Philadelphia is not bidding farewell to summer without a final fling to enjoy the warm weather. It will be gone before we know it.

Labor Day Weekend 2022

This year its almost business as usual with the full return of some summer celebrations.

The “Made in America Concert” will engulf the Eakin’s Oval area of the Ben Franklin Parkway Saturday September 3^rd and September 4^th, 2022. This year’s headliners are Bad Bunny, Tyler the Creator, Little Uzi Vert and Jazmine Sullivan.

The Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing

Labor Day Weekend Fireworks Saturday September 3^rd, 8:30pm. Visible from multiple locations along the Delaware waterfront.

Also, at Penn’s Landing “Brazilian Day” Sunday September 4^th, 2022, a celebration of culture, food, music, and dance. Get your samba on!

“Fringe Arts Festival”

September 8^th through October 2^nd, 2022

Various Locations

Central Headquarters 140 N. Columbus Blvd.

The Fringe Arts Festival gathers local, national, and international artists and performers for a two-week exhibition throughout the city of Brotherly and Sisterly Love. The festival’s artists bring thought provoking, avant garde, performances to Philadelphia’s largest stages. The festival also gives the opportunity for local artists to shine offering their pre-success works to a large audience in traditional settings as well as unconventional spaces.

“The Doylestown Arts Festival”

September 10^th and 11^th ,2022

East State and North Main Streets

Doylestown, PA The Doylestown Arts Festival is a two-day juried art, music, and food extravaganza along the streets of Doylestown, nestled in Historic Bucks County. 2022 is the 31^st anniversary of the festival. Over 150 artists are exhibiting in multiple mediums. There will also be art demonstrations, live music, and a variety of food choices.

While in the general area of Buck’s County, one may wish to visit Peddler’s Village, 100 Peddler’s Village Lahaska, PA. As summer winds down, Peddler’s Village is beginning their preparations to welcome fall. September 5th through October 31^st, 2022, is “Scarecrows in the Village”. Local artists, some of whom are quite young are displaying their talent in the form of terrifying (or cute) scarecrows. Peddler’s Village has a collection of artisan shops and restaurants in a unique, rambling enclave. Take any opportunity to visit Peddler’s Village as it has been slated for redevelopment and once gone, we’ll never see the like of this charming hamlet again.

‘Rittenhouse Square Fine Arts Show’

September 16th-18th, 2022

Yet another local stalwart event that the gentry of Philadelphia just couldn’t get enough of!  Now we have the traditional ‘Fall’ show, as well as a ‘Spring’ edition. This is the oldest outdoor fine arts show in the nation. The event brings artists of all disciplines to Rittenhouse Square which is part show and part outdoor art gallery. Meander around the square, peruse the artwork, chat with the artists and artisans, window shop, or pick up your very own masterpiece!

Not to be confused with the other “Fests” taking place in September…

The Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest at the Kimmel Center

300 S. Broad Street

Saturday September 17^th, 2022; 11am – 3pm

The Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest is a free event hosted by the Kimmel Cultural Campus and The Philadelphia Orchestra. This program features an array of sample performances from 50 different arts and culture organizations. The whole family will find things of interest as they explore what’s scheduled for the coming performance year.

www.kimmelculturalcampus.org

   For those of you who may not know in June of 2021 the Kimmel Center which oversaw operations at the Miller Theater (Originally the Shubert, then Merriam. Named for Alan B. Miller a founding member and major contributor to the Kimmel and the renovation of the theater) and the Academy of Music made their connection of the three entities formal by rebranding and operating as the Kimmel Cultural Campus. All three venues operate from a consolidated base at the Kimmel Center. Additionally, the Kimmel Center itself has several venues in its interior. Most notably for theater goers is that all information and ticket sales come from a central source www.kimmelculturalcampus.org .

Harry Potter at the Franklin Institute

20^th and Ben Franklin Parkway

Finishing its run now through Sunday September 18^th, 2022

   If the kids or grandkids are looking for something “magical” to do this exhibition of the World of Harry Potter might be just the ticket. This event promises an immersive experience featuring props from the films, recreations of the sets, paintings that move, candles that float, weird creatures and interactive displays to help your inner witch or wizard graduate Hogwart’s School of Wizardry!

www.fi.edu

The Eagles Home Opener vs. the Minnesota Vikings

Lincoln Financial Field

Monday September 19^th, 2022

Are we headed back to the Superbowl? I’m not the guy to ask, but that was pretty cool when the Eagles won, and we were all here in the middle of it!

