Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will debut PHILLY 360°, The Book—the newest component of its African-American tourism marketing campaign—at The Roots Picnic on June 6, 2009. The limited-edition, hard-bound book features interviews with some of Philadelphia’s most prominent African-American tastemakers and trendsetters, including The Roots, King Britt and Ethel Cee, and details what these creative ambassadors love most about the city. All of the people featured in the book are part of GPTMC’s Philly 360° Coalition, a group of 50 of the city’s African-American thought leaders, cultural entrepreneurs, marketers and other stakeholders committed to promoting a 360°

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. Here’s a look at what’s going on while Galileo’s in town:

Fun Art And Culture:

• The popular three-day West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival—now in its sixth year—features all types of jazz alongside visual artists, craft vendors and more. This year’s lineup features WAR, Jeffrey Osbourne, Average

This June, Philadelphia will celebrate Black Music Month with events and shows featuring many genres of music, including jazz, hip hop, rap and more. Started in 1979 with the help of the city’s famed songwriter and record producer Kenny Gamble, Black Music Month in Philly kicks off on June 6 with the second annual Roots Picnic, an all-day concert that culminates with a performance by Philly’s famed hip-hop group turned Late Night with Jimmy Fallon house band, The Roots.

Black Music’s Philly Roots:
There would be no 1970s soul, no R&B, no disco, without Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

In summer 2009, the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) will debut a new twist on its African-American tourism marketing campaign. The initiative will focus on expanding the destination’s current visitor base by attracting a new group of African-American travelers who are younger, technologically savvy and driven to an urban destination based on its contemporary cultural offerings, vibrant nightlife scene and overall buzz factor.

Helping to shape the campaign is the Philly 360˚ Coalition—a name that reflects the group’s commitment to giving potential visitors a 360˚ view of the city’s modern and historic tourism offerings. Here is a look at

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’ early years than ever before.

Now in its third year, Philadelphia Quest for Freedom, part of a statewide initiative that brings the history of the Underground Railroad to the public’s attention, features several exhibitions that explore the breadth of the African-American experience in Philadelphia:

• Audacious Freedom: African Americans in Philadelphia,

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 African American Museum in Philadelphia’s brand-new permanent exhibition to learn about the experiences of African-Americans living in 18^th-century Philadelphia; groove to the sounds of The Roots, Public Enemy and other all-star groups at the second annual Roots Picnic; and examine their thoughts about skin color at RACE: Are

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 (June 19).

To discover Audacious Freedom and all of the other affordable—or free—attractions in Historic Philadelphia this summer, visitors will have to spend at least two nights. gophila.com lists dozens of affordable hotel packages, including the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, a two-night offer that comes with free hotel parking.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced a new marketing strategy designed to promote the region’s strong African-American cultural heritage and contemporary creative scene. The integrated campaign—set to debut in summer 2009—will focus on expanding the destination’s current visitor base by attracting a new core group of travelers who are younger, technologically savvy and driven to an urban destination based on its history, mainstream attractions and underground culture.

Development for the newest phase of GPTMC’s multicultural marketing effort began in December 2008 when the tourism organization convened nearly 50 of Philadelphia’s African-American thought leaders, cultural entrepreneurs, marketers and

Philadelphia celebrates African-American history 365 days a year, but things really heat up in February when the region’s museums, arts and cultural organizations and historic sites recognize Black History Month. One of the highlights of the city’s 2009 celebration is sure to be America I AM: The African American Imprint, Tavis Smiley’s new show at the National Constitution Center that celebrates nearly 500 years of African and African-American contributions to the U.S.

Those celebrating Black History Month in the region this winter can take advantage of the long three-day weekend (February 14-16) and the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) today announced new partnerships for Black History Month with four Philadelphia media outlets: CBS 3, The CW Philly 57, KYW Newsradio 1060 and The Philadelphia Tribune. The partnerships involve content sharing through Web, print and broadcast mediums in an effort to extend marketing messages geared specifically toward African-American travelers.

