Historic Philadelphia, Inc. 2014 Summer Season Press Release

PRESS CONTACT:
Cari Feiler Bender, Relief Communications, LLC
(610) 416-1216, [email protected]
FAMILY FUN OPENS AT HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA, INC.
20th Anniversary Season Starts Where History Began
PHILADELPHIA, April 30, 2014 – Summer is just around the
corner, bringing Historic Philadelphia, Inc.’s 20th Anniversary
Season to life with fun activities for the whole family from
Memorial Day Weekend and through Labor Day, and beyond. It’s
all part of the immersive living history programs that Historic
Philadelphia, Inc. (HPI) produces each year. New highlights for
2014 include the Colonial for a Day costume rental program
for kids and a Colonial drinking tour with Benjamin Franklin.
Returning favorites include a daily flag-raising with Betsy Ross,
the award-winning Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches where guests hear our nation’s history right where
it happened, continuing one-of-a-kind walking tours, and showings of the Liberty 360 3D Show.
This spring, Historic Philadelphia, Inc. debuts a new program, Colonial for a Day, where children (ages 4-12,
sizes 5-14) can don Colonial-period attire and immerse themselves in their Historic Philadelphia visit. Rental
provides dresses and colorful sashes for girls, and shirts and haversacks for boys. Families can rent these
costumes at the Historic Philadelphia Center, 6th and Chestnut Streets, and receive a Colonial Map to help guide
them on their visit. Also new this summer, drink a toast with Dr. Benjamin Franklin as he joins part of the
Tippler’s Tour where guests can hear stories and talk with the Founding Father. Tippler’s Tour: Ben’s Kites &
Flights is the first of four seasonal Colonial drinking tours that run weekly from May through December.
“Historic Philadelphia, Inc. continues to expand its programs with the new costume rental program for children,
allowing them to step into the history pages with our one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Amy Needle, President
and CEO of Historic Philadelphia, Inc.
HPI is a non-profit organization overseeing four entities under one umbrella. Once Upon A Nation features
immersive walking tours, History Makers, and Storytelling Benches throughout the Historic District and at Valley
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Historic Philadelphia, Inc. 2014 Season * Page 2 of 3
Forge in partnership with the National Park Service. Franklin Square is a family-friendly play place with
Philadelphia-themed Mini Golf, the Parx Liberty Carousel, SquareBurger, and The Pavilion in Franklin Square,
hosting birthday parties and special events. The Liberty 360 3D Show, an inspiring journey led by Benjamin
Franklin, is a year-round indoor attraction shown in the PECO Theater. The Betsy Ross House takes visitors into
the life and stories of America’s most famous flagmaker, with interactive and changing exhibitions. In the 2013
season, HPI’s four attractions saw a total of over 1.4 million visitors.
HPI’s highly educational Full Day Field Trip Experience, now in its second season, once again sold out due to
popular demand and will reach an audience of more than 6,500 upper elementary students in 2013-2014 school
year. With generous support from the philanthropic community and corporate contributors through
Pennsylvania’s Education Improvement Tax Credit, HPI is especially proud to have provided educational history
programs for more than 2,700 students in underserved school communities at no cost to those students or their
schools. For information on school field trips or other education programming, call 215-629-5801 x240.
Below are some of the highlights of the 2014 summer season with Historic Philadelphia, Inc. For operating
schedule and pricing for all tours and attractions, download the Historic Philadelphia, Inc. 2014 Season Fact
Sheet from the online press room here (http://tinyurl.com/HPIpress).
May
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Thursday, May 15: An Evening in Franklin Square presented by Parx Casino – A magic night of fun,
dancing, and fundraising in Philadelphia’s prettiest setting (tickets required).
Thursday, May 22: Tippler’s Tour begins for the season – Past and present meet on Historic
Philadelphia, Inc.’s weekly authentic Colonial pub crawl, featuring four different seasonal offerings.
Visitors join a Colonial host to hear stories and drinking traditions with fun and lighthearted songs and
toasts of the era. With drinks and snacks at each of three modern day watering holes and one historic
tavern, the “tippler” guide shares some of Benjamin Franklin’s most fun phrases for someone who is
drunk, including “nimptopsical” and “tipsicum grave.” Hear tales about how taverns were used as
recruiting stations (getting people inebriated sometimes helped convince them) and how news of the day
was discussed in the taverns.
Friday, May 23: Independence After Hours Tour begins for the season – an evening walking tour
visiting some of the landmarks of Philadelphia’s Historic District and immersing the visitor with Colonial
characters who bring history to life right in the place where it happened, with dinner at City Tavern and a
visit inside Independence Hall at night.
