The Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau is proving there's plenty to look forward to once the summer heat begins to cool. Following the huge excitement of the recent Democratic National Convention, visitors will be kept well-entertained with the brilliant festivals and exhibitions, ranging from a spellbinding Harry Potter festival to celebrations of the best arts, music and beers Philadelphia has to offer.
The annual Philadelphia United Jazz Festival will feature acclaimed jazz instrumentalists, vocalists and ensembles to bring spectacular music to the city for the fourth year running. This year, the five-day programme will see performances at four venues: South Kitchen & Jazz Parlour; Relish; Warmdaddy's; and Paris Bistro & Jazz Cafe.
Founded on the principle that art ignites change, Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program has been enlightening minds and advocating the creation of public spaces for 30 years. This autumn welcomes four whole weeks dedicated to the movement, with thought-provoking panels, live art experiences, parties, tours and community celebrations throughout the city. Event highlights include: an opening party with performances from the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts; sound and light installations in the tunnels beneath the Rail Park; and a festive dedication for Betsy Casañas' new mural on the Spring Garden Street Bridge – a marriage of Mural Arts, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Mantua Civic Association.
The fourth annual Oktoberfest Live! craft beer festival will come to XFINITY Live! Philadelphia. This huge venue, which will be equipped with beer gardens, food trucks and various music acts, will host over 15,000 beer enthusiasts looking for a fun and spirited evening.
Live bands will be on hand to provide a tuneful backdrop to conversation and guests will have the chance to sample 250+ craft beers from over 100 breweries, all from a custom stein. The Victory Beer Hall and special areas at the venue will encourage games, activities, prizes and giveaways, all centered on one of Germany's most popular traditional events.
Hosted by the Philadelphia Film Society, the annual Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival will unveil the best in independent and foreign cinema in venues throughout Philadelphia. A series of screenings, special workshops and panel discussions will be available to ticket holders throughout the festival, which will feature dozens of films from around the globe. The festival's schedule of short films, feature-length films, and animated movies is bookended each year by blockbuster opening and closing night films.
For two days of non-stop wonderful wizardry, look no further than the Harry Potter Festival, which will take place in the Chestnut Hill neighbourhood of Philadelphia. This area will be transformed into a spellbinding city, teeming with events and screenings dedicated to J.K. Rowling's legendary creations. This annual festival features many magical activities, including a themed pub-crawl, literary presentations, sorting hat demonstrations, Horcrux scavenger hunt and even Quidditch matches. This year's itinerary is yet to be confirmed, however, one thing to be certain of is that Harry Potter fans will be donning their best fancy dress costumes in order to pay homage to their favourite Hogwarts characters.
