What to Know
- Wawa Welcome America is bringing 16 days of free fun and educational opportunities to Philadelphia in 2023.
- It all kicks off with a Juneteenth block party and wraps up with a July 4th concert featuring Demi Lovato and Ludacris and fireworks on the Ben Franklin Parkway.
- Get details on the free fun in this story.
From hoagies to culture to concerts, more than two weeks of free fun for the whole family is returning to Philadelphia for the 2023 Wawa Welcome America Festival.
Festival organizers used music to reveal Tuesday some of the highlights of the 16-day festival of food, culture, music and fun. Earlier in the morning, NBC10 got the exclusive first reveal as it will be Demi Lovato and Ludacris headlining the July 4th Concert and Fireworks. 🎆
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Wawa Hoagie Day is also back in Old City. Wawa plans to give away 56,000 hoagies overall, with 25,500 hoagies given away at the free block party on June 28.
Plus, for the first time, the two-day Hispanic Fiesta at Penn's Landing's Great Plaza is being added to the Wawa Welcome America festivities. Manny Manuel headlines on Saturday, June 24, while Jose Alberto headlines on Sunday, June 25. Fireworks wrap up each night.
You can also see actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams sing a a patriotic concert on July 3.
From a Juneteenth block party to a kid-oriented concert, to a screening of "Rocky", to a patriotic Delaware River waterfront concert and fireworks, to a July 4th parade, these are the events you can already lock into your calendar.
Here is the schedule of events (announced so far) that will take place over 16 days of Wawa Welcome America:
Monday, June 19
Free Museum Days: African American Museum in Philadelphia from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Liberation Rising: Juneteenth Block Party & Free Museum Day outside the African American Museum in Philadelphia from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, June 20
Free Museum Days: Wagner Free Institute of Science from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: The Print Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Our America Now: A Celebration of World Refugee Day at LOVE Park from noon to 8 p.m.
Wednesday, June 21
Free Museum Days: Woodmere Art Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rebuild Philadelphia Block Party -A Celebration of Community Revitalization at the Murphy Recreation Center, starting at 3 p.m.
Thursday, June 22
Free Museum Days: Historic Rittenhouse Town from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Wyck Historic House, Garden & Farm from noon to 4 p.m.
Fitness to Fly at Esperanza Arts Center, starting at 3 p.m.
Friday, June 23
Free Museum Days: Weitzman National of American Jewish History from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Stenton from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Kidchella concert at Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, June 24
Free Museum Days: Science History Institute from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: The Rosenbach Museum and Library from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Paul Robeson House & Museum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Masonic Temple, Library and Museum from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Hispanic Fiesta + Fireworks at Penn's Landing's Great Plaza from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, June 25
Free Museum Days: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Historic Strawberry Mansion from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hispanic Fiesta + Fireworks at Penn's Landing's Great Plaza from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday, June 26
Free Museum Days: Christ Church Preservation Trust from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
'Rocky' Movie Night at the Philadelphia Film Center, doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, June 27
PECO Go 4th & Learn: A Cultural Journey at Franklin Square from 10 a.m. to noon
Free Museum Days: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Mütter Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Betsy Ross House from 1 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Fotteral Square Community Day at Fotterall Square, starting at 4 p.m.
Wednesday, June 28
Wawa Hoagie Day on Arch Street between 5th and 6th streets, starting at noon
Free Museum Days: National Constitution Center courtesy of Wawa from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, June 29
Free Museum Days: Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: The Free Library of Philadelphia from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: National Liberty Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia Community Day at Cherashore Playground from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, June 30
PECO Go 4th & Learn: Sports, STEM, Music & More at Penn Park from 10 a.m. to noon
Free Museum Days: Penn Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: American Swedish Historical Museum from noon to 4 p.m.
The U.S. Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus on Independence Mall at Independence National Historical Park, starting at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 1
Free Museum Days: Arch Street Meeting House from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Fireman’s Hall Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PNC Presents: Avenue of the Arts Block Party in partnership with The Kimmel Cultural Campus on South Broad Street between Locust and Spruce streets from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Pershing’s Own Concert & Waterfront Fireworks at the Great Plaza in Penn's Landing from 8 p.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 2
Free Museum Days: Philadelphia Museum of Art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: The Barnes Foundation from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Gospel On Independence at Independence National Historical Park, starting at 6 p.m.
Monday, July 3
Free Museum Days: Carpenters’ Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Elfreth’s Alley Museum from noon to 4 p.m.
Music on Independence: Featuring Vanessa Williams at Independence Hall, starting at 6 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Tuesday, July 4
Celebration of Freedom Ceremony presented by Freedom Mortgage supported by Visit Philadelphia at Independence Hall at 10 a.m.
Free Museum Days: Cliveden House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Free Museum Days: National Constitution Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Free Museum Days: Faith and Liberty Discovery Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Salute to America Independence Day Parade supported by PNC Bank along East Market Street between 2nd Street and City Hall from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
PECO Go 4th & Learn: A Great Debate at Independence Square at 2 p.m.
July 4th Concert & Fireworks featuring Demi Lovato and Ludacris on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, starting at 7 p.m.
What Else Can We Expect?
Expect more free events to be revealed in the days and weeks ahead.
