Things To Do In Philadelphia – 4th of July Events with Fireworks, Food, Parades & More

Things To Do In Philadelphia – 4th of July Events with Fireworks, Food, Parades & More

‘Come Celebrate a Week Long of 4th of July Events in Philly’

Who loves 4th of July, fireworks, good food, history, and so much more. Well, you can get all of that in the next 6 days right here in the City of Brotherly Love. And if you are visiting Philly, you’ll be in for a treat.

Thanks to Wawa Welcome America and the City of Philadelphia, there will be two days of fireworks, food festivals, the reading of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall, a 4th of July parade, and so much more. Can you handle all of the excitement? We can’t!

Here at MyPhillyAlive, we like to share these events and attractions with you. Here are a few highlighted events or attractions for this weekend in Philly and some upcoming attractions or events to put on your calendar. Please don’t hesitate to stop by here tomorrow for any new updates of what is going on this weekend or during the week.

Things To Do In Philadelphia this Weekend & Week of  ~ June 30 – July 5

• Taste of Philadelphia Kickoff ~ June 29 ~ Starts at 5 pm tonight on the Waterfront of Penn’s Landing. Featuring Jazz, Blues and lots of food.  – You get a chance to listen to some of the best musicians that the city has to offer, with food vendors and restaurants offering bite-sized dishes at discounts.
• Art After 5 ~ June 29 ~ Rale Micic Featuring Alma Micic ~ Serbian-born jazz guitarist and composer Rale Micic has developed a cultlike following with his mix of jazz and haunting melodies from the Balkans. Come listen to him pay. Held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the Great Stair Hall, starting at 5 pm. ~ Art After 5 ~
• Kimmel Center ~ June 29, 30, & July 1st ~ Live concerts all weekend long. ~ shows at the Kimmel Center in Philly ~
• 4th of July events in Philadelphia ~ June 25 – July 4th ~ Do we have 10 days of fun activities and events for you, thanks to Wawa Welcome America and the city of Philadelphia. ~ 4th of July in Philadelphia & events ~
• Guide to events in Philadelphia – Leading up to 4th of July celebration ~ June 25 – July 4 ~ Here is our guide of things to do during the 10 days up until 4th of July in Philadelphia ~ Philly Guide to 4th of July ~
• Taste of Philadelphia ~ June 30 ~ From 11 am to 10 pm. Come enjoy great food from local truck vendors, free entertainment, and ending with live fireworks. Held at Penn’s Landing on 301 S. Columbus Blvd.
• Taste of Philadelphia: Market Tours ~ June 30 & July 4 ~ Starts at 10 am every Wed & Sat – Learn the story behind cheese steaks, hoagies, pretzels and other Philly food favorites, and the 114-year history of the vibrant Reading Terminal Market where they’re sold during this 75-minute, food-writer-led walking tour.~ Taste of Philadelphia: Market Tours ~
• Celebration of Freedom Ceremony ~ July 4 ~ Taking place at the steps of Independence Hall (10 am – 11 am). For an hour you get a celebration of music, inspiring remarks and a reading of excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, amongst other special things.
• Philadelphia Independence Day Parade ~ July 4 ~ Through Historic Philadelphia from 11 am to 12:30 pm. This year’s parade features a “Heroes Salute” honoring the 10th Anniversary of 9/11. There will be 5,000 participants to include marching bands, floats, military organizations and several special performing teams. ~ Parade Route~
• Party on the Parkway ~ July 4 ~ From 12 pm – 7 pm on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 20th Street to Eakins Oval. There will be blocks of exciting and educational activities, games, entertainment and food for the whole family.
• Philly 4th of July Jam & Grande Finale Fireworks ~ July 4 ~ From 7 pm to 10 pm. The 10-day long celebration ends up with live music for 3 hours and then top off the night with a fireworks display over the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This will be featured as the largest free concert in America with such performers mentioned above.
• Center City Sips ~ July 4 ~ Every Wednesday until August 29th. Enjoy discounts on beer, wine, cocktails, and food from 88 bars and restaurants in Center City.  ~ Center City Sips ~
• Shark Week at Adventure Aquarium ~ June 23 to September 3 ~ Adventure Aquarium in Camden this summer be showcasing the largest collection of sharks on the East Coast as well as the only two “great hammerheads” in the United States. ~ Sharks at Adventure Aquarium ~
• Light Installations By Bruce Munro ~ Now to September 29 ~ This will allow visitors to explore Longwood Gardens after-hours, while giving you a different perspective with cool displays of lights and more. ~ Light Installations by Bruce Munro ~
• Free Play on the Parkway ~ Now – September 30; except Mondays ~ Play In between recognizes the need for free play in children’s education. Come check out what it’s all about. ~ Free Play on the Parkway ~
• Morgan’s Pier ~ Now Open ~ Philadelphia’s newest waterfront location with a beer garden, food, and live bands. ~ Morgan’s Pier ~
• The Buddy Holly Story ~ Now to July 15 ~ Buddy paved the way for rock & roll with 50′s favorites such as “Peggy Sue”, “That’ll Be the Day”, and more. See his story at Walnut Street Theatre. ~ Walnut Street Theatre ~
• Barnes Foundation ~ Now Open ~  The new building finally opened May 19th. You get to explore the world’s largest collection of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and Modern paintings–including tons of works by Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, van Gogh and Renoir—inside this new 12,000 square-foot gallery. ~ Barnes Foundation ~
• Bruce Springsteen ~ Now – Sept. 3 ~ Springsteen comes to the National Constitution Center. The first exhibit of Bruce Springsteen to ever be seen outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You will have the opportunity to view more than 150 artifacts, videos of his first successful audition, and much more. ~ Bruce Springsteen exhibit~
• Dead Sea Scrolls ~ Now – October 14 ~ The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit arrives at The Franklin Institute. Get a glimpse of ancient Israeli culture with more than 600 artifacts and 20 of the rarest scroll. ~ Dead Sea Scrolls ~
• Maya 2012 – Lords of Time Exhibit at Penn’s Museum ~ Now – January 13, 2013 ~ Learn more about that superstition and the culture behind the Mayan prophecy. This exhibit will showcase the fascinating and mysterious Mayan people.~ Maya 2012 Exhibit ~
• Special Information! – Do you know that Philadelphia has its own slide? Yes, the Philly Slide. With Jaye Moore & Tony Luke Jr, to help support Little Kids Rock. Check it out. ~ The Philly Slide ~

