🏳️‍🌈 Happy Pride, Philly! Here’s what this weekend has to offer | Things to do

I hope you’re ready: Philly’s Pride Weekend will be in full swing this weekend.

The celebration kicks off with the unfurling of a 1,000-foot-long Pride flag Friday afternoon. The flag-raising will spark a string of events filled with food, music, dance, and the honoring of queer history.

Read more World Cup nations playing in Philly will receive soccer balls signed by the city’s biggest sports stars

The weekend is all about Pride-themed events, arts showcases, regional parades, and late-night soirees and parties.

There will be an action-packed weekend at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Plus, a series of block parties and festivals for local foodies is on the books.

Read below to fill out your weekend itinerary.

— Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at [email protected])

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

The Philly Pride 365 March and Festival officially takes place Sunday, but the celebration begins with the unfurling of a 1,000-foot-long flag at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday.

On Friday night, the Pride Promenade and L.U.V Awards will take center stage at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The celebration continues on Sunday with the Philly Pride March and Festival, which is expected to bring more than 147,000 people to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

For more information on scheduling, parking, and street closures, read my story here.

🌈 Pride doesn’t stop within city lines: Pride fest isn’t just happening in the heart of the city. The Delco Pride Parade and Pride on State Street will be one of many regional celebrations taking place this weekend. The event will be a car-free procession, filled with banners, costumes, music, and protest signs all throughout Media.

🎭 Philly Sketchfest is back: If you’re looking for a night of puns, punch lines, and skits, then you’re in luck. This weekend has two hours of laughs lined up. The Philly Sketchfest 2026, now in its 11th year, will bring over the top sketch comedy to PhilaMOCA on Thursday night.

🫂 A centuries-old party: The annual celebration, Elfreth’s Alley Day, encourages residents who live along this historic stretch to open their doors to wandering eyes, and it’s happening again this Saturday. Step into these centuries-old streets and courtyards for a proper neighborhood fête.

🍲 A festival for the ‘foodees’: For three days, Foodees Fest will transform the Philadelphia Premium Outlets into a buffet of beloved local and regional bites. There will be an estimated 40 food trucks and family friendly activities once the nationwide tour sets up shop in Pottstown from Friday to Sunday.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Old City East Block Party, Hoppers at Sunset Social, Founding Footsteps BYOB Trolley Tour, and Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll.

After the success of last year’s sold-out Inquirer Food Fest, the celebration of the city’s dynamic culinary scene returns to Fishtown for a second year.

The one-day festival will once again bring the most acclaimed local and regional bites, chefs, food personalities, and restaurateurs to The Fillmore Philadelphia on Nov. 14.

Participating restaurants include Doro Bet, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Amá, El Chingón, Fiore, Out West, Paffuto, and dozens of others.

Read more A 16-year-old killed another teen in a street fight in Norristown, police say

Additional details and early bird tickets are currently available at foodfest.inquirer.com.

🍸 Take a Sip: In case you’re living under a rock, let me tell you that Center City District Sips is back. The seasonal program, now in its 22nd season, returns with 60-plus bars, restaurants, and beer gardens offering substantial discounts every Wednesday night. It lasts through Aug. 26.

🏮Franklin Square will glow: The historic Franklin Square will illuminate with all new lanterns in Old City for the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, which kicks off this Friday and lasts through the summer.

🇺🇸 Flag Fest at the Betsy Ross House: The nation’s most famed seamstress is being honored at the home that bears her name for the expanded, nine-day Flag Fest.

🍹 Cocktails & Congress: Go back to 1774 when the First Continental Congress gathered at Carpenters’ Hall for a taste of revolutionary history and a savory cocktail in-hand.

Here’s a short list of the top concerts happening in the Philly-area this weekend.

🎤 Thursday: Fresh off his first album in eight years, A$AP Rocky returns to the touring circuit with his “Don’t Be Dumb” world tour. He stops in South Philly for a one-night show at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

🎤 Friday: R&B star Summer Walker, whose latest album Finally Over it arrived last fall, takes over Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday night. She will be joined by rapper Monaleo and the Over It Karaoke Club.

🎸 Saturday: Germany-born and New York-based pop singer-songwriter Jann Klose will grace the performance stage at Sellersville Theater, alongside guitarist Craig Thatcher on Saturday.

🎤 Sunday: Pop Star Khalid and his “It’s Always Summer Somewhere Tour” springs to the stage at Highmark Mann on Sunday. It kicks off the Fairmount Park outdoor amphitheater’s 2026 season.

There’s a lot happening this weekend. Not only with local and regional Pride festivals, but with the outdoor music season in full swing, and the summer-long activities now popping up, there’s a lot do.

But whichever activity, festival or celebration you choose this weekend, lead with love, happiness, and care, and I’ll see you back for next week’s newsletter.

Read more Philly City Council reluctantly agrees to borrow $200 million to buy the police headquarters building

— Earl Hopkins