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  • Philadelphia shipwrights hand-built a replica of the boat Washington used to cross the Delaware. Yes, you can climb on it.

    Philadelphia shipwrights hand-built a replica of the boat Washington used to cross the Delaware. Yes, you can climb on it.

    The floor of David Dormond’s workshop is scattered with wooden planks, shaving piles, and machines that scream “DO NOT TOUCH!” In the middle of it all sits a 40-foot-long, 3500-pound wooden boat that looks like it could hold an army.

    That’s because it’s meant to. Well, sort of.

    It’s a Durham boat, named because the design was used to transport iron from Durham Ironworks in Bucks County to Philadelphia. It is better known as being the model of boat George Washington used to cross the Delaware with his Patriot troops on Christmas in 1776.

    At the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, David Dormond is replicating the boat Washington used to cross the Delaware River, June 18, 2026.

    “The moment Washington decided to use these boats to cross the Delaware and storm Trenton changed the tide of the [Revolutionary] War,” said Dormond, who is the director of the Seaport Boat Shop at the Independence Seaport Museum (ISM). “It was one of the pivotal points for the U.S. in gaining our freedom.”

    Dormond and his team have built a full-scale replica of the Durham boat to be displayed in Washington Crossing Historic Park. Authenticity was at the forefront of its construction, with Dormond committed to making the boat as historically accurate as possible.

    The wood for the replica was sourced locally, including cedar from Medford, N.J., and white oak for the framing from Reading.

    David Dormond and his team have spent more than a year constructing the boat in the Seaport Boat Shop at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia.

    “The reason we do that is to keep things just the same as they would’ve been in the 1700s,” Dormond said. “When they were building these boats, they weren’t bringing lumber in from across the country, they were using what they had available to them, so we follow in that tradition.”

    Nearly every part of the boat was handmade by Dormond and his team, down to the bolts holding the wood together. They steam-bent the frames and used 18th-century-style spokeshaves and batten strips to help shape the boat like they would have in Washington’s day.

    But this boat, now on display in Washington Crossing Historic Park, isn’t just for viewing. Visitors will be able to board the ship and see how grand it was in height and length, but also how cramped the 8-feet-wide interior was for the 2,400 soldiers that crossed the Delaware.

    Most of the boat was handmade, with emphasis on using 18th-century materials to make it as period-accurate as possible.

    The park currently has four Durham boats that sit on the water and are used for historical reenactments. This new boat will be parked on land along the waterline, and will be the first that visitors can walk onto and interact with directly.

    “We were talking about some of the things that people are interested in learning about when they come to the park, but that they can’t necessarily experience. [And] people often asked about the Durham boats,” said Jennifer Martin, director of Friends of Washington Crossing, who collaborated on the boat project with ISM.

    Martin said civilian support played a vital role in the Revolutionary War, and part of that was boat-building.

    “This was trade work. This is something that was passed on and learned,” she said. “I think that there’s an art to handcrafting things and getting people to understand that life was very different in the 18th century.”

    At the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, David Dormond is replicating the boat Washington used to cross the Delaware River, June 18, 2026.

    Planning for the build started two years ago, with full-time construction beginning in spring 2025. The plans were made by a designer in Maine in the 1960s; Dormond and his team modified them to be truer to what they know of boat-building processes of the 1700s.

    Dormond has built boats at ISM for almost 13 years, and this one is “one of the bigger vessels that we’ve done,” he said. The shop cycles between larger construction projects and simpler boat restorations, commissioned by both institutions, like Washington Crossing, and private customers.

    “It’s a part of our history, so it’s neat to bring back and share that with the public and create something that will be a landmark for visitors at the park for years to come.”

    The Durham boat project is part of a larger revitalization of the riverside at Washington Crossing Historic Park for America’s 250th. This includes a new ADA-accessible trail complete with signs with original artwork that depicts the history being taught.

    At the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia, David Dormond is replicating the boat Washington used to cross the Delaware River, June 18, 2026.

    The park has also invested greatly in a Williamsburg-style experience for the roughly 10,000 field trip students that visit every year. Activities such as hands-on butter churning, gardening, blacksmithing, woodwork, quill handwriting, and soldiers drills give visitors a glimpse into 18th-century living.

    “When people come to the park, a lot of our programs are free,” Martin said. “We wanted to be really intentional with creating more of these living history, immersive learning opportunities that people could experience every day that they come to the park.”

    Though the shop’s team has some finishing touches to make, the boat is currently on display at Washington Crossing Park, ready for visitors amid the nation’s 250th anniversary.

    It will be officially completed and installed by the end of July. It will be posted in the park indefinitely, with Dormond and his team assisting with any maintenance needs to keep it preserved for many years, and visitors, to come.

    The Durham boat is on display at Washington Crossing Historic Park, 1112 River Rd., Washington Crossing, Pa. washingtoncrossingpark.org

  • Summer of sports continues

    Summer of sports continues

    After he and Phillies star Bryce Harper unveiled the 2026 All-Star Game logo last July, the team’s managing partner and CEO John Middleton gushed about how “very, very real” hosting the Midsummer Classic felt a year out from first pitch.

    “It was real in Atlanta,” Middleton said, three days after the 2025 All-Star Game was played at Truist Park, home of the Braves. “And became a lot more real this afternoon, with the celebration, and the kickoff and everything else. It’s so much bigger than it was in ’96.”

    Baseball’s All-Star Game was last staged in the City of Brotherly Love three decades ago, at the since-demolished Veterans Stadium, when there was only a home run derby and the game itself to enjoy. The 2026 edition is expected to be a “Rocky”-sized draw, especially with the festivities coinciding with the country’s 250th birthday.

    “It’s great for baseball to be able to, kind of, piggyback right on top of the July Fourth celebration,” Middleton said. “There’s gonna be millions of people in town.”