“With new tourism initiatives under way, it is important for GPTMC to remind our hometown audiences that Philadelphia has a rich African-American history with a contemporary relevance,” said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO, GPTMC. “These partnerships help us showcase and celebrate our region’s strong

Now Playing:
Survival Of The Fittest
The bicentennial of the birth of Charles Darwin prompted Philadelphia to name April 2008 through May 2009 the Year of Evolution. The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology leads the pack in honoring the scientist’s birthday with its innovative exhibition Surviving: The Body of Evidence, on view through May 3, 2009. Visitors discover how the process of evolution impacts their daily lives. 3260 South Street, (215) 898-4000, museum.upenn.edu

Edgar Allan Poe Bicentennial
January marks the 200^th year since the birth of literary master Edgar Allan Poe, and Philadelphia is celebrating

Long weekends are the perfect time to discover all the things to Love about Philadelphia. Those looking for a three-day escape this winter can take advantage of the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which comes with an extra incentive this season thanks to the new Love campaign. As always, the two-night offer, available at more than 30 hotels throughout the region, includes free hotel parking (valued at up to $75), a Philadelphia Privileges coupon book and a Philly’s More Fun® teddy bear. What’s more, 100 lucky hotel package buyers who book and redeem their stay before March 16 will be

Travelers heading to Philadelphia this winter or spring 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 celebrate nearly 500 years of achievements by Africans and African-Americans at the National Constitution Center, see the intricate patterns of handmade quilts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and celebrate black writers at Art Sanctuary’s 25^th Annual Black Writing Festival. Then, as spring thaws, the best distinctly Philadelphia festivals take to the

On Saturday, September 13, 2008, CW Philly won a 2008 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award in the Community/Public Service category for a series of public service announcements produced in partnership with GPTMC and The African American Museum in Philadelphia. More than 1.5 million people watched the segments, which aired throughout Black History Month in February 2008. This is the first time GPTMC has received an Emmy® award.

“GPTMC and its partners are thrilled by this honor,” said Patricia Washington, vice president of cultural tourism, GPTMC. “The Emmy® win further promotes the series of six 30-second spots that raised awareness for Quest

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) received a 2008 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® nomination in the Community/Public Service category for a series of public service announcements produced with CBS3, CW Philly and The African American Museum in Philadelphia. More than 1.5 million people watched the segments, which aired throughout Black History Month in February 2008. This is the first time GPTMC has received an Emmy® nomination. The winners will be announced this Saturday, September 13, 2008 at the Philadelphia Marriott.

“Thanks to the work of our partners, this series of six 30-second spots raised awareness for Quest for Freedom, part of

This is a National Constitution Center press release.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia will host the national debut of America I AM: The African American Imprint, a four-year touring museum exhibition that will celebrate 400 years of African American contributions to this country.

The exhibition is developed in partnership with The Smiley Group, Inc., and organized by Cincinnati Museum Center and Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI), which recently brought the King Tut exhibition to Philadelphia. The exhibition will run January 15 to May 3, 2009, presenting a historical continuum of pivotal moments in courage, conviction and creativity that solidifies

Video podcasts—also known as vodcasts—are the newest tool visitors can use to plan their trip to Philadelphia, and they’re now available on the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) gophila.com and uwishunu.com. The series of free three- to five-minute themed video tours guide visitors through some of the city’s most colorful neighborhoods and complement seven dynamically mapped and customizable podcast tours already available on gophila.com/soundabout. One of the new vodcasts highlights significant African-American heritage sites, while the other three showcase the local shops, watering holes and cultural spots of Chinatown, Fishtown/Kensington and University City.

As more travelers use

This summer and beyond, Philadelphia will reveal untold chapters in the nation’s history and bring new emphasis to the undertold stories of African-Americans, allowing visitors to hear a far more accurate rendition of the United States’ early years than ever before. Not only will storytellers throughout Historic Philadelphia add new tales to their repertoire, but a self-guided Underground Railroad tour of Philadelphia will take participants from Society Hill to Germantown. Other projects in the works, including the President’s House Commemorative Site and the Octavius V. Catto memorial, will ensure that visitors have many reasons to come back to Philadelphia in

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) joined with more than 20 organizations to announce the launch of Quest for Freedom, a statewide initiative bringing the history of the Underground Railroad to the public’s attention through six heritage trails throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia’s Quest for Freedom program features three main components: a Web site, a brochure and summer programming that includes living history performances, special exhibitions and tours. The project also encompasses the President’s House Commemorative Site, now making national news as archaeologists uncover new evidence around the lives of the enslaved Africans who lived there

LIVING HISTORY DAYS
During Living History Days, participants can hear about the danger and bravery of the Underground Railroad from the people who lived it, as historic re-enactors portray the lives of abolitionists, activists and others who lived the courage of their convictions..

Ongoing Programs:

• Saturdays, June 30-Labor Day weekend, 2:00 p.m.: In Sun and Snow – Two young women—one black and one white—share their very different life experiences in Philadelphia during the days of slavery and the Underground Railroad in a one-act play based on real diaries. Atwater Kent Museum, 15 S. 7^th Street, (215) 685-4830
• Daily through