Celebrate America’s birthday with a day-long party filled with festivities for all ages. Indulge in diverse food offerings while enjoying entertainment on the Chill Moody Music Stage and the PA Lottery Philly Groove Stage. Engage in activities and games, or cruise above the Parkway on the zip-line.
Night Market in Point Breeze
All of the best food trucks and eateries in the city will join together for the final Night Market of the year in Point Breeze (20th and Federal)! Try every type of food – from tacos to pizza to ice cream and more – from local vendors in a pay-as-you-go style, 6-10 p.m. Mark your calendars now!
Night Market in Kensington
All of the best food trucks and eateries in the city will join together in Kensington (just north of Fishtown and Northern Liberties) for the third Night Market of the season! Try every type of food – from tacos to pizza to ice cream and more – from local vendors in a pay-as-you-go style, 6-10 p.m. Alcoholic beverages available for those 21+. Mark your calendars now!
Night Market in the Gayborhood
All of the best food trucks and eateries in the city will join together in the Gayborhood (super accessible via SEPTA!) for the second Night Market of the season! Try every type of food – from tacos to pizza to ice cream and more – from local vendors in a pay-as-you-go style, 6-10 p.m. Alcoholic beverages available for those 21+. Mark your calendars now!
Night Market in Northeast Philly!
All of the best food trucks and eateries in the city will join together for the first Night Market of the season in Northeast Philly (Cottman & Rising Sun Ave)! Try every type of food – from tacos to pizza to ice cream and more – from local vendors in a pay-as-you-go style, 6-10 p.m. Mark your calendars now!
Top 5 Events:She Blinded Me With Science!
As you can probably tell by the title, this week’s post is inspired by an old Thomas Dolby’s song that has been stuck in my head for about a week. From physics to biology to the delicate science of fermentation, take advantage of these sciencey events all over Philly!
Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest
When: Sun-Thurs 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Where: Blue Cross RiverRink Cost: $3 admission fee, $10 Skate Rental
Experiment with physics at the new RiverRink in Spruce Street Harbor Park! Go on a date with that cute girl/boy in your class or grab a group of friends to teeter precariously on wheels while enjoying views of the river. Presented by Blue Cross, cardholders get in for free. Tickets are available online. Have fun learning how to skate backwards! Who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to do roller derby!
Point Breeze Pop Up
When: Thurs 4-10 p.m.; Fri 4-11 p.m.; Sat 12-11 p.m.; Sun 12-10 p.m. Where:1622 Point Breeze Ave Philadelphia, PA 19145 Cost: Free admission; pay for drinks and food
If you are of drinking age (21), enjoy the results of fermentation at this Beer Festival! Try out the selection of 35+ beers and local food trucks for an experience that is both tasty and fun. Beers include several drafts and cans. Food trucks include Poi Dog, Curbside Creamery, and more! Some of the proceeds will go towards Fair Food Philly, an organization dedicated to bringing “locally grown food the marketplace and to promoting a humane, sustainable agriculture system for the Greater Philadelphia region.”
Sittin’ In
When: Wed. Sept 9 – Doors Open at 8 p.m., Live Show at 9 p.m. Where: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Cost: Free
Listen to varying wavelengths at the Kimmel Center’s live jam session, hosted by Julie Dexter. “Blending edgy horns, choice vinyl, cutting edge MC’s and soaring vocalists, each session is unique, led by a stellar lineup of guest hosts and their band of choice.” Emcee Ciarra and The IIIVibe Collective will be performing in addition to others.
Clearly Beautiful: Photographs by Adam Summers
When: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Weekends and Holidays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Where: The Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University Cost: Free with admission
Check out these gorgeous photos at Drexel’s Academy of Natural Sciences! Adam Summer, a University of Washington biology professor, created beautiful images of the inner skeletal tissues of fish by soaking the specimens in dyes and enzymes to produce beautiful, elaborately geometric designs. Sometimes science generates hard evidence, but other times, it produces works of art that speak to our souls.
In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies
When: Tues-Sun 10-5pm Where: Penn Museum Cost: $10 with Student ID
This glass enclosed conservation lab allows visitors to watch members of the Penn Museum Conservation Department study, clean, and conserve Egyptian artifacts, including paintings, ancient funerary artifacts, and a real LIVE MUMMY! The museum has a cool blog that shows what the lab is working on at any given time. As of August 29th, they are working on the conservation of Nespekashuti, likely a “singing master” from the New Kingdom era.