    The sports fan masses will continue to flood Philly into late summer when two marquee sports events close out August: the University of Pennsylvania hosts the “Tennis Classic” Aug. 23-29, a showcase featuring some of the top women’s professional players; and after a 10-year hiatus, the Cycling Classic returns to Philadelphia on Aug. 30, when top male and female riders cycle through the city and its outskirts — including the famed Manayunk Wall — en route to a dramatic finish on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    Best of all? The Cycling Classic is free.

    While the FIFA World Cup leaves Philly after this weekend’s July 4 match, there will be lots of places in town showing the Final on July 19 from East Rutherford, N.J. And, lest we forget the Birds. The NFL preseason kicks off Aug. 13.

    The logo for the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

    MLB All-Star Week: July 10-14

    The five-day All-Star extravaganza starts with the HBCU Swingman Classic on July 10. In its fourth year, the Swingman Classic features 50 Division-I players from historically Black colleges and universities, selected by a committee that includes Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr.

    The opening rounds of the Major League Baseball draft follows on July 11 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, while the All-Star Futures Game is played July 12 at Citizens Bank Park.

    The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game round out the festivities on July 13 and 14, respectively, with both events also at the Bank. Diehard Phillies fans can see some of the team’s legends at the Capital One All-Star Village, including scheduled appearances by Hall of Famer Steve Carlton and 2008 World Series champions Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, and Jimmy Rollins.

    MLB announces full All-Star week schedule for Philadelphia

    “I’m old enough that I was here [in Philadelphia] as an adult in ’76 [the bicentennial],” Middleton had said. “It’s gonna be a spectacular year for Philadelphia.”

    Philadelphia Tennis Classic: Aug. 23-29

    Tennis fans can see some of the top-ranked women’s players compete at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hamlin Tennis Center. The WTA 125 tournament features rising stars and established players in a somewhat compact venue, meaning up-close views of the action from most seats.

    Philadelphia Cycling Classic: Aug. 30

    During his pro cycling career, Freddie Rodriguez rode to great success in this city, winning in 2001 (then called the Philadelphia International Championship).

    “I made a career out of this race. It’s the closest thing we have to the Tour de France,” Rodriguez, 52, said. After a 10-year pause, the premier U.S. cycling event returns to Philly, and Rodriguez will be on the other side this time, as a TV commentator.

    Philly native Eric Robbins, one of the race organizers, said that from the outset, the mission was to not only bring back the event, but eschew public funding (the race is presented by AmeriGas).

    “It was really important to give back to the city,” Robbins, a co-owner of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic said. “All these other wonderful sporting events, there’s a price tag that comes with them. This is an absolutely free event. We’re bringing the stadium to the streets.”

    The Cycling Classic is back, and with it, a reminder of what Philly is all about

    Fans can line the Philly streets and see elite international men’s and women’s riders tackle the 14.4-mile loop that includes the grueling Manayunk Wall. The women’s race is 62 miles total, and the men’s is 120 miles. The race dates to 1985 — then known as the CoreStates — won by Olympic speed-skating gold medalist Eric Heiden. Other iconic riders who have competed in Philly include Tour de France legend Greg LeMond.

    Pro cyclist Robin Carpenter, a member of the Modern Adventure team competing this year, grew up steps from the Manayunk Wall summit and competed in the last edition in 2016, when riders finished on the Wall. Carpenter, 33, said he’s thrilled the race is back, and that the course organizers have restored the Benjamin Franklin Parkway finish.

    “The Wall changed the dynamic of the race a fair bit,” Carpenter said. “Going up the wall every time was always bananas. It is a tunnel of noise. Super loud. The Parkway finish makes the race more open from a competitive standpoint.”

    Rodriguez added that the Parkway finish is comparable to the dramatic last stage of the Tour de France, along the Champs-Élysées.

    “It feels like that,” Rodriguez said. “When it comes to U.S. racing, this is probably our best classic race. It’s right up there with the quality of riders and the quality of the event.”

  • Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the city

    Alexander Hamilton believed in Philadelphia’s prosperity and insisted the Federal Bank be headquartered in the city

    The Revolutionary War ended in 1783, but when the 1790s rolled in, America was in an economic spiral. Citizens were broke. Businesses were going under. The government had little money.

    So the first United States Treasurer Alexander Hamilton came up with a plan to create a national bank to serve as the primary fiscal agent for the federal government. It would issue paper money, pay America’s bills, provide loans to private citizens, and collect taxes so the country could fund itself.

    “Hamilton had been studying the British banking system for decades,” said Lynn Nash, a park ranger at Philadelphia’s First National Bank that is managed by the U.S. National Park Service. “He did a deep dive and decided America needed a similar system to build more fiscal authority.”

    Malachi Floyd’s image of Alexander Hamilton, stacks of money, and the original First Bank of the United States’ building honors Philadelphia’s history as the seat of the federal banking system.

    On Feb. 8, 1791, Congress passed a law establishing America’s first federally backed bank, which was located inside Philadelphia’s Carpenter’s Hall.

    The city will celebrate America’s First National Bank Saturday, July 4, at the First Bank of the United States, 120 S. 3rd St., where it moved in 1797. The Independence Day fete is part of the Philadelphia Historic District’s 52 Weeks of Firsts program.

    In honor of the Semiquincentennial, the National Park Service will reopen the First Bank to the public on July 1, following a multiyear $43 million rehabilitation. The gleaming Greek Revival-style building will feature exhibits centering on the history of American banking.

    America’s first commercial bank, the Bank of North America, was charted by the Continental Congress in 1781 to provide loans to colonists and fund the Revolutionary War. And some lawmakers, especially Thomas Jefferson, thought that was sufficient and that the Federal Bank overstepped the Constitution.

