Top September Festivals

It’s that time of year when the air gets a little cooler while the sun shines brightly in the sky. The moderate temperatures of late summer create perfect conditions to enjoy the great outdoors, which may explain why there are so many fantastic festivals in September.

Arts, crafts, music and more can be found during September festivals in Philadelphia and the Countryside.

Explore a few of our festival picks below:

Budweiser Made In America Festival

September 1-2
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Jay-Z. Pearl Jam. Philadelphia. You’ll have a chance to experience all three during the Budweiser Made In America Festival on Labor Day weekend. With nearly 30 acts performing across three stages on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the two-day music festival is going to be one of the year’s can’t-miss events.

WHYY Connections Festival

September 6-9
Penn’s Landing
Enjoy free performances from top musicians during the first WHYY Connections Festival at Penn’s Landing on September 6 – 9. Enjoy a free screening of WHYY’s television documentary The Barnes Collection on Friday evening followed by a free outdoor music festival on Saturday with performances by Yo La Tengo, Frank Turner, Maps & Atlases and many more.

Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe

September 7-22
Various Locations
The 16th annual Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe is bigger than ever with 16 days of contemporary theater, dance, music and more. With over 180 performances taking place from September 7 – 22, there is a Fringe experience for tastes of all kinds.

Doo Wop Festival

September 9
Penn’s Landing
Head to Penn’s Landing for a free day of classic sounds during the annual Doo Wop Festival on Sunday, September 9. Local and national groups will highlight the signature sounds of doo-wop during the free festival.

Kennett Square Mushroom Festival

September 8-9
Kennett Square
Mushroom lovers converge in historic Kennett Square for a two-day festival of food and fungi. The Kennett Square Mushroom Festival features a lively street fair, farmer stands, cooking demonstrations, crafts and foods highlighting the mighty mushroom. Plus, watch 16 competitors face-off during the first ever fried mushroom eating competition.

The Philadelphia Collection

September 13-20
Philadelphia
The city will show off its fashionable side during the Philadelphia Collection 2012, complete with a variety of fashion and style-centric events including fashion shows, workshops, trunk shows and in-store happenings.

Peddler’s Village Scarecrow Festival

September 15-16
Peddler’s Village
You’ll have a scary good time at the 34th Annual Scarecrow Festival and Competition in Peddler’s Village, a fall family tradition in Bucks County. Enjoy a weekend of family fun during the 34thAnnual Scarecrow Festival from September 15 – 16. Scarecrow-making workshops, pie eating contents, pumpkin making and live music make the Scarecrow Festival a fun tradition for the whole family.

Doylestown Arts Festival

September 15 – 16
Downtown Doylestown
More than 150 exhibitors will be on display in historic Bucks County for the annual Doylestown Arts Festival. The streets of downtown Doylestown will be packed with work by local artists, fantastic live music, family-friendly activities and great food during the free, two-day festival. Free parking is available at the Bucks County Courthouse and a new parking garage on 228 N. Broad Street.

Open Air

September 20 – October 14
Benjamin Franklin Parkway

The night sky above the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be transformed by you during Open Air, an interactive, public artwork from internationally acclaimed new media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer. The spectacular piece will allow visitors to manipulate an array of 24 high-powered spotlights with just the power of their voice.

Chester Riverfront Ramble

September 22
Chester Riverfront
Spend a day on the Chester Riverfront and enjoy live music, food, crafts, games and more during the Chester Riverfront Ramble at the Wharf at Rivertown on September 22.

Jenkintown Festival of the Arts

September 23
Jenkintown Town Square
Local artists, musicians, and vendors will pack the streets of Jenkintown for an afternoon of fun during the Jenkintown Festival of the Arts. In addition to juried art shows, the festival features two stages, an activity area for kids complete with dunk tank and a brew tent for the grown-ups.

Campus Philly College Day

September 29
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Historic Philadelphia, Rittenhouse Square
Philadelphia will welcome back thousands of college students during its annual Campus Philly College Day, a city-wide day of discounts, giveaways, entertainment and free admission to museums and more on September 29. Continuing a 20-year tradition, museums and attractions along the Parkway, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, will be offering free admission to students with college I.D.

Vendemmia Wine Festival

September 30
Girard Estates Park
Thousands flock to South Philadelphia every year for an afternoon of great food, live music and fantastic wine during the Vendemmia Wine Festival. All proceeds from the festival support a scholarship fund benefiting students of Italian Heritage in South Philadelphia.