The Best Things You Can Possibly Do in Philly This Week

This week in Philly: The World Cup, Juneteenth, the Orchestra takes it outside, and Pride gets operatic.

The World Cup comes to Philly / Photograph via Getty Images

This is a jam-packed week in the Philadelphia region, so we dug deep to find you the best of the best. Enjoy!

PRIDE

Photograph courtesy of East Passyunk Opera Project

It’s Pride Month! From drag shows to block parties, we’ve got a whole guide to how Philly is planning a month of events for the LGBTQ+ community and allies of all ages to celebrate. Click here for full the rundown, but here are some favorites this week:

Love Out Loud: A Pride-Themed PlayFest

This free evening of staged readings features six new plays celebrating queer joy, love, and acceptance. June 16th at Tattooed Mom

Long Live the Queen

Philly Voices of Pride’s chamber choir premieres their brand-new cantata created by drag artist, opera singer, and costume designer Cookie Diorio and composer Andrea Clearfield. The show “dives into the history of drag, its role in queer culture, and its power to challenge systems and spark change.” June 18th-20th at the Wilma Theater

Barnes & Noble’s PrideFest

The Rittenhouse location of Barnes & Noble hosts its second-annual PrideFest, an all-day reading celebration with local LGBTQ+ authors — plus a make-your-own bookmark station and literary trivia. The event is free, and you can come for any or all of the readings. June 20th at Barnes & Noble, 1708 Chestnut Street

Pride at the Park in Narberth

A welcoming, youth-led celebration for Narberth, Lower Merion Township, and surrounding areas. The event includes featuring LGBTQ+ (and allied) artists, performers, organizations, and businesses. June 20th in Narberth Park

FESTIVALS

The historic Johnson House hosts one of the oldest Juneteenth celebrations in Philly / Photograph by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia

Juneteenth Celebrations in Philadelphia

Celebrate freedom at Philly institutions around town, plus the Juneteenth parade in West Philly, of course. Here’s our guide to honor the holiday all week, but top picks for each day of the weekend include:

Juneteenth Jubilee at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, June 19th, noon-5 p.m.
Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival at Johnson House, June 20th, noon-7 p.m.
Juneteenth Parade and Festival at Malcolm X Park, June 21st, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Clark Park Music and Arts Festival

This free, family-friendly fest in West Philly features food, crafts, and live performances by Kuf Knotz, Seelie, Moustapha Noumbissi, and more.
June 20th at Clark Park

Midsommarfest

The Swedish Museum invites you to celebrate the ancient Midsommar festival by eating and dancing and raising the maypole. Also on the docket: traditional folk music by the Last Chance Band, kids’ activities, and flower crowns.
June 20th at the American Swedish Historical Museum

PAFA’s Family Art Festival

To celebrate their 220th birthday, PAFA hosts a free, all-ages day of hands‑on art-making, live performances, and museum exploration.
June 21st at PAFA

Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival / Photograph by Laura Swartz

Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival

Franklin Square will once again light up with giant, colorful sculptures of steel and silk. From the fan-favorite dragon to dozens of all-new illuminated installations, plus performances and other special features, there’s so much to see and do (and photograph) at this family-friendly festival. Check out our preview for everything you need to know about the festival.
Through August 16th in Franklin Square

Chester County Hot Air Balloon Festival

A weekend-long, family-friendly celebration of hot air ballooning featuring dozens of large balloons on display, a balloon glow, balloon rides, live music, food trucks, craft vendors, a kids’ zone, and more.
June 19th-21st at Ludwig’s Corner Horse Show Grounds

Fishtown Beer Festival

Evil Genius hosts a local outdoor beer festival, with special emphasis on beers from breweries in their own Fishtown neighborhood. Tickets, and a full list of participating breweries, here.
June 20th on Front Street between Columbia Avenue and Palmer Street

ON STAGE

Dear Evan Hansen at the Arden / Photograph by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.

