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Arts & Entertainment

Wawa Welcome America!

Mark your calendars for Philadelphia's Wawa Welcome America! - the nation’s largest, free July 4th Festival in the heart of America's birthplace, with 10 patriotic days packed with free family fun events from June 25 – July 4, 2012.

  • Philly @ the Movies - Special Movie Preview: “The Amazing Spider-Man™”
    • Ritz Movie Theatre, Date and Location to be announced, 7 p.m.
    • A limited number of ticketed Wawa Welcome America! guests will have the opportunity to see this film several days before its release date of July 3.

 

Monday, June 25, 2012

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  • Go 4th & Learn about History
    • Franklin Square, 6th and Race Streets,
    • 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Storytelling
    • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wawa Interactive Dairy and History Area
    • Go 4th & Learn is an exclusive series of five free educational programs for young children and their parents.  The first Go 4th & Learn installment, Go 4th & Learn About History, will begin at Franklin Square. Children will hear stories and also learn about the history of dairy, courtesy of Wawa. Lessons in cow milking, photo opportunities with a milkmaid, make-and-take arts and crafts, face painting and more will be available throughout the day.
  • Philly @ the Movies - “The Great Gatsby”
    • Rittenhouse Square, 9 p.m.

 

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

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  • Go 4th & Learn About Your Imagination  
    • Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
    • Go 4th & Learn continues with a morning of interactive exhibit zones designed to encourage learning through play at The Please Touch Museum at Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park.  
  • Philly @ the Movies - “Ferris Bueller's Day Off”
    • Piazza at Schmidts, 1050 North Hancock Street, 9 p.m.

 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

  • Go 4th & Learn about Fitness
    • Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, East Fairmount Park, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
    • Break a sweat in the third installment of the Go 4th & Learn educational series! Kids can enjoy the 6.5 acre playground which includes the legendary, one-of-a-kind Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide and more than 50 pieces of unique, age-appropriate and accessible pieces of play equipment.
  • Wawa Hoagie Day - Stars, Stripes & Hoagies Forever!
    • Independence Visitor Center Lawn at Independence National Historical Park, 520-525 Chestnut Street, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
    • Hoagie Day returns to the Independence Visitor’s lawn across from the Liberty Bell, Mayor Nutter will join Wawa associates and hoagie-lovers across Philadelphia to celebrate our famous Hoagie Day! 
    • This year’s Hoagie Day will increase our focus on honoring our troops and expanding on Wawa’s partnership with the USO. Wawa will present a check to the USO that represents the proceeds from our in-store collection campaign for the USO. During the event, guests will again have the chance to visit the “letters from home” station and extend their gratitude, thoughts and thanks to our troops.  Philadelphia police officers, firefighters, and branches of the military will compete in a hoagie-building contest to benefit local charitable organizations. 
  • Philly @ the Movies - “Rocky”
    • Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 9 p.m..

Thursday, June 28, 2012

  • Go 4th & Learn about Mummers
    • The Mummers Museum, 1100 South 2nd Street, South Philadelphia, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
    • Bring the whole family to this morning event to learn about the unique history and culture of Philadelphia’s New Year’s Day tradition, the Mummers.

 

Friday, June 29, 2012

  • Go 4th & Learn about Animals
    • The Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
    • Come visit with more than 1,300 rare and endangered animals from around the world at “America’s First Zoo.” Kids will discover educational experiences, entertaining activities and interactive fun while learning about the many different animals that call the Philadelphia Zoo home.  
  • PHL Photo Exhibit
    • Philadelphia International Airport (Terminal To Be Announced) 10 a.m.
  • Taste of Philadelphia Kickoff Featuring Jazz and Blues on the Waterfront
    • Penn’s Landing, 301 S. Columbus Blvd, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
    • A signature three-day food sampling event that begins this evening. Each year, Taste of Philadelphia continues to expand its food offerings, family friendly activities and free music entertainment – with 2012 set to be the “biggest bite” for food lovers yet.

 

Saturday, June 30, 2012

  • Taste of Philadelphia Concert and Fireworks Spectacular, Sponsored by Adventure Aquarium
    • Penn’s Landing, 301 S. Columbus Blvd, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
    • Attendees will be the first to hear performances from the finalists of the 2nd Annual Wawa Welcome America! Singer/Songwriter Competition. The acts will perform before Philadelphia music industry judges on the RiverStage in the hopes of being crowned the 2012 winner.  Later that evening a brilliant fireworks display, sponsored by Adventure Aquarium, illuminates the sky over the Delaware River.
  • Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival
    • Walnut West Parking Lot, at Columbus Blvd. and Walnut Street, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. $7 admission is required to enter.  

 

Sunday, July 1, 2012

  • Taste of Philadelphia Gospel Sunday
    • Penn’s Landing, 301 S. Columbus Blvd, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
    • The Taste of Philadelphia celebration dishes out food nirvana, courtesy of local eateries.
  • Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival
    • Walnut West Parking Lot, at Columbus Blvd. and Walnut Street, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. $7 admission is required to enter.  

 

Monday, July 2, 2012

  • Philly @ the Movies –“Why Did I Get Married?”
    • The Dell Music Center, North 33rd Street, 9 p.m.

 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

  • MuralArts Paint Day
  •  “POPS! on Independence”
    • Independence Hall, 8 p.m.
    • Note: Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

 

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

  • Celebration of Freedom Ceremony
    • Steps of Independence Hall, 6th and Market Streets, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
  • Philadelphia Independence Day Parade
    • Throughout Historic Philadelphia, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
    • An annual Philadelphia classic takes freedom to the streets with more than hundreds of participants from states across the nation, including marching bands, floats, military organizations and several special performing teams. This visual feast is the most diverse 4th of July Parade in the country, and people of all ages will surely enjoy the patriotic pageantry as it winds through the nation’s most historic square mile.
    • Come witness Patriotic Pageantry as over 5,000 participants from across the nation celebrate America’s Birthday in America’s Birthplace. This year’s parade features a “Heroes Salute” honoring the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 – The United States Military, veterans, firefighters and police officers. You won’t want to miss the 2012 Independence Day Parade!
  • Party on the Parkway
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 20th Street to Eakins Oval, 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
    • The highly anticipated day-long Party on the Parkway kicks off at noon on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 20thStreet to Eakins Oval, featuring blocks and blocks of exciting and educational activities, games, entertainment and food for the whole family until 7 p.m.
    • The festival offers three music stages, a wealth of music programming throughout the day, sporting events, an art pavilion incorporating an array of eclectic talent that performs and interacts with the crowd and many more activities. A Go 4th & Learn area for children presented by Radio Disney also will be offered, bringing education to life through interactive games, make-and-take arts and crafts, a Radio Disney Music Stage and face-painting. Food vendors will fill the Parkway cooking up delicious food to delight the whole family.
  • Philly 4th of July Jam and Grand Finale Fireworks
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 20th and Eakins Oval, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
    • The Roots will serve as the house band for the Wawa Welcome America! Philly 4th of July Jam – “The Largest Free Concert in America.” The festival’s Musical Director Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson will perform alongside an incredibly talented array of the brightest and boldest talent on the national music scene including Queen Latifah, Daryl Hall, Common, Joe Jonas and more special guests, on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Following this spectacular performance will be an amazing fireworks display over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
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