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It may be the shortest month of the year, but there’s still a ton jam-packed into February in Philadelphia. (There’s even an extra day of fun thanks to Leap Day.)
Planning to stay warm indoors? Find your passion for fashion during Philly Fashion Week, discover your inner foodie at Center City District Restaurant Week or start planning those spring projects at the Philly Home + Garden Show. Need a little family time? Grab the clan for a night of high-flying fun with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey at the Wells Fargo Center and the Harlem Globetrotters at The Liacouras Center.
The month also brings two big winter celebrations — and Philly has plenty on tap for both. Celebrate Lunar New Year at sites including Franklin Square, Dilworth Park and Main Line Art Center. And honor Black History Month with events at attractions like the Please Touch Museum and the Parkway Central Library.
And where better to celebrate the month of love than the City of Brotherly Love? Philly’s got some Valentine’s date-night ideas like a round at Franklin Square’s Philly Mini Golf with Love at Franklin Square or Boyz II Men’s annual Valentine’s Weekend show at The Met.
Read on for the top events, festivals and exhibitions in Greater Philadelphia in February 2024.
Through Sunday, February 11, 2024
Catch the first major showing of Korean contemporary art in the United States since 2009 before it comes to a close. The Shape of Time: Korean Art After 1989 exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art brings together several artists of Korean descent who were born between 1960 and 1986, a period of rapid change on the peninsula. Exploring effects of industrialization, differing societal norms and lingering political tensions, the works address Korea’s past, present and future, as well as the complex cultural experiences of the artists themselves.
Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Through Monday, February 19, 2024
Experience the waterfront winter wonderland while you can as the 30th annual Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest reaches its waning days at Penn’s Landing. Glide around the NHL-sized ice skating rink (book tickets in advance), snap a photo by the festive holiday tree, ride on the illuminated Ferris wheel, play games on the boardwalk, or relax and cozy up with pay-as-you-go seasonal treats and hot drinks next to a toasty fire pit, in quaint cabins or at the Rinkside Lounge (reservations required).
Where: Independence Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard
Through Saturday, February 23, 2024 (Saturdays only)
The art and history experience Legacy Reclaimed: A 7th Ward Tribute honors the lives — and lesser-known history — of 19th-century Black residents of Philadelphia’s old 7th Ward, an important part of the Underground Railroad and Great Migration, and former home to 15,000 Black residents including Octavius V. Catto and W. E. B. Du Bois. As part of the event, a 90-minute guided 7th Ward Tribute Walking Tour takes you to nearly a dozen sites, including new art installations and several homes and businesses. Tours leave from Mother Bethel AME Church Fellowship Hall at 11 a.m. Can’t make the guided tour? Grab a self-guided map.
Where: Mother Bethel AME Church, 419 S. 6th Street
Through Sunday, February 25, 2024 (Thursdays – Sundays)
Wintry fun continues at Franklin Square with the remaining weeks of seasonal outdoor programming. It’s your last chance to:
Tickets are required for mini-golf and street curling. Bonus: Mini-golf is also open for Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, February 14.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street
Through Sunday, February 25, 2024 (dates vary by attraction)
There’s still some time left to experience Winter at Dilworth Park as the public plaza just outside City Hall wraps up its popular annual winter wonderland this month. Lace up your skates (BYO or rentals available) for an up-to-90-minute skating session at the Rothman Orthopaedics Ice Rink (best to make reservations in advance) or warm up with comfort food, quick bites, beer and cocktails in the ski chalet-style Rothman Orthopaedics Cabin. To take you right up to spring, the gorgeous topiaries and plant beds on display in The Wintergarden at Greenfield Lawn will remain open through March 17, 2024.
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th Street
Delicious deals are on the menu for a few more days at more than 90 restaurants in the heart of Philadelphia — from a.kitchen to Village Whiskey — during the can’t-miss winter Center City District Restaurant Week. Enjoy a fixed dinner menu for just $45 a pop (or a $60 premium option at select locations) or grab a two-course lunch (also at select locations) for just $20, along with a selection of inventive cocktail pairings (sold separately). Not sure where to start? Check out our guide to dining around the world during Restaurant Week.
Where: Various restaurants including Forsythia, 233 Chestnut Street
Through Sunday, March 3, 2024
“Is the sun rising or setting on the experiment of American democracy?” Nearly two-dozen artists interpret that question into new artworks in the collaborative exhibition Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America on display at The African American Museum in Philadelphia. Featuring paintings, sculptures, photography, video installations and more, this landmark exhibit explores racial equality, free speech and the modern American experience.