Visiting Philadelphia

Visiting Philadelphia? Have you lived in or near the City of Philadelphia, but never ventured out too many of the historical sites in Philly? Here is a quick guide for some must see attractions in the City of Brotherly Love.

• The Independence Visitor’s Center – Your guide for all of your information relating to historical sites in Philadelphia and other things to do in Philadelphia. ~ Independence Visitor’s Center ~
• Philadelphia Zoo ~ With the warmer weather approaching, you can not miss America’s Oldest Zoo. 42 acres of awesomeness and over 1,000 animals. ~ Philadelphia Z00 ~
• Liberty Bell – Symbol of American Independence – If you are visiting Philadelphia, this is one site that must be seen. ~ Liberty Bell~
• Elfreth’s Alley ~ Get to walk down a street with 300 years of history. Elfreth’s Alley is one of the oldest continuously inhabited residential streets in America. ~ Elfreth’s Alley ~
• Philadelphia City Hall ~ Like Architecture? Philadelphia History? They give tours of the Philadelphia City Hall. If you go up high enough, you get to see the whole city. ~ Philadelphia City Hall~
• Philadelphia Museum of Art – So many things that surround this museum. The “Rocky” Steps or the “Rocky” statue. A great view down Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Behind the museum, you can view Boat House Row and a few other things. ~ Philadelphia Museum of Art~
• Betsy Ross House – Did Betsy Ross actually make the American Flag? Learn about some of Philadelphia’s earliest history. ~ Betsy Ross House~
• Independence Hall – This is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and where the Constitution of the United States was debated, drafted and signed. ~ Independence Hall~
• National Constitution Center – If anything, you must see the ‘We the People’ exhibit. There are other timely exhibits. ~ National Constitution Center ~
• Philadelphia Parks – Such as Fairmount Park or even Franklin Square for the kids or relaxing.

Are you Visiting Philadelphia and need a good tour company to show you around the City of Philadelphia, the historical sites, and much more. Try the Philadelphia Sightseeing Tours Company ~ Philly Sightseeing Company ~

Upcoming Events & Attractions in Philadelphia

• Bastille Day ~ July 16 ~ Come back for more info.
• Summer Ale Festival ~ July 21 ~ At Philadelphia Z00 with 21 brewers and 24 restaurants. Plus music and furry animals. Come back for more info.
• Labor Day Weekend in Philly ~ September 1 & 2 ~ The “Budweiser Made in America” concert will have Jay-Z to Headline the Musical Festival.  The two day festival will feature 30 acts on three stages. (more info to come)

As always, no matter if you are visiting Philadelphia or live in the City of Philadelphia, we hope our list of things to do in Philadelphia helps you out.

If you have stumbled upon something else that we did not mention, please let us know in a comment or in an e-mail. If you are a business or organization that has an event coming up, please contact us. MyPhillyAlive

If you happened to visit any of the things mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment here or on that article describing what you liked about that event or attraction. As always, we would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks, MyPhillyAlive

Philadelphia Weekend Weather for the weekend of June 29 – July 1

 

Friday  |  30%  Isolated T-Storms  |  High 98  | Low 72

Saturday  |  30%  Isolated T-Storms  |  High 97 | Low 75

Sunday  |  Mostly Sunny  |  High 92 |  Low 72

Disclaimer : This blog post is a weekly update of things to do in Philadelphia. Please check the date above, when such article was posted. If an earlier date appears above, just go to this link for current events and attractions in Philadelphia. ~ Click : Things to do in Philadelphia ~

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picture courtesy of Bill Cannon Photography