Work & Play: Summer Fun in Philly
Getting a summer internship is one of the best ways to build your resume and to gain professional experience. But it’s summer! You shouldn’t feel like you’re sacrificing all the fun that comes with summertime by getting some work experience; and if you secure an internship in Philly for the summer, you definitely won’t feel like you’re missing out. There are countless awesome events going on throughout the warm months in the city, and we’ve compiled a list of some of the best summer events going on for all the students lucky enough to be hanging around Philly.
Longwood Gardens “Nightscape”
Starting in July, Longwood Gardens is offering a nighttime show that is complete with moving imagery and lights set to original music. The backdrop is the natural landscape of the gardens, with beautiful plants, trees, stonework, and water. “Nightscape: A Light and Sound Experience” is a great chance to spend a summer night outdoors enjoying nature and the art of Philadelphia artists Klip Collective, who designed the show. There will also be a beer garden (21+) on location only for this event, where you can enjoy delicious food and Longwood brews and take in the starry nightscape. On Thursdays, there will also be live music in the beer garden.
PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing
This annual series celebrates the diversity of Philadelphia. Every Sunday, a different culture comes to life on the waterfront at the Great Plaza. Past celebrations have included: an Israeli Festival, with performances from Israeli singers and bands, falafel and other festive food, and games of Ga Ga (Israeli dodge ball); an Irish Festival with dancers, bagpipers, traditional foods, and an outdoor market with Irish goods; a Portuguese Festival with food and wine, folklore dance groups, and revolutionary art; and many more! Caribbean, Mexican, African, Southeast Asian…the list really does go on. What better way to spend a summer weekend than enjoying world cultures on the banks of the Delaware? The dates for this event have not been released yet, but it regularly runs on weekends on all summer long. Be sure to check back for the exact dates!
Night Market Philadelphia
Philadelphia is known for its street food, and Night Market Philadelphia is a way to experience some of the city’s best. This event attracts thousands of visitors from around the region, so you could say that it’s pretty popular. The city’s top-rated food trucks and restaurants converge on one Philly neighborhood, providing a night of delicious eats. In addition to the great local eateries, live entertainment from local musicians and artists round out a night of great food and great fun. This evening celebration of food, music, and community is held varying neighborhoods, so be sure to keep an eye out for where the Night Market is stopping next—you don’t want to miss it!
Arts Festivals
Philly is budding with cultural opportunities, and the summer is a great chance to experience some of the city’s best arts-related festivals. The Manayunk Arts Festival, held from June 20 to 21, is the area’s largest outdoor, juried arts festival, and features an array of fine arts and crafts from across the nation. Main Street in Manayunk is converted into an arts bazaar as over 300 artists present their work, and you’ll have the chance to peruse all the local talent. While you’re there, don’t miss out on all the other fun that Manayunk has to offer too. Not sure you’d enjoy the arts festival? Try the BlackStar Film Festival then, an event that has been heralded as “The Black Sundance” by Ebony magazine. The festival celebrates the visual and storytelling traditions of the African diaspora, and showcases the work of black filmmakers, writers, and producers from around the world. You can enjoy a variety of different mediums, including film shorts, music videos, experimental films, narrative features, or documentary films. This signature Philly film festival also features panel discussion with directors, multimedia workshops, parties, and more. Check back to their website or Facebook page to learn about the theme of this year’s festival and the schedule of events.
Weekend Getaways
But wait, isn’t the quintessential summer supposed to feature a beach and sea shells and water? What if you like to lay in the sand and hear the waves rolling up the shoreline, or build sandcastles and hang out on the beach? Or what if summers for you just aren’t complete with a stroll down the boardwalk? While the streets of Philly offer a lot, the beaches and shore towns of the Jersey Shore aren’t far. Whether you’ve been or not, the Jersey Shore offers many opportunities for beach time and other activities. So take a weekend adventure! Pack a cooler, bring a towel, and enjoy some time away from the city. You can check out our guide to some nearby shore towns here.
Clearly this list can’t be all-encompassing; there are too many beer gardens, nights of music, outdoor movies, and festivals to put it all in one list. But this is a flavor, at least, of what a summer in Philly can look like for you. You can check out some of the other cool happenings in town during the summer months here or here. So if you’re thinking about what to do this summer, you can’t go wrong getting an internship around Philly—there will be plenty of fun things to do when you’re not working!
