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The top events, shows and more for your long weekend, February 16-19, 2024...
The holidays are long gone, and if you’re anything like us, you’ve been moving full-steam ahead since January 1. It’s about time for a break, don’t you say?
And what better place to spend the long Presidents Day weekend than the first city the Commander-in-Chief ever called home and the literal birthplace of our nation?
There are plenty of educational (and entertaining!) events happening highlighting the rich history of our city and nation. The Museum of the American Revolution unveils its newest exhibit focusing on George Washington’s Revolutionary War headquarters, and the National Constitution Center has a full weekend of activities planned fit for a president.
Everyone’s favorite winter attractions are wrapping up their seasons. Get your last skate in at Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest this weekend. Squeeze in a few more trips to Winter at Dilworth Park orWinterin Franklin Square before they both close on Sunday, February 25.
Outdoor activities in February not your jam? Grab the kids, the circus is coming to town. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey returns and is just as magical as ever. If you’re in need of a grown-up night out, why not find your new fave brew at Philly Beer Fest? The city’s top science museums also have exciting openings scheduled for the weekend. Marvel at 100-plus LEGO sculptures at the Art of the Brick exhibit at the Franklin Institute or escape to the rainforest at the Academy of Natural Science’s Under the Canopy.
Can’t decide? Make the weekend a long one. The Visit Philly 3-Day Stay hotel package is perfect for planning an extended Presidents Day weekend thanks to its buy-two-get-one-free night deal at select hotels. Or let the classic Visit Philly Overnight Package narrow the choices for you by providing free hotel parking and your choice of tickets to the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution, the Franklin Institute or the Museum of Art.
Get started crafting your itinerary with this sampling of the many ways you can spend your three-day weekend.
Note: This article is arranged chronologically.
— Photo courtesy the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Through Monday, February 19, 2024
Presidents Day weekend is your last chance this season to experience Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, the waterfront winter wonderland at Penn’s Landing. Glide around the NHL-sized ice skating rink (book tickets in advance), snap a photo by the festive holiday tree, ride on the illuminated Ferris wheel, play games on the boardwalk, or relax and cozy up with pay-as-you-go seasonal treats and hot drinks next to a toasty fire pit, in quaint cabins or at the Rinkside Lounge (reservations required).
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Winter at Dilworth Park
— Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Through Sunday, February 25, 2024
Time’s running out to experience Winter at Dilworth Park, as the public plaza just outside City Hall wraps up its popular annual winter wonderland later this month. Lace up your skates (BYO or rentals available) for an up-to-90-minute skating session at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink, and if you plan to go on Presidents Day, admission to the rink is free Mondays and Tuesdays in February. Before or after, warm up with comfort food, quick bites, beer and co*cktails in the ski chalet-style Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin.
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Winter in Franklin Square
— Photo by J. Fusco for Historic Philadelphia
Through Sunday, February 25, 2024
Wintry fun continues at Franklin Square with the remaining weeks of seasonal outdoor programming. There’s not much time left to:
- enjoy the free nightly Electrical Spectacle Light Show, which illuminates the square every half-hour with seasonal songs and choreographed light displays
- compete in street curling (a combination of curling and tabletop shuffleboard), and
- play a round of putt-putt at Center City’s only outdoor miniature golf course, transformed from chilly holiday fun into Valentine’s-themed Philly Mini Golf with Love.
Tickets are required for mini-golf and street curling.
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Through Sunday, February 25, 2024
Step out of hibernation and explore the over 2,000 acres of public art, park trails and historic landmarks with this free all-ages scavenger hunt. Over four weeks, the Fairmount Park Conservancy is releasing more than 40 missions full of historic info, fun challenges and iconic photo ops via the GooseChase App. Register as a team for a chance to win sweet prizes.
Where: Fairmount Park, 4700 States Drive
— Photo by E. Tercha for Longwood Gardens
Through Sunday, March 24, 2024
The horticultural minds at Longwood Gardens prove winter is more than stark, bare trees with their annual Winter Wonder exhibit. In the Conservatory, Streptocarpus, Saintpaulia and Clerodendrum schmidtii fill up the space in purple and white while hundreds of orchids bloom magnificently. Outdoors, the gardens’ 400 acres pop with yellow and orange witch hazel, while winter grasses provide texture to the landscape.
Through Friday, March 15, 2024
Part of its 200th anniversary celebration in 2024, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania presents Public Art in Philadelphia: A Legacy Shaped by Women, an exhibition focusing on both historic accomplishments and more recent contributions of women who have worked in Philadelphia in the public art field as artists, benefactors and leaders. The exhibit, offered in partnership with the Association for Public Art, provides insight into the long-lasting impact of women’s contributions to the ongoing public art landscape here in the city and across the nation.
