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One thing you should know: Philly isn’t shy. It’s an award-winning, headline-grabbing kinda town.
Having trouble keeping up with all the Philly buzz? We’re making it easy for you with a weekly roundup of our favorite Philly stories.
Bookmark this page and check back every Thursday for a fresh batch of headlines with that awesome Philly flavor.
There might be a chill in the air, but Philadelphia’s new basketball chapter is bringing the heat with a season-opening win against the reigning NBA champs. Kaboom!
Here are our favorite Philly stories this week:
Food & Wine has named Down North Pizza and Pizzeria Beddia as two of the country’s best spots for pizza, saying, “There’s never been a better moment to eat pizza in America.”
The publication called out Muhammad Abdul-Hadi’s No Betta Love and Thai curry-infused Sauce It Up pies at Down North as “Pioneering Philly-style pizza — Detroit-ish with a special cheese mixture and a sweet tomato sauce.” The write-up also gave props to the spot’s mission to hire formerly incarcerated people.
As for Pizzeria Beddia, reviewer Joshua David Stein acknowledged the spot’s reputation (“Joe Beddia is known as Pizza Jesus”) and called out their pizza as “the closest thing the city has to ambrosia.” We’ll take it!
And in other foodie news, Bon Appétit spent a day studying the magic behind Philly’s “most viral fried fish sandwich,” profiling Jordan Johnson and his same-named hot spot.
And now, we’re really hungry. Time to grab a bite!
Down North Pizza — Photo courtesy Down North Pizza
Yo, Philly! It’s Rocky Season!
Celebrate everyone’s favorite fictional underdog by heading to the best public market in America this weekend for your chance to take a jab at a 225-pound slab of beef, just as the Italian Stallion did in the movie.
La Meat Market Challenge shuts down Filbert Street outside Reading Terminal Market for the day on Saturday, October 24, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to give anyone (with a $20 donation) an opportunity to punch the five-foot hunk of hind-quarter beef, courtesy of Martin’s Quality Meats.
The first 50 participants will get a snazzy Reading Terminal Market beanie, a pro-snapped pic and lifetime bragging rights.
Ready to dress the part? From noon to 1 p.m., Rocky look-alikes are encouraged to don their best sweats for a chance to win a $250 gift card for the most convincing costume.
The Black superhero was born in Philadelphia.
In 1947, Orrin C. Evans published the first comic book anthology featuring Black artists and Black characters, including Lion Man, the first known Black superhero.
Now, an exhibit at the University of Pennsylvania — The Black Hero’s Journey — aims to celebrate that heritage as well as the struggle artists endured to bring Black superheroes like Black Panther and Storm to life, asking viewers to ponder: “Who gets to be a hero, and why does it matter?”
West Philly illustrator Eric Battle — who has worked for both Marvel Comics and D.C. Comics — co-curated the exhibit and created original artwork depicting real-life superheroes like Sadie Alexander and Paul Robeson.
The exhibit is free and open to the public through Thursday, May 13, 2027 on the 6th floor of the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center. Visitors must present a current and valid government or school photo ID to enter.
Bam! Boom! Wham!
Wherever we go, we leave footprints behind as evidence that we were here.
This week, Visit Philly (yep, that’s us!) launched a new experience that lets you follow the trail of footprints throughout the city to learn more about the profound impact Hispanic and Latino communities have made on Philadelphia, the region and the nation.
Meaning “the footprints” in English, Las Huellas features 11 colorful footprint-shaped installations at well-known landmarks and community destinations throughout Philadelphia, each representing a changemaker.
Scan the QR code at each spot to hear the story behind the person — like award-winning chefs Cristina Martínez and Jose Garcés and civic leaders like Judge Nelson Diaz and Rev. Luis Cortés Jr. — available in both English and Spanish through Thursday, November 19, 2026.
Each Las Huellas installation features original artwork created by three Philadelphia-based artists: Cindy Lozito, Manuela Guillén and Fabiola Lara.
It’s the perfect excuse to get those steps in!
Hold up, wait a minute …
Homegrown rapper Meek Mill has announced a Thanksgiving-week concert at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday, November 24, 2026. Tickets go on sale Friday, October 23, 2026 at 10 a.m. sharp.
