This August in Philly: The 53 Biggest Events, Festivals & Exhibitions

Through Sunday, August 13, 2023

Franklin Square lights up the night at the ticketed Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Old City. Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit among dozens of spectacular glowing lanterns (some never seen before), live stage performances, festival-themed crafts by Chinese artisans, and international food and drink — including the return of the super-popular Dragon Beer Garden.

Through Sunday, August 27, 2023 

The House of Mouse celebrates a century of dazzling audiences with an extensive exhibition currently on its world premiere run at The Franklin Institute. Disney100: The Exhibition opens the vaults for behind-the-scenes glimpses into the creation of the company’s most popular characters, films, shows and attractions, offering 10 themed galleries with interactive installations covering everything from Snow White to Star Wars. Pro tip: Score complimentary tix to the exhibition when you book the Visit Philly Overnight Package for stays through August 20, 2023.

Through Tuesday, August 29, 2023 (Tuesdays only)

The Delaware River waterfront is the place to be Tuesday evenings this summer. During the weekly Philly River Stroll, enjoy drink and dining deals and free entertainment from 5-9 p.m. up and down the waterfront from Spruce Street Harbor Park to Race Street Pier. We’re talking:

• buy-one-get-one-free French toast bites (unlimited toppings!) at Cherry Street Pier
• discounted Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fries at Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest, and
• five-buck drafts from Mainstay Independent Brewing Company at Liberty Point and Morgan’s Pier

DJ and artist pop-up performances along Penn’s Landing and the Delaware River Trail.

Through Wednesday, August 30, 2023 (Wednesdays only) 

No summertime sadness here at Philly’s favorite Wednesday night party. Center City District SIPS features happy hour deals every Wednesday afternoon at participating restaurants and bars, with $7 cocktails, $6 wine, $5 beer and half-priced apps at establishments like Double Knot and the Air Grille Garden at Dilworth Park. And don’t miss out on spinoff event SIPS Style, which promotes Wednesday discounts on merchandise and services at select Center City retailers.

Through Thursday, August 31, 2023 (Thursdays only)

Move over, Friday: Thursday might be Philly’s favorite happy hour and date night this summer thanks to Old City Eats. More than 20 participating bars, restaurants and eateries in Old City offer small-plate and drink specials from 5 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through the end of the month. In addition to returning participants like The Olde Bar, Stratus Lounge and Lucha Cartel, five new spots join the party for 2023, including Amina, Franklin Social American Kitchen & Bar and Vista Peru.

Through Monday, September 4, 2023 (select dates)

Summer fun continues at The Oval — the pop-up urban oasis located just across the street from the famous Rocky Steps and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For 2023, The Oval features a 21,000-square-foot beer garden, lawn games, an enormous Ben Franklin-inspired ground mural from Mural Arts Philadelphia, kid-friendly activations and a rotating lineup of local food trucks.

Dates vary by tour

Brush up on Philly history — or learn something brand new — with these top Philadelphia tours for August:

• The Official Historic Philadelphia Walking Tour: Explore Philadelphia’s Historic District on this brand-new 45-minute tour led by a rotating cast of costumed actors portraying real-life colonial Philadelphians including a Bishop and Mother Bethel AME Church founder, a free Black man and abolitionist present at the first reading of the Declaration of Independence, and a brewer credited as the first to brew porter in the U.S. Tours depart Independence Visitor Center Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and stop outside The President’s House, Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall and Franklin Court (Saturdays through September 2, 2023).
• Twilight Tours hosted by Independence National Historical Trust: These daily dusk tours are completely free and offer insights into our nation’s founding through one-hour walks along the cobblestone paths of the Historic District. Led by knowledgeable guides from the Independence National Historical Trust, tours depart from the Commodore Barry Statue behind Independence Hall 6 p.m. nightly (through September 4, 2023).
• Philly Gayborhood and LGBTQ History Tours from Beyond the Bell: Expand horizons with a Philly Gayborhood and LGBTQ history tour, which promises to “get under the skin of queer Philly,” touching on the controversies, paradoxes and hidden histories of the community. During these tours (offered select dates year-round), expect to learn about the nation’s longest continually operating LGBTQ+ bookstore; the work of activists such as Kiyoshi Kuromiya, Gloria Casarez and Barbara Gittings; and the history of Pride itself (select dates).

