1. There Ain’t No Picnic Like A Roots Picnic
Every night when The Roots kick off The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in NYC, everyone in
Philly is proud. The Roots may have moved onto national fame, but they still remember their, well, roots.
For eight years now, The Roots Picnic has filled Penn’s Landing with music at Festival Pier, featuring a variety of bands handpicked by The Roots with only the coolest reputations. Recent years’ headliners include Macklemore, Eryka Badu, Biz Markie, and Snoop Dogg.
2. Enjoy The Spellbinding Events At The Harry Potter Festival
Still waiting on your acceptance letter to Hogwarts? Thanks to Chestnut Hill, the wait is over. You can be proactive in your quest to become a wizard at The Harry Potter Festival every October.
Test your skills with events like Hunt For the Horcrux, the Sorting Hat Demonstration, Defense Against The Dark Arts classes, Hedwig’s Hollow Selfie Park, Wizard’s chess, and the Firebolt 5k race. When you work up an appetite, stuff your face with some butterbeer cakes while you look for the best Professor Snape costumes at this weekend-long event.
3. Celebrate Your Independence With Philly POPS!
In case you’ve forgotten where all that freedom you’ve got comes from, Philly is here to remind you. The city that brought you the constitution and the American flag, among many other things, hosts the Philly POPS! Independence--one of the most entertaining history lessons you’ll ever get.
This patriotic festival falls around 4th of July featuring the Philadelphia Pops! Performing at Independence Hall.
4. Get Your Laces Ready To Run Broad Street
The Broad Street run has become a Philadelphia institution. More serious than a 5k but not as strenuous as a marathon or half-marathon, this 10-mile run brings out over 40,000 runners, making it the biggest race of its size in the country.
Start your journey down Broad Street with runners clad in costumes and folks on the sidelines cheering them on, passing William Penn on your way to the Navy Yard where you can collect your medal, celebrate with everyone, and replenish with some famous Philly food.
5. Check Out How It Was All Made In America
When Philadelphia was announced as the venue for Jay-Z’s Made In America concert, a lot of people thought it was going to be a crowded, gridlock nightmare. Then, when it was announced Los Angeles would be headlining in Los Angeles in 2014, too, those same critics cried about having to share the spotlight.
This year, the Made In America tour is exclusively back with Philly, so come to Ben Franklin Parkway for one of the year’s biggest music festivals from coast to coast.
6. Nothing Says Philly Love Like Wawa Hoagie Day
I’m not saying life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness aren’t important, but let’s face it, Philly would be a shell of itself without hoagies and Wawa. You take the two of those things and put them together for one delicious festival and what do you get? Wawa Hoagie Day.
Come to Independence Mall and celebrate with every other hoagie-lover in the city (read: everyone) with 4.5 tons of hoagies courtesy everyone’s favorite coffee-genius convenience store.
7. Take One Down, Pass It Around At Philly Beer Week…
If you can’t find a way to have fun at a 10 day-long festival where beer flows more plentiful than the Delaware River, then there’s no hope for you. Philly Beer Week features the best brews of the see like Yards, Victory, Triumph, and Sly Fox. Get in on some of the nonstop events like the “Hammer of Glory” relay, block parties, tastings, competitions, and live music.
8. Discover Why If You Ain’t Dutch, You Ain’t Much
Philly locals know that the Pennsylvania Dutch make some bangin’ pretzels, potato salad, and baked goods. So, head to the Pennsylvania Dutch Festival at the Reading Terminal Market to celebrate the culture of these culinary geniuses and all-around good people while stuffing your face silly with some seriously life-changing doughnuts.
9. Let Them Eat Cake On Bastille Day
Al Capone’s cell isn’t the only reason to visit Eastern State Penitentiary. Most locals know that in the fall, this defunct prison is turned into a truly frightening haunted attraction.
But few know about its other features like the Bastille Day Festival where thousands of visitors show up to commemorate the storming of the Bastille by French revolutionaries. Wig and costume-wearing are encouraged.
10. Let Philly Blind You With Science
The Ben Franklin Parkway comes alive for nine days of events, experiments, and science-driven festivities during the Philadelphia Science Festival. Bringing in over 120,000 visitors, this fun-for-all-ages event a favorite for families, as well as anyone with a healthy curiosity.
Join in the fun out front of the Franklin Institute during the event’s Science Carnival that makes being a brainiac cool and proves to everyone that Bill Nye was right: Science rules.
11. Strut Your Stuff At The Mummers Day Parade
As a 115 year-long tradition, no list of Philadelphia events would be complete without a Mummers strut.
Every January 1, the annual New Year’s Day parade fills Broad Street with easily the most unique and entertaining bunch in the city, clad in sequins, feathers, crazy face paint, umbrellas and their instruments. There’s no better way to get your year off on the right strut.
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