Can’t-miss events in Philadelphia.
As the semester comes to an end and spring weather is finally starting to show around the city, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of all that Philadelphia has to offer in the spring and early summer months. For those who will be leaving the area until the fall, it can become particularly overwhelming to fit the many unique events in the area into schedules, especially right before finals.
But don’t worry – to make your planning easier, whether you’re local or not, here are some spots to enjoy in Philadelphia over the next few weeks.
Philadelphia Black Pride: April 25-29
Towards the end of April, Philadelphia Black Pride will host the first ever Black Pride Parade and Rally. This multi-day event begins on April 25 with the “Unchained Rally” starting at aLOFT Hotel on North Broad Street and ends at City Hall.
This celebration appreciates a gathering of people of different races, ethnicities and sexual orientations. Complete with a diverse collection of events, this celebration is known to bring together thousands of members of the African-American and LGBT communities.
Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival: May 1- June 30
Returning for its third year at Franklin Square, this traditional festival will illuminate the historic district of Philadelphia with 15,000 LED lights covering 28 different displays that feature 1,500 various art displays.
This celebration of light and Chinese culture can be enjoyed for two months, where attendees can experience a variety of Chinese entertainment and art, including contortion, acrobatics and plate spinning, a “Dragon Beer Garden” for the 21+ crowd, the popular 200-foot illuminated dragon display and dozens of never before seen decorations.
Though Franklin Square will be free admission during the day as usual, starting at 6 p.m. the Chinese Lantern festival will become a ticketed event. The staff encourages guests to purchase tickets ahead of time to avoid long lines at the door, as this is an extremely popular event.
Game Masters Exhibit at the Franklin Institute: Now through Sept. 3
Showcasing the work of over 30 innovative game designers, this unique exhibit allows for the inner child in all of us to experience an interactive journey inside some of the most popular and favorite video games. This includes nostalgic journeys through the arcade era up until today’s web and console games.
Not only can guests play more than 100 games during the course of the exhibit, they can also learn how their favorite characters from Sonic to the Sims were created as well as the progression of animation over the course of the years.
Current day-time hours include adult tickets for $30 and children’s for $26, 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Evening hours are also included only Thursday through Saturday where tickets are $20 and $15.
South Street Spring Festival and Maifest: May 5
Returning for the 6th Annual Spring Festival, the South Street Headhouse districts enables thousands of interested guests to enjoy the fresh air and take part in a variety of springtime events in town.
Located at Headhouse Square and along South Street, this don’t-miss event includes a giant Maypole, a few dozen concerts, eating contests, a kids’ zone along with 100-plus vendors. In addition, visitors can enjoy the traditional Maifest, Brauhaus Schmitz’s German beer and dancing extravaganza, which holds activities that the whole family can enjoy.
