Free tickets

Old City's signature monthly art walk. On the first Friday of every month, dozens of galleries, studios, and boutiques along 2nd and 3rd Streets open their doors late into the evening. Visitors stroll between free openings featuring new exhibitions, meet artists, enjoy complimentary wine and snacks, and experience live music spilling onto the sidewalks. It's one of the best free nights out in Philly – a social ritual for the art-curious and the deeply devoted alike.

Area: Old City District (N. 2nd & 3rd St area), Philadelphia, PA

Aitor Lajarin-Encina’s paintings engage in dialogue with global histories of painting and popular image-making traditions, drawing from sources as varied as Baroque art, Constructivism, satirical cartoons, and video games. They function as visual poems, inviting viewers into moments of existential suspense that spark philosophical reflections on life and relationships between people, objects, and the environment.

Venue: Pentimenti Gallery
Address: 145 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA

Pentimenti and Vox Populi are pleased to co-present we call the moon the people’s wife, a collaborative project led by Blanche Brown, featuring Aitor Lajarin-Encina in collaboration with Vox Populi members Aaron Terry, catia colagioia, China Rain, Ella Konefal, Eva Wu, Evan/Eve Greensweig, Jim Strong, Lane Timothy Speidel, Natalie Hijinx and Ollie Goss.

Venue: Pentimenti Gallery
Address: 145 North Second Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Tickets: adults $30; seniors $28 (tickets good for 2 days); students $5; members free

A powerful exhibition of film, video, and installation by five Black artists — Arthur Jafa, David Hartt, Garrett Bradley, Ja'Tovia Gary, and Tourmaline. Co-curated by Maori Karmael Holmes (BlackStar Projects) and James Claiborne (Barnes Foundation), the show explores memory, dreams, and histories of Black Americans, dismantling pervasive narratives around race, gender, and class.Part of America's 250th anniversary programming.

Venue: Barnes Foundation (Roberts Gallery)
Address: 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

“Face to Face” invites visitors into the world of Isaiah Zagar’s mosaicked portraits. These intimate artworks depict people who have influenced his life, work, and world, as well as strangers and individuals who captured his imagination. Composed from fragments of tile, mirror, folk artwork, and other materials, each portrait is a meeting place between artist and subject.

Venue: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Address: 1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA

In “Entre Raíces y Alas” Santiago Galeas‘ figurative paintings fuse identity and ecology, challenging traditional approaches to landscapes and portraiture. In this body of work, Galeas depicts first-generation and immigrant queer Latinx Americans in an inventive world that bridges the landscapes of Latin America and North America. 

Venue: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Address: 1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA

Representing the land we live in is a practice shared across the world. In Japan, artists created a large body of landscape imagery that ranged from indigenous yamato-style depictions to portrayals of nature that incorporated Chinese and later Euro-American ideas and techniques.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Address: Main Building, Galleries 341-343

Philadelphia-based artist Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi explores the intersection of transgender experiences with Afro-Boricua culture, focusing on bodily and political autonomy. Part of Taller Puertorriqueño's year-long WE WILL NOT HIDEprogramming for America's 250th anniversary.

Venue: Taller Puertorriqueño
Address: 2600 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia, PA

Timed to the 50th anniversary of the film franchise – over 150 artifacts and works by 50+ artists, including Keith Haring, Carrie Mae Weems, and Andy Warhol. Curated by Paul Farber, host of the NPR podcast The Statue.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art – Dorrance Galleries
Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Final weeks of this major retrospective – over 60 works charting his practice across painting, curating, and community-building. The last stop of an international tour from Potsdam, London, and Los Angeles. Paintings exploring Black everyday life, memory, vulnerability, and social history.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Address: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

On the eve of the country’s 250th birthday and at a period when our disagreements sometimes seem bigger than what we have in common, this exhibition surveys landscapes and street photographs made in the United States over the past seventy years.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Address: Main Building, Honickman Galleries 156, 157

The Barnes' permanent collection – Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso displayed in Albert Barnes' idiosyncratic ensembles – remains a must-see year-round. Plus a new moving-image exhibition featuring works by Arthur Jafa, Garrett Bradley, and Tourmaline meditating on American memories and dreams.

Venue: Barnes Foundation
Address: 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Sculptures and mobiles by Alexander Calder at his permanent new home on the Parkway – a building by Herzog & de Meuron nestled in gardens by Piet Oudolf. No wall labels – just rotating masterworks for direct encounter.