The “Dream Chasers Nights” show follows the rapper’s Independence Day performance with The Roots at the One Philly Unity: Concert for America on the Pakwèy Benjamin Franklin last July, and promises friends and special guests (yet to be announced).
Meek just released a new single last weekend — Wanna Be Free — a collab with Chicago rapper G Herbo. Could he be one of the “friends” at November’s show? Only time will tell.
We’re getting glimpses of fall here in Philly, as the leaves start to change and sports fans gear up for an epic new chapter. Here are our favorite Philly stories this week:
Basketball fever is beginning to sweep Philly as only a few days remain before LeBron James and the 2026 Philadelphia 76ers open the season. (Yes, it’s really happening!)
The New York Times caught up with James to see how preseason prep is going during the “getting to know you” phase of this beautiful new relationship.
While the former Los Angeles Lakers star misses his family, he says he’s loving the game and team-building with his new East Coast crew. From babysitting Tyrese Maxey’s young daughter to fielding media questions after a preseason loss, James has seemingly settled into his new sports home quite nicely.
He says one of his biggest tasks is convincing his younger teammates he’s “just another teammate.” Just one who happens to be the NBA’s all-time top scorer.
The 76ers wrap preseason play at home Friday against the Boston Celtics before the official season opens at home Tuesday, October 20, 2026 against the reigning-champion New York Knicks.
It’s go time, Philly!
The comeback started brewing last spring in a South Philly coffee shop.
That’s when Philadelphia Union team captain Alejandro Bedoya sat down to talk tactics and figure out how to turn things around with interim coach Ryan Richter at Two Persons Coffee.
That talk set into motion an all-time Major League Soccer record for the biggest comeback in league history, as the Union went from dead last place to securing a 14-game unbeaten streak (12 wins and two draws), and handing Richter an all-time MLS record unbeaten streak for a new manager.
Fans have three more chances to catch the home team at Subaru Park as the team faces: Charlotte FC (Saturday, October 17, 2026); the New England Revolution (Saturday, October 24, 2026); and the dramatic wrap to the Union’s whirlwind 17th season with the regular-season finale on Saturday, November 7, 2026 against Toronto FC.
Who knows what the postseason will bring? Stay tuned to find out!
Two of Philadelphia’s most revered Black changemakers now have streets permanently named after them.
The corner of 6th and Lombard streets is now officially Bishop Richard Allen Way, while the 800 block of South Street has been renamed Octavius V. Catto Way.
Bishop Allen — who was born into slavery and managed to buy his freedom — founded Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the mother church of the nation’s first black denomination. In 1976, the city temporarily named the street outside Mother Bethel as Richard Allen Avenue.
A street sign from that resolution languished and faded over decades. When church leaders realized the sign was only meant to be temporary, they worked with city leaders to make the change permanent.
Catto was assassinated on South Street on election day in 1871 after helping secure the rights of Black voters.
Both street signs now cement the historic legacy of change these men brought to Philadelphia.
When newly married Philadelphia couple Ashton and Zachary Smith stepped outside City Hall after exchanging their vows, they knew FIFA World Cup 26 fans had flooded the city streets.
They decided to go with the flow and try to take some photos to mark their special moment. That’s when hundreds of Croatian soccer faithful decided to help the couple celebrate by photobombing their post-nuptial pics.
The couple took it all in stride and joined the rabble-rousing revelers in celebrating.
Months later, the couple was shocked to receive an invitation to tour Croatia that included stops along the Adriatic Coast and a lively game of football, to boot.
The Croatian National Tourist Board and We Croats fan group made sure the country rolled out a warm welcome for the newlyweds, who got to enjoy an action-packed second honeymoon.
Cheers to global friendships and new beginnings!
When Marguerite Adzick launched her athleisure brand Addison Bay from her Philadelphia home in 2018, she had no idea that her business would end up partnering with the Philadelphia Eagles and selling nationwide.
Fast forward to today’s Addison Bay (which has seen new styles sell out in minutes), the Philly-launched business has brick-and-mortar shops across the country (including one in Ardmore’s Suburban Square) and releases 20 collections each year.