    While lawmakers settled into their capital digs in Washington, D.C., in 1800, Hamilton argued that the Federal Bank should be kept in Philadelphia through the end of its charter.

    “He writes a letter to George Washington telling him how the bank needs to be housed in a large commercial seat,” Nash said. ”And that he knows Philadelphia will remain prosperous.”

    The First Bank of the United States’ charter ended in 1811. Hamilton had died by then and President James Madison did not renew the charter. The next year, the building was purchased by Stephen Girard, who opened a private bank in the space.

    “But the War of 1812 was hard on the economy again,” Nash said. On April 10, 1816, Madison signed legislation establishing the Second Bank of the United States at 420 Chestnut St., Nash said.

    (Today that building is the Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery.)

    Second Bank of the United States at 420 Chestnut Street. Today it is the Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery.

    Its charter expired in 1832; Andrew Jackson was president, and he, too, opposed the idea of a federal bank. The charter was not renewed and America didn’t have a federal banking system for 77 years.

    In 1907, New York financier J.P. Morgan and a consortium of bankers stopped the American banking system from collapsing by extending a line of credit to banking institutions. Without a federal banking system, the government could not bail these institutions out, so government officials began discussing the establishment of yet another national bank.

    Finally, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, setting up the federal banking system we know today.

    A 1901 $10 Bison Note on display at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s newly redesigned “Money in Motion” exhibit Thursday, May 7, 2026. The bill was issued during the 100 year anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The exhibit features nearly 400 historic artifacts and interactive installations that explore currency and the Federal Reserve’s mission.

    The Federal Reserve is headquartered in D.C., but there are 12 branches across the country; Philadelphia is home to one of them.

    Today, the Federal Reserve acts as a fiscal agent for the U.S. Treasury, which issues paper money, collects taxes, and pays America’s bills. It does not offer private loans to businesses or individuals.

    Like the national banks, the Federal Reserve also began with a 20-year-charter. But in 1927, Congress passed the McFadden Act, granting the Federal Reserve Bank perpetual succession.

    “The government finally agreed that a federal banking system was something America needed,” Nash said. “It just took them more than 100 years to agree.”

    America’s First National Bank Firstival will be celebrated on Saturday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the First Bank of the United States, 120 S. Third St.

    The Inquirer is highlighting a “first” from the Philadelphia Historic District’s 52 Weeks of Firsts program each week. A “52 Weeks of Firsts” podcast, produced by All That’s Good Productions, drops every Tuesday.

  • Mayor Parker defends decision to host July 4th Parkway concert despite dangerous heat and high price tag

    Mayor Parker defends decision to host July 4th Parkway concert despite dangerous heat and high price tag

    Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Wednesday defended the city’s upcoming July Fourth concert, a seven-hour outdoor spectacle featuring performances from Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, The Roots, and more, amid concerns over the nearly 100-degree forecast and revelations that the event will cost taxpayers millions more than in years past.

    The city has dealt with high temperatures before and has battle-tested personnel and protocols prepared for the evening, Parker told reporters at a news conference in front of the stage at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps.

    She also addressed the detractors head on.

    “I do not apologize to anyone about making sure that the city of Philadelphia, as the sixth-largest city in the nation, the birthplace of democracy, we were going to have a celebration that is fitting to and for our historical significance and prominence,” Parker said. “One that could be seen, respected, and honored, not just in our city and commonwealth and nation but in the world.”

    Mayor Parker changed things up for this year’s July 4th concert — and it’s costing Philly’s taxpayers millions more

    Parker described the concert as the largest July Fourth concert in the city’s history. For an occasion as momentous as the nation’s 250th anniversary in the city that bills itself the birthplace of America, Parker said Philadelphia must rise to the occasion and prove it can achieve ambitious undertakings.

    Parker said her administration scaled up the experience, including moving the stage back to accommodate an estimated 300,000 concertgoers, and made the stage larger.

    “We won’t get a second chance to do this over again, Philadelphia,” Parker said. “We only turn 250 years old once in a lifetime.”

    Ground crews set up speakers on the stage on Wednesday in preparation for the July 4 concert expected to draw thousands to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    Parker recalled feeling the mounting pressure to prove Philadelphia could rise to the occasion of honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary shortly after the start of her tenure as mayor.

    “‘Philadelphia lacks ambition. They’re thinking too small. We need a leader. Where is the legacy project?’” Parker recalled from the discourse of the time. “The critics were right. Philadelphia, as the birthplace, we couldn’t do what every other city was doing. We couldn’t just do something that was average, something that was mediocre. What we did had to be a reflection of this moment and our history.”

    Parker’s news conference came hours after The Inquirer reported online that this year’s July Fourth concert will cost taxpayers millions more than in years past because the mayor’s administration hired ESM Productions, a for-profit company, to put on the annual show. For years, the concert has been produced by Welcome America, a nonprofit established by the city.

    The Inquirer reported that the city is set to pay ESM $15.5 million to put on the show, and that last year’s iteration of the Welcome America concert cost the organization about $3 million.

    Parker defended ESM and its founder, Scott Mirkin, as “the gold standard in planning large-scale global events, not just in America but across the world.” And she vowed that the city would produce a “fiscal impact report” after the event to account for how much money the city spent on this year’s festivities.

    Mayor of Philadelphia Cherelle L. Parker speaks during a news conference under a tent Wednesday, July 1, 2026, in Philadelphia, outlining public safety and transportation plans ahead of a July 4 concert expected to draw thousands to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    She also noted that former Mayor Jim Kenney put his own stamp on the annual July Fourth concert when he took office in 2016 — and took some heat for it. The Roots had headlined the concert since 2009, but Kenney’s administration went a different direction and The Roots were sidelined.

    Roots drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson didn’t mince words at the time, writing on Facebook that the decision was “arrogance in the HIGHEST order courtesy of your new leader.”

