CollegeFest offers a cost free day in the city.
Campus Philly ran its annual CollegeFest in Center City on Sept. 8.
This event combined everything a college student could ever want: free admission, free prizes and free transportation. During CollegeFest, students registered for free access to 16 of Philadelphia’s major museums from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The day began with check-in at Dilworth Park, where a variety of companies set up information tents and offered games and giveaways. This ranged from snacks and drinks to products from stores like IKEA and A.C. Moore.
Emily Fordham ’21 said that the event was exciting right from the start.
“Campus Philly was there and they were all very friendly and lively,” Fordham said. “There was lots of music, jumping around and hanging out.”
Fordham said that the giveaways and live music created a fun atmosphere, but free admission to the museums was the main selling point.
Attendees received red bracelets that gave them access to the participating museums, such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Franklin Institute and Eastern State Penitentiary.
Some sites offered more deals when students arrived, including a discounted yearly membership to the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a one-time special.
Fordham went to the event as part of the Arts Residential Learning Community (RLC) on campus. The group chose to visit the Museum of the American Revolution, which Fordham had never been to before.
“I’m a bit of a history nerd, so I thought it was very cool and informative,” Fordham said.
Brendan McGill ’21, another member of the Arts RLC, also enjoyed the museum, as it was different from typical history museums.
“This one was definitely more interactive, which I thought was very interesting,” McGill said. “There were a lot of exhibits where you could sit and watch a video, or there were displays you could touch or go on.”
While McGill said he was glad he went to the Museum of the American Revolution, he would have liked to visit other sites on the list, such as the Rodin Museum.
McGill intends to go to CollegeFest again next year to take full advantage of the event.
“I would try and see some other museums so I could mix things up,” McGill said.
Austin Harple ’20 agreed that attending CollegeFest again would be worthwhile.
“It would be nice to get there earlier, before everyone is coming in masses,” Harple said.
Not only is there a lot to see in a short timeframe, but crowds of college students posed another problem.
This was especially difficult when trying to take the Philly Phlash bus, which is usually $2 per ride but was offered to students to travel for free between the various museums. The special offer attracted many CollegeFest patrons, making the buses packed all day, according to Harple.
Despite this, Harple still appreciated the opportunity to see the city for no cost.
“I’ve never been to downtown, so for someone who’s not from around here, that was a fun experience,” Harple said. “I would recommend CollegeFest for learning new spots to hang out.”
CollegeFest is a unique experience for students to spend a day in Center City without worrying about the cost.
Although many locations offer regular student discounts, it is rare to have so many free options at your disposal at once.
“It was definitely a cool experience, getting free shuttle rides everywhere and all the giveaways and admission,” Fordham said. “It definitely saves a lot. I mean, we’re all crunched for money, so any little bit helps.”
