Sure, fall doesn’t technically begin until Sept. 22, but like everyone else, we’re embracing the season’s start right after Labor Day. Not only is Starbucks already selling PSLs, this week’s 1-900-ICE-CREAM flavors are pumpkin pie and cinnamon!
To embrace the shifting season, we’re rounding up Philly’s early fall celebrations — when the weather is starting to feel crisp, but the sun is still warm and shining. This autumn, the city is hosting an impressive lineup of fun events, so bring on the live music and sweet-potato-flavored treats!
When: Sept. 4-28
Where: Many, many locations
Philly’s Fringe Festival is officially back and bigger than ever! The celebration will include 1,197 performances of 340 shows across 96 locations. The eclectic mix of theater, music, dance, comedy and avant garde shows means that there is something for everyone at this fest. If you feel overwhelmed with choice paralysis, we have tips on how to sort through it all.
When: Saturday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 6026 Germantown Ave.
The Wyck Historic House and Garden is hosting a honey festival this Saturday all about the bees. The fest, hosted in partnership with the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, will include honey tastings, educational talks, kids activities, a beer-and-mead garden and even a “bee beard” demonstration. Sounds like it will bee pretty sweet to us!
When: Saturday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 300 S. Broad St.
Ensemble Arts Philly is holding a festival with a variety of performances, including opera music, ballet and more, on multiple stages in the Kimmel Center. The fest also will feature a friendship bracelet station, tours of Marian Anderson Hall and even a Back to the Future DeLorean for photos. For those seeking a day full of culturally rich music and performances from local artists, this is definitely one to check out.
When: Saturday, Sept. 13, from 1 to 7 p.m.
Where: Mt. Airy
Mt. Airy’s porches are set to become cozy mini-stages for the neighborhood’s fourth annual Porchfest. Residents will welcome neighbors to their porches to enjoy live music performances. Musicians of all ages and skill levels are invited to sign up for 60-minute sets and can perform any musical genre they choose. The event will take place rain or shine, and while admission is free, tips for the local artists are always appreciated.
Philly AIDS Thrift’s annual block party. (Photo by Kory Aversa)
When: Saturday, Sept. 13, from 12 to 6 p.m.
Where: 710 S 5th St.
Philly AIDS Thrift is celebrating its 20th anniversary with an all-day block party. The humble store has donated over $5 million over the years to programs focused on HIV prevention, research and education. The party will have live music performances, a “fire-breathing, sword-swallowing clownbabe” (which sounds both impressive and terrifying), a pie-eating contest, food trucks, games, craft vendors and a local celebrity dunk tank. Plus, go ahead and thrift that perfect fall item while you’re there.
Mural Arts’ Fall Festival is happening at the Oval in front of the art museum. (Courtesy of Mural Arts)
When: Saturday, Sept. 13, from 2 to 7 p.m.
Where: 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
Jane Golden may have announced that she’s stepping down as the director of the organization, but that doesn’t mean her last year isn’t going to be full of fun. Mural Arts is throwing a fall festival in Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rocky’s statue will be looking down on the full-on party with DJ sets, a beer garden, food vendors and crafts stations for kids. There will also be an artist market, live painting and a Black artist gallery.
When: Sunday, Sept. 14, from 2 to 7 p.m.
Where: 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Mexican Independence Day is around the corner! The Mexican Cultural Center is hosting its annual celebration at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink. Events include the retelling of “El Grito,” the historic moment when Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo rang bells and gave an impassioned cry that kicked off the Mexican War of Independence. (Turns out other countries have freedom bells, too.) Not only can attendees try delicious Mexican bites, there will also be artisan crafts, folkloric and mariachi performances, children’s activities and live music.
A flyer for the Mexican Independence Day festival. (Courtesy of the Mexican Cultural Center)
When: Saturday, Sept. 27
Where: 2118 Washington Ave.
Dock Street is 40 years old. That’s right! It’s been four decades since founder Rosemarie Certo made a bet that Philly was ready for tasty, full-bodied, handcrafted beers. The iconic Philly Brewery is celebrating its birthday with a block party between 22nd and Alter streets. The party includes food, brews, games, DJ sets and line dancing.
When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 137 W. Knowlton Rd., Media
What’s more fall than driving to a farm and going apple picking? Linvilla Orchards, located 30 minutes outside of the city, is bringing back its annual apple festival. Visitors can pick a variety of apples at the peak of their season. There will also be live music, kids entertainment and more. And for those who can’t wait until Halloween, their “Pumpkinland” is also open and in full swing.
