Only-In-Philly Events & Exhibits Await Visitors To Philadelphia This Fall

Fall is coming, and with it the return of many of Greater Philadelphia’s signature seasonal celebrations: Scarecrows in the Village at Peddler’s Village, Autumn’s Colors at Longwood Gardens and the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta in the heart of Center City. In addition to these fall classics, Philadelphia is welcoming the season with some new and/or renewed events and attractions.

For starters, Eastern State Penitentiary is putting a twist on its long-running Halloween blockbuster Terror Behind the Walls. Now called Halloween Nights, the festival-style event features 15 attractions of the spooky and non-spooky variety, with plenty of good food and drink thrown in for good measure. Postponed due to COVID-19, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is set to mount its Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror exhibit in an unprecedented collaboration with the Whitney Museum of American Art. In other art news, artist and Philadelphia native Miguel Antonio Horn unveils ContraFuerte, turning a nondescript Philadelphia alley into a thought-provoking meeting spot. And for outdoor enthusiasts, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation debuts the central portion of its Delaware River Trail, providing a protected lane for exercisers on the east side of Columbus Boulevard between Washington Avenue and Spring Garden Street.

When it’s time to take a break after days spent touring the town, visitors can do so at the city’s newest hotels, including the city’s Guild House Hotel, a boutique property in a National Historic Landmark building. Another great option for spending a night or two is the ever-popular Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package, which includes hotel parking and buy-one-get-one-free tickets for nearly 30 attractions, many of which are hosting special exhibits this fall. It’s available at more than 40 hotels through September 30, 2021 and bookable at visitphilly.com/overnight.

There is so much to see and do in Philadelphia this fall. Here’s a look:

Attraction Openings & Renovations:

• Valley Forge National Historical Park Visitor Center Renovation – The site of the 1777-1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army under General George Washington, Valley Forge National Historical Park (VFNHP) welcomes 2 million-plus visitors annually to explore its 3,600 acres. A gateway to Montgomery County, the welcome center hasn’t seen a significant upgrade since opening in 1976. That changed in June when a refurbished welcome center opened. This fall, VFNHP unveils phase two of its $12 million upgrade project: new interpretive exhibits that cover the six-month period of the 1777-1778 winter encampment through color, sound and textures of wood, metal and mud. The project will be completed in early 2022 with the debut of a renovated theater. Phase two, fall 2021.
• Delaware River Trail – The central portion of the Delaware River Trail, which will run between Washington Avenue and Spring Garden Street on the east side of Columbus Boulevard, will provide a protected lane for walkers, joggers and cyclists, as well as a link between waterfront destinations like Race Street Pier, Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest and Winterfest, Spruce Street Harbor Park and Washington Avenue Pier. Key design features include a curb-separated, bi-directional asphalt bicycle path and separate pedestrian sidewalk, as well as new landscaping, pedestrian lighting and street furnishings. Fall 2021.

Halloween Happenings:

• Fall Fest, Shady Brook Farm – This massive Bucks County Farm is transformed into a fall fantasyland for the most colorful season of the year. New to the festivities this year: an Eerie Illumination light show. As always, visitors enjoy pumpkin-picking, wagon rides, a five-acre corn maze, bonfires, live music and more. September 11-October 31, 2021.
• Pumpkinland, Linvilla Orchards – This year marks the 50^th anniversary of this Media farm’s autumnal festivities. Among the offerings: pick-your-own pumpkins and apples, a jack-o-lantern exhibit, hayrides and cornfield mazes. Guests can also buy caramel apples, fresh apple cider and delicious home-baked treats at the Farm Market; shop for fall decorations at the Garden Center; and enjoy brews made using products grown on the farm at the Ship Bottom Brewery Beer Garden. September 11-November 7, 2021.
• The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular, Sesame Place – Silly (not spooky) fun is the order of the day at the only theme park in the nation based entirely on the long-running children’s television show. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume to trick or treat around the park, enjoy Halloween-themed shows and partake in a Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt, pumpkin decorating and more. On select dates, the park hosts a Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Drive-Thru, complete with music, lights, treats and character appearances. September 18-November 7, 2021.
• Halloween Nights, Eastern State Penitentiary – A bold new iteration of Eastern State’s famed Halloween celebration, Halloween Nights is a festival-style event made up of 15 attractions, including two haunted houses, which can be bypassed by those who want a less scary experience. Also on tap for this year: four immersive walkthrough experiences, two live performances, four themed bars and lounges, and special effects like laser shows and large-scale video projections. September 24-November 13, 2021.
• Scarecrows in the Village, Peddler’s Village – During an eight-week scarecrow competition and display, more the 100 scarecrows line the pathways of this popular Bucks County shopping and dining destination. Participants enter their stuffed creations in one of seven categories, and visitors are invited to vote for their favorite entry. September 6-October 30, 2021.
• Franklin Fright, Franklin Institute – Trick or treating in a museum? That’s exactly what visitors to Philadelphia’s iconic science museum can do every weekend in October. Three new Halloween-inspired science shows round out the month’s spooky offerings. Costumed performers host That’s Gross, Dr. Franklinstein’s Pumpkin Lab and Pondering Plasma. October 1-31, 2021.
• Spooky Twilight Tours, Betsy Ross House – At the pint-sized home of the nation’s famous flag maker this October, visitors hear true tales about small pox and yellow fever in the courtyard before heading inside to continue their gruesome tour. Fridays, October 8-29.
• Henri David Presents: Halloween the Ball – Antiques Row jeweler Henri David has presided over the year’s most colorful and photographed Halloween bash since 1968, a staple of LGBTQ life in Philly. October 31, 2021.