Dates vary by screening 

Break out the popcorn and catch alfresco movies under the stars all summer long. The flicks at parks and outdoor venues around Philly include blockbuster epics like Top Gun: Maverick and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; classics like Raiders of the Lost Ark and Bring It On; and family-friendly faves like Encanto and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

Through Sunday, September 10, 2023

An exhibition featuring over 60 of William Edmondson’s most memorable works comes to the Barnes Foundation this summer. The late sculptor’s portfolio spans gravestones and garden ornaments to more figurative carvings like people, animals and angels. And in 1937, Edmonson was the first Black American artist to hold a solo exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The Barnes exhibition space explores his work as it relates to Black culture and includes a brand-new performance, choreographed by Chicago-based artist Brendan Fernandes.

Through Sunday, September 24, 2023

When the ice melts and the shades come out, it’s time for Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest. The annual Penn’s Landing extravaganza boasts boardwalk games, carnival rides, an arcade, the city’s largest outdoor roller skating rink and much more. The seasonal attraction has plenty of food and drink options, too, including funnel cake at Skelly’s, cocktails at The Lodge Bar or crabfries from Chickie’s & Pete’s. Admission is free (everything else is pay-as-you-go). New this summer: Pixar Putt at the Great Plaza next door, bringing Disney and Pixar films to life with an Instagram-worthy 18-hole mini-golf course.

Through Sunday, September 24, 2023

Enthusiasts of riverside chilling enjoy hammocks, patio and arcade games, musical performances, and tasty treats from local purveyors while strolling the boardwalk at Spruce Street Harbor Park. This warm-weather attraction is the perfect escape for visitors looking to relax and locals ready to unwind. And through August 14, don’t miss Loop, an interactive zoetrope-inspired art installation, where you create a short movie by kinetically powering a giant, flipbook-style cylinder.

Through Sunday, September 24, 2023

This summer, Longwood Gardens’ three fountains jet to life with exciting performances — while glorious gardens showcase summer’s beauty — during the attraction’s Festival of Fountains, offering performances in the Main Fountain Garden (seven days a week) and Open Air Theatre (daily except Tuesdays). Bonus: Don’t miss dazzling nighttime displays during spectacular Illuminated Fountain Performances and a cool behind-the-scenes tour (both Thursdays through Saturdays).

Through Wednesday, September 27, 2023 (Wednesdays only)

Alfresco dining is in style all summer long in Media, Delco as two-dozen restaurants participate in the town’s annual Dining Under the Stars event. Every Wednesday, State Street closes to car traffic from Jackson Street to Orange Street so pedestrians can enjoy peaceful evenings of outdoor dining, drinking and shopping. This year, keep an eye out for local favorites such as Fellini Café Trattoria, Rye BYOB and Azie Asian Fusion.

Through Thursday, September 28, 2023 (select dates)

The playoff race heats up during the dog days of summer at Citizens Bank Park, and the August forecast calls for plenty of long drives and sunsets in South Philly as the Fightin’ Phils host six big home series:

• August kicks off with a three game series (August 4-6, 2023) against the Phils’ 1980 World Series opponent Kansas City Royals. Don’t miss the popular annual on-field Photo Night before the August 5 matchup.
• The rival Washington Nationals come to town for an important four-game midweek set (August 7-10, 2023) while fans celebrate Italian Heritage Night on August 7 and Margaritaville Night on August 8.
• The Phightins host the Minnesota Twins for the annual Alumni Weekend (August 11-13, 2023), including the Phillies Wall of Fame induction ceremony on August 12 and Alumni Day on August 13 as scores of Phillies alums return for a salute to the 1983 and 1993 National League champions.
• The San Francisco Giants cross the continent (August 21-23, 2023) as your Phils return home from a short road trip for a key three-game series that includes Star Wars Night on August 22 and an early 4 p.m. start on August 23.
• The last weekend of the month (August 25-27, 2023) sees Adam Wainwright, Wilson Contreras and the St. Louis Cardinals hit town for three big late-season games.
• August ends with a bang (August 28-30, 2023) as the Phils host the Los Angeles Angels, who bring along the dual-threat pitching and hitting phenomenon Shohei Ohtani. The matchup on August 29 comes on Latino Family Night, and August 30 is a Businesspersons’ Special 1 p.m. first pitch.

Through Sunday, October 1, 2023 (Wednesdays through Sundays)

Philly’s roving beer garden brings brews and bites to parks and green spaces in neighborhoods in nearly every corner of the city this year. Here’s where to enjoy draft beers from Mainstay Independent Brewing, cocktails, and finger foods and sandwiches this month:

• Burholme Park (August 2-6, 2023)
• Lemon Hill Park (August 9-13, 2023)
• Clark Park (August 16-20, 2023)
• Matthias Baldwin Park (August 23-27, 2023)
• Penn Treaty Park (August 30 – September 4, 2023)

Through Saturday, October 7, 2023 (select dates)

Doop! The fired-up Philadelphia Union look to keep the (soccer) ball rolling on the home stretch this August as the defending Eastern Conference champs make a late-season push towards the MLS Cup Playoffs with their only home match for the month, a key clash with FC Dallas (August 20, 2023, 7:30 p.m.) at gorgeous 18,500-seat Subaru Park on the in Chester waterfront. Bonus: It’s also Retro Night, so look out for throwback music, special guests and plenty of surprises for fans.

Through Sunday, October 8, 2023

“Is the sun rising or setting on the experiment of American democracy?” Nearly two dozen artists interpret that question into new artworks in this collaborative exhibition on display at both the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and The African American Museum in Philadelphia.

Through Sunday, October 29, 2023

Nearly every schoolchild (and adult) is familiar with the famous painting of Whistler’s mother. But did you know the piece, actually entitled Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts way back in 1881? Now, for the first time in 142 years, James Whistler’s portrait of his mother Anna is on display in Philly, part of special exhibition The Artist’s Mother: Whistler & Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Museum of Art that explores the circumstances surrounding the portrait’s creation and its legacy in Philadelphia.

Through Sunday, November 26, 2023

This exhibition running now at the Museum of the American Revolution charts the life of James Forten, a free man of African descent who fought in the war for American independence in 1781, then returned to Philadelphia to become a successful businessman, philanthropist and stalwart abolitionist. Chronicle Forten’s life and follow his family’s 100-year story from the American Revolution through the lead up to the Civil War and women’s suffrage movement.

To kick off August’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, two of the genre’s most influential voices take the stage for the second of two nights in South Philly for Drake’s first tour in five years. Spanning the past decade of the Canadian rapper’s career, the It’s All A Blur tour celebrates moments like Hotline Bling through Her Loss, a collaborative album with 21 Savage.

Sorry, but you’re going to have Unholy stuck in your head the rest of the day. The immensely decorated artist Sam Smith (seriously, they’ve netted Grammy, BRIT, Golden Globe and Oscar awards) hits the road for the first time since 2018, touring behind their fourth album, Gloria.

Summer pro basketball tournament The Basketball Tournament (TBT) brings its million-dollar challenge back to Philly for the first time since 2016, holding its championship weekend at Drexel University. The TBT challenges 64 teams (mostly made up of NCAA college alumni squads) to make it through a nationwide single-elimination bracket-style tourney to reach the final four and play for the $1 million winner-take-all grand prize. The event’s 10th-anniversary lineup features alumni teams from Temple and Penn State, plus a team comprised of Big 5 alums. Bonus: Slam dunk contest!