To enjoy a last glimmer of the swan song of summer we offer some suggestions typical of the season.

Philadelphia Beer Gardens

Independence Beer Garden 100 S. Independence Mall

This once vacant space in and around the buildings that inhabit this southeast corner of 6^th and Market Streets has become home to one of the first of Philadelphia’s seasonal Beer Gardens. This project is part of the Schulson Collective of restaurants and has been wildly successful since it first opened. The key to its success is serving a diverse selection of popular as well as craft brews and a menu of reasonably priced, beer friendly food!

In addition to IBG there are a many more seasonal beer gardens in Philadelphia, here are a few all in a row like a string of lights in South Philly.  

Landslide Beer Garden at Spruce Street Harbor Park

Located directly at Penn’s Landing, in the Spruce Street Harbor Park Section Landslide offers visitors craft beer selections as well as cocktails from the adjacent Oasis Bar and a food selection for the many food kiosks that abound along its promenade and boardwalk. 

The Garden at Cherry Street Pier

121 North Columbus Blvd.

Cherry Street Pier literally changes with the season. At this time of year in addition to its artistic offerings they offer their Beer Garden for refreshments featuring Mainstay Independent Brewing.

Morgan’s Pier

221 North Columbus Blvd.

Morgan’s Pier is an expansive space, with casual daytime dining and a lively evening atmosphere. Morgan’s serves multiple draft beers, great pub grub and is canine friendly offering a “Yappy Hour”.

Another summertime treat is ‘Wooder Ice’. Like Cheesesteaks and Soft Pretzels there are many options for this Philly Fav! Here are a few that are NOT Rita’s. Two of the ‘Grandfathers’ of water ice and the easiest to visit are…

John’s – 701 Christian Street

Pop’s – 1337 W. Oregon Ave.

The two most intriguing, esoteric, and not as easy to get to are…

Rose’s – 4240 Pechin Street, Roxborough. Great little breakfast spot with fun everchanging flavors through the season.

Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice – 60^th and Irving Streets. Originally served from a cart on the Temple Campus, Siddiq’s in West Philly serves the most unique flavors like Cantaloupe, White Grape, and Strawberry Daquiri. A must visit for the true aficionado.

On ‘the tail’ of the subject of frozen treats, believe it or not, we have something for our four-legged best friends to enjoy! Recently opened “Salty Paws” 211 S. 17^th St., is an ice cream parlor just for the pups. Their ice cream is especially made for canine consumption and unfortunately due to licensing they are not permitted to sell ‘human ice cream’. Salty Paws has tables suited for dogs to saddle up to and enjoy their frosty goodies. Open until 8pm most evenings. 304-780-9037

 For those away at the Jersey Shore there is another location, 7315 Ventnor Ave, Ventor NJ.

We’ve teased you with an appetizer of Water Ice, Pub Grub and Beer Gardens. If you’ll permit here is the gastronomic main course…

First let’s begin with,

Center City District Restaurant Week Fall 2022

September 12^th -24^th

You may recall back in 2003 when it was just “Restaurant Week” here in Center City and once a year. Fortunately, nearly every gastro-centric neighborhood in Philadelphia now has its own restaurant week. However, this is the first, the original, the ‘Granddaddy’ of them all! This year there will be 60 Center City restaurants participating! Bistro La Minette, Forsythia, Gran Caffe L’Aquila, and Volver are participants just to name a few. The price for the three-course prix fixe lunch $25 and dinner $40 has gone up a tick but still a bargain. Brand new for this year is the ‘Dinner and a Show’ promotion which offers discounts for tickets to Philadelphia’s most hallowed cultural institutions including the Kimmel, the Academy of Music, the Miller Theater, the Wilma and select performances of The Philadelphia Orchestra. While CCD Restaurant Week is only two weeks long, these discounted tickets are available now through the end of the year.

CCD Restaurant Week – http://www.ccdrestaurantweek.com/

“Dinner and a Show” – https://www.kimmelculturalcampus.org/events-and-tickets/ticket-deals/dinner-and-a-show

As mentioned, a mere moment ago yet another restaurant “week” concurrent with Center City District’s…

‘Dine Latino Restaurant “Week” ‘

September 19^th -23^rd, 2022

The Dine Latino Restaurant event comes via the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to highlight Philadelphia’s can’t miss Latin owned restaurants during National Hispanic Heritage Month. The way this event works is buy two entrees and receive an appetizer or dessert gratis.