Venue: Calder Gardens
Address: 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Tickets $20–$89

A raucous satire by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames. The widowed, dying First Lady is put on trial for the Washingtons' use of enslaved labor — tormented by ghosts of the people she owned. During the Semiquincentennial and the current political climate, this is audacious and essential theater.

Venue: Wilma Theater
Address: 265 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Tickets from $40+

Rodgers and Hammerstein's iconic musical about Maria and the Von Trapp family, in a fresh North American tour helmed by Jack O'Brien. One of the greatest scores of all time, always an unmissable family show.

Venue: Academy of Music
Address: 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Tickets $35-89

Jacqueline Novak is a touring comedian and writer. Her solo show Get On Your Knees sold out major New York runs at the Cherry Lane Theatre and the Lucille Lortel Theatre, toured nationally and internationally, and is now streaming on Netflix; the special, directed by Natasha Lyonne, received an Emmy nomination, praised by The Hollywood Reporter as “one of the most intricately conceived and written specials I’ve ever watched.”

Venue: The Wilma Theater
Address: 265 S Broad Street (Broad & Spruce Streets), Philadelphia, PA 19107

Tickets ~$30–$70

The world premiere of a new play by James Ijames – the third and final work in the landmark Citywide James Ijames Pass collaboration between Arden, Wilma, and PTC. Five cousins reunite at their family home in the Tidewater South in a heartfelt story about legacy, healing, and the ties that bind.

Venue: Philadelphia Theatre Company
Address: 480 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19146

Time: at 3:00pm

To celebrate the release of her first book in over a decade, Lena Dunham returns to the stage for a night of fearless storytelling and no holds barred conversation. A candid, funny, and bracingly honest reflection on illness, fame, sex, and everything in between, Famesickmarks a bold return from the creator of Girls and Too Much. 

Venue: Miller Theater
Address: 250 S Broad St

Tickets from $49+

The founding fathers come alive in this classic award-winning musical staged just steps from where the real events took place. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson fight for independence against a deadlocked Continental Congress. Timed to America's 250th anniversary, this is the first production in decades to display the Theatre's historic fire curtain.

Venue: Walnut Street Theatre
Address: 825 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

PHILADANCO! once again ignites the stage with Explosive!, a high-voltage program of new works by four dynamic choreographers reshaping the landscape of contemporary dance—an evening where risk, innovation, and raw physical power take center stage. 

Venue: Kimmel Center
Address: 300 South Broad Street

Tickets from $40+

The Tony Award-winning musical comedy about a small-town community in Cob County whose corn crop is failing. Hilarious, corn-fed, and all-American – a book by Tony winner Robert Horn, a score by Grammy-winning Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally.

Venue: The Forrest Theatre
Address: 1114 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19107

Tickets from $11+

In this opera, the chorus has the starring role. Composer Gregory Spears, whose music has been called “astonishingly beautiful” (The New York Times), “coolly entrancing” (The New Yorker), and “some of the most beautifully unsettling music to appear in recent memory” (The Boston Globe), creates a labyrinthine soundscape to accompany a dream-like rendering of the fairytale “Sleeping Beauty,” inspired by modernist writer Robert Walser.

Venue:  Academy Of Music
Address: 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Price per event: $ 10 
Student with valid ID: $ 6

A month-long environmental film series held each April in celebration of Earth Month, with screenings every Thursday evening. Presented in partnership with BlackStar Projects, cinéSPEAK, the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival, Confluence 2026 showcases films that speak to this year’s theme, "Seeding the Future."

Venue: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Address: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19 103

Tickets: $ 10 
Student with valid ID: $ 6

5–6:30 p.m. Join us for a joyous Opening Night Party in Dino Hall! 
Enjoy the moving sounds of vibraphonist Hudson River, savor a special Indigenous Brazilian cuisine tasting curated by Mila Romero and enjoy light refreshments and a cash bar to toast our 2026 festival. 
6:30–8:30 p.m. Film Program: Screening followed by Q&A
A short film and a Pennsylvania Film Premiere feature documentary.

Venue: Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Address: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19 103

The Philadelphia Cinematheque's spring screening series – rare political and documentary cinema with post-screening discussions led by scholars. All screenings at 5:30 PM.

The group was inspired by weekly “Tubi Tuesday” watches with their friends, and has quickly grown into a genre-crossing club aiming to bring people together to celebrate weird cinema with a crowd. Their next screening is Small Soldiers (1998).