Showcasing films by Black, Brown and Indigenous artists from around the world, the BlackStar Film Festival brings features, shorts, documentaries, panel discussions and parties to multiple venues along the Avenue of the Arts. The Oscar-qualifying fest celebrates some of the most influential voices in filmmaking and visual arts. The 2023 event — in its 12th year — features 93 films (including 19 world premieres) representing 31 countries with screenings at the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Suzanne Roberts Theatre and Lightbox Film Center.

Opens Friday, August 4, 2023

Far out, man. Northeast Philly is home to the brand-new, groovy Otherworld Philadelphia — an out-of-this-world experience featuring a treasure trove of trippy visuals, walk-through art installations, mind-bending mixed reality playgrounds and a mysterious backstory that runs through the entire attraction. Plan ahead: Timed tickets are required and must be purchased in advance.

Willie Nelson’s annual Outlaw Music Festival returns with its biggest lineup yet. The 90-year-old legend is joined by The Avett Brothers, Marcus King, Kathleen Edwards, Flatland Cavalry and Particle Kid for an afternoon of country, Americana, folk, rock and beyond.

This August, Peddler’s Village will have you feeling peachy keen with — you guessed it — the annual Peach Festival to celebrate National Peach Month. This free-to-attend, pay-as-you-go peachy paradise offers peach treats, live entertainment and scenic summer strolls through the gardens. And don’t worry, peach lovers: You can enjoy peach treats at village restaurants all month long.

The first Sunday in August is Northern Liberties’ time to shine. Since 2008, the free annual 2nd Street Festival has brought thousands of revelers to the neighborhood to enjoy live music on two stages, over 150 merchants and vendors, cocktails, craft beer from Mainstay Independent Brewing, Sly Fox, Victory Brewing and Yards Brewing and the finest fare NoLibs (and beyond) has to offer.

Philly-based African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) hosts the annual ACANA African Festival, an outdoor concert and fest — part of the PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing — which brings artists, groups, and dance troupes from around the African continent to perform. The free event features a wide range of African entertainment, from traditional dance shows to modern Afropop and Reggae music performances, plus food stands and art, craft and apparel vendors.

One of the harbingers of the early 2000s emo movement, Fall Out Boy is essential listening for kids who just want to feel (and adults who wanna feel young again). Touring behind their fresh new album So Much (For) Stardust, Fall Out Boy brings their very long song titles and wacky lyrics to the Camden amphitheater.

Each second Wednesday of the summer, the breezy Mt. Airy neighborhood closes off its main commercial corridor and throws a giant dinner party. The Go Mt Airy Supper Sessions stretch two full blocks of Germantown Avenue, where guests can order from a dozen of their favorite local restaurants and enjoy their meals at communal tables laid out along the street’s stone blocks and trolley tracks. The event also includes food trucks, live music and DJs, plenty of kids activities, and area shops staying open late.

It’s easy-listening time! Jason Mraz saw early-aughts success with The Remedy and I’m Yours, but the singer-songwriter has consistently released music, appeared on Broadway (in Waitress) and has a new album full of lyrical wordplay, Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride.

Throughout the summer, The Mann Center celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip hop with Downstage @ The Mann, a series of intimate in-the-round shows hosted by Chill Moody highlighting the pillars of hip-hop culture. These sessions offer guests an unparalleled immersive concert experience where audiences are invited to come right up on stage with the artists. August’s event, Hip Hop x Dance | Philly Pillars & Pioneers, features DJ Aktive and DJ Cash Money along with dance crew Project Positive to highlight Philly’s historical contributions to the genre.

