Spruce Street Harbor Park ~ Outdoor Paradise In Philly

Spruce Street Harbor Park

‘A Magical Summertime Destination’

Excitement invades the Delaware River Waterfront at Columbus Boulevard and Spruce Street. This urban area is being transformed into an outdoor paradise at the Penn’s Landing Marina.

The new pop-up park in its third year, the Spruce Street Harbor Park, is brought to you by the same people who brought you the Waterfront Winterfest. It will be open from May 6 to September 27.

Overview

This project was with the help of an ArtPlace American grant and developed in conjunction with David Fierabend of Groundswell Design Group and Interface Studios and Digsau. Through landscaping, programming, and art installations influenced by the maritime history of the area, the park will showcase the River’s industrial past and the bright future ahead for Philadelphia’s waterfront.

One of the main entrances in guiding you into Spruce Street Harbor Park will feature two 20’ and one 40’ repurposed shipping containers, sitting at Columbus Boulevard and Spruce Street. This entrance area leads you into Hammock Park. Local muralists to include Andrew Zangerle, Bonnie Whitefield, Adam Smith, Marisha Simmons and Kelly Kozma, and more, will have original murals outfitting the containers.

The Spruce Street Harbor Park will include temporary elements like a floating pop-up restaurant, fountains, allow visitors to relax in hammocks, read a book on colorful Adirondack chairs, fire pits, boardwalk, mist areas and urban beach. There will be concerts, food, drinks, games and the Oasis.

The Oasis, the Blue Anchor and Net Lounge

The Oasis provides the centerpiece for Spruce Street Harbor Park which consists of three landscaped barges; the Blue Anchor, net lounge and floating gardens. This area features two 20’ repurposed cargo containers holding the Blue Anchor, 30+ trees and plantings, an ADA-compliant boardwalk, beautiful raw metal railings and tons of seating to include bright Adirondack chairs, picnic tables and bistro tables. The barges were transformed into a floating oasis with the help of family-owned Hays Tug and Launch. The three barges are named TJ, Brody, and Richard, after the owner’s grandchildren. There are also seven floating islands that fill the center of the oasis with coneflowers, nine bark, hosta, grasses, joepye weed, and more, to create a beautiful water garden. 

Colorful Adirondack Chairs at Spruce Street Harbor ParkThe Blue Anchor, named after one of Philadelphia’s first taverns located only a couple blocks away from SSHP at Front and Dock Streets, will host an on-site restaurant and bar with walk-up windows that are constructed of two shipping containers. The food will be handled by the Garces Group which will feature a casual menu reflective of Chef Jose Garces’ vision. The bar will serve all local beer and cocktails to complement the menu selections.

Want to be suspended over water? One barge features a cantilevered net lounge, inspired by Caribbean resorts, which encourages visitors to relax while suspended over the water. There will be five 6’ x 10’ nets serving as water hammocks, allowing guests to suspend 3-4 feet above the water without getting wet. And don’t worry; debris liners are in place to catch keys, change and cell phones.

Visitors can order food from The Blue Anchor and take it off of the barge, but all of the alcohol must be consumed in The Oasis.

Urban Beach & Boardwalk with Games

You don’t have to head to Ocean City’s boardwalk. There will be a full wooden boardwalk complete with concessions and games in old shipping containers right outside the Oasis, creating a urban-beach like vibe.

Visitors will be able to enjoy a variety of both arcade and lawn games. Such games as bocce and shuffleboard courts, which can be reserved for a nominal fee. Other lawn games for free will include bean bag toss, ping pong, life sized chess and Connect Four, giant Jenga and tetherball. The shipping containers lining the boardwalk will house arcade games such as Basket Fever skeeball, air hockey, claw crane games, Ms. Pacman, and two racing games. Please note: Bocce and Shuffleboard will be closed every Wednesday at Spruce Street Harbor Park from 6 pm to 10 pm.

Enjoy traditional boardwalk and festival foods in which Frozen Delights will offer foods like Nathan’s Hot Dogs, house cut and spiral cut fries, Jack and Jill Ice Cream, Hawaiian shaved ice, Philadelphia Water Ice and more.

Hammock Park & Columbus Monument

Hammocks at Spruce Street Harbor ParkThe Hammock Park is located around the Columbus Monument and will feature 50+ colorful hammocks, colorful bistro seating that can be moved around, tables and Adirondack chairs. Fountains that haven’t been turned on in over 15 years will now be restarted. Meter-long LED tube lights will hang from the trees and will be programmed along with all of the other lights throughout the entire Harbor Park to create different moods and to celebrate different events (for instance, red, white and blue for July 4th). On cool summer nights, fire pits will add to the ambiance.

Mist Walk & Quay

On the north end of the Oasis, south of the Independence Seaport Museum, visitors can cool off with a mist garden and relax on beach like seating along the quay.

There will be seven misting stations that will resemble a gnarled tree made from iron piping to evoke the industrial feel of the site’s nautical history. The Quay will be filled with beach-like lounge chairs and umbrellas overlooking the beautiful views of the river and Philadelphia’s tall ship Gazela. In addition, people can spend part of the day out on the water in one of the many swan boats and kayaks that can be rented through the Paddle Penn’s Landing program.

Art Star Pop-Up Market

Just like every boardwalk, one needs a shopping area. The Art Star Gallery & Boutique will allow you to experience shopping in an open-air retail area where vendors will be housed inside repurposed shipping containers.

Vendors will rotate weekly, selling items such as clothing, jewelry, kids items, posters, pottery and more, which will be reasonably priced.

The pop-up market will be held on Saturdays from 11 am to 3 pm, between June 28 and August 30, weather permitting.

Spruce Street Harbor Park

Location

Columbus Boulevard at Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Dates

May 6 – September 27, 2016

Hours

Park and Oasis:  Sunday – Thursday  |  11:00 am – 11:00 pm  |  Friday & Saturday  |  11 am – 1:00 am
Boardwalk concessions & games:  Open 7 days/week  |  11:00 am – 10:00 pm

Cost

Free to enter – Pay-As-You-Go

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