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Last updated on September 8, 2025
On July 4, 1776, the United States of America was born here in Philadelphia. And come 2026, the landmark 250th anniversary of the country will be celebrated across the city and region.
The Semiquincentennial in Philadelphia is centered around Independence Day, featuring the Wawa Welcome America festival and Red, White, & Blue To-Do.
Several enormous sporting events come to Philly in 2026, including the MLB All-Star Game, FIFA World Cup 26, NCAA Men’s March Madness and PGA Championship.
Additional big events include 52 Weeks of Firsts and the TED Democracy flagship event, plus citywide art showcases A Nation of Artists at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and ArtPhilly’s What Now.
And like every milestone national anniversary before, new institutions will open, including the First Bank of the United States museum, a reimagined Tun Tavern and FloatLab at Bartram’s Garden.
Read on for a comprehensive guide to special 2026 events, festivals and exhibitions in Greater Philadelphia — and check back often! New announcements and event updates are added regularly.
Want to learn about the city’s major annual events, exciting exhibitions, can’t-miss festivals and more in 2025 and 2026? Check out our big roundup here.
Dates vary by event
Of course this is how the ”Mural Capital of the World” would celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Mural Arts has a blockbuster lineup of public art projects and murals in the works for 2026, in addition to lending its artistic expertise to other 2026 events like 52 Weeks of Firsts and Bells Across PA (both mentioned below). This is just a taste of what the organization has planned:
Where: Various locations in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Opens Sunday, September 21, 2025
A new cultural destination comes to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with the opening of Calder Gardens, a gallery and garden dedicated to native Philadelphian Alexander Calder, one of the 20th century’s most influential artists (and inventor of the mobile).
The site features an 18,000-square-foot reflective metal building housing a rotating selection of the artist’s masterworks — including mobiles, stabiles, sculptures and paintings — illuminated by natural light, and a tree-filled meadow-like landscape surrounding it. Deep Philly roots abound, as Calder’s grandfather crafted City Hall’s William Penn statue, and his father designed Swann Memorial Fountain.
Where: Calder Gardens, 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
October 9-16 & November 10, 2025
The U.S. Armed Forces unofficially kick off the Semiquincentennial in late 2025 with the dual The Navy & Marine Corps 250th Celebration, honoring the 250th birthdays of both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
The massive party will feature a packed schedule. Events include a historic gathering of ships at Penn’s Landing, a star-studded concert with fireworks, dual commemorations at Independence Hall, a Blue Angels flyover, a veterans’ picnic on Independence Mall, Naval Academy sports, memorial services, a youth parade, special exhibits at museums across the city and more.
Where: Various locations including the Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
“When in the course of human events …” The document from which that seminal phrase originates is the centerpiece of the Museum of the American Revolution’s 2026 programming. The Declaration’s Journey exhibition traces the history of America’s founding charter and its continuing influence, inspiring over 100 independence movements worldwide.
The Declaration’s legacy is explored through records, art and artifacts, including Thomas Jefferson’s chair, a Marquis de Lafayette-annotated draft of the French Declaration of Rights, the prison bench where Martin Luther King Jr. penned “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” a spinning wheel presented by Gandhi and more.
Where: Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
October 2025 (TBA)
During 2025, TED Democracy, Visit Philadelphia and their partners hosted a trio TED Democracy Speaker Series symposiums, culminating in a Flagship Event (see above) in the summer of 2026. Each celebrates Philadelphia’s legacy as the birthplace of modern democracy.
A prior event in March discussed the state of American democracy today, followed by an evening focusing on truth, trust and the media.
The final event is scheduled for October 2025, so stay tuned for more details.
Where: Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Opening Saturday, November 22, 2025
The Penn Museum celebrates the first Americans — the Indigenous tribes that lived here long before the Founding Fathers touched pen to paper — with the opening of this expansive gallery.
