Philadelphia Will Be One Of The Best Destinations For 2015; Tall Ships, World Meeting Of Families, Alice In Wonderland & Other World Class Events

 

Philadelphia will be the scene of several major events in 2015.

Credit: Photo by M. Edlow for Visit Philadelphia™

 With 2015 comes plenty of reasons for visitors to plan a trip to Philadelphia. In fact, only-in-Philly projects, exhibitions, anniversaries and celebrations will give first-time visitors incentives to make that return trip and return visitors reasons to come back yet again.

So what’s on the calendar? The Tall Ships Challenge Philadelphia Camden 2015, showing off a dozen historic ships on the Delaware River Waterfront; Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel and the New Painting, featuring more than 80 works by a who’s who of painters at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; and a special exhibition at The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia, celebrating the 150^th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. Of course, all eyes will be on Philadelphia when thousands of Catholic families from around the globe gather for the eighth World Meeting of Families.

Here are some of the major happenings taking place throughout Philadelphia in 2015:

Anniversaries & Big Events:

• Bravo to Opera Philadelphia, celebrating its 40^th anniversary with a season of premieres and casts that possess an unprecedented roster of operatic firepower. The acclaimed Lawrence Brownlee will star in the world premiere of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird. The East Coast premiere of Oscar will feature David Daniels, hailed by The New York Times as perhaps the greatest countertenor of all time. And Eric Owens will return to his hometown to perform in Don Carlo. Through June 14, 2015. Various locations. (215) 732-8400, operaphila.org
• 
  
• In honor of the 50^th anniversary of one of the nation’s first gay rights demonstrations, the William Way LGBT Community Center, in partnership with the National Constitution Center (NCC), will mount In Broad Daylight: Coming Out for Gay Rights in 1960s America.The exhibition, on view at the NCC, will address the Reminder Day demonstrations outside of Independence Hall and the impact the demonstrations had on the gay rights movement. The anniversary event will also include programming at museums and attractions throughout the city and will include a reenactment of the original July 4 demonstrations on Independence Mall. June-October 2015. 525 Arch Street, (215) 409-6600, constitutioncenter.org
• 
  
• Odunde, the largest African festival of its kind in the country, celebrates the big 4-0 with a bigger-than-ever event. It begins with a spiritual procession to the Schuylkill River to ring in the Yoruba New Year, followed by a massive street fair that stretches for blocks. As a special anniversary treat, a new book and documentary will celebrate the woman who established the festival and the daughter who continues to build and grow it. June 14, 2015. (215) 732-8510, odundefestival.org
• Billowing sails will waft in the breeze when the Tall Ships Challenge Philadelphia Camden 2015 pulls into port. Visitors can tour the ships, which will dock at Penn’s Landing and the Camden Waterfront. Headlining the dozen-ship fleet will be L’Hermione, a replica of the ship that brought General Lafayette to the aid of the fledgling United States during the Revolutionary War. June 24-28, 2015. Delaware River Waterfront, (856) 757-9154
• 
  
• Tens of thousands of people from around the globe will converge on Philadelphia for the 8^th annual World Meeting of Families.Throughout the week, approximately 100 speakers will lead panel discussions and workshops at the Pennsylvania Convention Center focused on the theme “Love is our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” There is talk that Pope Francis will make his first visit to the United States to say a public mass during the event. September 22-27, 2015. worldmeeting2015.org
• When Alice fell down the rabbit hole 150 years ago, the world rushed to follow her adventures in wonderland. The Rosenbach of the Free Library of Philadelphia will celebrate the sesquicentennial of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a host of exhibitions and programs that explore the literary classic. Exhibitions will follow the story of the book itself from inspiration to publication. An interactive gallery will invite visitors of all ages to channel their inner Alice and showcase the author and mathematician’s games and puzzles. October 14, 2015-spring 2016. 2008-2010 Delancey Place, (215) 732-1600, rosenbach.org

Parks, Bikes & Trails:

• Pedal power hits Philadelphia with the launch of the city’s Bike Share program. Cyclists will be able to rent more than 600 bikes located at more than 60 stations throughout Center City and beyond. Day, monthly and annual passes available. April 2015. phila.gov/bikeshare,bikesharephiladelphia.org
• Days offamily fun and evenings oflive performances await at Venice Island in Philadelphia’s Manayunk neighborhood. The new park will feature a children’s spray garden to demonstrate water retention in an urban environment, basketball courts, a dock, outdoor sculpture and a 250-seat performing arts center. Soft opening 2014; official opening spring 2015. Access points from Main Streets at both Lock and Cotton Streets, manayunk.com
• When the new Pier 68 Park opens, it will provide a southern trailhead for the continually growing Delaware River Trail. Built as a place for passive recreation, the $1.7 million park will be an angler’s delight with a dedicated space for casting lines and built in fish-cleaning stations.  Native trees and plants will provide shade in the picnic grove and a cutout in the pier surface will allow visitors to watch the tide rise and fall. Late spring/summer 2015. Pier 68 Boulevard off of Columbus Boulevard, delawareriverwaterfront.com

Extraordinary Art:

• The Barnes Foundation will present the first comprehensive survey of William Glackens in almost 50 years. Focusing on his most distinctive works, the exhibition will feature 45 paintings and almost 25 works on paper, most from public and private collections and some on view for the first time. November 8, 2014-February 2, 2015. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 
• 
  (215) 278-7000, barnesfoundation.org
• Horace Pippin: The Way I See It is the first major exhibition of the artist’s works in the country in more than two decades. The Brandywine River Museum of Art will feature more than 60 works that capture Pippin’s bold, colorful and candid paintings reflecting life in the African- American community and commenting on race, religion, war and history. April 25-July 19, 2015. U.S. Route 1 by Creek Road (formerly Route 100), (610) 388-2700, brandywine.org
• 
  
• Open Source, presented by the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program and curated by Pedro Alonzo, will culminate in October 2015 with public art projects throughout the city by a dozen local and international artists. Each artist will work in residence within an existing area or social concern of the organization, and their projects will explore the intersection of street art, contemporary art and public art. The program will include numerous public activities, including tours, panel discussions, opening events and more. May-October 2015. Various locations. (215) 685-0750, muralarts.org
• 
  
• Discovering the Impressionists: Paul Durand-Ruel and the New Painting celebrates the ambitious and visionary Parisian art dealer who supported and helped elevate a new style of painting. On view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the exhibition will showcase more than 80 works by Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley, Degas, Manet and others to trace Durand-Ruel’s role in the development of impressionism. June 24-September 13, 2015. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org

VISIT PHILADELPHIA^™, formerly known as Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, makes Philadelphia and The Countryside^® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county area.

Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com make up the most-visited website network out of the 10 biggest U.S. cities. Visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.