Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Art lovers, garden enthusiasts, film connoisseurs and sports fans keep coming back year after year for festivals, sporting events, art shows, parades and cultural events in Philadelphia. Here’s what’s going on in the region in 2010*:

January:

• Thousands of decorative strutters kick off the New Year by marching up

Art lovers, garden enthusiasts, film connoisseurs and sports fans keep coming back year after year for festivals, sporting events, art shows, parades and cultural events in Philadelphia. Here’s what’s going on in the region in 2009:

January 2009:

• Thousands of decorative strutters kick off the New Year by marching

Visitors from the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) community are in for a treat this spring and summer as Philadelphia makes way for a series of new and annual LGBT events. In May, the city hosts two major sporting events—the Liberty Stampede Rodeo and the Liberty Bell Classic—for

MAY 2009

May 3, 2009
BLUE CROSS 30TH ANNUAL BROAD STREET RUN. The largest and one of the fastest 10-milers in the nation goes from North Philadelphia down the length of Broad Street to The Navy Yard to raise money for the American Cancer Society. (215) 683-3594, broadstreetrun.com

May 8-9,

The Calendar of Events is organized as follows:

October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
July 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
Ongoing Activities

OCTOBER 2009

Through October 4, 2009
KAYAK TOURS. On select Saturdays and Sundays, Hidden

When Philadelphia throws a birthday party, everyone catches the spirit—especially leading up to and during Fourth of July weekend. In addition to the many free events that are part of the city’s annual Sunoco Welcome America! celebration, the region is jamming with dozens of events and festivals that celebrate our

NOTE: Click here for the Sunoco Welcome America! media credential form.

This is a Sunoco Welcome America! press release.

Spirited summer family fun in Philadelphia keeps marching on with the annual Sunoco Welcome America! festival. Visitors to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection will be treated to two

This summer, Historic Philadelphia is home to brand-new attractions, activities and events, including the provocative new exhibition at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776-1876. After undergoing an extensive renovation, the city’s premier African-American museum will unveil its stunning permanent display on Juneteenth

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

This summer’s Philadelphia Quest for Freedom will feature new programs, tours and exhibitions—including the brand-new permanent exhibition at The African American Museum in Philadelphia, Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia, 1776-1876—to give visitors a more exciting and in-depth view of African-American history in Philadelphia and in the United States’

Travelers heading to Philadelphia this spring or summer will have a chance to immerse themselves in the region’s rich African-American history and culture thanks to an assortment of special events and exhibitions taking place in the city and beyond. During the course of both seasons, they can check out The

NOTE: Click here for the Sunoco Welcome America! media credential form.

Two weekends of patriotic summer fun add up to one big party when Philadelphia welcomes residents and visitors for the 17^th annual Sunoco Welcome America! festival, celebrating the nation’s birthday in its birthplace. For two weekends, June 26-28

Summer 2009 in Philadelphia is gearing up to be festive, affordable and full of family-friendly fun. New exhibitions and attractions indoors and out let visitors explore the stars, walk along the treetops, frolic in cooling waters and come face-to-face with historic figures. Free activities, including mural tours, historic storytelling and

Philly is known for its great music and legendary artists, and summer 2008 will showcase the great sounds of the city. From a super-sized outdoor jazz festival to a Fourth of July concert that’s the stuff of “Legend,” this summer promises to be music to the ears. Here are some

This summer’s Philadelphia Quest for Freedom will feature new programs, tours and exhibitions, including Black Hands, Blue Seas at the Independence Seaport Museum and Black Founders at the Library Company of Philadelphia, exploring the story of the region’s Underground Railroad and early African American history. Now in its second year,

When it comes to celebrating America’s birthday, Philly does July 4 like nowhere else. A highlight this year will be the real-life wedding of two re-enactors who portray Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. The couple will be married in front of Independence Hall with Mayor Michael A. Nutter officiating and

Fireworks:

• Each minute of a fireworks show takes approximately one hour to choreograph.
• Zambelli pyrotechnicians will spend approximately 350-400 hours on-site producing Sunoco Welcome America!’s fireworks shows on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and at Penn’s Landing.

The Wedding: Benjamin Franklin & Betsy Ross (Ralph & Linda):

• Ralph Archbold

Philly’s own Boyz II Men formed in 1988 while the Boyz were students at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Today, the Boyz are all grown up and sounding as good as ever.

With Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman and Wanya Morris (no relation to Nathan) trading

In 2004, John Legend made the leap from all-star studio session man to headlining singer/songwriter/pianist/performer with his debut album Get Lifted. Driven in part by the hit singles Ordinary People and Used To Love U, Get Lifted was a critical and commercial triumph, earning Legend an astounding eight Grammy nominations.