Where: The African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street
Part of its 200th anniversary celebration in 2024, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania presents Public Art in Philadelphia: A Legacy Shaped by Women, an exhibition highlighting both historic accomplishments and more recent contributions of women who have worked in Philadelphia in the public art field as artists, benefactors and leaders. The new exhibit, offered in partnership with the Association for Public Art, provides insight into the long-lasting impact of women’s contributions to the ongoing public art landscape locally here in the city and across the nation.
Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street
Through Sunday, March 24, 2024
The horticultural minds at Longwood Gardens prove winter is more than stark, bare trees with their annual Winter Wonder exhibit. Located in the Conservatory, Streptocarpus, Saintpaulia and Clerodendrum schmidtii fill up the space in purple and white while hundreds of orchids bloom magnificently. Outdoors, the gardens’ 400 acres pop with yellow and orange witch hazel, while winter grasses provide texture to the landscape.
Where: Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square
This exhibition at The Fabric Workshop & Museum in Market East sheds light on an organization critical to the women’s rights movement yet unknown to most. Jessica Campbell: Heterodoxy is an exhibition, lecture and discussion series exploring the complex personal, political and professional relationships facilitated by 20th-century secret feminist debate society Heterodoxy. The exhibit is housed in a recreation of Polly’s Restaurant in Greenwich Village — the space where the group debated still-relevant issues including voting rights, sex education, and universal child care — outfitted in an immersive tufted rug environment.
Where: The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street
Through Monday, April 8, 2024
The ongoing juried multimedia exhibition Amplified: Art, Music, Power at the National Liberty Museum features diverse artists from across the country who were invited to reflect on music and performance as a positive force for liberty and equality, and how music exists as a form of expression, as an experience and as a soundtrack to our memories. Don’t miss the special Black History Month event 50 Years of Hip Hop: Art, Music, Power on Saturday, February 17, 2024, a journey through 50 years of hip-hop with art making, musical tributes and pop-up talks.
Where: National Liberty Museum, 321 Chestnut Street
Begins Thursday, February 1, 2024
Want to borrow a banned book by a Black author? Visit Philadelphia’s Little Free(dom) Library initiative encourages visitors and locals to explore Black history and engage with Black narratives during Black History Month and beyond. At 13 Little Free(dom) Library sites across the city, visitors and residents can borrow copies of fiction and non-fiction texts chronicling Black stories and the lived Black experience. Included in the first dozen launch titles: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi, and more.
Where: Various locations including the Independence Visitor Center, 599 Market Street
Six friendly giants make a special appearance this season at the Philadelphia Zoo. Made out of repurposed wood, each massive troll towers up to 15 feet tall and shares a different story. Created by world-renowned recycle artist Thomas Dambo, the family-friendly display serves as an inspiring reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle. The exhibition is included with general admission to the Philadelphia Zoo.
Where: Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 W. Girard Avenue
Dates vary by event
Celebrate Black history, Black icons and Black culture during Black History Month at attractions and museums across Philadelphia, including:
Where: Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic
VIEW OTHER LOCATIONS (3)
Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street
Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street
Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street
Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year) flips the calendar on Saturday, February 10, 2024, and Philly is primed for fireworks, celebrations and plenty of food centered in Chinatown and extending throughout the region:
Where: Main Line Art Center, 746 Panmure Road, Haverford
Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street
Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th Street
Crane Community Center, 1001 Vine Street
What happened when Betsy Ross was forced to choose between faith and family and her true love? Hear the romantic true tale (while sipping on some liquid entertainment) with Tipsy History: A Love Story at the Betsy Ross House. Costumed reenactors share the heartbreaking details of young Betsy’s illicit elopement with her future husband John while facing condemnation from the Quaker community, as guests enjoy a complimentary handcrafted “love potion” cocktail. The event, part of the site’s 250th anniversary, concludes with a special love-themed tour of her home. Advance tickets required.
Where: Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street
The Greatest Show On Earth returns to the City of Brotherly Love as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey traveling circus event hits Wells Fargo Center for five shows over Presidents Day weekend. The reimagined spectacular for ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages thrills fans with an immersive show featuring never-before-seen superhuman feats on the highwire, trapeze, bicycle and more in a 360-degre environment filled with new technology that creates real connections between guests and performers from around the world. (Note that the event no longer features live animals or clowns.)
Where: Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad Street
While traveling the United States in 2003, Venezuelan-born artist Henry Bermudez learned the government in his home country determined that his work threatened its authoritarian cultural objectives. That led Bermudez to seek political asylum in Philadelphia, where he continued to experiment with the mythological subjects and visual strategies of Venezuela tied to the rupture of displacement and culture of Philadelphia. Now, the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill presents Henry Bermudez in Philadelphia, the most extensive exhibition of Bermudez’s art, including approximately 70 works chronicling his experiences since immigrating to Philadelphia.
