As soon as international soccer fans arrived in Philadelphia for the World Cup, they continued a time-honored tradition of gathering en masse at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, thrusting their fists to the sky as Sly Stallone did 50 years ago, and rallying for their team to victory.
From the thousands of Ecuadorian fans draping soccer jerseys on the Rocky statue, inadvertently cursing the Ecuador national team before it lost to Ivory Coast, to Brazilian fans staging security guards to deter fans from doing the same, and Iraqi fans waving their flags at the top of the steps — Rocky and its picturesque views of the Benjamin FranklinParkway have been a staple of Philly’s World Cup.
Temporary fenced walkways were erected for tourists to access the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps and Rocky Statue while the One City: Unity Concert for America stage is under construction on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Some World Cup fans and tourists have remarked on its inconvenience, but are enjoying the Parkway anyway.
However, last week, a stage spanning the width of the steps was erected in front of theRocky statue, leaving two narrow walkways to access the iconic landmark. Metal fencing ushers tourists through a walkway behind the under-construction stage, which will soon host the One Philly: Unity Concert for America on July 4 — the city’s revamped Fourth of July concert, which had been known as the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert for more than a decade.
“Because of the magnitude of this year’s event, organizers needed to properly position the stage back to where they’ve done large scale events before at the Art Museum,” a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office of Communications said about the placement of the stage.
Additionally, a spokesperson for the Office of Special Events said Croatia was the only fan meetup that was asked to relocate so far, as it planned to transport a 300-foot Croatia flag through the area which would prove difficult in the narrow walkways.
For most, this is a minor inconvenience. For Croatian fans, it forced them to relocate their pre-game rally and march.
“People did want to start the parade at the Rocky steps, and some people were upset by it,” said Croatia supporters organizer Daniel Pedisich. “But some of our fans went to Rocky on their own, and in some ways, maybe we avoided that Rocky curse?”
Croatia fans cheer outside Con Murphy’s Irish pub along Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, June 26, 2026. A plan to gather at the Rocky statue turned out to be logistically impossible.
Before the Croatian fan delegation would go on to cheer the checkered-clad team to a win against Ghana on Saturday, Pedisich said the city encouraged them to relocate their parade elsewhere along the Parkway. They settled for Con Murphy’s Irish Pub on 17th Street.
Before the fan parade Friday, Bosko Katic, known to friends as “Coach Bosko,” was sporting red-and-white checkered overalls and a Croatia-themed cowboy hat as he waited for the fan parade to start at the new location. Croatians know how to bring joy to everyone they meet, Katic said, so while the delegation didn’t begin their march with Rocky, they still found ways to make memories — including crashing a wedding photo shoot at City Hall.
Bosko Katic cheers while waving the Croatia national flag outside of Con Murphy’s Irish pub along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, June 26, 2026.
“We couldn’t gather at Rocky because there is something happening there, so we changed the parade route,” Katic said. “But it does not matter anyway — we always bring party, happiness, and love to everybody who is around us.”
Later that weekend, as tourists made their way to the Art Museum steps, squeezing by each other in the walkways, El Salvadorian World Cup fan Stephanie Rodriguez took photos of the steps while standing behind the stage. While Rodriguez admits she’s never seen a Rocky film, the site is “one of those things in pop culture that’s so iconic that you have to see it — like you can’t go to Philly and not see the Rocky steps,” she said.
Tourists shuffle by each other in the temporary fenced walkways erected for near the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps and Rocky Statue while the One City: Unity Concert for America stage is under construction on Saturday, June 27, 2026.
While the large stage perplexed her, she said she was able to eke out some great photos with Rocky, as the statue itself was accessible and not blocked from view.
“I mean it was surprising because I wasn’t expecting to see such a big stage in front of the Rocky steps, but I think the photos are coming out great,” Rodriguez said.
The concert will turn the Parkway into a festival on July 4 from 3 p.m. until midnight, when a fireworks finale caps the night. Some of Philadelphia’s most prized musical acts will headline, from The Roots and Jill Scott to Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, plus Meek Mill, Beanie Siegel, and Freeway are scheduled to perform starting at 5 p.m.
A civics lesson for those of us who remember our high school class in government. Perhaps ironically, given today’s reality, in my Montgomery County high school, the course was named “Problems of Democracy.” These days, without a doubt, the problems are large and numerous.
I commend everyone for spending a few minutes finding and watching online Sen. Chris Murphy’s (D., Conn.) speech last week, “500 Days of Corruption.” Then contact your favorite Republican elected officials (and Republican candidates) from Pennsylvania, asking him/her to either 1) rebut the facts Murphy outlined (which represented only the tip of the corruption iceberg floating in the Trump swamp), or 2) state precisely what he or she will publicly do in an effort to clean the swamp and preserve our representative democracy.