    When Parker took office, she knew she wanted the spotlight back on the beloved local hip-hop group.

    “I’m proud to have The Roots back home,” Parker said.

    In terms of weather and safety, the city has proven this summer that it can host large-scale events in the heat seamlessly, said Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin J. Bethel.

    The city has already hosted five World Cup games, which have gone off without a hitch, Bethel said. For the July Fourth event, the department will be executing one of its largest deployments since the papal visit in 2015. That will include hundreds of officers across Center City and many more at the stadium and along the Parkway.

    “I want everybody to come and have a good time. Don’t mess up the party,” Bethel said.

    In order to keep people cool, the city will run 40 air-conditioned cooling centers, 150 pools and spray grounds, enhanced homeless service outreach, and extra fire department medics, said Dominick Mireles, Philadelphia’s deputy managing director for community safety. Along the Parkway, there will be misting fans and shade structures, he added.

    Parker said she’s confident every Philadelphian interested in participating will be able to do so safely and will look back on the day fondly.

    “I want people to remember where they were when America turned 250 years old and what we did here in the place when it all happened,” Parker said.

  • Christina Aguilera has been recruiting Philly-area ‘soldiers’ for her July 4 concert

    Christina Aguilera has been recruiting Philly-area ‘soldiers’ for her July 4 concert

    We don’t know much about the show Christina Aguilera will put up as headliner of the July 4 “One Philly: Unity Concert for America” on Ben Franklin Parkway, but we know there will be local men dancing dressed as soldiers behind her.

    On Tuesday, a casting call from Philadelphia-based casting agency Kathy Wickline Casting announced that the pop singer and Pittsburgh native was looking for non-union male dancers who live within an hour’s commute from Philadelphia, “unless you have family/friends to stay with in the area,” the call reads.

    The quick turnaround call, which was open only for a day, sought talent between ages “20-30s” with a background in dance, acrobatics, or choreography. They should be fit like a soldier, the call specified, and although no military buzzcut is needed, their hair should not be long.

    The dancers needed to make themselves available for the show on July 4 and a rehearsal on the day before.

    The call closed on Tuesday afternoon. Kathy Wickline Casting did not respond to The Inquirer’s request for comment.

    Her setlist for July 4 has not been announced, but Aguilera’s discography doesn’t boast songs directly related to the military.

    However, the music video for her 2006 hit “Candyman” is World War II themed, featuring background dancers and Aguilera dressed in glamorized military uniforms. She also has several songs with themes surrounding strength and empowerment, such as “Fighter” and “Army of Me.”

    While Wawa remains a sponsor of the annual July 4 concert, the show is not part of Wawa Welcome America, the series of events leading up to July 4. Aguilera will be co-headlining the show with Philadelphia native Jill Scott, and other acts include the Roots, Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kathy Sledge, and more.

    Gates for the concert open at 3 p.m. It starts at 5 p.m. with fireworks around midnight. More information at july4philly.com

  • At Hoagie Day, visitors embrace free sandwiches — and the crowds

    At Hoagie Day, visitors embrace free sandwiches — and the crowds

    The hoagie, it seems, not only can be a meal but a civic instrument: pretext and reason to bring huge crowds of people together ahead of July 4th during Wawa Welcome America festivities.

    Organizers said 30,000 turkey hoagies were distributed in front of the National Constitution Center Wednesday for the annual event. The promise of a free sandwich prompted that particular American phenomenon — one of the physical vestiges of the public commons — the manifestation of the free-food zeitgeist.

    Dion Clark said, succinctly, what many in line seemed to be saying in one form or another: “I want to be with the people.”

    Attendees relax and enjoy their free hoagies at Independence Mall during the Wawa Hoagie Day.

    Clark and her husband, who is vegetarian — Wawa was offering only turkey hoagies — had traveled from North Carolina to spend July Fourth in Philadelphia. Asked why they had come, Clark gestured around her: the National Constitution Center in front of her, the Liberty Bell nearby, the city’s founding monuments all around.

    For others, like Jim Elliott, the answer was simpler. He lives nearby, and had come for the free hoagies, although, he added, “the hoagies are not the best.”

    Sheylin Walker has been coming to Wawa Hoagie Day for seven years. Every year, she said, she makes sure to wake up by 9 a.m. so she can arrive by 10 before the noon hoagie distribution. “I love the crowd,” she said. “I love the sight — all of these people that are here.”

    For some recent transplants to Philadelphia, the festival seemed to promise not just a free sandwich, but a kind of initiation. Getza Solana, who is 19, and recently moved from Houston to study at Thomas Jefferson University, said that to know Philadelphia, she felt she had to know the hoagie.

    Outside the National Constitution Center, where lines of hoagie tents had been set-up, there is a contained but lush stretch of field: bunches of summer flowers, vines climbing the Visitor Center, a little green relief from the asphalt and the July heat.

    There, people opened their red Wawa bags; some put on the red, white, and blue baseball hats and ate their hoagies. Pop music played from the speakers. The heat felt more bearable. And away from the crush of the line, it became clearer what many had come for: not only the sandwich, but an American picnic of sorts — friends, family, strangers, and the brief pleasure of being among fellow hoagie-eaters.

  • Philly music this Independence Day week featuring The Roots, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Christina Aguilera on the Parkway

    Philly music this Independence Day week featuring The Roots, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Christina Aguilera on the Parkway

    This is the America’s 250th birthday and July 4 edition of This Week in Philly Music. Free music is all around, starting with The Roots, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff, and more on the Ben Franklin Parkway. And tours featuring Molly Tuttle and Daniel Donato, Paul Simon, and Sarah McLachlan, and Allison Russell are also coming through town.