Exhibits:

• Gideon Mendel: Drowning World, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University –On display at Philadelphia’s natural history museum, this exhibit offers a unique photographic exploration of flooding and a stark portrayal of the human condition within the context of overwhelming climate events around the world. The show features 37 photographs, two found-object displays and a video by Mendel, a leading contemporary photographer and a native of Johannesburg, South Africa. Through October 17, 2021.
• Designing Motherhood, The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia – Philadelphia’s fascinating museum of medical history mounts an exhibition that looks at the political, economic and social implications of how the world has medicalized reproduction. Produced in collaboration with the Maternity Care Coalition and others, the exhibit tells five stories: Means of Reproduction, Midwives, Parturition, Exam and Milk. Visitors can use their smartphones to scan QR codes to learn about the objects on display. Through May 8, 2022.
• Crayola IDEAworks: The Creativity Exhibition, The Franklin Institute – Philadelphia’s beloved science museum extended the run of this world-premiere exhibit that helps guests hone problem-solving skills and fosters creativity. Visitors put their creative skills to action by testing solutions to problems based on current scientific research, including designing a ball that works for astronauts in low gravity, building a sustainable neighborhood and restoring sea life to coral reefs. Through November 28, 2021.
• Pool: A Social History of Segregation (POOL), Fairmount Water Works – This multi-disciplinary exhibition explores the history and implications of segregated swimming in America. Set to open in the former Kelly Pool situated within the National Historic Landmark, POOL investigates the role of public pools in the United States with the goal of deepening understanding of the connection between water, social justice and public health. Opens September 3, 2021.
• Downstream, Science History Museum – This exhibit takes visitors on a watery journey of history and science, exploring more than 200 years of water analysis and water protection in the United States. The display features installments depicting the process of water filtration, historical fights against waterborne illness, new innovations in ocean-cleaning technology and more. September 14, 2021-end date to be determined.
• The Stories We Wear, Penn Museum – Showcasing 2,500 years of style and adornment through approximately 250 objects, The Stories We Wear reveals how clothing and accessories offer powerful expressions of identity, examining the purpose and meaning behind what people wear. Organized into five themes, the exhibit explores how people around the world have dressed for Ceremony, Performance, Battle, Work and Play, and Rule. September 25, 2021-June 12, 2022.
• Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, Barnes Foundation – Fall brings with it the first major U.S. exhibition dedicated to the French artist and model Suzanne Valadon. The self-taught artist challenged behavioral codes with her art and lifestyle, breaking new ground with unapologetic portraits and nudes. September 26, 2021-January 9, 2022.
• Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror, Philadelphia Museum of Art – The Benjamin Franklin Parkway’s landmark circa 1928 institution partners with the Whitney Museum of American Art on simultaneous exhibitions of the work of Jasper Johns, considered the country’s most significant living artist. The unprecedented collaboration chronologically shows paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints and books that mirror the other’s display, creating an immersive exhibition that itself is a study in Johns’ fascination with reflections. September 29, 2021-February 13, 2022.
• ContraFuerte – Artist and Philadelphia native Miguel Antonio Horn is set to unveil a monumental piece of public art, turning a nondescript Philadelphia alley (Cuthbert Street, off of 12^th Street) near the Reading Terminal Market into a thought-provoking meeting spot. The sculpture consists of eight gigantic figures — four on each side — clustered around a bridge that spans the alley. Its title, ContraFuerte, or counterforce, plays on the idea of pushing and pulling, striving for balance and, ultimately, collective action against a greater force. It was commissioned by the Parkway Corporation, a real estate developer, investor and parking operator committed to beautifying Philadelphia while increasing access to public art. Late September.
• The Wizard of Oz Educational Exhibit, Please Touch Museum – This traveling exhibit, based on the beloved film, takes visitors on a multisensory journey through the land of Oz with Dorothy and her dog Toto. October 8, 2021-January 16, 2022.
• America’s Impressionism: Echoes of a Revolution, Brandywine River Museum of Art – This exhibition, co-organized with the San Antonio Museum of Art and the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, explores a redefinition of American Impressionism as a practice less intent on mimicking the French style than on creating an equally independent movement in the U.S. It tells the story of American artists coming to terms with a new style of art through more than 50 works drawn from public and private collections across the country. October 9, 2021-January 9, 2022.
• Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War, Museum of the American Revolution – Nationally renowned historical artist Don Troiani draws from painstaking research to create paintings that capture the drama and reality of all aspects of life during the American Revolution. More than 40 of Troiani’s paintings and dozens of artifacts from his personal collection — most on public display for the first time — plunge visitors into some of the most pivotal moments of America’s fight for independence. October 16, 2021-September 5, 2022.
• Invisible World of Water, The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University – The first project in the museum’s yearlong focus on water, Invisible World of Waterrenews water appreciation through artworks that combine the marvel and insight of both scientific and artistic inquiry. Centered around snow crystals and diatoms, the exhibition presents two parallel histories of observation and shows the interplay between the micro-cosmic and macro-cosmic. On view are: rare historical Victorian-arranged diatom slides by Harold Dalton and others, microphotographs by Ukichiro Nakaya, contemporary ceramic sculpture by Margarita Hagan and stop-motion imagery by physicist Kenneth Liebbrecht. November 13, 2021-February 13, 2022.