As you wait forever for your response, as I do in my case from Sen. Dave McCormick, keep in mind the basic precept of our system is that these “officials” represent the interests of the residents of Pennsylvania, not merely the resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and his superwealthy family and friends.
Stephen Ulan, Wynnewood
Missed gems
When we saw The Inquirer’s “76 Neighborhood Gems,” the leadership of the Ceiba Collective came to the same conclusion: “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” Helen Keller’s quote is apropos because the piece missed important parts of Philly.
We understand it was based on a survey of The Inquirer’s readers, but the survey stated that your “own reporting” would ensure the collection was well-rounded.
The piece, however, was vision-impaired. It did not, for example, feature a Latino place in the city.
Highlighting this blind spot is not a complaint about inequity. We find fault with it because Philadelphians were not fully served. They did not get information that recognized the variety of gems in the city. This hurts us all because it misses the opportunity to bring diverse people together to learn more about Latinos: one of the fastest-growing and vibrant populations in Philly.
We know The Inquirer can do better.
We implore it to do so. Today, more than ever, we need to be fully informed and encouraged to connect with all people in all neighborhoods of the city.
Will Gonzalez, executive director, Ceiba, Philadelphia
Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.
DEAR ABBY: When I was 16 and my sister “Daisy” was 18, I found out she was in a sexual relationship with my boyfriend, “Tyler” (also 18). I broke it off. She then asked if I minded her dating him. I’m sure I said I didn’t, but I thought, “Why ask? You were already having sex with him.” (He and I hadn’t.) Tyler and I remained friends through the years. He was my first love.
That episode shaped my dating relationships going forward. It took years for me to learn to trust again. Years later, I asked Daisy why she’d done that, and her response was because she could. We enjoy each other’s company as long as I don’t let the past into my consciousness.
How do I let this go? Saying anything may make things worse — but it really hurts that she betrayed me and never once offered an indication of an apology.
— STILL MATTERS IN NORTH CAROLINA
DEAR STILL MATTERS: Daisy and Tyler both betrayed you. What they did showed a distinct lack of character on both their parts. But this is who they are. You and your sister may enjoy each other’s company, but do not think that the core of her — her character — has changed. That she hasn’t apologized for hurting you, and her answering you in such a flip manner, should serve as a warning about how selfish and insensitive she is to this day.
** ** **
DEAR ABBY: I don’t live in the same state as my sister, so I used to call her at the same time each week so we could catch up. Her husband, “Dale,” was usually at work on the day I called. Then, Dale got a new job, so he is now home whenever I call.
My problem is that Dale enters the room and talks to her while she is on the phone. She answers him immediately, even if I am in the middle of a sentence. Because this is confusing and annoying, I told her it would probably be better if she called me when she was free to talk. (At no time did I specifically say anything about Dale’s interruptions.) She said, “Fine!” — and that was the last time I heard from her, and it’s been more than five months.
If I reach out to her, I’m sure nothing will change. If I say it’s annoying to allow Dale to interrupt phone calls, she’ll probably get angrier and defend him. I love my sister and miss talking to her. Must I resign myself to never hearing from her again?
— SIS INTERRUPTED
DEAR SIS: Call your sister and apologize for letting the silence go on so long. It doesn’t matter how rude she and Dale have been; you need to start communicating again if you want to fix this.
Then, instead of placing all of the responsibility on your sister, why not show her you’re willing to compromise? Now that Dale’s work schedule is predictable, ask your sister to suggest a time for the weekly call when she knows he won’t be around. If that’s not possible, you’ll have to decide whether Dale’s interruptions are annoying enough to lose a sister over.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). Resilience is one of your superpowers. You have learned how to adapt and bounce back. Every challenge has taught you something useful, and today you handle something so easily, not in spite of those challenges but because of them.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Nobody else can bring your exact combination of experiences, interests, obsessions, humor, grief, curiosity and insight to a project. Also, you don’t need everyone to agree with your choices. They don’t have to make sense to anyone but you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Anyone can be kind and competent on a normal Wednesday, but you welcome the heightened circumstances when they come, knowing that it’s grace under fire that forges the good stuff. Heightened circumstances are opportunities for true character to emerge.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You’re not just hoping things will work out, you make them work. It’s in the details now. Small adjustments create outsized results. The finishing touches are where the magic happens — the glossy varnish turns “good” into “exceptional.”