Fall treats from Linvilla Orchards. (@linvillaorchards via Instagram)
When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 101 S. Columbus Blvd. and 2 Riverside Dr., Camden
Philadelphia hosts plenty of festivals that celebrate the city — but what about the ones that honor our waterways? The Delaware River Festival is back, offering a full day of family-friendly fun and educational activities. Held on both sides of the river — at Penn’s Landing and Wiggins Park in Camden — the event invites attendees to explore the river by ferry, check out the Independence Seaport Museum for free, hop on pedal boats and more.
When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 12 to 8 p.m.
Where: 718 South St.
Get your lederhosen and dirndls ready! Brauhaus Schmitz is back hosting its massive, 17th annual Oktoberfest. The festival will take place in front of Brauhaus Schmitz under a large biergarten with seating for 1,000 people. The festival advertises nearly a dozen German beers on tap, German food, Oom-pah music, face painting, dancing and games. Guests can pay as they go or get a $125 VIP ticket for special swag and access. Prost!
When: Sunday, Sept. 28, 12 to 6 p.m.
Where: 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
¡Wepa! Celebrate Puerto Rican pride with Concilio’s annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. The parade will include a festival with traditional Latino music, poetry readings, and dance at the heart of the Parkway. Previous years have attracted around 1,500 marchers and over 5,000 attendees, so it’s bound to be a larger-than-life celebration.
When: Oct. 1-12
Where: Various locations
For 21 years, DesignPhiladelphia’s festival has been showcasing Philly’s curative and artistic minds. The festival, which runs almost two weeks long, takes place across the city and involves design-related exhibits, demonstrations, lectures and activities open to the public. It includes over 100 open houses to inspire your creative side.
When: Saturday, October 4, 12 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: 102 North 10th St.
Located at Chinatown’s iconic Friendship Gate, the Mid-Autumn festival returns for its 30th year. The party is a celebration of Philly’s Chinese community, as attendees gather to give thanks under the Harvest Moon. If you love Chinatown, this is the perfect event to support the neighborhood. It will involve local restaurants, lion dances, martial arts displays, carnival games, arts-and-crafts activities, a mooncake-eating contest and Chinese opera.
A vintage Dock Street poster. (Courtesy of Dock Street)
When: Saturday, Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 1136 Arch St.
For those who are into both apples and scrapple, have we got a very specific festival for you. Following the Reading Terminal’s annual scrapple-sculpting contest on Friday, October 10, locals can become judges and vote on their favorite sculpture at the market’s Scrapple and Apple fest. In addition to live music and kids crafts, select Reading Terminal vendors like Beck’s Cajun Cafe, 4th Street, Bassetts and more will also provide either scrapple- or apple-inspired treats. For example, Flying Monkey Bakery will sell “scrapple shortbread cookies.”
When: Sunday, Oct. 12, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: 8000-8600 blocks of Germantown Avenue
Chestnut Hill’s Fall Festival for the Arts returns to showcase over 200 artists and vendors. Attendees can walk down Germantown Avenue’s cozy cobblestone street to peruse paintings, photographs, etchings, jewelry, crafts and pottery for sale. In addition there will be activities for kids, live art demonstrations, music and tasty food options.
When: Sunday, Oct. 12, 12 to 7 p.m.
Where: 12th and Spruce to 13th and Walnut
It doesn’t need to be June to throw a festival for Philly’s queer community. OURfest — “our uniting resilience fest” — begins on Saturday, Oct. 11 with a parade on National Coming Out Day, and then concludes with a multi-block celebration on Sunday. The party includes live music and entertainment, a vendor market, food trucks, beer gardens, art installations, dance spaces and local resources for the queer community.
When: Saturday, Oct. 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Main Street
Manayunk is throwing its first-ever Fall Fest this October for some peak autumn vibes. Head to Main Street for food trucks, craft vendors and artisans, family-friendly games and activities. In addition, there will be a mac n’ cheese crawl. We don’t know what that is exactly, but we do know we want to sign up.
When: Saturday, Oct. 25, 12 to 6 p.m.
Where: Frankford Avenue from East York to Sergeant streets
The Kensington Derby and Arts Festival is one of the more unique parties on the list. It involves a procession of human-powered vehicles (no mechanics allowed) made by Derby teams. The cars pedal their way through a three-mile obstacle course, before making their dramatic finish in a mud pit. And what goes better with derby vehicles than fine art? The festival will also have a makers market, art demonstrations, and pieces from local artists for sale. It’s a family-friendly event, with face painting and costume contests open to both kids and pets. And for something truly unexpected, live wrestling by Awful Wrestling adds to the entertainment lineup.