Sunday, July 6, 2008:

11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Taste of Philadelphia
Hungry visitors can nosh their way through the weekend at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, sampling cuisine from some of the city’s finest restaurants. Traditional picnic foods like burgers, corn on the cob and other Independence Day favorites

Saturday, July 5, 2008:

10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Lucky contest winners can attend a pre-release screening of this classic’s remake. On a special trip to Iceland, a scientist (Brendan Fraser) and his nephew get trapped in a cave. They soon discover

Friday, July 4, 2008:

10:00-11:00 a.m.
Independence Day Ceremony
Philadelphia’s annual commemoration of American independence is bigger and better this year on Independence Mall. Among other program items, Mayor Michael A. Nutter will be on hand to acknowledge the achievements of the Best of the Class, graduating high school

Thursday, July 3, 2008:

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Go 4^th & Learn
Kids can time-travel through more than 300 years of Philadelphia history as a historian brings out artifacts and guides them along the world’s largest map of the city at the Atwater Kent Museum. Each child who attends

Wednesday, July 2, 2008:

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Go 4^th & Learn
Kids explore the world of possibilities through storytelling, crafts and interactive performances at the Abbosford Community Center. Each child attending will receive a gift bag with a book and other goodies. 3226 McMichael Street, East Falls

2:00

Tuesday, July 1, 2008:

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Go 4^th & Learn
Storytellers give kids get the scoop on Ben Franklin while they enjoy the interactive movie What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin? at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Each child attending will receive a gift bag with a

Monday, June 30, 2008:

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Go 4^th & Learn
Kids won’t know what to do first at City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza—climb inside the helicopter, talk with William Penn or paint the colorful monster mural. Every child participating will receive a gift bag with a book

Sunday, June 29, 2008:

10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
Go 4^th & Learn
At Franklin Square, kids can romp around, play games and hear professional storytellers regale them with entertaining stories about America’s past. Each child attending will receive a gift bag with a book and other goodies. Afterwards, parents

Saturday, June 28, 2008:

11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Go 4th & Learn
Kids play with musical instruments and learn how to scat jazz from Scat Cat at World Cafe Live. Every child participating will receive a gift bag with a book and other goodies. 3025 Walnut Street, (215) 222-1400

2:00-6:00

Whoever said less is more sure wasn’t thinking about Fourth of July in Philadelphia and The Countryside®. When it comes to celebrating America’s birthday, America’s birthplace knows that more is better. In addition to the many free events that are part of the Sunoco Welcome America! celebration, the region is

Aspiring artists can join local police officers to make their mark on Philadelphia during a giant Cops & Kids paint-in, Wednesday, July 2, 2008, 3:00-5:00 p.m. The event is part of Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day Fourth of July festival, running June 28 through July 6.

Budding Picassos can demonstrate

Philadelphia’s nine-day Fourth of July festival, Sunoco Welcome America!, gets underway on a joyful note when Saturday Night Alive!, presented by Independence Blue Cross and co-sponsored by WDAS-FM and the CW PHILLY, hosts live gospel performances and film on the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing on Saturday, June 28, 2008,

Step right up and watch some of the world’s strongest men dazzle with their amazing feats of strength. The Strongman Competition brings together a fierce line-up of strength competitors from around the nation for one of the kick-off events for Sunoco Welcome America!, a nine-day festival of activities celebrating America’s

Start with the anniversary of America’s birthday. Add in some of Philadelphia’s renowned and emerging performing and visual artists. Put them all together in a block party setting, and the result is Wednesday Night Out presented by the Philadelphia International Airport, a highlight of Sunoco Welcome America!’s Fourth of July

Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday from June 28 through July 6, 2008, is throwing a Fiesta on the Parkway, featuring Latino music, dance, arts, culture, food and more. The event will spice up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Thursday, July 3, 2:00-8:30 p.m.

The fun-filled fiesta

The Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival returns to Penn’s Landing as part of Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday, from June 28 through July 6, 2008. The ice cream extravaganza will take place at Walnut Street and Columbus Boulevard from Friday, July 4 through Sunday, July

Some of the city’s best chefs are bringing their culinary talents to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut Street, for A Taste of Philadelphia, an opportunity to feast on fine cuisine at fast food prices. The event, a joint production of Sunoco Welcome America! and the

After Fourth of July’s commemorative ceremonies on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, revelers can make their way over to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 2:00 p.m. for Party on the Parkway, one of many events that make up Sunoco Welcome America!’s nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday, June 28 through July 6,

Cue the 76 trombones. It’s time for the Southwest Airlines July 4^th Parade, an entertaining tribute to Philadelphia that displays how this “City of Firsts” lives, works, plays and celebrates. The parade, which will lead into a free concert by John Legend and a spectacular fireworks display, is a

