{"id":327268,"date":"2025-10-23T19:56:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T19:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/327268\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T19:56:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T19:56:18","slug":"philadelphia-historic-district-partners-reveal-52-weeks-of-firsts-list-for-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/327268\/","title":{"rendered":"Philadelphia Historic District partners reveal ’52 Weeks of Firsts’ list for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prepare to learn about Philly firsts next year. Fifty-two of them, to be precise.<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Historic District Partners unveiled the schedule for its \u201c52 Weeks of Firsts\u201d celebrations next year, a list of Philadelphia-born innovations that will be spotlighted throughout the nation\u2019s 250th birthday celebrations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis celebration happens during America\u2019s 250th birthday, but at its heart, it\u2019s a Philadelphia story,\u201d Vince Stango, CEO of the National Constitution Center and co-chair of the Philadelphia Historic District 250th Committee, said at the unveiling on Thursday. \u201cIt\u2019s about our city, our neighborhoods, and the people who have shaped this place into something truly extraordinary. It\u2019s a reflection of the richness, diversity, and creativity that make Philadelphia who we are, and it\u2019s a celebration of civic pride, honoring both our history and the innovation that continues to define us today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The list of weeks and events is as follows:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The first hot air balloon flight (1793)<\/li>\n
  2. The first folk parade (1901)<\/li>\n
  3. The first volunteer fire company (1736)<\/li>\n
  4. The first professional basketball league (1898)<\/li>\n
  5. The first public Girl Scout cookie sale (1932)<\/li>\n
  6. The first African Methodist Episcopal congregation (1794)<\/li>\n
  7. The first abolitionist society in America (1775)<\/li>\n
  8. The first authentic Chinese gate built in America (1984)<\/li>\n
  9. The first public protest against slavery in America (1688)<\/li>\n
  10. The first flower show (1829)<\/li>\n
  11. The first women\u2019s medical college (1850)<\/li>\n
  12. The first match folder (1892)<\/li>\n
  13. The first medical school in America (1765)<\/li>\n
  14. The first botanical garden (1728)<\/li>\n
  15. The first circus performance in America (1793)<\/li>\n
  16. The first stadium in America (1895)<\/li>\n
  17. The first postmaster (1737)<\/li>\n
  18. The first American-made piano and sousaphone (1775 and 1893)<\/li>\n
  19. The first Mother\u2019s Day (1908)<\/li>\n
  20. The first hospital in America (1751)<\/li>\n
  21. The first World\u2019s Fair on American soil (1876)<\/li>\n
  22. The first steamboat for passengers and freight (1787)<\/li>\n
  23. The first American flag (1777)<\/li>\n
  24. The first U.S. Army (1775)<\/li>\n
  25. The first Annual Reminder demonstration (1965)<\/li>\n
  26. The first paper maker in America (1690)<\/li>\n
  27. The First Bank of the United States (1791)<\/li>\n
  28. The first organized baseball team (1831)<\/li>\n
  29. The first ice cream soda (October 1874)<\/li>\n
  30. The first American art school (1805)<\/li>\n
  31. The first pencil with an attached eraser (1858)<\/li>\n
  32. The first zoo in America (1874)<\/li>\n
  33. The first U.S. Mint (1793)<\/li>\n
  34. The first selfie (1839)<\/li>\n
  35. The first Slinky (1943)<\/li>\n
  36. The first signing of the Constitution (1787)<\/li>\n
  37. The First Continental Congress (1774)<\/li>\n
  38. The first naming of the United States (1776)<\/li>\n
  39. The first Ronald McDonald House (1974)<\/li>\n
  40. The first penitentiary in America (1829)<\/li>\n
  41. The First Peoples<\/li>\n
  42. The first U.S. Navy and Marine Corps (1775)<\/li>\n
  43. The first public showing of a motion picture (1870)<\/li>\n
  44. The first modern detective story written (1841)<\/li>\n
  45. The first Thanksgiving Day parade in America (1920)<\/li>\n
  46. The first university in America (1740)<\/li>\n
  47. The first children\u2019s hospital in America (1855)<\/li>\n
  48. The first electronic computer (1945)<\/li>\n
  49. The first weather bureau (1870)<\/li>\n
  50. The first scientific society of natural history (1812)<\/li>\n
  51. The first public lending library in America (1731)<\/li>\n
  52. Philly food firsts: Cheesesteaks (1930s), water ice (1932) and bubble gum (1928)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    More details about each first, along with details about the locations and events for the celebrations, are available at Visit Philly\u2019s website<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \"\"The mummers band played for the crowd to open and conclude the press conference. (Ben Benett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