For a list of participating restaurants https://www.philahispanicchamber.org/restaurant-week.html

How does it go? ‘Something borrowed, something blue…’

Something old…

“Bistro La Baia”

1700 Lombard St.

This little Rittenhouse gem has flown under the radar with the restaurant activity in our vicinity. This family-vibe Italian restaurant was for years a pizza shop and restaurant owned by friends of mine back in the day. Apparently in the interim it had become a cute little neighborhood mainstay. The new owners have had it for about 5 years and are carrying on the name and traditions of the previous family. By all accounts they have a solid ‘red sauce’ menu (honestly a lot of non-tomato-based variety) with very reasonable prices. Bistro La Baia is a tried-and-true BYOB alternative when other Italian restaurants in the area may not be accessible. It’s always wise to have a ‘secret weapon’ restaurant in your back pocket, last minute on a busy Saturday night! 

And something new…

Restaurant Aleksander

126 South 19^th Street

 Recently opened Restaurant Aleksander is the brainchild of former German exchange student Alek Stojnic whose Serbian parent’s owned restaurants in Bremen, Germany. Restaurant Aleksander is helmed by Zahav veteran, Chef Montana Huston whose father was also a Chef of Southern American tradition. This unique collaboration has resulted in a fusion of Eastern European, Asian, and Southern cuisines. All reports so far state that the food is excellent, and the service is attentive, however the wine selection leaves something to be desired. As I understand it, they are working on that weak spot.

PHILADELPHIA (August 12, 2019) — The Philadelphia Area Concierge Association (PACA) which is the premier hospitality industry organization for professional concierges throughout the region, is proud to announce the 2019 The Best for Our Guests award winners, honoring those restaurants, services, retailers, tour companies and attractions which have provided the utmost in customer service and unparalleled experiences for the tens of thousands of guests, residents and tenants that the concierges assist with recommendations on a yearly basis.

The winners was announced at a ceremony on Monday, August 12 at Fitler Club

The Best for Our Guests Categories/Nominees/Winners

FINE DINING                

WINNER: Barclay Prime Nominees: Bibou/Vernick Food & Drink    

CASUAL DINING            

WINNER: Parc Nominees: Gran Caffe L’Aquila, Sampan    

NEW RESTAURANT         

WINNER: Alpen RoseNominees: Cry Baby Pasta/Fiore

RETAILER                      

WINNER: Boyd’s / Macy’s (tie) Nominee: Anthropologie

CULTURAL ATTRACTION      

WINNER: Philadelphia Museum of Art Nominees: The Barnes/Penn Museum      

TOURIST SITE                    

WINNER: Independence National Historic Park Nominees: Franklin Institute, One Liberty Observation Deck

THEATER                          

WINNER: Walnut Street Theater Nominees:Academy of Music, Wilma Theater 

MUSIC VENUE                 

WINNER: The Kimmel Center for the Performing ArtsNominees: The Met Philadelphia/Wells Fargo Center World Cafe Live

TOURS/TRANSPORTATION  

WINNER: Philadelphia Trolley Works Big Bus Company Nominees: Free Tours by Foot

FAMILY-FRIENDLY          

WINNER: Franklin Institute Nominees: Academy of Natural Science, Philadelphia Zoo    

Nomination Criteria: All selections were by Philadelphia Area Concierge Association members.

Media contact: Fran Nachman, Lead Concierge Sonesta Philadelphia Rittenhouse Square Events Director, Philadelphia Area Concierge Association Phone: 215-869-1344  email: fgn2479@gmail.com

Founded in 1996 the Philadelphia Area Concierge Association is a non-profit service industry organization comprised of the region’s hotel, corporate and residential concierges.

In March, Fran Nachman, Director of Business and Social Events, attended the international Les Clefs d’ Or Congress in Cannes, France. She even got to walk on the same red carpet used for the film festival.

She also traveled to Paris and while there visited Notre Dame two weeks before the tragic fire.

MIMOZA XHORI!!

Congratulations to the PACA’s very own Mimoza Xhori for winning the 2017 Key To The City award! Mimoza has been a concierge for over 21 years and is an asset to our organization.

Fran Nachman, our Director of Business and Social Events, attended all 20 Parks on Tap sites this year. Born and raised in Philly, she had the opportunity to visit parks she had never been to previously. For their dedication, she and her boyfriend David, were awarded a t-shirt!

Check out some of their pictures.