The 2nd Annual Hip Hop In The Park festival takes over Eakins Oval (across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art) with an old-school hip-hop party showcasing the spirit of hip hop culture and featuring all four of its core elements through performances by DJs, MCs, breakdancers and graffiti artists. This 50th anniversary of hip-hop celebration, hosted by hip hop ambassador and artist Christian “TAMEARTZ” Rodriguez, is free to attend with RSVP.

Turns out, 20 years later, 50 Cent got rich but didn’t die trying. Hard to believe, but it’s been two decades since Curtis Jackson burst into da Club, and the Queens rapper celebrates the 20th anniversary of his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, with a world tour that drops by Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on the Camden waterfront on August 12. Fitty promises a show filled with greatest hits and songs he hasn’t performed live in decades. Bonus: Twelve-time Grammy-nominated legend Busta Rhymes comes along for the ride.

This one is going to go all night long. The soulful pairing of Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire covers all the musical bases from groovy American pop and jazz-fusion (Shining Star, September) to emotive ‘80s soul and Motown (Hello, Dancing On The Ceiling) and everything in between.

No worries for the rest of your days when you take your seats at the Academy of Music for a grand production of Broadway favorite The Lion King, featuring all the Disney classic’s most unforgettable songs like Hakuna Matata and Circle of Life (along with brand-new tunes written just for the stage show) plus actors in full animal costume and giant puppets. Performances run through September 10 at the 160-year-old gilded, crystal-chandeliered and velvet-curtained theater on Broad Street.

Wanna know a dirty little secret? The All-American Rejects are heating up The Mann this summer with the Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour moving along with New Found Glory and The Get Up Kids. It’ll almost make you miss high school. (Almost.)

August 17 & 24, 2023

It’s that time of year, and the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles are ready to kick off another run at the Super Bowl. See Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Jason Kelce, Brandon Graham and the entire 2023 squad tune up for a new season with two home preseason games at Lincoln Financial Field. Get a first look at your Birds with a Saturday night matchup (August 17, 2023) against the Cleveland Browns, then catch a Thursday night tilt (August 24, 2023) with the Indianapolis Colts a week before the regular season opens.

Why should the adults have all the summer concert festival fun? Grab a blanket and settle in for a full day of family-friendly music at Kidchella, a kids music festival spread over the six-plus acres of Smith Memorial Playground. The back-to-school event features West Philly social justice, music and education group City Love and art and music collective Jams for Junior Jawns, made up of local teachers and musicians, along with art stations, prize giveaways and food trucks.

The Council of Indian Organizations (CIO) of Greater Philadelphia hosts the annual Festival of India — part of the PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing — celebrating India’s 76th Independence Day and highlighting the vibrant Indian American community in Philly and across the country. The free outdoor concert and fest is a colorful panorama of art, music, dance and cuisine that includes plenty of both Northern and Southern-style Indian food and drink; classical and Bollywood performances; and art, craft and apparel vendors.

Quakertown Alive! presents Upper Bucks Brewfest at The Park at 4th with live music, a live auction and raffle, art and craft vendors, an extensive beanbag-toss tournament (with great prizes), food trucks and of course over 70 craft beers from breweries like local favorites Two Rivers Brewing, Free Will Brewing and The Proper Brewing Company along with many others from across the nation. Pro tip: Grab VIP tickets to score unlimited beer samples and an hour-early admittance.

While it’s a cold winter in their native Australia, Sydney pop foursome 5 Seconds of Summer heats up the Skyline Stage at The Mann Center for about 1,400 times that number of seconds, heading the sizzling Take My Hand World Tour to close out the season’s dog days. The multi-platinum-selling outfit’s world tour swings by on the heels of the release of their live album, The Feeling of Falling Upwards – Live from The Royal Albert Hall.

