Philadelphia is currently in a “modified green phase” of coronavirus quarantine, which means you have your choice of even more virtual and in-person things to do in the city.
A requirement to keep crowds to less than 250 people means we won’t be seeing the massive block parties that have come to define summers in Philadelphia. But socially distanced outdoor gatherings, like Parks on Tap, have you covered if you’re itching to mingle—from six feet—in the open air.
Still leery about getting around other people? You can still be entertained with all kinds of virtual events, including concerts, town halls, theater and Wawa Welcome America’s week-long slew of Fourth of July offerings.
Or check out some of these great streaming movies, podcasts, books and board games recommended by Philadelphians.
We’ll keep updating this list until we’re in the clear, so stop by regularly for more ideas about things to do in Philadelphia while we wait out the coronavirus.
Things to do in Philly during quarantine
In-Person Events
- 13th Street entrepreneurs chef Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran are transforming their Spanish eatery Jamonera into summertime pop-up Salty’s Seafood and Ice Cream Shack. An to similar grub huts you’d find down the shore, Salty’s, located at 105 S. 13th Street, opens Thursday, July 2 with a menu of lobster rolls, steamers, hoagies and ice cream. Plenty of outdoor seating is up for grabs. 🍦
- A socially distanced version of pop-up beer garden Parks on Tap is open at the 70,000-square-foot Fairmount Park Horticulture Center all summer. Folks can swing by for beers, wine and barbecue-style grub from Monday to Friday from 4 to 10pm, and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 10pm. Go here for more details, including info on how to sign in before your visit.
- Five blocks of East Passyunk Avenue are shutting down during select hours from July 10 to 12 so more than 30 restaurants along the thoroughfare can pull tables into the streets for outdoor dining. Spots like Noord, Laurel, Bing Bing Dim Sum and lots more are taking part in the South Philly outdoor dining festival, called “Open on the Ave.” Better make reservations now. Outdoor seating will be available Friday, July 10, from 5 to 10pm; Saturday, July 11, from 8am to 10pm; and Sunday, July 12, from 8am to 5pm.
- Maybe it’s time for you to finally buy, rent (or fix!) a bike and explore the city on two wheels. But first, check out our guide to biking in Philadelphia—catered especially to newbies.
Virtual Events
- Adjusting to pandemic times, the Wilma Theater filmed its latest production, CODE BLUE, on an iPhone—and it’s available to stream for free beginning Friday, June 26. The show, directed by Blanka Zizka, follows two men caught up in a world grappling with two viruses: Covid-19 and racism.
- Theatre Exile is Zoom-screening a virtual reading of Homeridae, a new play by Alexandra Espinoza that tackles race through a student-professor discussion about Homer’s The Odyssey. Proceeds from the pay-what-you-wish performance benefit the Black & Brown Workers Cooperative Philadelphia.
Fourth of July Week Events
Looking for ways to celebrate the Fourth of July during the pandemic? Wawa Welcome America is hosting 50-plus events from June 28 to July 4—including virtual fireworks and concerts and Wawa Hoagie Day. Check here for the full schedule, some highlights include:
- The PECO Go 4th and Learn event, happening on July 4 from 10am to noon, gives you a chance to learn a little about Philly’s rich independence history. Join a tour of Independence Hall with a National Park Service expert, visit the room where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution were signed, or get an inside look into the Declaration House, where Thomas Jefferson resided when drafting the iconic document.
- Wawa Welcome America hosts its annual concert virtually this year so you can jam along from the comfort of your home. Happening July 4 at 8pm on NBC10, The event is streamed live from The Met Philadelphia and includes headliners like Tony-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning singer and actress Cynthia Erivo and singer-songwriter Jason Derulo.
- If you’re looking for real-life fireworks, you may have to settle for the ones booming over South Philly. Otherwise, stay tuned into NBC10 after the above concert for a virtual presentation of last year’s fireworks show over the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It will also be streaming on Telemundo62, CoziTV, and TeleXitos and online.
Additional reporting provided by Sophie Borgenicht, Nina Dilworth, Elena Musher Eisenstadt and Isabel Mehta.