Venue: Film Society Center
Address: 1412 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Tickets ~$11-$16

SpringFest returns with double the screens – seven vibrant days of storytelling from new voices and bold perspectives, featuring global and local Philadelphia filmmakers. The PFS's signature spring festival showcasing independent, documentary, and experimental cinema.

Venue: PFS Center, PFS Bourse, and other venues
Address: 1412 Chestnut St / 111 S Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, PA

Tickets ~$10-$15

The first-ever festival from Bloodsick Underground Cinema – showcasing the weirdest and most beautiful things underground film has to offer: shot-on-video gorefests, mumblecore comedies, and low-budget labors of love. A weekend of cult, underground, and unconventional cinema.

Venue: PhilaMOCA & Ortlieb's
Address: 531 N. 12th St / 847 N 3rd St, Philadelphia, PA

Tickets ~$11-$16

Monthly curated programs at PFS Center: cult classics, rare 35mm screenings, West African cinema, Final Girl horror series, and community screenings by local filmmakers. A year-round home for cinephilia in Philadelphia.

Venue: PFS Center / PFS Bourse / PFS East
Address: 1412 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Free entry
Time: 6 pm - 8 pm

A First Friday celebration marking the launch of a brand-new creative hub at Cherry Street Pier. The evening features the debut of 'PYROGLYPHS: Empyrean Spheres,' a gallery exhibition of original works by artist and illustrator Shawn Alleyne, where comics, Afrofuturism, and visual storytelling collide. Expect bold graphic art, conversation, and the energy of the waterfront creative community coming together for a studio christening.

Venue: Cherry Street Pier, Studio 14
Address: 121 N. Columbus Blvd

Tickets

• General admission: $15
• Students: $7
• Seniors: $14
• $10 parking in our garage
• Free with museum admission. Reservations not required.

Time: 5:00 pm - 8:45 pm

Every Friday the Philadelphia Museum of Art stays open late and transforms the Great Stair Hall into a social lounge. A rotating DJ spins music while visitors sip locally sourced cocktails, craft beer, and wine. The galleries remain open for a late stroll among masterworks — a completely different vibe from daytime visits. Starting April 10, the new 'Independent Fridays' program means pay-what-you-wish admission all evening, removing the price barrier entirely.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Address: Main Building, Great Stair Hall

Free tickets with museum admission. Reservations not required.

Time: 5:00 pm - 8:45 pm

A special edition of Friday Nights dedicated to the spoken word. The Philly Pigeon — a beloved local poetry collective — takes over the museum with readings that respond to the art on the walls. Expect intimate performances scattered through the galleries, plus the usual drinks, music, and late-night access. A rare chance to experience poetry and painting in the same breath.

Venue: Philadelphia Museum of Art
Address: Main Building, Multiple locations

Free entry

Three days of anime, gaming, cosplay, J-fashion, idol performances, J-rock, and nerdcore music on the Philadelphia waterfront. Browse 70+ vendors selling art, collectibles, and merch, grab Japanese street food from local trucks, and connect with the otaku community. Whether you're a longtime fan or just curious, this is one of Philly's most energetic and welcoming free festivals.

Venue: Cherry Street Pier
Address: 121 N. Columbus Blvd

Tickets $15 General Admission, Free for Students & Seniors (60+)

Grammy Award-winning percussionist Pablo Batista leads the Primera Primavera orchestra, 20 big-band musicians in vintage formal wear, performing legendary Latin jazz tunes. The first event in a new annual Latin jazz series at EAC, kicking off the Semiquincentennial celebrations.

Venue: Esperanza Arts Center
Address: 4261 N 5th St, Philadelphia, PA 19140

The Deli Collective and Parcel Island are excited to invite you to our new office space for a 5 and 10 year anniversary celebration! Drinks, small bites, custom hat bar, special pricing and a FREE swag bag for the first 25 guests!

Venue: Building Bok, The Deli Collective and Parcel Island/Room 623
Address: 821 Dudley St, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Time: 12 pm to 5 pm

A series of spring and summer cultural markets on the waterfront, produced in collaboration with Fleisher Art Memorial — one of Philly's oldest community art schools. Shop from local vendors selling handmade goods, art, and crafts. Enjoy food from rotating trucks and carts, and catch live entertainment that changes each Saturday. It's free to walk in, pay-as-you-go for food and purchases. A perfect weekend afternoon by the Delaware River.

