Labor Day Weekend 2025 in Philadelphia: The Biggest Sporting Events, Music Festivals & End-of-Summer Exhibitions

PHILADELPHIA, August 22, 2025 – Summer is winding down, and Philadelphia is giving the season a well-deserved send-off this Labor Day weekend. 

From can’t-miss concerts and historic experiences to award-winning dining and family-friendly fun, the city offers countless ways to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.

Music fans can head to the Mann Center for the Performing Arts for Patty’s Party in the Park, the annual concert from Philly radio legend Patty Jackson featuring a soulful lineup of acts.

History buffs can dive into the nation’s past at iconic sites like Independence National Historical Park and the Betsy Ross House as these places continue their fun and educational programming through the weekend.

Food lovers can savor the season by dining at Philly’s James Beard Award-winning restaurants, snacking on regional staples or soaking in the final rays of sunshine at one of the city’s rooftop bars.

Sports fans can catch the excitement of Bedlam at the Bank (now trademarked) in person as the Philadelphia Phillies take on the Atlanta Braves in a National League East rivalry at Citizens Bank Park. And for a dazzling finale, visitors can watch fireworks at Shady Brook Farm’s Summer unWINEd Concert Series, or take advantage of the last few days of the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square.

Below is a roundup of some of the best ways to spend Labor Day Weekend 2025 in Philadelphia.

Last Chance

The clock is ticking on these events in Greater Philadelphia

Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival at Franklin Square
200 N. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, August 31, 2025

Historic Franklin Square’s glowing celebration of light and culture, the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival wraps up its 2025 run this Labor Day weekend. Celebrate the Year of the Snake among dozens of massive, intricate and handcrafted lanterns and installations constructed by Chinese artisans.

Along with the fantastical light display, enjoy live cultural performances, folk art, dumpling-making, fountain shows, festival-themed crafts and lots of international food and drink, including brews at the popular Dragon Beer Garden. Advanced tickets (timed Fridays through Sundays) are required. 

From Paris to Provence at the Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, August 31, 2025

All eyes turn from France to the French-inspired Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the new From Paris to Provence exhibition, highlighting the Barnes Foundation’s own collection. This self-study of over 50 works examines how France itself informed the native Impressionist and post-Impressionist painters who have a significant presence within the existing gallery. 

See how late 19th- and early 20th-century masters like Monet, Renoir, Manet, Van Gogh and Cézanne were influenced by La République, from the streets of Paris to the coasts of Normandy.

Safari in the Sand at Peddler’s Village
100 Peddlers Village, Lahaska, PA
Through Sunday, August 31, 2025

Labor Day weekend is your last chance to catch Safari in Sand, the 2025 edition of this annual free display bringing larger-than-life sand sculptures to Peddler’s Village.

World-renowned artists have been hard at work, crafting several supersized and intricate sculptures made entirely of sand. Located throughout the village, the colossal creations are free to view and portray animals and scenes from the Serengeti.

The Ecology of Fashion at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Sunday, August 31, 2025

The Academy of Natural Sciences’ latest exhibition threads the needle between science and fashion, exploring the history of the clothing industry and its often devastating environmental impacts. Pulling from Drexel University’s impressive Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, The Ecology of Fashion finds pieces by household brands, big-name fashion houses and modern-day changemakers. 

These pieces are displayed alongside specimens from the museum’s collections, underscoring fashion’s relationship to nature and how we can better care for the natural world without losing our eye for style.

Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest
101 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

When warm weather hits, the focus along the Delaware River Waterfront is Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest. The open-air festival’s centerpiece is the NHL-sized rollerskating rink surrounded by a double-decker carousel, a 60-foot-tall Ferris wheel, mini-golf and a moon bounce.

Visitors and residents can hang out and indulge in plenty of food and drink while enjoying soaring views of the Delaware River and the Ben Franklin Bridge. Admission is free; everything else is pay-as-you-go.

In Plain Sight at Cherry Street Pier
121 N. Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

First debuted during Pride Month, In Plain Sight is a bold new installation honoring transgender, queer, intersex and asexual members of the community. Created in collaboration with local artists, the sculpture incorporates colors from various LGBTQ+ pride flags.

The show-stopping piece sends a loud, clear and proud message that all LGBTQ+ visitors are wanted and welcomed warmly in the birthplace of liberty. The statue wraps up its Cherry Street Pier residency on Labor Day, but stay tuned for more information about In Plain Sight’s next home.

Body Worlds: Vital at The Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

The latest iteration of the famous three-decade-old traveling exhibition Body Worlds: Vital closes out its run at The Franklin Institute this Labor Day weekend.

A joint work of anatomists and 13,000 body donors, this eye-opening exhibit is an exposition of dissected human bodies, animals and other anatomical figures. It allows visitors to view complex body functions in an unprecedented way through the innovative preservation process of plastination.

Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

On display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through Labor Day, Boom: Art and Design in the 1940s showcases the monumental changes in design aesthetics that came during and after World War II. The exhibit highlights a shift toward creativity and a departure from norms across media, including fashion, textiles, photography, sculpture and more.

Works from the museum’s permanent collections explore how artists brought new ideas to their work and began to express a creative spirit that flourished despite the restrictions and adversity of the era.

Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches in Old City
Various locations, including 520 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

At the Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches, award-winning storytellers share fun and interactive tales that reveal secrets about Philadelphia’s and our nation’s history.

Uniformed storytellers share their three- to five-minute stories at special benches near several historic Old City sites, including Independence Hall, the Independence Visitor Center and the Betsy Ross House.

Meet the History Makers at the Independence Visitor Center
599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

Stop by the Independence Visitor Center to hear first-hand accounts of history from costumed interpreters embodying some of Philly’s most famous figures, such as Ben Franklin.

Betsy Ross House Flag Raising
239 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

Betsy Ross skips the morning coffee, instead starting her days off with a quiet act of rebellion by secretly hoisting her colonial star-spangled banner high above Old City. Find out why the act was so revolutionary, especially in 1776, at daily ceremonial flag raisings at her historic home.

Philly PHLASH
Various stops, including 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA
Through Monday, September 1, 2025

One of the most convenient and inexpensive ways to travel around town is aboard the colorful PHLASH Downtown Loop. Single rides on the purple buses are just $2 per person or $5 for an all-day pass, with free rides for children under 5, seniors and SEPTA Pass and Key card holders.

The PHLASH service loops from Penn’s Landing to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with over a dozen stops on the route which drops off near attractions like Independence National Historical Park, The Franklin Institute, LOVE Park and the Please Touch Museum.

Ongoing Seasonal Attractions

• Seasonal Bars & Restaurants: Popular outdoor venues remain open for the weekend, including Morgan’s Pier, Bok Bar, Liberty Beer Garden and the PHS Pop Up Gardens.
• Parks on Tap at Penn Treaty Park (August 27 – September 1): The traveling beer garden’s final stop of the summer.
• Spruce Street Harbor Park (through September 28): Hammocks, waterfront boardwalk and seasonal food and drink.
• Festival of Fountains at Longwood Gardens (through September 28): Daytime and illuminated fountain performances, with fireworks on August 31.
  
• Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park (through October 26, weekends): More than 70 vendors offering authentic food, crafts and produce.
• Meet the Women of the 18th Century at the Betsy Ross House (through October 25): Historical interpretation focused on women’s lives in colonial Philadelphia.

Major Events and Festivals

• Zoo After Hours at the Philadelphia Zoo (August 29): Evening programming with exhibits, music and family activities.
• Saturday Night unWINEd with Fireworks at Shady Brook Farm (August 30): Live music, food and fireworks at the season’s final Summer UnWINEd event.
• Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park (August 29–31): A four-game National League East series.
• Norf Philly Day x Carnival in the H.O.O.D. (August 30): A community celebration at Fotterall Square with music, food and family activities.
• Patty’s Party in the Park at The Dell Music Center (August 30): WDAS radio host Patty Jackson hosts her annual R&B concert featuring Jeffrey Osborne, After 7 and Heatwave.
• Labor Day Celebration at Sesame Place (August 30–31): Family programming, character meet-and-greets and fireworks.
• Fonthill Castle Meander Days (August 30–31): Guided explorations of the historic Doylestown castle.
• Dream Asia Food Fest at Greater Philadelphia Fairgrounds (August 30 – September 1): Over 90 vendors, cultural performances and workshops celebrating Asian cuisine and culture.
• 153rd Labor Day Volksfest at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein (August 30 – September 1): Authentic German food, music and folk traditions at Philadelphia’s oldest German festival.
• Labor Day Weekend at the Museum of the American Revolution (August 30 – September 1): Family-friendly programming including crafts, performances and free admission for kids 12 and under.
• Labor Day Weekend Parties (August 29 – September 1): Trap Karaoke at The Fillmore, Sweat at Cavanaugh’s River Deck, DJ Deejay’s 90s vs. 00s vs. 10s on the Moshulu and more.
• 59th Annual Polish American Family Festival in Doylestown (August 30 – September 1, September 6–7): Heritage celebration with food, music and entertainment.
• Cannonball Festival (September 1–28): Month-long experimental arts programming kicking off during Labor Day.

Outdoor Screenings and Tours

• Open-Air Movie Screenings: Films across the city including Inside Out 2, Moana 2 and Shark Tale.
• Rocky Philadelphia Bus Tours (through August 30): Guided tour of Rocky filming locations.
• Civil War Tour at Laurel Hill Cemetery (August 30): Ticketed walking tour exploring Civil War history.
• Twilight Tours by Independence Historical Trust (through September 1): Free guided tours in Philadelphia’s Historic District.
• Official Historic Philadelphia Walking Tour (through September 1): Costumed reenactor-led tours of Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and more.

For a full guide to Labor Day weekend events in Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com.

About Visit Philadelphia:

VISIT PHILADELPHIA® is our name and our mission. As the region’s official tourism marketing agency, we build Greater Philadelphia’s image, drive visitation and boost the economy. On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website, visitphilly.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages.

Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the site an effective trip-planning tool. Visitors can also find loads of inspiration on Visit Philly’s social media Channels.

Note to Editors: For high-resolution photos and high-definition B-roll of Greater Philadelphia, visit the Photos & Video section of visitphilly.com/mediacenter.

###