Philadelphia Summer Fun: 2014

When the weather gets hot, Philadelphia really comes alive! With more and more people coming into the city for the 4th of July Celebrations and the mounting summer festivals popping up, you should never be at a loss for something to do in the sweltering summer months! Here are a few hand-picked events happening in the upcoming months complements of VisitPhilly.com:

The Visit Philly Beer Garden Happy Hour Series: 12 Weeks. 6 Beer Gardens. Endless Good Times.

In order to take advantage of Philly’s wealth of awesome beer gardens, we’ve created a brand new rotating happy hour series called the Visit Philly Beer Garden Series. Launching on Friday, June 6 at Morgan’s Pier, and visiting a single beer garden each week through August, the pop-up happy hours will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Fridays and include specials on food and local craft beer.

Spruce Street Harbor Park: A Pop-up Summertime Village on the Delaware River

From Friday, June 27 through Sunday, August 31, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation transforms the Penn’s Landing Marina at Columbus Boulevard and Spruce Street into a pop-up summertime village with a beer garden, restaurant and more. The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s new jewel boasts all of the essential elements for a summertime revery — ample outdoor seating, local beer offerings and higher-end grab-and-go food available from a cargo container — and will be free and open to the public every day from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. The pop-up spot also features a hammock garden, boardwalk, urban beach, fountains and a series of floating barges with lily pad water gardens.

Fireworks and Fountains at Longwood Gardens: Celebrate Summer in a beautiful setting with some jaw-dropping fountains and fireworks!

The entire family will enjoy Longwood Gardens’ light and sound spectacular, a summer tradition at the internationally celebrated gardens. These extravaganzas combine lavish fireworks, stirring music and the celebrated colorful illuminated fountains of the 1,050-acre horticultural showplace created by industrialist Pierre du Pont (1870-1954). The result is an unforgettable display that lights the evening sky. Fireworks have been used at Longwood since at least 1907, the year after du Pont purchased the property. Each display typically attracts approximately 5,000 people. The fountains and fireworks are operated by carefully synchronized computer programs, and the music is chosen to complement the displays.

Wawa Welcome America! Fireworks: Celebrate Philadelphia’s biggest day of the year with some of the best fireworks you’ll ever see!

When it comes to celebrating America’s birthday, nobody rocks it like Philadelphia, America’s birthplace, and 2014—the country’s 238th birthday—will be no exception thanks to festive happenings before, during and after the Fourth of July. Celebrate during the Wawa Welcome America! Festival from June 28-July 4, a week of festive events, including the largest free concert in America starring Philly hometown heroes The Roots.

It wouldn’t be Independence Day without fireworks and this year there are several explosive shows happening in Philadelphia during the week of July 4th. Get the best view with our guides to watching the fireworks displays at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Delaware River, below.

PLEASE NOTE: All fireworks shows and events are scheduled rain or shine. In case of inclement weather, follow @July4thPhilly on Twitter and Wawa Welcome America on Facebook for up-to-the-minute information.

Upcoming Fireworks Shows

Philly 4th of July Jam & Grand Finale Fireworks

Date: Friday, July 4 | Where to Watch Map – Parkway
Fireworks: Estimated to begin around 10:30 p.m.*
Location: Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 20th Street and Eakins Oval
Concert: The week-long celebration culminates with the “Largest Free Concert in America” on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Enjoy performances from The Roots, Ed Sheeran, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Hudson, Aloe Blacc, Ariana Grande and Vicci Martinez before the explosive fireworks finale over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Adventure Aquarium Waterfront Fireworks Spectacular

Date: Saturday, July 5
Location: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing | Where to Watch Map – Penn’s Landing
Fireworks: Immediately following final performance, between 9:30-10 p.m.*
Concert: Enjoy a patriotic evening of music with the United States Army Marching Band “Pershing’s Own” followed by the Adventure Aquarium Waterfront Fireworks Celebration.