6ABC recently profiled Addison Bay on their regular “Made in PA” spot, which highlights local and regional businesses.
Adzick said her “pinch me” moment came earlier this year when the brand’s partnership with the Eagles led to frenzied buying.
The business owner credits the support of Philly and Pennsylvania for her company’s success. Addison Bay is now headquartered on Market Street and ships to all 50 states.
Congratulations, Addison Bay! We love your Philly style.
There might be an October chill in the air, but Philly’s chock-full of warm and fuzzy news. Here are our favorite Philly stories this week.
On Monday, September 28, 2026, Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan celebrated his 17th birthday with a small cake while on the road with the U.S. men’s national soccer team (USMNT).
Five days later, he got a birthday gift he’ll never forget: the title of youngest goal scorer in USMNT history. The soccer prodigy called it the “greatest day of my life.”
The New York Times described Sullivan as “perhaps the most promising American soccer player ever.”
Before he could even talk, Sullivan was kicking a soccer ball around his Bridesburg neighborhood, going pro at age 14.
Philly has one more year to watch Sullivan play with the Union before he heads off to Manchester City in January 2028. Pundits expect to see Sullivan repping the U.S. in the 2028 Olympics and the next FIFA World Cup in 2030.
Until then … Doop! Way to go, Cavan!
Philadelphians and robots may have gotten off on the wrong foot. (RIP HitchBOT.)
So when Orifice the Awebot — a pink, potato-shaped, tongue-wagging, smiling robot on wheels — began roaming the streets last week, Philadelphians and visitors to the city were not sure what to make of it. Some saw it as adorable, while others found it terrifying.
All agreed it was something to be found “only in Philly.”
Philadelphia’s quirky new museum-ish artspace, Ministry of Awe (MoA), came clean this week and said the little pink robot is their latest creation, designed to inspire wonder.
Artist Madison Polidoro created the roving robot for MoA as a response to the influx of mobile delivery app robots popping up across the city. Orifice even has an empty inside — accessible through the orifice in her behind — so she can carry things, too.
If you want to meet Orifice IRL, check MoA’s socials for upcoming events.
Upper Darby native Immanuel Wilkins has been awarded one of only 20 MacArthur Foundation “genius grants.” Wilkins, 29, is the youngest fellow in this year’s pool of recipients.
The Grammy Award-nominated saxophonist will receive $800,000 in unrestricted funds over the next five years to support his artistic exploration.
Wilkins left Greater Philadelphia to attend The Julliard School and now teaches at the School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and New York University.
Considered one of the nation’s leading jazz musicians, Wilkins performs live with the Immanuel Wilkins Quartet. The group will close out this year’s Philly Music Fest with a sold-out show.
We can’t wait to hear what’s next, Immanuel. Bravo!
Philly might have earned its most-walkable-city designation because so many people loathe parallel parking.
But tight parking spots meet their match daily by residents and visitors alike who have mastered the fine art of squeezing their cars into unimaginably tight spaces.
Enter the Philadelphia Parallel Parking Association’s inaugural parallel parking competition and safe-streets fundraiser.
More than 900 people applied for the 15 spots in the three-round competition, which included: One-Shot (successfully parking with just one attempt); Tight Squeeze (fitting into a spot with only 18 inches of wiggle room); and Under Duress (facing Philly-style obstacles like crowds yelling, “Dallas sucks!”).
West Mount Airy artist/illustrator Mario Zucca (aka One-Shot Mar) emerged triumphant, earning him a concrete slab trophy and $76 toward his next parking ticket, free Center City parking for the month, a front-page story in The New York Times, mentions on national television shows like Live with Kelly and Mark, and endless bragging rights.
A group of 32 seventh graders from across Philadelphia recently donned their brand new, crisp white medical coats as part of the kickoff to Temple University’s latest educational program.
The Lang Medical Scholars Program hopes to create “curious and confident learners” who will receive intense instruction and training that could ultimately create an educational pipeline from middle school to medical school for youth eager to learn more about healthcare and medicine.
Program director Dr. Barbara Klock has been eager to bring the program to Philadelphia after seeing a similar program’s success in New York. Klock spread the word among Philly schools and hoped for 20 applicants for the initial class.
