The Best Things You Can Possibly Do in Philly This Week
This week in Philly: Pride events all over town, the Chinese Lantern Festival, The Outsiders on stage, and much more.
The Outsiders is at the Academy of Music through June 7th. / Photograph by Matthew Murphy
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 by Kory Aversa
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 the rundown.
CONCERTS
In & Out of the Garden We Go
Cargo-shorted Deadheads bring their tents, RVs, and favorite bongs to Bucks County’s Snipes Farm for a three-day festival celebrating the Grateful Dead and the sounds they inspired. There are close to 20 bands, many local. Don’t miss the Delco tribute band with the best name ever: Jawn of the Dead. If you’re wondering, yes, the event is family-friendly, though it will definitely feature a certain pungent odor lingering in the air.
June 4th–6th at Snipes Farm
A$AP Rocky
The rapper’s Don’t Be Dumb tour (in support of his new album of the same name) features lots of pyrotechnics, two helicopters, and a 50-person entourage decked out as a SWAT team.
June 4th at Xfinity Mobile Arena
Hemlocke Springs
The Dartmouth grad left a career in medicine behind to become a new TikTok viral sensation. Check out her song “Girlfriend” to see if this is your cup of tea.
June 5th at Union Transfer
Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson
The pair recently released a duet of the Righteous Brothers hit “Unchained Melody”. Listen here.
June 7th at Xfinity Mobile Arena
ON STAGE
Dear Evan Hansen at the Arden / Photograph by Ashley Smith, Wide Eyed Studios.
The Outsiders
The Tony-winning musical version of the 1967 novel that became a Francis Ford Coppola movie. Which of these actors was not in that film? Matt Dillon, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Ralph Macchio, and C. Thomas Howell. (Trick question: They were all in it.)
Through June 7th at the Academy of Music
The Four Seasons Reimagined
The country isn’t the only one celebrating an anniversary this year. The Mann Center originally opened as part of the 1976 bicentennial celebration, and it’s applauding its own birthday throughout the summer. First up: The can’t-miss BalletX reimagining of Vivaldi’s career-defining work. What better way to honor the seasons than to take it all in from a lawn seat?
June 4th and 5th at the Mann Center
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.”
May 28th through June 14th at Theatre Exile
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. He’s doing okay for himself, having dropped $13 million on Amy Schumer’s Manhattan penthouse not long ago.
Through July 5th at the Arden
EXHIBITS
“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 so much 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
Betsy Ross House / Photograph by M. Kennedy for Historic Philadelphia, Inc
Flag Fest
If you’ve ever felt a bit underwhelmed by the Betsy Ross House, you’re not alone. But if there’s any time to give the house a second chance, it’s this summer. Textile demonstrations, country dancing, historical reenactments — curators are even teasing the unveiling of a new artifact on Flag Day.
June 5th–14th at the Betsy Ross House
Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll
Stroll the main drag in West Philly for sweet deals from businesses and vendors, many of whom will be offering deals on food, accessories and other goodies for $1, $3, $5. Here’s what’s where.
June 4th on Baltimore Avenue between 40th and 51 streets
Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square / Photograph by Jeff Fusco
Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival
Franklin Square will once again light up with giant, colorful sculptures of steel and silk. From the fan-favorite 200-foot-long 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. Stay tuned for our preview.
June 5th through August 16th in Franklin Square
ArtPhilly
In honor of the whole Semiquin thing, a citywide arts festival of exhibits, performances, and more.
May 27th through July 2nd in various locations.
Roxborough Spring Fest
From main-stage acts to singer-songwriters to kids’ tunes, head to Roxborough’s Ridge Avenue for three stages of music, plus vendors, food trucks, a kids’ zone, and a student art showcase.
June 6th on Ridge Avenue from Lyceum Avenue to Leverington Avenue
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.