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You trust yourself more than you did, for the simple reason that you just keep delivering results you can stand by. You’re gaining experience you need to do quick, dependable work. You’ll make a decision that brings immediate reward.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). A gift doesn’t require repayment. If there are strings attached, it’s not a gift, it’s a negotiation. There may be expectations attached to today’s exchange of “generosity.” The real question is: Are those terms acceptable to you?
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Today, it’s not about being right. It’s about progress, which always involves the whole mechanism. If one gear fits, great. But what does that mean to the next gear and the next? Everything must turn together. Think in terms of systems.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Not every lesson can be taught in advance. Some people need firsthand experience. Caring about someone doesn’t give you the power to spare them every consequence. Though you feel responsible for people, you are not responsible for their choices.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). You share your knowledge and lead others with certainty and care. As excellent as you are at educating others, experience remains the more powerful teacher. Consider whether your best move is to step back with love and let them discover for themselves.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Even though you’re extremely observant, don’t assume appearances tell the whole story, either about other people or about yourself. Today, it’s safe to assume there’s much more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Restraint can be mistaken for passivity or weakness — no. Ask any dam: Restraint takes real strength, fortifications, tons of metal or mettle, as the case may be. Today, your restraint will be the move of champions.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You don’t always play to win, at least not on the small scale of the game. Sure, games are often nice to win, but you’re playing to connect, and therefore you win just by playing.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (July 1). It’s your Year of the Silver Thread. The connections are uncanny, unmistakable and strong to just people, places and opportunities you need. All you have to do is follow through on the leads. More highlights: You’ll achieve new levels of honesty and togetherness in relationships. A talent developed for pleasure becomes useful work. Family life settles into a rhythm that supports the big dreams you share. Aquarius and Gemini adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 5, 30, 1, 22 and 16.
Mike Gansey’s first free-agency move as the 76ers’ president of basketball operations is adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.
Dean Wade has agreed to a four-year, $39 million contract, a league source confirmed to The Inquirer late Tuesday. The deal comes out of the nontaxpayer mid-level exception, and will hard cap the Sixers at the first apron.
Wade was one of Gansey’s success stories in his previous job as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager. The 29-year-old Wade evolved from undrafted player to rotation forward, and last season averaged 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 22.3 minutes across 59 games. His 6-foot-9, 230-pound frame allows for defensive versatility, and he is a career 36.7% three-point shooter.
Wade’s addition makes it less likely that the Sixers will be able to bring back starting forward Kelly Oubre Jr., and sixth man Quentin Grimes, who also entered unrestricted free agency. Yahoo! reported Tuesday night that Oubre planned to meet with at least the Sixers, Los Angeles Lakers, Indiana Pacers, and Portland Trail Blazers.
The Sixers have between $5 and $6 million remaining of the mid-level exception to use on an outside free agent. They are $16.6 million total under the first apron.
Unsurprisingly, multiple reports surfaced over the weekend that the Sixers were among the teams interested in signing Wade. Yet the offseason transaction cycle began quietly for the Sixers — even as significant NBA moves swirled around them.
In the past nine days, stars Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant have been traded. Earlier Tuesday, the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors agreed on a deal sending Kawhi Leonard back to the team he led to the 2019 NBA championship.
Dean Wade helps fill a void in the frontcourt for the Sixers.
Also on Tuesday, LeBron James, an all-time great who is still an All-Star at age 41, informed the Lakers that he would join another team as a free agent. That potentially held up other business across the league — and indirectly affected the Sixers.
Outsiders naturally linked James to another reunion with his hometown Cavaliers, who are coming off an Eastern Conference finals appearance and also are reportedly working on re-signing former Sixer James Harden to a multiyear deal.
To accomplish all of that, the Cavaliers need to clear cap space. The Stein Line reported that the Cavaliers were exploring options to trade Max Strus and Dennis Schroeder. Yet if a Cleveland pursuit of James does not pan out — or even if it does — one could have viewed using that cap space to re-sign Wade as a potential Plan B before he instead opted to join the Sixers.
Andre Drummond, Trendon Watford, and Kyle Lowry (who is expected to retire) are the other free agents for a Sixers team with limited financial flexibility. All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey ($40.8 million), former MVP Joel Embiid ($57.7 million), and former perennial All-Star Paul George ($54.1 million) all remain on max contracts, accounting for the vast majority of the nearly $165 million salary cap.
That top-heavy roster requires shrewd complementary moves, in addition to hoping Embiid and George can be healthier in 2026-27. Backup center becomes the positional priority as free agency continues. Rebounding and shooting will always be welcomed skills for a team that has struggled in both areas.