Curated in close collaboration with several Indigenous consulting curators, the new gallery explores “the political, religious, linguistic and artistic self-determination” of America’s Indigenous peoples. Over 250 artifacts and art pieces showcase Indigenous history and culture from tribes throughout the country, including the Delaware/Lenape tribe, the Eastern Band Cherokee tribe, the Lingít tribe, and more.
Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Throughout 2026
52 Weeks of Firsts honors 250 years of Philly pioneering by celebrating the city’s many historic achievements — every week, all throughout 2026.
Featured Philadelphia “firsts” include inventions like the Slinky, cultural milestones such as Mother’s Day and significant locations like the first African Methodist Episcopal church.
The free celebrations take place at the original location of each first (or in spaces that represent where these significant milestones occurred) and include guest speakers, a sculpture, monthly marquee events and historic deep dives by Once Upon a Nation.
Where: Various locations including Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 419 S. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
What better way to celebrate the Semiquincentennial than by letting freedom ring?
Bells Across PA — a statewide art exhibition in partnership with America250PA and Mural Arts Philadelphia — is showcasing festively painted Liberty bell replicas in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, with Philadelphia alone set to display 20.
Philly’s large fiberglass Liberty Bell sculptures will be installed at commercial corridors and public parks, with each bell’s design capturing the spirit and identity of a different neighborhood. Artists from across Pennsylvania, from acclaimed professionals to talented amateurs, can submit designs for consideration throughout 2025.
The finished bells will be unveiled in 2026 as part of Philadelphia’s beautification efforts for the nation’s 250th birthday, with other potential projects including commemorative benches, seasonal installations, decorative banners and more.
Where: Locations TBA, Philadelphia, PA
America’s most famous seamstress and her historic home celebrate the Semiquincentennial with an awesome lineup of events and programming.
Don’t miss immersive tours and historical re-enactments led by the Founding Mother herself; a new exhibition showcasing rarely seen artifacts, like Betsy’s spectacles and Bible; an extra-special Semiquincentennial-themed Flag Fest (June 6-14, 2025), movie nights (summer); and more. Stay tuned for more details.
Where: Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
February – May 2026
The nation’s only museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution gets a major upgrade just in time for the country’s big anniversary with the addition of two brand-new galleries.
Opening in February 2026, the new America’s Founding Gallery tells the story of the early fights for and days of American independence, while the second, the Separation of Powers Gallery, opens in May 2026 and focuses on the three branches of government and balance between the federal government and states rights.
Additionally, an original copy of the U.S. Constitution — one of only 14 surviving copies — and a rare first printing of the 17 constitutional amendments as they were debated by Congress will be on display throughout 2026.
Where: National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
How are theme parks made? This world-premiere exhibit, brought to you by The Franklin Institute and Universal Destinations & Experiences, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the innovation and world-building that goes into each Universal amusement park.
Spanning 18,0000 square feet and eight immersive galleries, the experience showcases over 100 vehicles, props and other original artifacts from world-famous rides, attractions and live shows, including Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda, and Universal Monsters. And in true Franklin Institute form, the display has an educational focus, playing up all the technology, engineering and artistry involved in theme park design.
Where: The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA
A city staple since 1829, the annual Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) Philadelphia Flower Show — the oldest and largest indoor horticultural event in the world — draws tens of thousands to the Pennsylvania Convention Center each year. The floral spectacle, returning in 2026 for its 197th year, brings together hundreds of florists, landscapers and designers for one of the city’s most anticipated yearly events.
Beyond the displays, the show hosts major juried competitions, tons of gardening talks, demonstrations, special events, celebrities, a sprawling market, live performances and plentiful food and drink options. Stay tuned for the 2026 show’s theme.
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
March 20 & 22, 2026
A college basketball hotbed for over a century, Philly will feel March’s madness first-hand in 2026 as Xfinity Mobile Arena hosts a slate of first- and second-round games during the 87th NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
The six early-round games — hosted by St. Joseph’s University — will feature eight top programs from around the nation fighting for a spot in the Sweet 16. This will mark the 29th time Philadelphia has played host to men’s tourney games since 1939, including Christian Laettner’s famous game-winner in 1992 and the 1976 and 1981 Final Fours.