    The final list was a compilation of what the committee initially came up with, along with suggestions submitted by Philly residents and visitors<\/a>. Amy Needle, CEO of Historic Philadelphia Inc. and 250th committee co-chair, said that the event series also offers a way for smaller Philly groups to be showcased in the city\u2019s Semiquincentennial celebrations.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s really exciting because it\u2019s a way for organizations like the Fire Museum, or the Mummers Museum or Bartram\u2019s Gardens to tie into a citywide celebration at a time where maybe they weren\u2019t 100% sure how to do that,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, this is getting so many smaller organizations, and larger organizations too, to all work together and tie in to make it a real Philadelphia celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"\"Various \u201cPhilly-born first\u201d refreshments were available to try, including ice cream soda from The Franklin Fountain. (Ben Benett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

    Each first will be kicked off with a \u201cFirstival\u201d ceremony, free public events every Saturday next year from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each event will introduce and celebrate the topic through entertainment and activities, music, giveaways and storytelling by Historic Philadelphia Inc.s\u2019 Once Upon a Nation historical experts<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \u201cSome firstivals will be more thoughtful and meaningful, and some will be downright zany and celebratory,\u201d Needle said. \u201cWe want these Saturday \u2018firstivals\u2019 to be an opportunity for residents and visitors to explore our city and understand all the amazing history and innovation that is everywhere around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"\"Samantha Ricchiuti, a Once Upon A Nation Storyteller, recounts the tale of the first hot air balloon in Philadelphia. (Ben Benett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

    Accompanying the celebrations will be 25 \u201c#1\u201d sculptures placed around the city, each designed and hand-painted by local artists through Mural Arts Philadelphia. The sculptures will also serve as a point for upcoming photo contests, the organizers said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThis is a celebration that reminds us just how inventive and bold and creative Philadelphia always has been. It is why I truly love this city,\u201d said Jane Golden, founder and executive director of Mural Arts Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    \"\"A group of mummers watch Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia, explain the organization\u2019s role in creating the \u201c#1 Sculptures\u201d that will be displayed around the city. (Ben Benett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

    The Philadelphia Historic District 250th Committee is a partnership of 22 museums and cultural institutions, including the Betsy Ross House, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Museum of the American Revolution and Old City District.<\/p>\n

    The first \u201cfirst\u201d week, celebrating the city as the launch site of the country\u2019s first hot air balloon back in 1793, begins on Saturday, Jan. 3 at the Athenaeum of Philadelphia.\u00a0<\/p>\n

    \"\"A group photo of members from the over 202 organizations involved in creating 52 Weeks of Firsts. (Ben Benett\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Prepare to learn about Philly firsts next year. Fifty-two of them, to be precise. The Philadelphia Historic District…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":327269,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5132],"tags":[5229,648,407,472,1448,2830,1311,34086,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-327268","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-education","11":"tag-history","12":"tag-pa","13":"tag-pennsylvania","14":"tag-philadelphia","15":"tag-semiquincentennial","16":"tag-united-states","17":"tag-united-states-of-america","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","20":"tag-us","21":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115425247177916463","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327268","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=327268"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327268\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/327269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=327268"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=327268"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=327268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}