Gansey began his first Sixers offseason by drafting Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr., in the first round. Monday, he picked up the team options in Dominick Barlow and Dalen Terry’s contracts for the 2026-27 season.
And now, Gansey has begun his first Sixers free agency by adding a player with whom he is quite familiar.
From the moment the World Cup draw was announced in December, Philadelphia and the soccer world started dreaming of a potential France-Germany showdown on July 4.
Alas, that dream did not come true, thanks to Germany’s upset loss to Paraguay on Monday. But the other half of the equation has delivered, as the city already saw in the group stage. France will return to town as the favorite to win it all, with its superstar attacking core firing on all cylinders.
After scoring 10 goals in the group stage, the most of any of the 48 teams in the tournament, Les Bleus laid a 3-0 hammering down on Sweden in the Meadowlands on Tuesday. Kylian Mbappé scored twice to match Lionel Messi’s six goals in the tournament to date, and Bradley Barcola struck his second goal of the summer.
WHAT A GOAL FOR MBAPPÉ 🇫🇷
He slices through the Sweden defense to score his 5th goal of the tournament! pic.twitter.com/JePc6FZQJ4
Ousmane Dembélé, the reigning world player of the year with the Ballon D’Or award, has four goals, and Desiré Doué has one. The fifth superweapon, winger Michael Olise, has a team-leading five assists — and came inches from a spectacular first World Cup goal on Tuesday when a bicycle kick attempt hit the post.
Paraguay will arrive in town after overcoming its 4-1 loss to the United States in its group stage opener. La Albirrojabeat Turkey, 1-0, held Australia to a scoreless tie, then toppled Germany in a penalty kick shootout after a 1-1 tie.
This was the team that looked much more like the one that rode a stingy defense to its first World Cup berth in 16 years, finishing sixth in South America’s 10-team round robin with the second-lowest goals allowed total (10).
Paraguay’s roster has many familiar faces to fans of MLS. Miguel Almirón (Atlanta United), Andrés Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps), and Braian Ojeda (Orlando) play in the league now, and three others used to: Matías Galarza (Atlanta), Diego Gómez (Inter Miami), and Alejandro “Kaku” Romero Gamarra (New York Red Bulls).
Paraguay’s celebrations after upsetting Germany in a penalty kick shootout on Monday.
It’s easy to say the matchup is offense vs. defense, but France is also plenty stingy. It has allowed just two goals in four games so far, one each to Senegal and Norway. That’s what manager Didier Deschamps has always demanded in his 14-year tenure, just as he did as a player: the midfield anchor and captain of France’s 1998 World Cup and 2000 Euros champions.
Sometimes, over the years, it has felt like that approach has stifled France’s constellation of stars. But the results have ultimately come: Euros runner-up in 2016, World Cup champion in 2018, UEFA Nations League champion in 2021, and runner-up to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in 2022’s all-time classic final.
This time, this team is all in for Deschamps’ final tournament on the bench. Even Mbappé, often criticized for not playing enough defense at his club, Real Madrid, is doing his part.
They’re also in for Deschamps himself, as his mother died recently. He left the tournament for a few days to attend to that and returned in time for Tuesday’s contest. When Mbappé opened the scoring, he ran over to give his manager a big hug.
Deschamps looked just as thrilled, no matter how much of Mbappé’s sweat landed on his suit on a hot day.
Kylian Mbappé (left) embracing Didier Deschamps after scoring France’s opening goal against Sweden.
Now France is aiming to become just the third team in men’s World Cup history to make three straight finals. Brazil did it in 1994, ‘98, and ‘02, winning the first and third (and losing the second to France); and Germany did it in 1982, ‘86, and ‘90, winning the last of them.
The world is watching and waiting to see how far this team goes. Philadelphia already had a front-row seat once, the 3-0 win over Iraq where Mbappé scored a spectacular strike and Dembélé scored his first major-tournament goal after many years of trying. Now the city gets a second turn.
France’s first visit also made headlines for the thunderstorms that delayed the start of the second half by two hours. Saturday’s game could land in Mother Nature’s crosshairs again, with the heat dome expected to crack that day and send the sky exploding. It’s just a question of what time, and whether it happens early enough to pass by kickoff.
With that big caveat, the countdown is on. Clashes between European and South American teams have defined World Cups for generations, and this one will add another chapter to the history.
Cristopher Sánchez unleashed a first-pitch strike in the second inning and called for a trainer.
Uh-oh.
Three words the Phillies never want to see in the same sentence: “Cristopher Sánchez” and “trainer.” But there they were Tuesday night, and well, Citizens Bank Park held its collective breath.