Where: Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University presents a new immersive exhibit spotlighting the world of rainforests and the flora and fauna that inhabit the most diverse ecosystem on the planet. The Under the Canopy exhibition, for students of all ages and presented in both English and Spanish, features plants and rainforest ecology including an encounter a live sloth, boa constrictor and other animals that call these habitats home, plus life-size climbable animal sculptures (including a gorilla, tortoise, crocodile, red-eye tree frog and Banyan tree), interactive discovery stations, dynamic displays and engaging programming.
Where: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Everything’s clicking into place. Returning to The Franklin Institute for the first time since 2015, The Art of the Brick displays more than 100 works all made completely of LEGO — from recreations of masterworks like Van Gogh’s Starry Night and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa to original works of LEGO sculpture, including a 20-foot-long T. rex dinosaur skeleton and many pieces that are just plain fun. Every sculpture in the hugely impressive display is the handiwork of contemporary artist Nathan Sawaya, the first artist ever to create an exhibition solely of LEGO art.
Where: The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street
In the fascinating new Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent exhibition, visitors discover rare documents, inspired works of art and historical objects that paint a fuller picture of the shelter used as George Washington’s headquarters throughout the War for Independence. The tent — the Museum of the American Revolution’s signature artifact — served as the battlefield home, strategic meeting place and office quarters for General Washington, and the exhibition tells the stories of the many individuals who worked to preserve and pass down this vital symbol of the American republic.
Where: Museum of the American Revolution, 101 S. 3rd Street
Join over 10,000 fellow fashion lovers for the annual winter version of Philly Fashion Week, now in its 17th year, dedicated to promoting fashion, lifestyle and innovation in Philadelphia. The city’s official fashion week features over 70 local and international designers participating in runway shows, pop-up shops, a streetwear show, a student designer show, business workshops and more. The week kicks off on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, with an Industry Night at Fashion District Philadelphia in Center City, with runway events and shows held at Live! Casino & Hotel and 2300 Arena in South Philly.
Where: Fashion District Philadelphia, 901 Market Street
VIEW OTHER LOCATIONS (2)
Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, 900 Packer Avenue
2300 Arena, 2300 S. Swanson Street
The annual Philly Home + Garden Show draws 300-plus exhibitors, speakers and home-design experts out to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in suburban Montgomery County for three days of activities, events, displays, showcases and swag. Specialists in gardening, landscaping, interior design, architecture, construction and more set up shop on the 7,500-square-feet expo floor to answer questions and offer inspiration. New additions for 2024 include the Whiskey Backyard, featuring drink samples, games and barbecue (and barbecue accessories), as well as a range of Make It, Take It workshops. Tickets are required.
Where: The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Avenue, Oaks
Famed watercolor and tempera painter Andrew Wyeth was born 100 years to the day after nature writer Henry David Thoreau, a bond Wyeth carried with him throughout his life. Named for a quote in Thoreau’s Walden, Every Leaf & Twig: Andrew Wyeth’s Botanical Imagination tells the story of Wyeth’s focus on the fragile rhythms of intimate plant life through 40 watercolors on display at the Brandywine Museum of Art, most never exhibited before. The works depict visionary and poetic responses rather than scientific illustrations, featuring the Brandywine Valley ecosystem that defined his life.
Where: Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Road, Chadds Ford
Breakout The Daily Show correspondent, actor (Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, M3GAN) and Malaysian stand-up Ronny Chieng brings his sharp wit to the stage at The Met Philadelphia, giving comedic takes on current events, pop culture and his upbringing in Singapore, Australia and the U.S.
Where: The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad Street
Japanese-American indie singer-songwriter Mitski showcases her uplifting, cathartic and compassionate ambient ballads — influenced by her early life growing up in 13 different countries — during a two-night stint at The Met Philadelphia, exploring themes of family, loneliness, and love through down-to-earth poetic lyrics and unorthodox song structure.
February 6-18, 2024 (select dates)
An award-winning stage adaptation of the classic Robin Williams film hitting the stage at Ensemble Arts’ Academy of Music, Mrs. Doubtfire follows a divorced father going to great lengths to see his children by transforming himself into a silly but stern Scottish nanny, learning hard truths about what it means to be a family — while generating plenty of laughs — along the way.
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad Street
As head writer of Saturday Night Live and co-anchor of the sketch show’s Weekend Update, Colin Jost has racked up five Writers Guild Awards, two Peabodys and 12 Emmy nominations. Also the screenwriter of Staten Island Summer and author of the memoir A Very Punchable Face, the comedian brings his take on the news and American culture to the Xcite Center at Parx Casino and Racing for a night of stand-up.