    Thursday, July 2

    Molly Tuttle & Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country

    Two terrific country-flavored guitarists and bandleaders team up on the co-headlining bill. Guitarist and banjo picker Tuttle is touring behind her fifth album, So Long Little Miss Sunshine, which leans into country-pop and rock without leaving bluegrass behind. The 12-song set, largely cowritten with fiancé Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, includes a cover of Icona Pop’s ”I Love It.”

    Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country plays Heuser Park in King of Prussia on Thursday with Molly Tuttle on a co-headlining tour.

    Donato is an electric guitar hero who was born in Atlantic City and moved to Nashville when he was 7. The author of The New Master of the Telecaster: Pathways to Dynamic Solos combines an affection for honky-tonk with Grateful Dead expansiveness. 6 p.m. Heuser Park, 694 West Beidler Road, King of Prussia, risingsunpresents.com/heuser-park/

    Salute to Service with Queen Latifah

    This free show has been pushed back to an 8 p.m. start to lessen the effects of the extreme heat. Along with rapper, actor, and singer Queen Latifah, it features the United States Army Field Band and Soldiers Chorus and Miss America 2026 Cassie Donegan.

    Queen Latifah introduces a performance from “Chicago” during the 79th Tony Awards on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

    The Bug Club

    Welsh indie pop duo the Bug Club consists of songwriter Sam Willmet and Tilly Harris. They’ve released three albums on Seattle’s Sub-Pop label since 2024, and the most recent, Every Single Muscle, overflows with infectious energy and Welsh pride. Columbus, Ohio, family band Golomb, which records for Philly label No Quarter, opens. 8 p.m., Ukie Club, 847 N. Franklin St., 43333collective.com

    Pissed Jeans

    Allentown-born and Philly-based hard core punk band Pissed Jeans has been raising a ruckus for two decades, reaching back to the band’s 2005 debut, Shallow, through 2024’s raging Half-Divorced. The Matt Korvette-fronted band is playing a free show by the Delaware River waterfront. 6 p.m., Spruce Street Harbor Park, 301 S. Columbus Blvd., 4333Collective.com

    Ursula Rucker will perform as part of the Red, White, & Blue To-Do.

    Red, White, & Blue To-Do

    When the Continental Congress announced its independence from Britain on July 2, 1776, John Adams predicted that would be the day that future Americans would celebrate “with pomp and parade.” The Red, White and Blue To-Do will make good on that prediction with free events all throughout the historic district.

    The musical component is wide ranging and meant to reflect a multicultural American mosaic. Puerto Rican Bomba band Los Bomberos de la Calle and a Balkan brass outfit play the National Constitution Center. Americana folk singer-songwriter Sug Daniels will sing in Elfreth’s Alley. Rob Curto’s Brazilian band Forró for All will perform at the Weitzman Museum of National Jewish History, and hip-hop poet Ursula Rucker will be joined by Miles Orion at Arch Street Meeting House. Times vary, Philadelphia Historic District, visitphilly.com

    Friday, July 3

    Pop on Independence with Idina Menzel

    The Broadway star of Rent, Wicked, Frozen, If/Then, and last year’s Redwood will sing with the Philly Pops in a rare (for her) orchestral concert. “It’s the most glorious experience, just standing up there in front of 80-some musicians and performing with them,” she told my colleague Rosa Cartagena. “There’s nothing like it.” This concert has also been pushed back to a later start due to the heat. 8 p.m., Independence Mall, 615 Chestnut St., july4thphilly.com

    Christina Aguilera will headline the One Philly: Unity Concert for America, with Jill Scott, The Roots, Seal, Will Smith & Jazzy Jeff, and more.

    Saturday, July 4

    One Philly: Unity Concert for America

    With France vs. Paraguay in the World Cup in South Philly and this seven-hour free show on the Ben Franklin Parkway, July 4 is an unprecedented day in Philadelphia for outsized events.

    The headliner of the One Philly concert — this year produced by Philly’s ESM Productions, rather than Wawa Welcome America — is not from Philly. It’s Christina Aguilera. The Pittsburgher and former teen star is an intriguing Independence Day headliner at a time when American identity is being contested. She’s the daughter of an Ecuadorian immigrant father and has released two Spanish-language albums, including 2022’s Aguilera.

    British singer Seal and rising New York family band Infinity Song are the other nonlocal acts. Other than that, it’s all Philly.

    Jill Scott, who has four shows at the Met coming up later this month, immediately precedes Aguilera. With a new album, To Whom This May Concern, she’s expected to play with her own band.

    The rest — Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Meek Mill, Beanie Sigel, and the State Property crew and Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge — will be backed by The Roots, whose drummer Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, is credited as an executive producer of the event. Wanda Sykes hosts, and Gillie Da King & Wallo 267 will be on hand. Special guests are expected and fireworks go off around midnight. Free, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, july4philly.com

    Freedom Festival with the Commodores

    The Camden alternative to Philly’s 250th birthday celebration is a more low-key affair with the Commodores, the 1970s funk-soul and easy listening band once led by Lionel Richie, who’s been gone since 1982 (though he will be playing Xfinity Mobile Arena on July 16 with Earth, Wind & Fire). Cofounder William “WAK” King still leads the band, and he will funk it up with “Machine Gun” and “Brock House” before the fireworks go off. 6:30 p.m., Wiggins Waterfront Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden, america250.org

    Paul Simon performs during “A Quiet Celebration” shows at the Academy of Music in June 2025.

    Sunday, July 5

    Paul Simon

    Paul Simon had planned to play three shows on his “A Quiet Celebration” tour at the Academy of Music last year, but the last two were canceled due to his bad back. Now, he’ll return and once again begin with his 33-minute-long 2023 album Seven Psalms in its entirety, followed by a lengthy greatest hit and deep cuts set. 8 p.m., TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann, 52nd and Parkside Ave., highmarkmann.org

    Jason Newsted & the Chophouse

    Jason Newsted spent 15 years in Metallica, playing bass in the biggest metal band in the world from 1986 to 2001. He’s on his first-ever tour with the Chophouse Band, with whom he promises to weave rock, country, and bluegrass with metal. 7:30 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave, Wayne, 118NorthWayne.com

    Allison Russell opens for Sarah McLachlan at the Highmark Mann on Tuesday.