Dear Evan Hansen

The musical from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul is loosely based on events at Friends Central School, from when Pasek was a student there. Nowadays he’s doing okay for himself, having dropped $13 million on Amy Schumer’s Manhattan penthouse not too long ago.
Through July 5th at the Arden

The Philadelphia Orchestra at the Mann

As you may have heard, the Mann Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer with massive renovations and special performances. On June 17, they’ll debut A Hundred Years On, a new oratorio about the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, by composer Peter Boyer and librettist Mark Campbell; tickets start at just $18.76. The next night, their “50 Years of Music in the Park” concert will include heavy hitters by Beethoven, Ravel, and Holst — tickets are $19.76 for that one. And then, unrelated to the Mann’s birthday, the orchestra will score a screening of The Lion King on June 20th, which just sounds delightful.
June 17th, 18th, and 20th at the Mann

Franklin’s Key

I’m gonna let Pig Iron Theatre Company’s description of their sci-fi adventure speak for itself: “During the War of Independence, the British feared that Ben Franklin could control the weather. Franklin’s Key asks: what if that were true? In an alternate universe where Benjamin Franklin’s undiscovered technology has been hidden for centuries underneath Philadelphia’s landmarks, a mystery is unfolding.” Intriguing!
Through June 28th at Plays & Players Theatre

The Great Privation (How to Flip Ten Cents Into a Dollar)

Set in South Philadelphia, the New York Times called this dark comedy about how the United States has harmed Black people in the name of science “robust and enlivening.”
Through June 21st at Theatre Exile

EXHIBITS

“This Is (Not) a Celebration: Queer Resistance 1976/2026”

Organized by the William Way LGBT Community Center, this exhibit depicts Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ organizing, activism, and protest during the 1976 Bicentennial. The exhibit pairs archival materials with the work of three local artists — Scarlett DeLorme, Justin Jain, and Amy Cousins.
June 11th through July 3rd at Huddle

“Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments”

Why do more people visit the Rocky statue than any other monument in Philadelphia? Did you know that about as many people visit the Statue of Liberty each year? And wait — is the Rocky statue even a monument? Or is it just a movie prop? This fascinating exhibit curated by local monument expert Paul Farber explores all of these questions, and more.
Through August 2nd at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

“A Nation of Artists”

A two-venue exhibit showcasing more than 1,000 pieces of American art, part of the Semiquincentennial.
At the Philadelphia Museum of Art and PAFA

MISCELLANY

Kylian Mbappé / Photograph by Xavier Laine/Getty Images

FIFA World Cup 2026

It’s finally here! Here in Philly we’ve got six World Cup matches. If you’re not one of the lucky fans who’ve scored tickets to the Linc — excuse us, Philadelphia Stadium, per FIFA’s convoluted sponsorship rules — or you’re simply too far away from your favorite team, fear not. We’ve got you covered with the best places to watch, here. The United States won’t be playing at the Linc, so if you’re not sure who you’ll be rooting for, look no further. And head to Lemon Hill for the Fan Fest, which runs all 39 days of the World Cup with watch parties and more. (It’s free, but you have to register online.)
June 11th-July 19th at Lincoln Financial Field (matches) and Lemon Hill (Fan Fest)

Clue: A Walking Mystery

An interactive IRL version of the murder-mystery game, with clues hidden throughout Philly. Book your time slot with Ensemble Arts Philly online.
Through July 5th, starting at the Kimmel Center

Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest

If you’re looking for some uptempo, family-friendly activities by the riverside, try Summerfest: They’ve got roller skating, of course, plus carnival games, mini-golf, rides, food, drinks, and a nice view of the Delaware River.
Through September at Penn’s Landing

ArtPhilly

In honor of the whole Semiquin thing, a citywide arts festival of exhibits, performances, and more.
Through July 2nd in various locations

LOOKING AHEAD

The Philadelphia Cycling Classic returns this summer. / Photograph by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto/Getty Images

After years — centuries, even — of anticipation, summer 2026 is finally here. Yes, that means the World Cup and the semiquincentennial and the MLB All-Star Game and a bunch of other big-ticket events that have surely crossed your radar. But it also means happenings you might not yet have heard about: hot dog contests, kayak flotillas, electronic festivals, and lighthouse climbs — enough adventures to fill every day between now and Labor Day. Here’s our guide to your best summer ever.