Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Events
Philadelphia Cherry Blossom Festival
The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia is as much a festival held in honor of the pink-blossomed trees, as it is a celebration of Japanese culture. Visitors to the festival - over and above experiencing the numinous beauty of the cherry blossoms (more than a thousand of the black-limbed trees will be in bloom) - will also be treated to Japanese drumming and martial arts performances, a traditional tea ceremony, an origami demonstration, and a presentation given by a master sushi chef from Japan.
Gettysburg Re-enactment
The Battle of Gettysburg was the most significant battle of the American Civil War. Over three days in early July, the blood of almost 50,000 soldiers was split on the fields outside the town of Gettysburg, in the battle that would become the turning point of the civil war. Today, a re-enactment of the battle takes place as close to the original days (1-3 July) as possible featuring tens of thousands of participants and spectators to educate and make aware of the early violent past of this powerful nation. The event is hugely popular and receives visitors from all across the United States.
Philadelphia Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe
The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival - and its offshoot attraction, the Philly Fringe - are two concurrently-run performing arts festivals, that each year bring downtown Philadelphia to life. The Live Arts Festival’s program is determined by selection, with half of the performers coming from Philadelphia, and the other half being flown in from around the globe - and its emphasis is on providing audiences with high-quality, compelling and thought-provoking entertainment.
Mummer's Parade
With its origins in the 1800s, the Philadelphia Mummer’s Parade is the traditional celebration of the New Year and one of the country’s oldest folk customs. Mummery in America is as unique to Philadelphia as Mardi Gras is to New Orleans, and various groups of mummers (masked or costumed merrymakers) compete for originality, themes and costumes in a colorful extravaganza of feathers, sequins, elaborate floats, music and dance.