    Tuesday, July 7

    Sarah McLachlan & Allison Russell

    Lilith Fair founder and “Building A Mystery” hitmaker McLachlan returned with Better Broken, her first album in nine years, in 2025. She’s joined by Russell, the Montreal-raised songwriter who raised her profile with 2020’s stunning Outside Child, and is a member of the Our Native Daughters supergroup. Russell’s third album, In the Hour of Chaos, which features guests including Norah Jones, Brittney Spencer, and Delco’s Devon Gilfillian, is due July 10. 8 p.m., TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann, 52nd and Parkside Ave., highmarkmann.org

    Madison Beer

    Madison Beer first gained notice at the age of 13 in 2012, when Justin Bieber posted a link to her cover of Etta James’ “At Last.” The pop singer is enjoying her biggest success with singles like “Yes Baby” and “Bittersweet” from her new Locket. Thuy and Lulu Simon open. 7:30 p.m., Met Philly, 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com

    Sarah McLachlan poses for a portrait on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Matt Licari/Invision/AP)

  • Everything you need to know about Philadelphia’s July Fourth concert and fireworks

    Philadelphia’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday culminates July 4 with a free concert and fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    The One Philly: Unity Concert for America begins at 5 p.m. in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, featuring Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, The Roots, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jordan Davis, Seal, State Property, Kathy Sledge, and more.

    This year’s event is no longer part of the longtime Wawa Welcome America festival. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration took over production of the annual July Fourth concert, renamed it the One Philly: Unity Concert for America, and hired ESM Productions to produce the show.

    Wanda Sykes will emcee the concert, which concludes with the city’s official fireworks display over the Parkway.

    Here’s everything you need to know before you go.

    Fans react to the music as the Wawa Welcome America Festival concluded on July 4, 2023, with a free concert featuring Ludacris on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

    Schedule and entry

    Guests must enter through a secure checkpoint at 20th Street and Logan Circle, where security may search attendees and their bags. Gates open at 3 p.m.

    The concert will start around 5 p.m., followed by the fireworks around 11:30 p.m., according to city officials.

    Who is performing at Philadelphia’s Fourth of July Concert?

    Headliners include Christina Aguilera, Jill Scott, Meek Mill, Will Smith, The Roots, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.

    Other performers include Jordan Davis, Kathy Sledge, State Property, Seal, and several others.

    Fireworks over the Philadelphia Museum of Art along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, July 4, 2025.

    Fireworks

    Following the concert, the city’s official July Fourth fireworks display will begin at about 11:30 p.m. The show will be visible from throughout the Parkway and surrounding neighborhoods.

    Looking for more fireworks? Here’s a full list of fireworks shows happening throughout the Philadelphia region.

    The concert and fireworks will also air live on NBC10 and Telemundo62.

    Road closures

    Unless otherwise noted, the following closures will be in effect from approximately 6 a.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Monday:

    • 1900 Race Street
    • 1800-1900 Vine Street
    • I-676 off-ramp at 22nd Street
    • I-676 on-ramp at 22nd Street
    • I-76 eastbound off-ramp at Spring Garden Street
    • Spring Garden Tunnel
    • Park Towne Place between 22nd and 24th Streets
    • 20th Street between Arch Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
    • 19th Street between Callowhill and Cherry Streets
    • Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 17th Street to Eakins Oval
    • Eakins Oval
    • Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue (inbound traffic closes at Fountain Green Drive beginning about 5 p.m.)
    • 2000-2100 Winter Street
    • Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and 31st Street
    • 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Eakins Oval
    • 22nd Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
    • 21st Street between Winter Street and Pennsylvania Avenue
    • All roads from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street between 18th and 22nd Streets (local access maintained for residents)
    • All roads from Arch Street to Fairmount Avenue between 22nd and Corinthian Streets (local access maintained for residents)
    • 16th and 17th Streets between Arch Street and Spring Garden Street will close only if conditions warrant.
    • 1600-1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway will close only if conditions warrant.

    Beginning at 4 a.m. Saturday, the following roads also will close:

    • Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art
    • Martin Luther King Jr. Drive from Falls Bridge to Eakins Oval

    From 8 p.m. Saturday until approximately 1 a.m. Sunday, Kelly Drive between Fairmount Avenue and Fountain Green Drive and Waterworks Drive also will be closed because of the fireworks display.

    Parking

    Temporary no-parking signs will be posted along streets affected by closures. Vehicles left in those areas will be courtesy towed to another nearby location.

    Public Transportation

    SEPTA

    On July 4, SEPTA Metro, buses and Regional Rail will operate on special schedules with enhanced service.

    Additional trips will run on the L and B lines.

    Most Regional Rail lines will offer additional inbound and outbound service before the fireworks. All Regional Rail lines except the Airport and Cynwyd lines will provide late-night outbound service from Jefferson Station, Suburban Station, and William H. Gray III 30th Street Station after the fireworks.

    Other SEPTA service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Routes without Sunday service will not operate.

    Routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43, 48, and 49 will be detoured beginning at 5 a.m. Thursday through 5 p.m. Sunday because of road closures.

    SEPTA ambassadors will be stationed at major transit hubs to help direct passengers after the July 4 FIFA World Cup match and the One Philly concert and fireworks.

    Additional information is available on SEPTA’s July 4 service webpage. Riders can also check alerts on the SEPTA mobile app, at septa.org/alerts or by calling 215-580-7800.

    PATCO

    PATCO will operate on a holiday schedule July 4, with trains running every 10 minutes throughout the day. More information is available at ridepatco.org.

