Events
New Year’s Day Mummers ParadeEnd of December–January 1
Reports of festive neighborhood celebrations on New Year’s Day in Philadelphia date back to before the American Revolution. Since 1900, Mummers club members have donned costumes and paraded their string bands and comic skits throughout Center City in one of the most memorable and raucous events of the year.
mummers.com
Philadelphia International Flower Show
March
Ten acres of lush indoor gardens, lavish floral settings and inspirational displays make this one of the largest and most prestigious flower shows in the world. Each year the show celebrates a new and unique theme.
theflowershow.com
Film Festivals
April and October
Two major film festivals show off Philadelpha’s love of the film arts. The eight-day CineFest (April) features more than 60 comedies, dramas, thrillers and foreign-language films, as well as a street fair. And the 10-day Philadelphia Film Festival (October) screens more than 130 narrative, documentary and short films from the United States and abroad.
phillycinefest.org
Philly Beer Week
June
Celebrate Philadelphia’s deep love of all things beer with Philly Beer Week, including dozens of events such as beer-and-food pairings and demonstrations from some of the many regional brewers.
phillybeerweek.org
American Independence Day Festival
End of June–July 4
Celebrate the founding of America where it all began with the largest Fourth of July event in the United States. The Wawa Welcome America! Festival kicks off in late June and culminates on July 4 with a huge parade through Historic Philadelphia and then a concert and fireworks show at the steps of the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art.welcomeamerica.com
Terror Behind the Walls
October
One of the most popular haunted attractions in the country takes place in the fall at Eastern State Penitentiary, a foreboding historical prison. The prison is spooky any time of year, but the bone-chilling frights during Terror Behind the Walls are a must for any ghost-story enthusiast.
easternstate.org/halloween
Holiday Shopping & Entertainment
November–December
Philadelphia is a vibrant holiday destination, with downtown decorations, special performances and endless shopping. Don’t miss the oldest American Thanksgiving Day parade, the Pennsylvania Ballet’s performances of George Ballanchine’s The Nutcracker and the one-of-a-kind light shows at Macy’s and the Comcast Center.
galleryatmarketeast.com | 6abc.com | longwoodgardens.org
LGBT Events
Throughout the year
Don’t miss the Philly Pride LGBT Parade and Festival every June and the two-week-long QFEST, an international film festival dedicated to gay and lesbian films and filmmakers, every July. Equality Forum, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender symposium and festival, takes place in Philadelphia annually in the spring.
phillypride.org | qfest.com | equalityforum.com
Reports of festive neighborhood celebrations on New Year’s Day in Philadelphia date back to before the American Revolution. Since 1900, Mummers club members have donned costumes and paraded their string bands and comic skits throughout Center City in one of the most memorable and raucous events of the year.
mummers.com
Philadelphia International Flower Show
March
Ten acres of lush indoor gardens, lavish floral settings and inspirational displays make this one of the largest and most prestigious flower shows in the world. Each year the show celebrates a new and unique theme.
theflowershow.com
Film Festivals
April and October
Two major film festivals show off Philadelpha’s love of the film arts. The eight-day CineFest (April) features more than 60 comedies, dramas, thrillers and foreign-language films, as well as a street fair. And the 10-day Philadelphia Film Festival (October) screens more than 130 narrative, documentary and short films from the United States and abroad.
phillycinefest.org
Philly Beer Week
June
Celebrate Philadelphia’s deep love of all things beer with Philly Beer Week, including dozens of events such as beer-and-food pairings and demonstrations from some of the many regional brewers.
phillybeerweek.org
American Independence Day Festival
End of June–July 4
Celebrate the founding of America where it all began with the largest Fourth of July event in the United States. The Wawa Welcome America! Festival kicks off in late June and culminates on July 4 with a huge parade through Historic Philadelphia and then a concert and fireworks show at the steps of the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art.welcomeamerica.com
Terror Behind the Walls
October
One of the most popular haunted attractions in the country takes place in the fall at Eastern State Penitentiary, a foreboding historical prison. The prison is spooky any time of year, but the bone-chilling frights during Terror Behind the Walls are a must for any ghost-story enthusiast.
easternstate.org/halloween
Holiday Shopping & Entertainment
November–December
Philadelphia is a vibrant holiday destination, with downtown decorations, special performances and endless shopping. Don’t miss the oldest American Thanksgiving Day parade, the Pennsylvania Ballet’s performances of George Ballanchine’s The Nutcracker and the one-of-a-kind light shows at Macy’s and the Comcast Center.
galleryatmarketeast.com | 6abc.com | longwoodgardens.org
LGBT Events
Throughout the year
Don’t miss the Philly Pride LGBT Parade and Festival every June and the two-week-long QFEST, an international film festival dedicated to gay and lesbian films and filmmakers, every July. Equality Forum, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender symposium and festival, takes place in Philadelphia annually in the spring.
phillypride.org | qfest.com | equalityforum.com