¡Ole! Come hambriento and come listo because the Philadelphia Taco Festival is back at XFINITY Live! at the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. This year’s edition, the sixth annual, features over two-dozen taco vendors — for a total of over 85 styles of tacos! — plus tequila flights and dedicated margarita bars, a giant nacho bar, and taco and hot chili eating contests for the brave of stomach. The festival also includes live music and DJ’s, mariachi bands, Lucha Libra wrestling, karaoke, silent disco, axe throwing, mechanical bull riding and so much more.

The 37th annual Philadelphia Caribbean Festival — part of the PECO Multicultural Series at Penn’s Landing — is a full day of Caribbean culture featuring authentic island music (from reggae and roots to soca and cool jazz); traditional and modern dance; vendors serving up exotic tastes of home like jerk chicken, curried goat and rice and peas; and a stellar lineup of vendors in the Caribbean marketplace. There’s also plenty for the little ones at the Caribbean Children’s Village with face painting, bead making, balloon sculpting and beanbag games.

Hey, ho! Summertime favorites The Lumineers bring their special brand of folk rock to TD Pavilion at The Mann Center on August 23 for the second leg of their two-year-run Brightside world tour. Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites and their Denver-based touring band belt out hits like Angela, Ophelia, Gloria, Elouise and more songs not named after women, along with special guest James Bay opening.

The Delaware River waterfront is about to get a little jazzy this summer. The free two-day Waterfront Jazz Festival hits the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing to kick off the final weekend of August with a Friday-night jam session featuring NAACP Image Award winner The Baylor Project, then come back by for a Saturday lineup of Philly artists Orchestra 2001 Jazz Ensemble and Snacktime, followed by Grammy-nominated headliner Jamison Ross.

For the seventh time over 10 years, former Philadelphia Eagle all-pro Connor Barwin hosts a benefit concert and party in the park to support his Make the World Better Foundation and its efforts to revitalize Philly parks and recreation spaces. With Philly artists like Kurt Vile, The War on Drugs and Japanese Breakfast having performed in the past, this year’s edition — flying into Fairmount Park’s Dell Music Center on August 26, 2023 — features indie local rocker Alex G (or Alex Giannascoli to friends in his Havertown, Delco hometown) along with Toronto dream-pop quintet Alvvays.

Stretching from Delco to East Passyunk, The Main Line to Chestnut Hill, the second annual Philadelphia Bookstore Crawl is a celebration of the city’s vibrant and plentiful bookstore scene. Over two-dozen (and counting) bookstores throughout the city and countryside spend the day hosting special events, offering deep discounts, holding giveaways and hosting a slew of in-store book signings. Don’t know where to start? Check out the Interactive Bookstore Crawl Map.

The city of champions will crown another as regional winners from tourneys across the country converge on The Fillmore Philadelphia for the Red Bull BC One Cypher USA National Breakdancing Final. America’s top b-boys and b-girls battle to represent the nation at the 2023 Red Bull BC One World Final, the world’s biggest one-on-one breaking competition, at Stade Roland-Garros in Paris (you know it from the French Open).

Saturday! Saturday! And Sunday! Mega Wrex, Tiger Shark, Boneshaker, Bigfoot (obviously) and the biggest names in the sport rev up the night at as the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party, jump into Wells Fargo Center for two shows on Saturday, August 26, 2023 and a matinée on Sunday, August 27, 2023. Competitions and one-on-one battles light up with neon, blacklight and glow-in-the-dark effects and spectacular laser light shows. Also up: Hot Wheels toy giveaways and special appearances from fire-breathing Megasaurus and high-flying freestyle motocross.

Traditional music and dance, authentic foods and baked goods (plus a barbecue pit picnic), and exciting arts and crafts converge at the 32nd Annual Ukrainian Folk Festival in North Wales. The event also features the Celebration of Liberty & Unity summer outdoor concert showcasing dance troupes, musicians, singers and ensembles that will honor the Ukrainian peoples’ struggle for liberty, freedom and justice and self-determination. Two dollars from each admission (sold only at the gate on the date of the event) goes to humanitarian aid for victims of the war in Ukraine.