Sánchez, it turned out, cut loose a changeup and scraped the top of his left thumb, the evidence of which was a blood stain between the red pinstripes on his white pants. He smiled, even chuckled with a few teammates, and a few dabs later, the ace lefty was firing again.
Crisis averted. Sánchez kept throwing his signature changeup without incident, allowing three hits in seven scoreless innings. And the Phillies cakewalked, 8-0, over the Pirates to move within 2½ games of the first-place Braves, who lost at home to the Cardinals.
Oh, and postgame fireworks went off as planned for the 41,710 paying customers.
Scrape? What scrape?
“Yeah, just a little scratch on the finger,” Sánchez said through a team interpreter. “It happens sometimes when I throw the changeup because of the touch with the finger. So, it’s no big deal.”
But that momentary pit-of-their-stomach feeling as assistant athletic trainer Christian Bermudez went out to see Sánchez underscores the precariousness of this entire thing.
Justin Crawford drove in the Phillies’ first two runs with a two-out single in the second inning Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park.
Look, there isn’t any replacing Sánchez, whose next home start may come for the National League in the All-Star Game in two weeks. He sits atop the rotation with a 2.00 ERA, second in the majors behind only the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski (1.45).
But the Phillies lack the organizational pitching depth to cover for any of their starters if they miss even a turn or two. They already have back-of-the-rotation worries, with Aaron Nola’s 6.04 ERA and Andrew Painter’s return to triple A. The fifth-starter spot is occupied by Alan Rangel, who has twice been used behind an opener.
One injury, and it all comes down like a Jenga tower.
Surely, then, an anxious feeling came over interim manager Don Mattingly when Sánchez waved to the dugout.
“Yeah, a little bit,” Mattingly said. “Especially in the second [inning], right? You’re like, ‘Oh, not tonight.’ But once you get out there, you kind of see what it is. It’s not like a cut on a nail or anything like that where you feel like it’s going to keep getting extended. They did a nice job of stopping that.”
Justin Crawford gave Sánchez a 2-0 lead by cueing a two-out single inside the third-base line. It was up to Sánchez to keep it that way because the Phillies didn’t break things open until scoring three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
Trea Turner, on his 33rd birthday, had an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth.
Trea Turner, on his 33rd birthday, levied most of that damage, with an RBI double in the seventh and a two-run homer in the eighth. Don’t look now, but he’s 19-for-55 (.345) over the last 13 games, a welcome sign for an offense that is looking for more production from the right side of the plate.
“Is he going yet?” Mattingly said, mimicking questions about when Turner will get going at the plate. “I don’t know if he’s going yet or not. But to see Trea get a big hit down the line and then the home run, it really extends that lead where it saves us [from using] an arm in the bullpen.”
Sánchez leaned on his changeup, as usual, but continued to spin more sliders. After throwing 26 in his last start, he mixed in 17 against the Pirates, six of which came in his first 19 pitches.
No matter what he throws, Sánchez owns the Pirates. Six weeks ago, he struck out 13, a career-high, in a six-hit shutout in Pittsburgh. This time, he didn’t give up a hit until Nick Gonzales punched a two-out single in the fourth inning.
Sánchez is lined up to pitch Monday in Kansas City and July 11 in Detroit, the closing arguments in his case to start three days later (it would be his bullpen day) in the All-Star Game.
As you may have heard, it will be held in South Philly.
“[It would be] another goal, another dream come true and more when you think about it in this beautiful city,” Sánchez said. “The fans deserve that and even more.”
Symbolically and strategically, Sánchez is a sensible choice to start for the NL. Misiorowski throws harder than any pitcher in history, with a fastball that’s been clocked at 105.5 mph. But Sánchez has allowed seven earned runs in 73 innings for a 0.86 ERA in 11 home starts. Since 2024, he has a 1.76 ERA in 280⅔ innings over 43 starts at home.
In his latest gem, he pitched out of one quasi jam, a two-on, two-out spot in the fourth inning, by striking out Endy Rodríguez on a signature changeup, and sidestepped a one-out double by Billy Cook in the fifth inning.
But even with a 100-degree heat wave rolling into town, it was no sweat compared to the Phillies’ dodging an injury to their ace. As Sánchez received a quick fix on the mound, Turner and other infielders looked on and laughed.
“They were just giving me a hard time and joking around on the mound,” Sánchez said. “You know, these guys are terrible.”
As long as the Phillies keep their pitchers healthy, the good times can keep rolling.