    Todd Marcocci (left) and Jeremy Williams work on a float on Monday for this year’s big Fourth of July parade, in Philadelphia.

    Fourth of July celebrations happening elsewhere in the area

    Fourth of July Freedom Festival at Pleasant Hill Park: 💵 Free, 🕒 July4, 5 to 9:30 p.m., 📍Linden Ave., Philadelphia, Pa 19136

    Philadelphia 4th of July Signature Dinner Cruise: 🕙 July 4, 7:30 p.m., 📍401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐 cityexperiences.com

    2026 Freedom Festival at Wiggins Park 💵 Free, 🕒 6 to 11 p.m., 📍2 Riverside Dr., Camden, NJ 08103

  • ‘Rock star’ Ben Franklin, with some help from Queen and Bruce Springsteen, reminds us that Philadelphia is the soul of America

    ‘Rock star’ Ben Franklin, with some help from Queen and Bruce Springsteen, reminds us that Philadelphia is the soul of America

    We all have a mental image of Benjamin Franklin, thanks to the $100 bill: balding, middle-aged, with tiny glasses and a stern look.

    But what if he had a full head of hair poking out the sides of his tricorn? What if we saw Franklin singing and jamming on a guitar?

    The Sound of America, a new musical showing at FringeArts this month, imagines Franklin as a young man: America’s very first rock star who finds fame after discovering electric rock and roll from the power of a lightning strike.

    In the musical, he gains fame and fortune as a rock star. But stardom sweeps him up and pulls him away from the people and values that once defined him as a struggling musician, leaving him to question his true identity.

    Leading the ensemble cast is a newly minted Temple musical theater graduate, Kohl Pilgrim. Last week, he stood with fellow actors Federica Andino-Vega and Jameson May, who play Franklin’s wife Deborah Read and his best friend Hugh Meredith, respectively.

    Pilgrim and cast play their instruments live, serving as both performers and a band.

    Delivering their lines and singing at microphone stands, Nashville Bluebird Cafe-style, the three practiced blocking the scene where Franklin and Read first meet. After a flirty exchange, a naive and confused Franklin finds out Read is married to a man who has disappeared without evidence of his death.

    “We tend to see [Founding Fathers] as these infallible perfect people who created the perfect society,” director and Temple professor Kyle Metzger said. “It’s exciting to see a young Founding Father making mistakes and being complex and messy. It’s important to remember these were people, too, who didn’t have all the answers and were trying their best.”

    Setting out to write a write a rock musical, the choice of protagonist was a no-brainer for the musical’s cocreator and Emmy-award winning producer Randall Lane and longtime friend and singer-songwriter Todd Schwartz.

    “Under Poor Richard, he was the lyricist for colonial America,” said Lane, referring to Franklin’s pseudonym under which he published a yearly almanac. “And then when he discovered the lightning rod, he literally became the first American who was world famous, and toured the world.”

    Just like a young rock star.

    Federica Andino-Vega (left), who plays Franklin’s wife Deborah Read, adjusts Gerson Malave’s wig during a dress rehearsal for “The Sound of America” on June 24.

    Lane, who is also the editor in chief of Forbes magazine, lives in Saratoga Springs but feels deeply connected to Philadelphia through the years he went to Penn to study history and political science.

    For him, Franklin “checked every box.”

    “He was a teenage fugitive who ran away from home and every Friday he was hanging out [at] the Leather Apron Club,” the mutual-improvement society Franklin and his friends founded in 1727, said Lane.

    Every week, they’d meet in taverns, “jamming out intellectual ideas,” said Lane. In the case of his musical, they create a garage band.

    Franklin, after all, invented the glass harmonica.

    The musical’s soundtrack includes 23 original songs cowritten by Lane and Schwartz, influenced by Queen, Nirvana, Bruce Springsteen, and the Beatles. Metzger describes the production as “80% rock concert, 20% musical.”

    Kyle Metzger (center), the director for “The Sound of America,” directs the cast inside FringeArts for the forthcoming musical on June 24.

    The cast will serve as narrators at the front of the stage, while a live band plays behind them. Floor seats will be available and swaying arms and singing along will be highly encouraged. It’s meant to feel like a concert and not just another historical “rock” musical (sorry, Hamilton).

    “I’m always drawn to theater that’s untraditional or pushing into other mediums or incorporating other art forms,” Metzger said.

    True to style, The Sound of America also doubles as a walking tour led by Pilgrim, still in character as Benjamin Franklin. After curtain call, audiences can participate in a tour of Franklin’s Old City house and grave, a short walk away from the FringeArts venue.

    Needless to say, Pilgrim has had to really pack on the homework for this portion of the show.

    “Most of my free time when I am not in rehearsal or with friends, I am home reading his autobiography,” he said. “I am reading anything I possibly can because there’s probably going to be a kid that’s like ‘What’s his favorite food? Did he like burgers?’ So I’m researching that, too.”

    Barrymore award-winning director Kyle Metzger is also a professor in Temple’s Musical Theater program.

    When asked about Franklin’s favorite drink, Pilgrim was certain it was wine. As for his hypothetical Jersey Shore vacation spot, Pilgrim named Cape May.

    “I think he would like the houses,” he said.

    “I want to pay homage to how honest, wise, and hard-working he was,” said the actor, who sought inspiration from iconic rock figures like David Lee Roth, Elvis Presley, and Sir Roger Daltrey, frontman of the Who.

    Daltrey, in fact, makes a remote cameo in the musical, in support of Teen Cancer America, the nonprofit he founded along with Who bandmate Pete Townshend.

    Lane and Schwartz’s royalties will be donated to the charity, which partners with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The production is also collaborating with Federal Donuts & Chicken for a specialty doughnut called “The Ben”; a portion of its sales will benefit the cause.