Saturday, May 24: Opening Day of Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches – ten one-of-a-kind
award-winning Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches are scattered all over Philadelphia’s Historic
District, telling riveting stories of our nation’s history in the places where they actually happened.
June
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June 8-14: Betsy Ross House Flag Day Festival – Flag Festival 2014 kicks-off at the start of National
Flag Week on June 8 and continues through Stars & Stripes Saturday on June 14. Festivities begin with
Betsy raising the flag over the House, continues with a daylong scavenger hunt for kids, and concludes
with a flag retirement ceremony. Other highlights of the week include visits from Benjamin Franklin and
George Washington, crafts for kids, a flag retirement ceremony, and the chance for young visitors to drill
with the Continental Army. The celebration culminates on Flag Day, Saturday, June 14 with a day full of
family-friendly entertainment and activity in the House’s courtyard. The seventh annual Stars & Stripes
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Historic Philadelphia, Inc. 2014 Season * Page 3 of 3
Saturday is the highlight of the new Stripes & Stars Festival, a celebration of both Flag Day and the
birthday of the U.S. Army, which features events on Independence Mall, at the National Constitution
Center, and the Betsy Ross House.
July
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July 4th Weekend (July 3-5): Historic Philadelphia is the place to be to celebrate the Declaration of
Independence and all aspects of our country’s birth.
Thursday, July 31: Franklin Square’s 8th Birthday Party – wish the Square happy birthday with cake
and Ben Franklin himself.
September
• Monday, September 1, Labor Day: Last chance to see the Once Upon A Nation Storytelling Benches in
Historic Philadelphia, along with an assortment of free programs that end for the season such as the
Military Muster and Declaration Readings.
October
• Fall in Franklin Square – fall is always a special time in Franklin Square, with corn stalk and pumpkin
decorations and the popular Pumpkin Patch and Trick or Treat Trail events. Also Spooky Mini Golf is
more seasonal family fun in Franklin Square, Fridays and Saturdays from October 3 – 31.
November – December
• Thursday, November 13 – Wednesday, December 31: Franklin Square’s Electrical Spectacle – a
nightly, holiday light show, and other events which include Visits with Santa and conclude with the very
popular Kids’ New Year’s Eve Countdown (December 31) with a Square Drop and a view of the 6 pm
fireworks over the Delaware River.
Pick up a copy of the Historic Philadelphia Gazette to start the day for the latest listings of happenings. Copies
are available at the Historic Philadelphia Center or Independence Visitor Center.
Historic Philadelphia, Inc. is led by President and CEO Amy Needle and Board Chair William H. Haines, IV, in
partnership with the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Independence National Historical
Park, Visit Philadelphia™, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and Valley Forge National Historical Park. HPI is
funded by: The Lenfest Foundation and H.F. Lenfest, PECO, Parx Casino, William Penn Foundation, The ACE
Group, Lincoln Financial Group Foundation, ARAMARK, Board of Directors of City Trusts, William J. Avery,
Brett’s Pony, Cash Is King Racing Stable, Team Smarty and the Chapman Family, Kathy and Peter Linneman,
PNC Bank, Commonwealth Financing Authority: Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program, Wawa, The
McLean Contributionship, Google, Juhi and Neil Shah, The Coby Foundation, Ltd., Mathew Kraut, Connelly
Foundation, Teva Pharmaceuticals, The HBE Foundation, Wells Fargo, Blank Rome LLP, The Philadelphia
Activities Fund, City Tavern, Religious Society of Free Quakers, Jolley Bruce Christman, William H. Haines, IV,
Edward G. Rendell, Econsult Solutions, Inc., The Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, Valley Forge
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Friends of Valley Forge, and DNB First.
Historic Philadelphia, Inc.’s programs include the Betsy Ross House, Once Upon A Nation storytelling and
immersive walking tours, Franklin Square, and Liberty 360 3D Show in the PECO Theater. For all Historic
Philadelphia, Inc. event information, call 215-629-4026, 877-462-1776, or visit www.historicphiladelphia.org to
buy tickets online. Tickets available in person at the Historic Philadelphia Center, 6th & Chestnut Streets. Follow
HPI at twitter.com/HistoricPhilly and twitter.com/FranklinSqr, on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/HistoricPhila or
http://on.fb.me/FranklinSquare, or on Instagram instagram.com/historicphilly.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: High-resolution photographs are available for media usage at:
http://tinyurl.com/HPIphoto. Email [email protected] for login information.
(To view or download the entire Historic Philadelphia, Inc. electronic press kit, go to
http://tinyurl.com/HPIpress).