WASHINGTON — A replica Liberty Bell, a Knoebels amusement park bench, hundreds of bags of potato chips, and dozens of sweating tourists packed into Pennsylvania’s location at President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair on Tuesday — a stark turnaround from when the signature 250th anniversary event opened in Washington last week without a Keystone State presence.
Pennsylvania was one of the few Democratic-led states that — describing the two-week fair as too partisan — had either decided not to participate or failed to find another host to showcase local history and memorabilia.
The interest, Gov. Josh Shapiro said at the time, was just not there.
But after a weekend-long sprint initiated by U.S. Sens. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) and John Fetterman (D., Pa.) to dredge up that interest, Pennsylvania’s pavilion opened Tuesday with nearly every inch of the space filled.
The walls were covered by antique flags and signs lent by York County’s Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques. Children stood in line for a U.S. Steel penny-press machine, grabbed bags of Middleswarth chips made in Snyder County, and Crayola crayons from Easton. (Additional chip donations from Utz and Martin’s will be arriving soon.)
Tourists collected pamphlets about Gettysburg and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. They took pictures of anthracite coal and a drill bit used for fracking, both of which were on loan from U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R., Luzerne).
Pennsylvania’s pavilion showcases a natural gas drill bit and Middleswarth chips at the Great American State Fair on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
“I always look for an opportunity to highlight our industry,” Beth Ann Bossio, a Christmas tree farmer from Fayette County, said after driving three and a half hours to drop off a tree to display in the center of the space.
Pennsylvania is one of the largest producers of Christmas trees, and Bossio said it was important to her that both the state and its farmers were represented at the fair.
Beth Ann Bossio (front center), a Christmas tree farmer from Fayette County, helps staff from U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick’s office set up a tree she brought for Pennsylvania’s pavilion at the Great American State Fair on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
“That was my vision to come here, to make sure that Pa. is being reflected of what we are, and what we represent,” she said before tying an American flag-themed bow on the tree. “Farmers are very proud of that. We’re patriotic. We take pride in our land and how we steward it.”
The packed room on the National Mall came together in a rush in recent days, after Shapiro joined Democratic governors from other states in declining to use state resources to create and staff a pavilion, which his office said would have run a tab of “hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.”
He also said his administration’s search for another Pennsylvania host came up short. No companies or other kinds of groups were interested, he said, even as businesses and local governments stepped up to fill the spaces in other states.
While Shapiro last week blamed the lack of interest on the president’s polarizing impact on the 250th celebrations, he said in an interview Tuesday with The Inquirer that it “was never a political exercise. This was an exercise in practicality.”
Shapiro said Pennsylvania’s pavilion would have cost the state $700,000, all of which was money he saw better spent on the major events happening in Pennsylvania this year, including the NFL Draft, PGA Championship, MLB All-Star Game, the ongoing World Cup games, and a number of events across the state for the nation’s 250th birthday.
“My focus is on spending the taxpayer dollars here,” he said.
His administration spent two or three weeks reaching out to businesses and to the Pennsylvania Chamber asking them if they wanted to participate. None of them did, Shapiro said.
“They obviously had a change of heart at the last minute. That’s fine,” Shapiro said about the revived Pennsylvania pavilion.
Organizing the booth in Shapiro’s place were the state’s two senators, a bipartisan duo who have often worked together.
McCormick said he understood Shapiro’s desire not to spend taxpayer money, but when he found out there would be nothing to represent the state that is “the center of America’s history,” he sprang into action.
The freshman Republican said he and Fetterman spoke Saturday morning and quickly made calls to the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, and individual businesses to donate time and resources.
“It’s just inconceivable that we wouldn’t have a booth that would represent all that Pennsylvania had to offer,” said McCormick, whose staff greeted guests at the pavilion all day Tuesday.
Fetterman, who has said Pennsylvania’s role as a purple state means he should consistently work across the aisle, said he was proud to work with McCormick on the effort.
“America’s turning 250 years old,” Fetterman said alongside McCormick during an appearance in Philadelphia on Monday. “Can’t we all just celebrate that and not just find new ways to fight about the politics and the dynamic right now?”
McCormick’s office listed 23 companies or groups that signed up to help, though only a few corporate sponsors were front and center in the space.
Two large signs showcase the Marcellus Shale Coalition, a natural gas advocacy group that has a significant lobbying presence in Harrisburg. And U.S. Steel, the Pittsburgh-based company that benefited from a Trump-approved takeover by a Japanese-owned company last year, offered the penny press and colorful wristbands reading “forging the future.” Hats and signage commemorating Yuengling and Mack Trucks were lent from the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association.