    Kohl Pilgrim, the actor bringing Ben Franklin’s rock and roll persona to life, inside FringeArts.

    “We want this to be a really big win to fight cancer, but we think that it’s also super true to the spirit of Benjamin Franklin,” Lane said. “He was a rock star in all the senses, but he was also somebody who really cared about where he lived, and we want to leave Philadelphia better than we found it.”

    But as with any rock star, Franklin’s story would be nothing without his entourage.

    In addition to wife Read and bestie Meredith, the ensemble cast includes British antagonist Lord Wedderburn, played by Kaedon Knight and Franklin’s illegitimate son William Temple Franklin (aka “WTF”), played by Gerson Malave.

    Read is the only female character in the show, accompanying Franklin on his journey to stardom. Though she is often forgotten in history, her common-law marriage to Franklin saw her holding down the Franklin household and publishing company with a shotgun during the unrest of the Stamp Act.

    “She was a baddie, the baddie on Market Street,” Andino-Vega said. “But [Franklin] got most of the spotlight just because she was very shy and a bit illiterate. I want to shine a light on those special ladies that have been forgotten, and bring them up a little more in a way where they can also be seen like Ben Franklin.”

    The cast of “The Sound of America” are committed to delivering a rock concert, not just a musical.

    The cast and crew, largely Philadelphia-based and/or raised, are deeply committed to reflecting the grit of the city through this unique portrayal, especially in light of the 250th anniversary of the nation.

    “It’s almost like Ben was talking to us saying this year’s really important and this summer is important to Philadelphia,” Lane said. “It gives everybody that visits Philly a reminder that Philadelphia was the birthplace of democracy and it’s the soul of America.”

    The Sound of America runs July 1-Aug. 1 at FringeArts, 140 N. Christopher Columbus Blvd. Tickets start at $60. soundofamericamusical.com, 215-413-1318, or hello@fringearts.com.

    A previous version of the article misidentified the actors playing Hugh Meredith and Lord Wedderburn. Jameson May and Kaedon Knight play the characters respectively.

  • The lights, the party, the ball gowns: Expect a black-tie Swift-Kelce event

    The lights, the party, the ball gowns: Expect a black-tie Swift-Kelce event

    As details continue to emerge and preparations appear to be underway for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s upcoming multiple-day event at Madison Square Garden, there are still plenty of questions unanswered about what the secretive festivities might look like.

    The flowers. The food. The décor. The guest list. What those guests will wear.

    The answer to that last one is that Swift and Kelce’s celebratory event, widely expected to be their wedding, appears to be shaping up to be a formal affair. The dress code is black tie, according to two people familiar with the event who spoke to The New York Times on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Many of the women attending will be wearing gowns, one of the people also said.

    For men, that means a tuxedo, with a jacket, black bow tie and matching satin-striped trousers. Women have a little more flexibility, with floor-length gowns, elevated cocktail dresses or dressy separates all fitting the bill. (Black tie is a step down in formality from white tie, which requires tailcoats for men and, as the name implies, white bow ties.)

    Peters Clothiers, a menswear store in Kansas City, Missouri, posted a photo on Instagram last month of Andy Reid, coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, getting fitted for a tuxedo jacket. “Getting ready for the Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift Wedding!” the caption read, naming Reid, as well as the team’s general manager, Brett Veach, and the team’s vice president of sports medicine and performance, Rick Burkholder, who were also pictured. When reached by a reporter Tuesday, an employee of the store referred questions to a different employee who did not immediately respond. In May, Reid told the radio show “The Drive” that he “probably had” been invited to the wedding.

    Swift and Kelce will hold two different events at Madison Square Garden this week. There will be an intimate gathering of about 100 people Thursday evening, which is a rehearsal dinner in the Infosys Theater, not the main arena, according to a person familiar with the plans. On Friday, a larger, splashier event (with black-tie dress code) with about 1,000 guests will begin with a cocktail hour at 4 p.m. Both events will have no-phone policies for all guests, vendors and security, the same person said.

    The couple has said little publicly about the event, but there were some possible clues outside the Garden on Tuesday afternoon. Semitrucks and forklifts unloaded heavy cargo, some of it the size of a small car, wrapped in dark plastic, including objects that appear to be trees (wooden boxes labeled “trees” were also visible). One of the forklift drivers wore a T-shirt that said: “Taylor Swift CARPENTERS.” When asked if his shirt was related to his job, the man said, “I plead the Fifth.”

    Mindy Weiss, the Los Angeles-based event planner behind Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s wedding in 2025, said this week that checking guests’ phones at the door had become de rigueur at high-profile events, noting that the guests occasionally brought multiple phones in an attempt to circumvent tech rules and that she and her team were often on the lookout at events for rogue banned devices.

    While the guests will be arriving in tuxedos and floor-skimming dresses, the most important look of the night has not been confirmed: what designer might dress the “Love Story” singer?

    Swift and Kelce both donned ensembles by Ralph Lauren in their engagement announcement photos, raising speculation that the iconic American designer might again dress the couple. Swift’s longtime friend Gomez wore a halter-neck gown by Ralph Lauren for her 2025 wedding to Blanco.

    The Hollywood Reporter reported this week that Swift would wear a Christian Dior look designed by Jonathan Anderson. Swift wore a punk-inspired yellow, plaid high-low overskirt and corset top by the brand to the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.

    There are also several other possible designers among those Swift has worked with before. On her latest tour, Swift wore some costumes by Vivienne Westwood, who designed the minidress Charli XCX wore to her courthouse wedding in 2025. At the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift wore a draped, strapless white gown by Schiaparelli, which has drawn wedding gown comparisons. Or perhaps it will be Oscar de la Renta; Swift wore a blue, floral gown by the designer to a premiere of her Eras Tour documentary.

    This article originally appeared in The New York Times.