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— Photo courtesy Atlanta Botanical Garden
February 1 - April 15, 2024
Six friendly giants make a special appearance this season at the Philadelphia Zoo. Made out of repurposed wood, each massive troll towers up to 15 feet tall and shares a different story. Created by world-renowned recycle artist Thomas Dambo, the family-friendly display serves as an inspiring reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle. The exhibition is included with general admission to the Philadelphia Zoo.
February 16-17, 2024
As head writer of Saturday Night Live and co-anchor of the sketch show’s Weekend Update, Colin Jost has racked up five Writers Guild Awards, two Peabodys and 12 Emmy nominations. Also the screenwriter of Staten Island Summer and author of the memoir A Very Punchable Face, the comedian brings his take on the news and American culture to the Xcite Center at Parx Casino and Racing for a night of stand-up.
February 16-19, 2024
The Greatest Show On Earth returns to the City of Brotherly Love as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey traveling circus event hits Wells Fargo Center for five shows over Presidents Day weekend. The reimagined spectacular for ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages thrills fans with an immersive show featuring never-before-seen superhuman feats on the highwire, trapeze, bicycle and more in a 360-degree environment filled with new technology that creates real connections between guests and performers from around the world. (Note that the event no longer features live animals or clowns.)
Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 12-4:00 p.m. & 5-9:00 p.m.
Philadelphia’s been a beer city since the very beginning. (William Penn himself is said to have had a brew house in his residence.) Philly Beer Fest keeps the tradition alive and brings together three dozen of the region’s and nation’s favorite breweries, cideries and more to take beer lovers on a brew-tastic tasting journey and introduce them to a new favorite sip. Keep an eye out for hometown treasures like Two Locals Brewing Co., Wissahickon Brewing Co. and Broad Street Brewing.
— Photo courtesy Boyz II Men
Saturday, February 17, 2024 | 8 p.m.
It’s Motownphilly back again as Philadelphia’s favorite R&B sons Boyz II Men roll back through doin’ a little East Coast swing. The soul-pop trio, who all met at Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts, continue their tradition of headlining The Met Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day weekend in a big hometown show performing romantic and heartbreaking classics like End of the Road, I’ll Make Love To You and One Sweet Day.
February 17-19, 2024
The National Constitution Center celebrates Presidents Day Weekend with a series of events taking a closer look at the executive office and the men who have held the title. Put your knowledge to the test with Presidential Trivia (daily) or learn something new at a scheduled lecture or talk. Kids are encouraged to don their executive best for the Presidential Costume Contest (February 19, 2024) and ask Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt, who are making a special appearance on Monday, all of their burning questions. The museum closes out the long weekend on Monday (February 19, 2024) with extended hours and free admission thanks to support from Citizen Travelers.
— Photo courtesy Art of the Brick
February 17 - September 2, 2024
Everything’s clicking into place. Returning to The Franklin Institute for the first time since 2015, The Art of the Brick displays more than 100 works all made completely of LEGO — from recreations of masterworks like Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to original works of LEGO sculpture, including a 20-foot-long T. rex dinosaur skeleton and many pieces that are just plain fun. Every sculpture in the hugely impressive display is the handiwork of contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya, the first artist ever to create an exhibition solely of LEGO art.
February 17 - September 2, 2024
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University presents a new immersive exhibit spotlighting the world of rainforests and the flora and fauna that inhabit the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. The Under the Canopy exhibition, for students of all ages and presented in both English and Spanish, features plants and rainforest ecology including encounters with a live sloth, boa constrictor and other animals that call these habitats home, plus life-size climbable animal sculptures (including a gorilla, tortoise, crocodile, red-eye tree frog and Banyan tree), interactive discovery stations, dynamic displays and engaging programming.
— Photo courtesy of the Museum of the American Revolution
February 17, 2023 - January 5, 2025
In the fascinating new Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent exhibition, visitors discover rare documents, inspired works of art and historical objects that paint a fuller picture of the shelter used as George Washington’s headquarters throughout the War for Independence. The tent — the Museum of the American Revolution’s signature artifact — served as the battlefield home, strategic meeting place and office quarters for General Washington, and the exhibition tells the stories of the many individuals who worked to preserve and pass down this vital symbol of the American republic.
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Black History Month Events in Philadelphia
The Black Journey: African-American History Walking Tour of Philadelphia— Photo by Visit Philadelphia
Dates vary by event
Black History Month continues Presidents Day Weekend with a number of events spotlighting the work of influential Black Americans and communities that helped to shape our nation.
- Meet the History Makers at the Betsy Ross House & Once Upon a Nation Storytelling: Explore the historic Betsy Ross House during the family-friendly Meet the History Makers event. Costumed actors recount amazing stories about prominent members of colonial Philadelphia’s free Black community (Saturdays) and Once Upon A Nation Storytellers and share tales of the Black experience in 18th-century Philadelphia (Sundays). Black History Month events at the Betsy Ross House are free to attend (February 3-25, 2024).