Tourists use a U.S. Steel penny-press machine on display at Pennsylvania’s pavilion at the Great American State Fair on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.Pennsylvania’s pavilion showcases state history and memorabilia at the Great American State Fair on June 30, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
Some organizations have acknowledged earlier conversations with Shapiro’s office to participate that didn’t go anywhere.
A report from The New Republic that Pennsylvania would not be participating in the affair “caught us off guard because that was not our experience at all, nor was it what we had communicated to the [the governor’s] office,” said Jon Anzur, the senior vice president of public affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry. “It’s unfortunate that it occurred that way.”
He said the governor’s office approached the chamber less than two weeks out from the start of the fair to help get companies involved.
“It just seems odd that we were approached at the eleventh hour and now it sounds like the governor’s office is trying to point fingers when there was ample time to get ducks in a row,” he said.
The Hershey Co. is among the Pennsylvania-based companies that declined to participate.
“We were asked by Gov. Shapiro’s office in mid June and then again over the weekend by Sen. McCormick’s office,” said Todd Scott, a spokesperson for the chocolate business.
Both were told that the size of the ask and the limited amount of time to make it happen was not possible.
“We were asked so late in the game that logistically we couldn’t make that happen. We just cannot provide on a moment’s notice that amount of product that they would have been asking for,” he said.
But the summer weather was also a factor.
“There’s no refrigeration on the mall, and with extreme heat, chocolate doesn’t do well in 100-degree temperatures,” he said. “We always want to make sure that people have the best experience with our products that they can.”
But another candy company, Asher’s Chocolate Co. in Souderton, decided to join.
“Asher’s was asked to participate by the Chamber of Commerce [Monday] and agreed to donate prepackaged bite-size pieces of fudge, which were on hand,” said David Neff, who represents Asher’s. “Asher’s is deeply committed to America and celebrating America’s 250.”
“SAP is committed to the communities where our customers, employees, and partners live and work. SAP’s support of America’s 250th anniversary celebrations reflects our long‑standing commitment to supporting innovation, economic strength, and workforce development,“ SAP spokesperson Bridget Carroll said in a statement.
SAP software is used by the U.S. military and its NATO allies to track troop deployments, military supply chains, and equipment maintenance.
The military aircraft producer Lockheed Martin, which has engineering centers in King of Prussia and in Moorestown, N.J., is the top donor to Trump’s initiative, giving nearly $20 million.
This story has been updated to clarify Bob Asher’s role in Asher’s Chocolate Co.
Staff writer Joseph N. DiStefano contributed to this article.
This story was updated to clarify that Bob Asher is no longer involved in Asher’s Chocolate Co.
Two Chester County residents have been diagnosed with measles, local health officials said on Tuesday, the first cases reported in the Philadelphia region this summer.
Pennsylvania has identified 88 measles cases so far this year, the highest case count in three decades and more than five times the cases reported in 2025.
Chester is now the seventh Pennsylvania county with confirmed measles cases since April.
Jeanne Franklin, the county’s public health director, said it was too early to tell whether the two adults’ cases were linked to a growing measles outbreak centered in Lancaster County, which borders Chester.
Health workers in Chester County have conducted contact tracing regularly for months, speaking to about 100 people since the beginning of the year who had come into contact with someone with measles.
“The process is working,” Franklin said. She added that the county is preparing to identify more cases as they continue contact tracing.
The two Chester County residents with measles had initially sought care in Lancaster County, she said, and county officials were still working to determine their vaccination status.
Earlier in June, Delaware County health officials announced they had detected measles in wastewater samples, meaning a person with measles — either a resident or a person passing through the county — had used a bathroom connected to the county’s public water supply.
Since late April, officials have recorded 43 cases in Lancaster County, 20 in Lebanon County, six in Northumberland County, two each in Berks, Chester, and Dauphin Counties, and one in York County. (A winter outbreak saw 12 cases among Chester, Montgomery, and Lancaster Counties.)
Franklin said her department is increasing public communications about the measles risk, and encouraging local health providers to vaccinate infants with a “dose zero” of the measles, mumps, and rubella shot.
Typically, children receive an MMR dose at around 1 year old and before entering kindergarten. A “dose zero” is given at six months and provides additional protection before children receive two more doses of the vaccine.
State officials last week also recommended that physicians in affected areas provide early measles vaccinations to infants and young children.
Chester County officials are also working with the state to analyze school-level vaccination data to pinpoint at-risk communities, Franklin said.
Overall, 94.5% of Chester County kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles in the 2024-2025 school year, the last for which data is available. That’s just below the 95% threshold required to prevent the spread of the virus.