She got close to 300.
The 32 students in the program’s first class, now off and running, will spend weekends and summers learning about biology and body systems, receive college preparatory support and participate in internships.
We are so proud of these Philly scholars!
Phanatics everywhere are painting the town red.
TL;DR: After blowing a four-game lead against the Arizona Diamondbacks and a playoff guarantee, it was do or die for the Fightin’ Phils on the last day of the regular season.
And fight they did, pulling out a miraculous 7-3 win in a down-to-the-wire match-up against the Tampa Bay Rays and clinching their fifth back-to-back playoff run. Was it pretty? No. Did it get done? Heck yeah.
The Phils only knew one day of peace before they were back on the mound against the Atlanta Braves. (Not nearly enough time for our ravaged fingernails to recover.) As for fans, Red October is well underway. Bars are bumping, and the Red October Bus Tour’s drumming up high hopes across the city.
At the time of writing, your guess is as good as ours for the series’ outcome. But if we know one thing for certain, it’s this: Go Phils!
Did you know the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is home to the world’s greatest collection of masterpieces by French American artist Marcel Duchamp? Clocking in at over 200 (!) artworks, the PMA’s collection surpasses even the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
How did the museum do it? Through the power of relationships, specifically an unusually close one between the modern artist and the institution that supercharged both of their reputations.
Now, Duchamp’s longtime artistic home is set to roll out the red carpet. Unfolding over 300 paintings, sculptures, films, photos and unclassifiable works or “readymades,” the modern artist’s oeuvre is on full display in the first retrospective exhibition — a collaboration with MoMA — dedicated to Duchamp in 50 years. The major showcase runs from October 10, 2026 to January 31, 2027.
Even on Mars, a girl or guy’s gotta eat.
Simple math: On average, Mars is about 140 million miles from Earth. Getting there takes anywhere from 5 to 11 months. So if a crew of 15 astronauts blasts off to the red planet and stays a while, the journey could take 500 Martian sols (513 Earth days) or more.
A trip that long calls for a lot of food. And that’s an issue for even the roomiest spaceship.
NASA posed this problem to the public as part of its Deep Space Food Challenge — and Northeast Philly resident, Johns Hopkins University master’s student and all-around smarty-pants Chinyere “Chichi” Ukeje answered.
Named after the Nigerian Earth goddess of harvest and fertility, Ukeje’s proposal, ANI — or Adaptive Nourishment Infrastructure — took first place, winning the 25-year-old Nigerian American computer science student $300,000. In return, NASA won inspo for feeding astronauts nutritious Earth food, like tacos, while they’re millions of miles away.
In less than two years, Amaryllis “Amy” Rivera-Nassar and her Puerto Rican-style empanadas have graduated from rising stars in Philly food to certified staples.
But the success hasn’t come without its stressors. While sales of her flaky hand pies have been through the roof, Amy’s Pastelillos’ tiny kitchen has been struggling to keep up.
So the chef hit the pavement in search of the additional support she needed to expand, only to be met with rejection after rejection.
That is, until the Philadelphia 76ers gave Amy the ultimate “yes.”
Out of 175 applicants, the Fishtown storefront was named the Sixers’ Enrich Program winner for 2026, bagging a prize that promises $250,000 worth of marketing support, business consulting, strategic networking and more from Bank of America and the Sixers. Yes!
Fifty years ago, the world met a South Philly underdog — and fell in love. To some, Rocky represented underdogs everywhere. To others, he embodied everything Philly is.
Five decades, six films and a hit spin-off series later, the Italian Stallion’s story still inspires people worldwide, drawing millions of fans to the Rocky Steps and Statue each year
The city’s going the distance to mark this milestone, dedicating an entire season to all things Rocky, in the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of the original film’s national release on December 3, 2026 — aka Rocky Day.
A massive party for Philly’s most famous fictional son, the citywide celebration promises bus tours, races, interactive challenges and tons of other Rocky-themed events to come.
— Foto pa Visit Philadelphia
Contributing Writer
Web Content Manager, Visit Philadelphia
Senior Content Manager, Visit Philadelphia
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