The best place to celebrate America’s birthday is the place where it all started 232 years ago—at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. On Friday, July 4, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., Mayor Michael A. Nutter will lead the city’s Independence Day Ceremony, a commemorative event that pays tribute to the 18^th-century

Some things just belong together—like picnics, the Philly POPS and Independence Day. They all come together on Thursday, July 3, 2008 during the POPS on Independence concert, a newer tradition that has become a Sunoco Welcome America! fan favorite. The nine-day Fourth of July festival celebrates America’s birthday in America’s

This year’s Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday, will feature not one but two spectacular, themed fireworks displays by the internationally acclaimed Zambelli Fireworks Internationale on July 4 and 5, 2008. The Independence Day show will mark the world premiere of a new patriotic anthem by Philadelphia’s

The calendar might say it is July 5, but in Philadelphia the Independence Day celebration continues all weekend with even more Sunoco Welcome America!, a nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday. The action moves to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing where Boyz II Men, Philly’s own hometown music heroes and

He’s hot, he’s a hit-maker, and he’s headlining the Sunoco Welcome America! Sunoco Sweet Sounds of Liberty Concert & Fireworks extravaganza on July 4, 2008. John Legend, the University of Pennsylvania graduate and five-time Grammy Award winner, will cap off the Southwest July 4th Parade with a free concert on

Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross are getting married, and it’s happening in Philadelphia. In reality, Ralph Archbold, the city’s nationally recognized Ben Franklin re-enactor, fell in love with Linda Wilde, who often portrays Betsy Ross, and they decided to get married. The couple will exchange vows in a public ceremony

The nation’s birthplace is still the best place to celebrate America’s birthday. Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day marathon of Independence Day events, kicks off on Saturday, June 28 and continues through Sunday, July 6, 2008. In between, each day is jam-packed with films, food, dancing, a parade, patriotic ceremonies and

Some of Hollywood’s biggest hits will be shown inside, outside and all around the town when Philly @ the Movies returns as part of the nine-day Sunoco Welcome America! Fourth of July festival, June 28 through July 6, 2008. The series of free flicks—two of which were filmed in the

School is out, but kids can Go 4^th & Learn during Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s nine-day festival celebrating America’s birthday in America’s birthplace, Saturday, June 28 through Sunday, July 6, 2008. The fun, two-hour programs weave together interactive games, musical performances, storytelling and cultural activities, and each child who

With so much to do in Philadelphia, visitors will want to sleep over so they don’t miss a thing. And with pleasant weather ushering in even more events—and a hotel package that gives guests a $50 gift—there’s even more to fit into a Philly trip. Fortunately, there are a number

This is a Tyler Arboretum press release.

Totally Terrific Treehouses, an exhibit of one-of-a-kind tree houses designed and built by local architects, landscape architects, builders, schools, and artists, is on display May 31 to September 28 at Tyler Arboretum near Media, PA.

Sixteen imaginative structures created by local artisans make

Revelers in town for Sunoco Welcome America!, Philadelphia’s annual Independence Day celebration, can enjoy two evenings of free concerts during the festival, which runs from Saturday, June 28 through Sunday, July 6. Five-time Grammy winner John Legend will take the outdoor stage at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of

Summer in Philadelphia has long been the ideal time to celebrate our nation’s independence. This year, visitors can also learn about the tales of real pirates, gaze at contemporary American artwork, watch potential Olympic gymnasts in action, take the Presidential Oath of Office and experience other annual events that make

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

After exploring the Galileo, the Medici and the Age of Astronomy exhibition, appearing only in Philadelphia, only in 2009 (April 4 through September 7, 2009 at The Franklin Institute Science Museum), visitors are encouraged to spend a night or two and enjoy other exhibitions and events in the region.

Gay and lesbian travelers eager to get their “history straight” and “nightlife gay” will find an eclectic mix of fun and fabulous happenings in Philadelphia and The Countryside® throughout the year. Dance parties, drag shows, pride parades and cultural events are among the offerings for gay travelers in 2009. Here’s

Openings:

• Please Touch Museum and Centennial District – When it opens on October 18, 2008, the children’s museum’s new location in Fairmount Park’s Memorial Hall—a National Historic Landmark built in 1876 for the Centennial Exhibition—will boast three times more space for exhibitions and programs. Just outside the museum,

In spring 2008, Philadelphia is hosting a series of first-time events for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) sports fans. From May 9-11, the Liberty Gay Rodeo Association (LGRA) will stage Philadelphia’s inaugural gay rodeo, the Liberty Stampede, at the 100-year-old Devon Horse Show Fairgrounds in the Philadelphia suburbs. Then,