Summertime Serenity: The Hottest Happenings in Philadelphia

As the city springs back to life in a flurry of in-person activities, these happenings—from an immersive Van Gogh installation to the debut of a local canned cocktail line—highlight the best that Philadelphia has to offer.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH

EXPERIENCE
There are only two places in Philadelphia where you can see the works of Vincent Van Gogh: the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Now, make that three places. From Aug. 12 to Nov. 28, fans of the famed Dutch artist can experience his work in an entirely new way when Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience (vangoghexpo.com) arrives in the City of Brotherly Love. Th e traveling exhibition has drawn sold-out crowds from Tokyo to Toronto and, starting earlier this year, U.S. cities such as Chicago, Miami and New York. Thanks to 360-degree digital projections and virtual reality technology, the still-yet-to-be-announced outdoor location will be bathed in a selection of Van Gogh’s most famous works including “Starry Night,” “Sunflowers” and “The Bedroom.” If this is the future of art, we are here for it.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF TRICIA POMPILIO PHOTOGRAPHY

PLAY
While some families weathered the pandemic with board games and movie nights, Philly’s in-the-know parents have been keeping their broods busy with everything from mermaid facials and daddy-daughter braid classes to pinata-making workshops at Primp & Play (primpandplay.com). The name says it all: Equal parts spa and art studio for both adults and kids, Primp & Play’s new Center City address (the original Washington Square West location opened in 2015) boasts more square footage, expanded services, a new membership program and kid-friendly creative installations like sequin and chalkboard walls. Founder Tara Murphy, who partnered with friend and fellow mom Heather Sobol for this location, says that, in addition to making it a cool new event space, the goal was to create an inviting place for families. “There is so much stress and anxiety right now that neither kids or parents have experienced before. Primp & Play is a place where you can relax and have fun at the same time and really make a memory together.”

COURTESY OF ALCO

SIP
Summertime and the livin’ is easy—especially if you’re drinking canned cocktails. Besides being easy to take on the go, perfect for parties and ideal Instagram accessories, there are more premium brands to choose from than ever before. Philly’s own New Liberty Distillery (newlibertydistillery.com), best known for its namesake whiskey, is getting into the canned-cocktail game with American Liquor Company (ALCO). The collection of five mixed drinks includes go-to classics like vodka soda and gin and tonic along with seasonal faves such as margarita, orange crush and sparkling vodka lemonade. These 12-ounce libations pack an 8 % ABV, low calorie count and are made and canned right in Kensington.

BY BRIAN ZIFF

LISTEN
We’ll have to wait for 2022 to have the blockbuster summer concert season we deserve, but until then there’s plenty of major headliners to tide you over (livenation.com). Fittingly, it all kicks off on Independence Day when Bebe Rexha and Flo Rida, along with the Philly POPS, headline the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert (welcomeamerica.com). Brothers Osborne, Bright Eyes and Chicago are more of July’s top tickets, while August brings the biggest acts in country music—Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett—along with names like Wilco, 311, Alanis Morissette and Kings of Leon leading the rock lineup. For the ultimate tailgate experience, Jimmy Buffett and Dead & Company are also slated for August.