Annual Events:

• Garden Railway – Morris Arboretum’s display features a quarter-mile track with seven loops and tunnels, 12 different rail lines, two cable cars and nine bridges, including a trestle bridge that visitors can walk under. Through October 11, 2021.
• Philadelphia Fringe Festival – This four-week-long, city-wide celebration of innovation and creativity in contemporary performance takes place throughout Philadelphia and features more than 1,000 artistically daring performances. The festival includes national and international performances curated by FringeArts, along with works produced by independent local artists. September 9-October 3, 2021.
• Chester County Balloon Festival – Celebrating its 14th year, the Chester County Balloon Festival features 15 hot air balloons taking flight twice per day, a balloon glow and balloon rides. Adding to the fun: a beer garden, live music, crafts, food and more. On September 11, the festival will host a 9/11 Memorial Flight to honor the lives lost during the terrorist attacks 20 years ago. September 10-12, 2021.
• Kennett Square Mushroom Festival – The “Mushroom Capital of the World” hosts a two-day festival in honor of the beloved vegetable every September. It’s full of mushroom-themed food, music, exhibits and activities. September 11-12, 2021.
• Doylestown Arts Festival – Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this popular event features a juried selection of more than 120 independent artists, live music on five stages and art demonstrations. September 11-12, 2021.
• XPoNential Music Festival on the Camden Waterfront – WXPN, the public radio station of the University of Pennsylvania, brings together musical legends and new performers for this can’t-miss fest at Wiggins Waterfront Park and BB&T Pavilion. September 17-19, 2021.
• Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show – The fall edition of this twice-a-year event — the oldest outdoor fine arts show in the country — brings original painting, drawing, print, sculpture, mixed media and more art to Rittenhouse Square for an outdoor gallery sale. September 17-19, 2021.
• Weirdo: The East Kensington Arts & Oddities Festival – A street festival of oddities returns to East Kensington this fall. Guests can look forward to performances, activities for kids and more things that embody a “sea of beautiful weirdness,” plus plenty of local food, beer and arts vendors. September 18, 2021.
• Feria Del Barrio – The city’s historic Centro de Oro neighborhood welcomes folks from all over for a celebration of Philadelphia’s Latino culture and community. Throughout the day, guests can enjoy live music and performances, tasty food, crafts and games. September 19, 2021.
• Philadelphia Distance Run – On hiatus since 2010, the Philadelphia Distance Run makes its return this fall. Known for its fast, flat course, the iconic half-marathon hopes to draw both elite and endurance runners. Students Run Philly Style will be the beneficiary. September 19, 2021.
• Puerto Rican Day Parade – This annual parade along the historic Benjamin Franklin Parkway attracts more than 1,500 marchers who dance, play music and wave from floats and cars for thousands of spectators. Afterward, an alfresco party typically takes place in Philly’s Centro de Oro neighborhood. September 26, 2021.
• Chestnut Hill Fall for the Arts Festival – Germantown Avenue shuts down to traffic and opens up to alfresco art for this annual favorite, featuring more than 150 artists from around the country displaying their paintings, photography, pottery, sculpture, wood crafts, jewelry and more. Arts lovers can peruse and purchase wares along the avenue, catch live music, dine outdoors and entertain the kids at a pop-up amusement park. September 26, 2021.
• Mural Arts Month – Mural Arts Month, a month-long celebration in October of all the ways Mural Arts Philadelphia uses art to transform public spaces and individual lives, is back. This year’s theme is Re-Emergence, recognizing and saluting the people of Philadelphia for their steady and united return to normalcy. The activity-filled month features a block party, mural dedications, public paint days, panel discussions, community events, artist spotlights, film screenings, mural tours and more. October 1-31, 2021.