- A Raisin in the Sun at Bristol Riverside Theatre: In 1950s Chicago, a Black family living in the South Side receives a life-changing insurance check — and each member has a different vision for how to use it to pursue the American dream. This critically acclaimed play by Lorraine Hansberry tackles topics like housing discrimination, racism, assimilation and the power of self-determination (through February 18, 2024).
- Black History Month at the National Constitution Center:This month, the National Constitution Center features daily self-guided tours, special shows and exhibits highlighting the museum’s vast collection of artifacts, including a signed copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. General admission tickets are required (through February 29, 2024).
- Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America at The African American Museum in Philadelphia: “Is the sun rising or setting on the experiment of American democracy?” Nearly two-dozen artists interpret that question into new artworks in the collaborative exhibition Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America on display at The African American Museum in Philadelphia. Featuring paintings, sculptures, photography and more, this landmark exhibit explores racial equality, free speech and the modern American experience (through March 3, 2024).
- Inaugurating the Year of James Baldwin: God’s Revolutionary Voice at Parkway Central Library: The Free Library marks the start of Philly’s year-long 100th birthday for the late author James Baldwin with a big kickoff event. On the docket: speakers, documentary screenings, and cultural performances in honor of Baldwin’s life and ideas for a new America. Refreshments will be served and RSVPs are recommended (February 17, 2024).
- 50 Years of Hip Hop: Art, Music, Power at the National Liberty Museum: In celebration of 50 years of hip-hop, the National Liberty Museum takes a journey through the art, music and influence of hip-hop culture — and how it was shaped by Black history. This day of art-making, music tributes and pop-up talks honors hip-hop’s legacy and culture, and highlights the hip-hop influences present in the museum’s latest multimedia exhibition, Amplified: Art, Music, Power. Tickets are required (February 17, 2024).
- The Drunk Black History Show with Gordon Baker-Bone at World Cafe Live: Comedian and MTV writer Gordon Baker-Bone delivers history with a twist during this interactive (and intoxicating) Black history comedy show. Tickets are required and food and drink are pay as you go (February 17, 2024).
- The Black Journey: African-American History Walking Tour of Philadelphia: Experience the sights, monuments and stories that make up Philly’s Black history during The Black Journey guided tour. Led by subject matter experts, the tour guides guests past iconic Philly landmarks, highlights early Philadelphia’s most transformative events and tells the often untold accounts of some of America’s most prominent Black figures (February 17, 2024).
Where: Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street
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Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol National Constitution Center, 525 Arch Street African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut Street
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Lunar New Year Celebrations in Philadelphia
Dates vary by event
The Lunar New Year festivities continue this weekend with delicious food, amazing performances, and some fun surprises.
- Lunar New Year Celebration at Franklin Square: This brand-new Lunar New Year Celebration in Old City features red envelope surprise giveaways and a free dumpling workshop with Michael Chow from Sang Kee in addition to the Square’s regular winter attractions. Tip: Wear red for $1 off mini-golf or carousel rides (February 17, 2024).
- Lunar New Year at Dilworth Park: Before taking a spin around the ice rink, pop into the Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin to enjoy a special Lunar New Year event with a lunar holiday-inspired menu. The action continues outside on the plaza with a giant prancing lion and performances from traditional Chinese dancers (February 17, 2024).
- Chinatown Food Tour: Break out the stretchy pants: This food-lovers tour lets you dig into dishes from various Chinese provinces while offering a heaping helping of cultural history. Tickets are required (February 17, 2024).
- Lunar New Year Celebration at Fashion District: Party while you shop at the Fashion District during a free afternoon of family fun featuring Chinese lion dancers from the Philadelphia Suns, kids crafts and a special presentation by Korean performance company Ballet SunMi. The event is free to attend, but RSVPs are recommended (February 17, 2024).
Where: Franklin Square, 200 North 6th Street
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Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street Tours depart from the Chinatown Friendship Gate, 10th and Arch Streets
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Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest
Winter at Dilworth Park
Winter in Franklin Square
WinTOUR Scavenger Hunt in Fairmount Park
Winter Wonder at Longwood Gardens
Public Art in Philadelphia: A Legacy Shaped by Women at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: Save the Humans at the Philadelphia Zoo
Colin Jost at Parx Casino and Racing
Philly Beer Fest at 23rd Street Armory
Boyz II Men at The Met Philadelphia
Presidents Day Weekend at the National Constitution Center
Opening: The Art of the Brick at The Franklin Institute
Opening: Under The Canopy at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Opening: Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington's Tent at the Museum of the American Revolution
Black History Month Events in Philadelphia
Lunar New Year Celebrations in Philadelphia
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Come for Philadelphia. Stay (Over) for Philly.
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, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
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?
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