Mann Center for the Performing Arts

The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, one of the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheaters, is a top summer destination for music lovers in Philadelphia.

Located in Fairmount Park, the Mann can seat over 4,000 with room for an additional 10,000 on the spacious lawn.

Meet up with friends at PECO Plaza, complete with ticket office, concierge amenities, food kiosks, or grab a bite to eat at the 180-seat Crescendo Restaurant by Wolfgang Puck Catering.

The summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Mann also hosts an exciting concert series featuring everything from rock to pop to opera to funk, as well as Broadway and dance events.

2011 Season

The 2011 season kicks off with a fun-filled Philadelphia on Parade on May 21, a free, day-long family festival featuring a Mardi-Gras-inspired parade and over 1,000 performers.

The summer series is packed with amazing shows including Willie Nelson’s Country Throwdown Tour, Bright Eyes, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, R Kelly, An Evening with Further, featuring members of the Grateful Dead and much more.

The Mann is also the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, who will perform three shows this season including a special tribute to the Beatles featuring Joan Osborne and The Waybacks along with a special guest artist. Look for additional performances from the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Russian National Orchestra.

Click here for the full concert schedule.

Come Prepared

If you are planning to spend a day at the Mann, be sure to come prepared. Study up on the Mann’s Frequently Asked Questions before your trip. Click here for more.

Getting There

The Mann Center is located in beautiful Fairmount Park. If you’re driving, parking is $15 per vehicle and $30 for RVs, campers and buses. Or you can go green and take the Mann Center’s Center City Loop Bus available by SEPTA; rides cost the same as the standard SEPTA fare, and the route includes many convenient stops throughout the city.

History

Since the 1930s, Philadelphians have walked, driven or taken the trolley by the thousands to enjoy outdoor culture and to picnic at Fairmount Park’s Robin Hood Dell. Occasional bad weather, droning planes overhead and the need to update to modern technology prompted music lover and businessman Frederic R. Mann to campaign for this state-of-the-art facility. Two years after opening, the center was named in his honor.

Insider Tip: While you no longer have to pack a picnic supper, you still can. In fact, the Mann has brought back the Picnic Competition tradition, where picnics are judged by presentation, decoration and creativity.