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, 3601 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
We all know how the American Revolutionary War ended. Now, a brand-new exhibition at the Independence Seaport Museum explores how our new nation built its economy back up in the aftermath.
Featuring roughly 150 rarely seen objects and artifacts, Seeking Profit and Power: Philadelphia, China Trade and the Making of America examines how the dream of America survived (and thrived) through new economic relationships and international trade alliances — and how China helped build America into the global superpower it is today.
Where: Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson tasked Meriwether Lewis and William Clark with exploring the nation’s western territories after the Louisiana Purchase. But did you know that Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences is home to nearly all the explorers’ original journals and preserved specimens related to their botanical research in its Lewis & Clark Herbarium?
For 2026, the institution highlights that collection in the new Botany of Nations exhibit, tracing the team’s journey through the stories and science of the plant knowledge with which they returned, imparted on them by the continent’s Indigenous nations.
Where: The Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Starting April 2026 (select dates)
For the first time in over 15 years, PhilaPort (The Port of Philadelphia) will reopen as a major cruise terminal when Norwegian Cruise Line launches a dozen new international routes centered on Philly.
Beginning in April 2026, the Norwegian Jewel will offer seven different adventures round-trip from Philly, with ports of call in locales like Miami, Charleston, New England, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, as well as sites throughout the Caribbean region.
Then in November, the Norwegian Pearl rolls in for five circuit excursions to sites including Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as well as additional Caribbean sites.
Where: PhilaPort, 3460 N. Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
April 2026 to September 2027
With storied histories of their own, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (the country’s very first art school and museum) delve into the richness and diversity of American art history.
The two institutions team up with avid art collector (and Phillies’ managing partner) John Middleton and his wife and partner Leigh for this blockbuster exhibition titled A Nation of Artists. Threading together 300 years of American art, the collection features over 1,000 portraits, sculptures, furniture, photographs and more across both museums. Viewers find some of art’s biggest names — including Mary Cassatt and Charles Willson Peale — exhibited side-by-side with oft-overlooked Black, Indigenous, immigrant and historically underrepresented artists and contemporary talents.
A Nation of Artists debuts as a cultural milestone celebrating the nation’s creative and artistic legacy at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (April 12, 2026 to July 5, 2027) and at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (May 2026 through September 2027).
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
VIEW OTHER LOCATIONS (1)
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
Nearly a half-century before Hamilton, Broadway was privy to another iconic show focused on the Revolution. And in 2026, Walnut Street Theatre will host a new production of the 1969 classic 1776 The Musical. The award-winning retelling recounts the story — set right here in Philadelphia — of Adams, Franklin and Jefferson as they fight for independence against a deadlocked Continental Congress, with humor, romance and nail-biting tension.
Need more historical significance? Walnut Street Theatre remains the oldest continuously operating theater in the entire English-speaking world, opened just 30 years after the events depicted.
Where: Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
The 2026 PGA Championship, one of professional golf’s four major tournaments that make up the Grand Slam, will crown its new champion at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Delaware County, on its par-70, 7,237-yard course in May 2026.
This marks the first time a Philadelphia-area club has hosted the Championship since Gary Player captured the 1962 event, also held at Aronimink. Past PGA Championship winners have included Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson.
Where: Aronimink Golf Club, 3600 Saint Davids Road, Newtown Square, PA
What is it like to actually live and create art and performance in the City of Brotherly Love? That’s the idea behind the brand-new What Now creative festival — presented by arts and culture organization ArtPhilly — which features 10 days of multidisciplinary arts including thought-provoking musical concerts, theatrical shows, dance performances, visual art exhibits and new museum experiences.
The fest, focusing on Philly’s history, neighborhoods and artistic legacy, makes all of Philadelphia a stage with performances, exhibitions and projects taking place across a selection of iconic museums, landmarks and venues.