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Spread may be wider than cases reported
Some providers in Lancaster County have said that they fear measles is spreading more widely than state officials have been able to track, either because patients don’t realize the importance of informing health officials about their condition or are avoiding providers.
Chester County also is contending with uncertainty. Franklin said that some residents who have had contact with infected patients have told health workers that they’d rather not get tested for measles.
“They say, ‘I don’t want to be tested. Let this run the course,’” she said.
Contact tracers stress that they’re not judging that decision, she said. But the department emphasizes that they need residents to work with contact tracers, so other potentially exposed families can make informed decisions about their health.
Franklin urged Chester County residents to check their vaccination records to ensure they are protected against measles, which can infect up to 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to the disease.
If they can’t find their records, a primary care physician can order a test to determine whether they’re immune.
Residents should also look out for symptoms of measles, including a fever, a cough, and a runny nose — similar to other respiratory diseases — that often emerge before patients develop a telltale rash.
Several people sickened this summer have experienced severe illness and required hospitalization for serious electrolyte abnormalities and liver and kidney dysfunction, according to physicians in Lancaster County.
“If you previously decided not to get a vaccine, this is the time to reconsider, based on what’s going on,” Franklin said. “The window to get a vaccine once you’ve been exposed is very small.”
During the Phillies’ rain delay last week in Washington, Derek Hill kept himself busy with a Sharpie and pair of cleats.
The outfielder spent the hour and a half coloring the white shoes red with a marker. It was just a way to pass the time while the Phillies waited for their game to start, but it’s not the first pair of spikes that Hill has customized.
It’s actually a hobby of his, although typically it involves more elaborate designs and acrylic paint instead of a Sharpie.
“It’s like a little getaway from the game,” Hill said. “It’s pretty addicting. So, once I get going, I’ll go for like two months, and then I’ll stop for like two months, then I’ll just pick it up and just keep on going. But I got to make some for Philly.”
Hill, 30, has always been artistic. Not only does he love to draw and paint, he also had an interest in metalwork and ceramics growing up.
This is the first year he’s tried painting his cleats, though, and found that the process helps him unwind.
“Just don’t have any outside noise,” Hill said. “Just sitting there, it’s just quiet, and you get to relax, and just focus on one thing, and not worry about anything outside of that.”
In 14 games since the trade with the White Sox, Derek Hill is batting .313 with a .865 OPS.
His new teammates don’t yet know about this side of him, as Hill was only acquired from the White Sox on June 11.
He has already made an impression in the clubhouse with two clutch ninth-inning home runs in Washington and a home run-robbing catch against the Mets in New York. In 14 games since the trade with the White Sox, Hill is batting .313 with a .865 OPS. He’s become a key utility platoon outfielder, primarily starting against lefties or coming off the bench.
But so far, his affinity for art has been under wraps. Even Brandon Marsh, who shares the outfield with Hill and played with him in 2019 as prospects in the Arizona Fall League, was unaware.
“I had no idea how much of an artiste he was,” Marsh said.
Hill said the favorite shoes he’s done recently were a colorful pair he made for Easter, with bright purple, orange, green, blue, and pink on a white base.
The entire process, starting with a plain white pair, takes him about two days.
“I acetone them down, to get rid of all the finisher that they put on it,” he said. “And then let that dry, throw my paint on, throw my clear coat on, and let it dry, and it’s good to go.”
Most of the cleats Hill has designed were with the White Sox in mind. He has a red, white, and black pair in his Phillies locker, but originally wore them with Chicago’s City Connect uniform, which draws inspiration from the red Chicago Bulls basketball jersey.
For him, inspiration can come from anywhere.
“Honestly, I just see something and I’m like, ‘Oh, let me see if I can recreate that,’” Hill said.
Now that he’s settling in with his new team, he has plans for more at some point — maybe a pair that incorporates the Phillies’ powder blues.
“We’re going to have some heat on the feet,” Hill said.
Lou Trivino’s contract was selected by the Phillies on Tuesday.
Extra bases
The Phillies made a bullpen swap ahead of Tuesday’s game, optioning Chase Shugart and selecting the contract of right-hander Lou Trivino, a Green Lane, Montgomery County native. “Just needing a fresh arm,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “Bullpen’s been on fumes. I know Shug gave up a couple homers lately, but he’s really good for us this year. He did what we needed from that role, taking the ball a lot, always ready to take it.” … Brad Keller (right forearm tendinitis) threw a live batting practice session on Tuesday. The Phillies will re-evaluate him on Wednesday to determine next steps. … Zack Wheeler (8-1, 2.03 ERA) is scheduled to start Wednesday opposite Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes (6-7, 3.10).