• Autumn’s Colors – Thousands of chrysanthemums — shaped into clouds, balls, spirals, columns, pagodas, a fountain and the astounding Thousand Bloom Mum — along with beautiful harvest-time plantings and colors are the focus of Longwood Gardens’ annual celebration of fall.
  October 2-November 14, 2021.
• Philly Music Fest – The Menzingers, Hop Along, Stella Ruze and more perform at the fifth-annual celebration of the city’s vibrant music scene. Nineteen Philly-based acts perform at five venues in a series of rock, hip-hop, bluegrass, punk and other performances. The festival, which also includes a day of industry-focused panels, helps support music education organizations. October 6-10, 2021.
• Design Philadelphia – The entire city celebrates the nation’s oldest festival of its kind, with events that highlight local designers, architects and creative professionals demonstrating thoughtful design, collaborative business practices and community engagement. October 6-17, 2021.
• Blue Cross Broad Street Run – The annual 10-mile course running from North Philadelphia to the Philadelphia Navy Yard passes many of the city’s most important landmarks along the way — Temple University, City Hall, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia stadium complex, to name a few — as supporters line both sides of Broad Street with creative signs. Expect record-breaking times, as this course rates as one of the fastest in the country by Runner’s World  October 10, 2021.
• Blocktoberfest – Graduate Hospital’s Bloktoberfest brings back its autumn-inspired celebration to a stretch of Washington Avenue from Broad Street to 17th Street. The annual festival, which paused for 2020, typically features tons of craft beer offerings, food from local vendors and tunes from area bands. October 16, 2021.
• Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) – Hundreds of artists and community spaces open their doors to the public (for free!) during POST, an annual tradition that seeks to make workshops, galleries and other creative spaces more accessible. In addition to virtual events on October 20, the 2021 event includes several in-person experiences in Northeast Philly, Northwest Philly, South Philadelphia and West Philadelphia. October 16-24, 2021.
• Philadelphia Film Festival – For the 30th year, this 11-day festival shows the best in independent and foreign films — more than 100 of them — in theaters and venues around Philadelphia. Attendees take in short films, feature-length films, animated movies and special guest appearances. October 21-31,
• Head of the Schuylkill Regatta – Rowers of all levels — high school, college, elite rowers and world champions — converge on the Schuylkill River for the two-day Head of the Schuylkill Regatta. The race winds along Kelly Drive and Boathouse Row, which offer optimal viewing points and a festive atmosphere made up of competitors and viewers alike. October 30-31, 2021.
• Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival – This week-plus film festival puts the spotlight on films about the Asian experience and films created by Asian filmmakers with screenings at venues around the city. November 4-14, 2021.
• Apple Festival – Peddler’s Village’s annual fall festival honors the classic fruit with old-fashioned country apple butter, apple cider, apple dumplings, apple fritters, caramel-dipped apples and pie-eating contests. November 6-7, 2021.
• Philadelphia Marathon – One of the country’s premier — and most scenic — running events is known to send 30,000 athletes through historic Center City, past the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Boathouse Row. The weekend includes an 8K race, half-marathon, a Kids Fun Run and the Health & Fitness Expo. November 19-21, 2021.
• Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade – America’s first Thanksgiving Day parade, sponsored by 6ABC and Dunkin’ Donuts, wows crowds with Disney characters, fancy floats, giant balloons, marching bands and other festive entertainment along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
  November 25, 2021.