Where: Parx Casino and Racing, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem
It’s Motownphilly back again as Philadelphia’s favorite R&B sons Boyz II Men roll back through doin’ a little East Coast swing. The soul-pop trio, who all met at Philadelphia High School for the Performing Arts, continue their tradition of headlining The Met Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day weekend in a big hometown show performing romantic and heartbreaking classics like End of the Road, I’ll Make Love To You and One Sweet Day.
Legends come together on stage at the Kimmel Center as iconic 91-year-old, 25-time Grammy-winning film composer John Williams joins The Philadelphia Orchestra to perform soundtrack songs from movies you grew up with like Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Star Wars (plus his stirring Olympic Fan Fare and Theme). Williams will also conduct a performance of Yo-Yo Ma’s Cello Concerto featuring the 19-time Grammy-winning cellist.
Where: Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad Street
Finally taking the stage after a couple of postponements, legendary Italian high tenor Andrea Bocelli pulls a blend of operatic and popular music from his extensive repertoire — 17 solo albums and five collaborative albums — for a setlist of classic tunes and opera standards. But the real star? That voice. (Rescheduled from December 7, 2023.)
Alt-country stars Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s brand of Muscle Shoals Americana — combining elements of R&B, country, gospel, southern rock, punk rock, blues and folk — took the singer-songwriter and his band to great heights, topped by five Grammy wins and 11 nominations. Expect a tightly musical and beautifully intimate performance as the former Drive By Truckers member hits town to play The Met Philadelphia.
Through the lens of modern American dance and the African American cultural experience, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s revolutionary show celebrates artistry and the human spirit. This multi-part program includes Revelations, a renowned performance honoring Black cultural heritage and set to spirituals, song sermons, gospel and holy blues — plus signature classics and new works from esteemed choreographers.
No worries for the rest of your days when you take your seats at the Kimmel Center for a 30th-anniversary presentation of the classic film Disney’s The Lion King in Concert with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Expect the soundtrack’s most unforgettable songs from Elton John and Tim Rice — like Hakuna Matata, Can You Feel the Love Tonight and Circle of Life — along with Hans Zimmer’s iconic score, conducted by Damon Gupton and enjoyed while the movie plays on the big screen.
Where: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 300 S. Broad Street
In depression-era Minnesota, a group of wayward travelers’ lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life and hope that lays the groundwork for the setting of the Tony- and Olivier Award-winning musical Girl From the North Country. Conor McPherson’s fresh-from-Broadway jukebox musical features 20 songs from Bob Dylan,— including classic tunes like Like A Rolling Stone, All Along The Watchtower and Slow Train Coming.
Where: Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut Street
A beloved early Romantic ballet, this production of Angel Corella’s Giselle from the Philadelphia Ballet tells the ghostly tale of a young peasant who falls in love with a disguised nobleman — then haunts him in the afterlife. Experience this story of love, heartbreak and forgiveness from the Rhineland, featuring choreography from artistic director Angel Corell, at the Academy of Music at Ensemble Arts Philly beginning on Leap Day.
Dates vary by game
It’s a big month at the Wells Fargo Center for the 76ers with eight important home games, including key divisional matchups with the Brooklyn Nets (Saturday, February 3, 2024) and the New York Knicks (Thursday, February 22, 2024) and playoff position tilts the Miami Heat (Wednesday, February 14, 2024) and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks (Sunday, February 25, 2024), both fellow contenders for the Eastern Conference Championship. Plus two of the NBA’s biggest stars come to town as the Sixers battle Luka Doncic and his Dallas Mavericks on Monday, February 5, 2024 and Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
Don’t miss Flyers hockey in February at the Wells Fargo Center as the orange and black start the second half of the season with five home games leading out of the NHL All-Star break. The month kicks off with three West Coast teams coming east, including meetings with the Stanley Cup-contending Winnipeg Jets (Thursday, February 8, 2024), Seattle Kraken (Saturday, February 10, 2024) and Arizona Coyotes (Monday, February 12, 2024), followed by important divisional matchups with the rival New York Rangers (Saturday, February 24, 2024) and the always-tough Tampa Bay Lightning (Tuesday, February 27, 2024).
For nearly 100 years, the Harlem Globetrotters have entertained generations of fans and families across the world (hence, the name) with mind-blowing trick shots, expert ball-handling skills and a lot of laughs. The ambassadors of goodwill and comic kings and queens of hoops tip off against the eternal underdog Washington Generals on Leap Day night at The Liacouras Center. The event is filled with pre- and post-game fan engagement and — if you’re lucky — during-game engagement. (Just watch out for those buckets of water!)
Where: The Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad Street
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?