Big Bugs, the creation of Long Island sculptor David Rogers, dot the grounds of the arboretum through August 31. Made

Philadelphians love their festivals. Whether it’s local artisans and craftspeople sharing their wares in West Philadelphia, a traditional Yoruba-style street fair on South Street, a craft beer party on East Passyunk Avenue or a re-enactment of the storming of the Bastille in Fairmount, there’s always a reason to celebrate in the authentically Philly neighborhoods outside of Center City. The following are some mark-the-calendar happenings for 2013:

Fishtown & Northern Liberties:

• Lining the cobblestone street with artists of all stripes and genres, the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival includes the storied Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby, a quirky competition for the most

This week, March Madness kicks off sports-filled seasons in Philadelphia, which is playing host to some big events in spring and summer. Fans traveling to the region to watch their favorite teams—or just get in on the fun—will round out their trips with food, museums, art, nightlife and history.

“We’re thrilled to see more of these sporting events coming to Philadelphia,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of GPTMC, which markets to leisure travelers. “New visitors experiencing the city for the first time find reasons to come back again, and repeat visitors take in their favorite sites and add a

Philadelphians love their festivals. Whether it’s local artisans and craftspeople sharing their wares on Penn’s Landing, a celebration of the fall season in Midtown Village, a traditional Yoruba-style street fair on South Street or a craft beer party on East Passyunk Avenue, there’s always a reason to celebrate in neighborhoods in and around Center City. The following are some mark-the-calendar happenings for 2013:

CENTER CITY

Benjamin Franklin Parkway:

• For the third year running, the Philadelphia Science Festival will unleash 10 days of exploratory exhibitions, lectures, debates and hands-on activities on campuses, museums and other venues around the city, culminating

Art lovers, garden enthusiasts, film connoisseurs and sports fans keep coming back year after year for festivals, athletic events, art shows, parades and cultural events in Philadelphia. Here’s what’s going on in the region in 2013*.

January:

• Thousands of decorative strutters kick off the New Year by marching up Broad Street in the festive day-long Mummers Parade that ends with the Fancy Brigade Finale at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. January 1, 2013. phillymummers.com
• The region gets revved up in the 2013, thanks to the Philadelphia Auto Show. The Pennsylvania Convention Center transforms into a car lover’s dream, with 700

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:

January:

• Setting the standard for quirky events, the Mummers Parade kicks off every New Year with more than 15,000 men, women and children spending thousands of dollars on

More Than A Dozen New Restaurants On The Scene
Mediterranean cuisine takes center stage in Philly this summer with three new but very different restaurants. At Society Hill’s Zahav, one of the most anticipated local openings of the season, co-owners Steve Cook and Michael Solomonov (of Marigold Kitchen and Xochitl) have collaborated to create their third signature dining experience, starring Solomonov’s modern interpretations of Israeli food. Menu standouts include salmon skewers with pomegranate and couscous cooked over hot coals, crispy phyllo pie with rabbit and prunes and a “milk and honey” cocktail swirled with rum, date syrup and almond