Opening Spring 2026
North Broad Street’s Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts will open its first new, as-yet-unnamed permanent collection exhibition in over two decades. The selection will showcase 250 to 350 works from its 16,000-strong repository.
The permanent exhibition is expected to pull from seven main themes: Indigenous Futures, Accessible America, Artists as Activists, Extractive Ecologies, American Empire, Queer America and PAFA & American Art. The gallery will be located in the circa-1876 Furness & Hewitt building, which is currently closed for renovations.
Where: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
A bear of a project is underway at the Philadelphia Zoo. The nation’s oldest zoo is transforming its ursine habitat with a $20 million expansion and renovation of the popular Bear Country exhibit, expected to open in spring 2026.
Visitors will be able to get even closer to the action with a new third bear habitat, an extension of the Zoo360 exploration trail allowing the bears to rotate through all the habitats, new glass viewing areas where guests can come nose-to-nose with the bears, new spaces to view keeper training and more.
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Light up the night at historic Franklin Square with the must-see Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Old City.
2026’s fantastical light display celebrates the Year of the Horse with dozens of massive, intricate and handcrafted lanterns and installations constructed by Chinese artisans, plus cultural performances and plenty of international food and drink.
Stay tuned for more info on the 2026 theme, which highlights countries represented at FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Originally built as part of America’s bicentennial festivities in 1976, the Mann hits the big 5-0 this year. In celebration of both the anniversary milestone and America’s 250th anniversary, the beloved open-air music venue is collaborating with some of the big hitters of Philly arts and culture during A Hundred Years On with The Philadelphia Orchestra & The Crossing.
This world-premiere performance — penned by acclaimed composer Peter Boyer and award-winning librettist Mark Campbell and performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra and Grammy Award-winning choir The Crossing — transports you back in time to the 1876 Centennial Exposition, which introduced such innovations as the telephone and typewriter to the masses.
Other 2026 celebrations at the Mann include 50 Years of Music in the Park with The Philadelphia Orchestra (June 2026), the premiere of BalletX’s The Four Seasons Reimagined (June 2026) and a vibrant community-led mural installation in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia (summer 2026).
Where: The Mann, 5201 Parkside Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
June 14 – July 4, 2025 (select dates)
The eyes of the world will be on Lincoln Financial Field (home to the NFL’s Eagles) in 2026, one of just 11 U.S. stadiums to hold matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. The Linc will host five Group Stage “pool play” matchups — featuring national teams from semi-randomly assigned groups — leading up to a July Fourth Round-of-16 Knockout Stage tilt for the right to advance to the Quarterfinals.
Philly will also host a FIFA FanFestival at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park featuring giant game-watch screens, food, music, parties and more.
Where: Lincoln Financial Field, 1 Lincoln Financial Field Way, Philadelphia, PA
Lemon Hill, 1 Lemon Hill Drive, Philadelphia, PA
Spring & Summer 2026
For 20 weeks throughout the spring and summer of 2026, Philly puts its individual neighborhoods in the limelight with a celebratory Neighborhood Tour Series.
Every week, a different neighborhood is highlighted with tours that visit local restaurants, shops, parks, historical landmarks and other beloved cultural treasures. Each tour is led by an experienced guide, with routes and scripts created in partnership with local historians and residents of the communities.
The Neighborhood Tour series is part of Philly’s Ring It On! initiative, in conjunction with Bells Across PA (more on that above).
Spring & Summer 2025
Wanna hear a story? Expert wordsmiths with a knack for the overlooked and hidden history of Philadelphia man sites across the Historic District during the warm-weather months.
Costumed History Makers regale visitors with memories from their past, while specially trained, uniformed storytellers are stationed at benches near historic sites, bringing to life free three- to five-minute tales.
In honor of the milestone year, Once Upon a Nation adds several additional storytelling benches to its roster — bringing the total to a whopping 13 — and an expanded cast of History Makers.
