The Ultimate Guide to Wawa Welcome America

What better place to spend Independence Day weekend than in Philadelphia? From June 29 to July 4, Wawa presents Wawa Welcome America. This 6-day festival features over 50 FREE events citywide! Don’t miss any excitement over the holiday weekend in the City of Brotherly Love. Use our festival guide to ring in America’s 238th birthday in its birthplace. We’ve broken down all the family friendly festivities, deals, and attractions! Get ready, you’ll want to screenshot this.

Music & Concerts

  • Nobody performs like Philadelphia’s iconic Mummers. The Summer Mummers Concert takes place on Thursday, June 29. Show off your best Mummer strut under the stars with unforgettable entertainment, food trucks, and beer garden.
  • In part of the FREE Neighborhood Concert Series, Wells Fargo presents the Philadelphia Orchestra Concert. Sit back and relax to orchestral show on the RiverStage at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing.
  • US Army Band “Pershing’s Own” performs old standards, new hits, and patriotic tunes on the Delaware River waterfront.
  • This year’s festivities are all about free concerts. The Philly POPS are back for another free concert at Independence Hall. The show will feature guest vocalists Tony DeSare and Hamilton star Mandy Gonzalez.

 

21+ Events

  • Enjoy citywide festive deals from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. during Stoli Red, White & Blue Happy Hours on Friday, June 30. Participating locations include The Deck at the Moshulu, Art Bar, XFINITY Live, City Tap House Logan Square, The Continental Midtown, Philadelphia Distilling, and more!
  • Wawa Welcome America hosts Red, White & Brew Fest at SugarHouse Casino. Enjoy great food, drinks, and entertainment by Mo Lowda and the Humble.
  • What’s Sunday in the city without brunch? Stoli Red, White, and Brunch is featuring the city’s favorite brunch spots! Grab a bite at Capriccio Cafe and Bar at Cret Park, Bank and Bourbon, Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti, and more delicious locations!

Fireworks

 

Free Museum Days

In celebration, there will be six days of free entry to a selection of the city’s most popular museums. Explore, adventure, and discover more of this historic city’s past.  

Thursday, June 29
Friday, June 30
Saturday, July 1
Sunday, July 2
Monday, July 3
Tuesday, July 4

Family Friendly

  • On June 29, kick off the week’s festivities on the National Constitution Center lawn with the 25th annual  Wawa Hoagie Day. Be a part of the six-ton hoagie salute to our troops while enjoying free Wawa hoagies. There will be live performances, a hoagie building competition between police officers and firefighters, and much more.
  • Every night from June 29 – July 3, bring the whole crew to Philly @ the Movies, presented by St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. There will be free outdoor movies screenings at some of Philly favorite parks. Movies include Despicable Me 2, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and SING, and more.
  • Take advantage of all the culture that Philadelphia has to offer on July 1 with Wells Fargo Citywide Community Day. Community Day events span around 10 public parks, hosting free and family friendly activities.
  • Philadelphia’s Historic District Block Party returns on June 3 for its third year. The party includes three performance stages, activities, crafts, and food.

 

Arts

  • Sand Sculpture Spectacular at Shops at Liberty Place will last throughout all six days. Life-size sand sculptures will transform the venue’s rotunda into a summer celebration in the heart of the city.
  • Interact with art at Franklin Square by getting a sneak peak of the Monument Lab. Coming to Philadelphia this fall, this is a part of the public art and history project from Mural Arts Philadelphia.

 

The Final Day

As the festival comes to an end, the events are heating up. July 4 is jam packed with can’t-miss entertainment.

  • Join Mayor Jim Kenney and City Representative Sheila Hess for the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony at Independence Hall. Hometown hero, Ralph Galati, and Boyz II Men will be presented with honors.
  • Wake up early to claim your spot on Market Street for the The United States of America’s Independence Parade. The parade begins at Independence Mall at 11 a.m.
  • Starting at 1 p.m., Betsy Ross will be host America’s 6th Annual Birthday Party at the Independence Visitor’s Center. Join the crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” and enjoy free Termini Bros.
  • Entertainment on Independence Mall includes free access to historic locations such as the Liberty Bell Center, Congress Hall, Franklin Court, and much more!
  • It’s a guaranteed good time when the party takes over the Ben Franklin Parkway. Party on the Parkway stretches five city blocks featuring day-long entertainment, food, and interactive fun for all ages.
  • Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert is the moment we’re all waiting for! The grand finale on the Parkway is starring the Queen of Hip Hop, Mary J Blige. Boyz II Men, Philly POPS BIG band, and many more join the lineup. Performances end with the final fireworks display. Tune into NBC10 and Telemundo62 at 7:00 p.m. to watch from home.

This year, enjoy the most memorable weekend of the summer in Philly. Be on the lookout for dozens of free performances in public spaces, pop-up events, and unpredictable fun. To find a full list of events and more information, visit the Wawa Welcome America Philadelphia brochure and Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

 

What event(s) are you more excited for? Use the hashtags #WelcomeAmerica and #July4thPhilly to join the conversation!