Theater:

• BEEHIVE – The ’60s Musical – On stage on the Walnut Street Theatre, this rockin’ celebration of the era’s powerful female voices, including Diana Ross, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner, takes audiences on a song-filled journey told from the perspective of six women coming of age during this unforgettable decade. September 28-October 31, 2021.
• Hamilton – Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway musical Hamilton comes to the Academy of Music for a six-week run of the production focused on American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, whose influence can be experienced at Historic Philadelphia sites, including Independence Hall, the Second Bank of the United State and the National Constitution Center. October 17-November 28, 2021.

Food & Drink:

• Terrace on Tap – The popular pop-up outdoor dining experience returns to the second-floor Liberty View Terrace at the Independence Visitor Center this spring and brings with it local brews, specialty cocktails and seasonal bites from Brûlée Catering. Terrace on Tap offers free activities for kids and stunning panoramic views of Independence Mall. Weather-dependent. Various dates from September 2-November 20, 2021.
• New Brewery Openings – The lengthy Craft Beer Trail of Greater Philadelphia — a perfect fall excursion —will soon grow even bigger with new breweries and expansions debuting in and beyond the city. Each drinking destination offers an experience that’s wholly different from thenext. In 2021, look for Victory Brewing Company to open on the Ben Franklin Parkway; Other Half Brewing to debut a Fishtown spot; and a third location for Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company in Dublin, Pennsylvania.
• New Restaurant Openings – The Philly restaurant scene just keeps getting better and better — despite the toughest year on record for restaurants in 2020. Noteworthy additions on the way in 2021 include: Honeysuckle from chef and artist Omar Tate (Esquire magazine’s Chef of the Year); Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, with outposts in Fishtown and Rittenhouse Square; a to-be-named Italian spot from Michael Schulson and chef Jeff Michaud in Midtown Village; and Fudena, a fast-casual West African spot in Rittenhouse Square.
• American Whiskey Convention – At the country’s largest all-American whiskey event, tipplers can sample their choice of more than 250 whiskeys and bourbons. Also on tap at the Independence Seaport Museum event: discussion forums, distiller meet-and-greets, an artisan marketplace and more. September 10, 2021.
• Center City District Restaurant Week – More than 60 restaurants in the Center City District offer signature three-course dinners for $40 per person and three-course lunches for $25 per guest during the fall edition of this long-running dining promotion. Participating restaurants this season include Amada, Barbuzzo, Liberte Lounge, Mixto, SOUTH Kitchen & Jazz Club and Tequilas Restaurant.
• Dine Latino Restaurant Week – Meal deals from some of the city’s best Latinx-owned restaurants are on offer during the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s newish but popular dining initiative. The promotion shines a spotlight on the authentic Latin eats that abound throughout Philadelphia. Puerto Rican, Mexican, Argentine and more Latin restaurants participate in the deal, which offers guests a free appetizer or dessert with the purchase of two dinner entrees. October 11-15, 2021.

New Hotels:

• Guild House Hotel – September brings the grand opening of a boutique property in a National Historic Landmark building that belonged to — and will honor — a 19th-century working women’s advocacy and support group known as the New Century Guild. The rooms and suites — 12 in total — in the Midtown Village hotel are named after members of the Guild, which included notable abolitionists, suffragists, activists, poets and artists. Among them: Eliza Sproat Turner, a teacher, writer and New Century Guild founder; Florence Kelley, a founding member of the NAACP; and Emily Sartain, artist and director of the Philadelphia School of Design for Women (now Moore College of Art and Design). Amenities at the invisible service hotel include luxury bath and body products; specialty coffees, teas and chocolates; and customized itineraries, airport pickup and curated experiences upon request. September 2021.

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On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets. 6^th & Market Streets, (800) 537-7676

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