Venue: Cherry Street Pier
Address: 121 N. Columbus Blvd

Free entry, pay-as-you-go

One of the city's biggest foodie events: 70+ food trucks and gourmet vendors line closed-to-traffic Main Street Manayunk — BBQ, sweet treats, wine, and craft beer. Live musicians across two stages and a brand-new family-friendly area on Lock Street.

Place: Main Street Manayunk
Area: Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA

Tickets ~$35+

The "Dancing on My Own" singer and honorary Philadelphian stops by The Fillmore for an intimate performance of selections from his new album Avenoir and other pop ballads.

Venue: The Fillmore Philadelphia
Address: 29 E. Allen Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Free entry with RSVP

Time: 5–8 PM

The official kickoff of cinéSPEAK's 2026 outdoor cinema season — a summer of free film screenings in Clark Park. This preview party on the Lawn at uCity Square features music by DJ Jamz, light refreshments, a cash bar, and the big reveal of this year's film lineup. Each year, Under the Stars redirects over $25,000 to local artists and collaborators, making it one of Philly's most community-centered film programs.

Place: The Lawn at uCity Square
Area: 3701 Filbert St, West Philadelphia

Tickets $29-230

Seduction is the subtext in this program that pairs Richard Strauss’s portrait of the famous fictional philanderer and Ravel’s Bolero, whose relentless pulse mirrors the beat of desire. Beyond the bedroom, we turn our gaze to galaxies far, far away, as Pulitzer Prize – winning composer Kevin Puts’sContact imagines encounters with other beings.

Venue: Marian Anderson Hall
Address: 300 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Free entry, pay-as-you-go

South Philly comes alive each spring: East Passyunk's top restaurants come together for a five-block outdoor extravaganza from Broad Street to Dickinson Street. Kid-friendly activities, live music across multiple stages, and shopping from 100+ local makers and sellers.

Place: East Passyunk Avenue
Area: South Philadelphia, PA

Journey Arts’ beloved Table Sessions returns in April to Bartram’s Garden, curated by award-winning filmmaker Kristal Sotomayor. Prime yourself for an ebullient evening with the boisterous sounds of the kumbia-klezmer-punk collective Mariposas Galácticas, whose music is inspired by their Ancestor’s shared roots in “radical joy.”

Place: Bartram's Garden
Area: 5400 Lindbergh Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19143

Time: 5:30pm - 8:30pm

Unwind, get your hands dirty, and connect with your community at Pinch Pot Happy Hour! This relaxed, drop-in ceramic session is the perfect way to de-stress after work. Whether you stay for the whole evening or just pop in for a bit, you’re invited to hang out, snack, sip, and make something with clay. No ceramic experience needed.

Venue: Building Bok, Tuft the World/Room 501
Address: 1901 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm

A creative drawing workshop that pushes you beyond conventional technique. Expect unconventional prompts, unusual materials, and exercises designed to break habits and unlock new ways of mark-making. Perfect for artists who want to loosen up, try something unexpected, or rediscover the joy of drawing without judgment.

Venue: Building Bok, Corinna Cowles and Natalie Conway/Room 404B
Address: 1901 S 9th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Tickets: Free with admission
Time: 12-1:30 PM

Bring your own sketchbook (or use museum-supplied materials) and draw alongside other visitors in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's galleries. Museum staff provide light guidance and encouragement — but the real teacher is the art itself. A meditative, low-pressure way to slow down, look closely, and practice observational drawing surrounded by centuries of masterworks

Venue: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Address: 1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA

Time: 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM

In our current exhibition, “Face to Face,” we explore the mosaicked portraits of Isaiah Zagar, founding artist of the Magic Gardens. Sometimes Isaiah painted an entire portrait on a single salvaged tile. In this exhibition, he often painted a single eye or mouth on a tile, then combined it with other pieces to create a portrait. Come draw on tiles and experiment in creating your own images to take home!

Venue: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens
Address: 1020 South St, Philadelphia, PA

Ongoing studio art classes at Cherry Street Pier with artist Amy Kelly. Classes cover a range of media and skill levels in an intimate waterfront studio setting. Whether you're a beginner looking for structured instruction or an experienced artist seeking studio time and community, Amy's classes offer a welcoming, hands-on creative space. Check the Cherry Street Pier website for current schedule and registration.

Venue: Cherry Street Pier Studio 8
Address: 121 N. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19106