{"id":6166,"date":"2026-01-21T17:55:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/philadelphia-events-calendar-12-best-things-to-do-in-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T17:55:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T17:55:11","slug":"philadelphia-events-calendar-12-best-things-to-do-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diyhaven858.wasmer.app\/index.php\/philadelphia-events-calendar-12-best-things-to-do-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia events calendar: 12 best things to do in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Philadelphia brings to mind many things: cheesesteak, Rocky Balboa and the Liberty Bell, just to name a few. It also witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, making it a great place to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and one of TPG’s 17 best places to visit in 2026.<\/p>\n

Beyond celebrations for the nation’s anniversary, Philly is also the place to be for sports fans this year, with major events in basketball, golf, soccer and baseball coming to the city in 2026. And that’s not including Philly’s already-packed schedule of annual events, from music and food festivals to carnivals and Christmas markets.<\/p>\n

Here is a season-by-season guide to 12 events worth planning a trip around in 2026 to the Cradle of Liberty.<\/p>\n

Related: The best new hotels, restaurants and more in Philadelphia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spring 2026<\/h2>\n

March Madness<\/h3>\n

When:<\/strong> March 20 and 22, 2026<\/p>\n

March Madness will kick off (or tip off) Philly’s impressive calendar of major sporting events this year. Six games of the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will take place at Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly Wells Fargo Center) in South Philadelphia, hosted by Saint Joseph’s University.<\/p>\n

If you collect IHG One Rewards points, the nearby Holiday Inn Philadelphia Airport-Stadium Area has rooms starting from $270 or 50,000 points per night that weekend.<\/p>\n

“A Nation of Artists” exhibition<\/h3>\n

When:<\/strong> April 12 to Sept. 5, 2026<\/p>\n

In mid-April, head to the Philadelphia Art Museum and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts for the groundbreaking “A Nation of Artists” exhibition, a collection of over 1,000 works by American artists like Horace Pippin, Mary Cassatt and Mark Rothko.<\/p>\n

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Spanning the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, this huge exhibition across two museums includes everything from paintings and ceramics to wood carvings and fashion.<\/p>\n

Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival<\/h3>\n
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MANAYUNK.COM\/FACEBOOK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When:<\/strong> April 19, 2026<\/p>\n

Philly’s riverside Manayunk neighborhood \u2014 christened with a Lenape word meaning “where we go to drink” \u2014 has long been a popular spot for food lovers. But on Sunday, April 19, dozens of food trucks and other vendors will join Main Street’s plethora of restaurants, bars and cafes during the annual Manayunk StrEAT festival. Come for the food, stay for the shopping and live musical performances.<\/p>\n

Related: Best dining credit cards of January 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

PGA Championship<\/h3>\n

When:<\/strong> May 11-17, 2026<\/p>\n

This year’s PGA Championship will be held at Aronimink Golf Course in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, less than an hour’s drive outside of Philadelphia. It’s only the second time the location has hosted the men’s event (the first was back in 1962); it hosted the Women’s PGA Championship in 2020.<\/p>\n

Tickets are available on StubHub (among other places). If you hold the Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/span> (see rates and fees), you could use your $150 biannual StubHub credit to save on tickets (activation is required; this credit is available through Dec. 31, 2027).<\/p>\n

Summer 2026<\/h2>\n

Summerfest<\/h3>\n
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JOE LAMBERTI\/BLOOMBERG\/GETTY IMAGES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When:<\/strong> May 23 to Sept. 1, 2026<\/p>\n

One of Philadelphia’s perennial favorite festivals, Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest brings the Delaware River waterfront to life from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You’ll find family-friendly activities like rides, roller skating, arcade games and minigolf, plus the usual sips and snacks you’d expect from a carnival.<\/p>\n

Summerfest is open daily throughout the summer. Admission is free; activities and concessions are pay-as-you-go.<\/p>\n

Related: Summer travel checklist: 12 things to do now to make your trip great<\/strong><\/p>\n

Odunde Festival<\/h3>\n

When:<\/strong> June 14, 2026<\/p>\n

Odunde Festival, the country’s largest street festival celebrating African and African-American culture, is held in South Philadelphia on the second Sunday in June. Each year, hundreds of thousands of visitors flock here to immerse themselves in African art, music, food and more.<\/p>\n

Highlights include an authentic African marketplace featuring vendors from across Africa, the Caribbean and Brazil, as well as a colorful parade culminating with an offering of fruit and flowers to Oshun, a Nigerian river goddess, in the Schuylkill River.<\/p>\n

Wawa Welcome America<\/h3>\n
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G WIDMAN\/GPTMC GEO<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When:<\/strong> June 19 to July 4, 2026<\/p>\n

Wawa Welcome America, the nation’s biggest Independence Day celebration, is back and better than ever for America’s 250th anniversary.<\/p>\n

This citywide festival celebrates freedom in all its forms from Juneteenth to July 4th. You can expect 16 days of free, family-friendly activities like fireworks, block parties, live music, Wawa Hoagie Day and a huge July 4th parade representing every state and territory.<\/p>\n

FIFA World Cup<\/h3>\n

When:<\/strong> Various dates in June and July<\/p>\n

The City of Brotherly Love will host six matches of this year’s FIFA World Cup at Philadelphia Stadium (also known as Lincoln Financial Field). That includes five group matches in June and a knockout-stage match on Independence Day:<\/p>\n