The cornerstone of Independence Day festivities in Philadelphia is always the annual Welcome America festival.
The multi-week celebration commences on Juneteenth and culminates on July Fourth. Events in past years have included a parade and festival during the Red, White, & Blue To-Do; a reading of the Declaration of Independence; the country’s largest July Fourth parade; and a headline concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway followed by a massive fireworks show above the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Stay tuned for more about the 2026 iteration of Welcome America.
Where: Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
VIEW OTHER LOCATIONS (2)
Parade begins at 2nd and Market streets, Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, July 14, 2026
The Midsummer Classic returns to Philly for the first time in 30 years when the 96th Annual Major League Baseball All-Star Game comes to Citizens Bank Park on July 14, 2026. Stars from across the National and American leagues will descend on Philly for the fifth time in the event’s existence — and first ever at “The Bank” — with the city previously hosting in 1943, 1952, 1976 and 1996.
Ahead of the game, All-Star Week festivities will also include the Home Run Derby, All-Star Futures Game, All-Star Celebrity Softball Game, MLB Draft and the All-Star Village fanfest. Stay tuned for more info on these events.
Where: Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way, Philadelphia, PA
Summer 2026
From 2024 to 2026, TED Democracy, Visit Philadelphia and their partners are celebrating the city’s legacy as the birthplace of modern democracy with programming focused on the future of democracy. The three-part, multi-year forum has invited people from around the world to engage with the meaning of democracy in today’s society.
The initiative culminates with 2026’s TED Democracy Flagship Event, featuring a full-day program celebrating democracy, showcasing innovative ideas, inspiring global audiences and establishing Philly as a foundation for thought leadership. Stay tuned for more about speakers and a location.
Where: Location TBA, Philadelphia, PA
December 2026
Yo, Adrian! The original Rocky film turns 50 in 2026, and the Italian Stallion’s hometown is celebrating the golden anniversary of the movie’s release with a year of Rocky-themed events.
A collaboration between the Philadelphia Visitor Center and the Sly Stallone Shop — along with dozens of Philly sites and attractions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art (with its iconic Rocky Steps) — the all-ages fest features a series of activities, special events and activations dedicated to Rocky and other real-life Philly athletes.
Stay tuned for more info on the year-long 2026 programming calendar this Rocky Day — December 3, 2025.
Where: Various locations including the Rocky Statue, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Opening 2026
From Memorial Hall in 1876 to the African American Museum in 1976, Philadelphia has a long history of institutions constructed for milestone anniversaries. The most prominent for 2026 is a yet-unnamed museum on the site of the First Bank of the United States, which will be publicly accessible for the first time in a half-century.
The new museum in Independence National Historical Park will focus on the role of the bank — opened in 1797 under Alexander Hamilton as the nation’s first centralized national bank — and its importance to early American economic development.
Where: First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
The country’s best city for public art is about to get a new interactive showpiece. FloatLab, a 75-foot-wide floating art installation, is set to open in 2026 along the southern shoreline of Bartram’s Garden in Kingsessing.
The walkable piece, to be illuminated at night, will be held steady by a system of ballast chambers below a ring-shaped surface which will remain level as tides move. The subaqueous sloped lower platform will place visitors at direct eye level with the river while standing dry slightly below it, with an elevated ring offering views from above.
Where: FloatLab at Bartram’s Garden, 56th Street Plaza, 3000 S. 56th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Opening late 2026
First opened in 1693, The Tun tavern was an already-historic pub by 1775 when America’s first Marines were recruited here and the Navy’s original organizational structure was first drafted within its walls.
For 2026, a reimagining of The Tun is being constructed 250 yards from the original location, which was demolished in 1781. The new site will serve as a fully operational tavern, restaurant and museum faithfully modeled after the original.
The Marine Corps will host a Toast the Recreation of The Tun event on Monday, November 10, 2025 as part of Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps (see below).
Where: The Tun, 19 S. 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?