The Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia turned a century old this past weekend, and dozens of folks came out to celebrate by walking across it. In a rare occurrence, the bridge was closed to traffic. Photo by Tu Huynh.
Route 66 in the United States, the launching of the first liquid-fueled rocket, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia, the NBC broadcasting network, the beloved kids’ character Winnie the Pooh, comedian Mel Brooks, jazzers John Coltrane and Miles Davis, Queen Elizabeth II, and actor Marilyn Monroe. They all have one thing in common: They are (or would have been) 100 years old. Congrats to the centenarians. Quite a milestone. Here are some memory-creating events to look back on when you hit the century mark.
Ravi Coltrane
Ravi Coltrane Pays Tribute To His Dad
Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of jazz legend John Coltrane’s birth with someone whose music runs through his bloodlines. Check out Coltrane 100: Legacy featuring Ravi Coltrane, the Philly native’s son, performing with The Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of conductor Edwin Outwater. Ravi is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He has carved out his own successful 30-year career while carrying on the legacy of his father, who died in 1967. He manages important reissues of his father’s recordings and other Coltrane preservation projects. Pack a picnic and enjoy the concert.
$43 to $96 per ticket; 8 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST (doors open: 6 p.m. EST), TD Pavilion at Highmark Mann, 5201 Parkside Ave., https://highmarkmann.org/events/2026-07-22/coltrane-100
Suzanne’s All Spirit, Soul & Song
Thursday, July 16, 2026. Suzanne Burgess takes to the Center City District’s summer Arts on Center Stage with her stylish soul-stirring jazz, gospel and R&B vibes. In an impressive career, she has collaborated with the likes of Norman Connors, Jean Carne, Michael Henderson, Howard Hewett, Dexter Wansel, Maze, and Frank McComb. She has plied her trade in the church and the theater, making her emotive style unmistakable. The outdoor concert is hosted by the Jazz Bridge.
Free, 6 p.m. EST to 7 p.m. EST. City Hall/ Dilworth Park, Broad St. and John F. Kennedy Blvd. Jazzbridge.org or phillyjazzscene.com
Try Your Hand At Community Media Workshops
Saturday, July 18, 2026. Future podcasters and storytellers: Community Media Lab at Paschalville Library with PhillyCAM may be for you. Learn how to use media tools for storytelling, reporting, and creative expression. Take photos and make short videos. Create animation and visual stories. Record interviews and podcasts. Kids and adults of all ages can learn and show off their skills in photography, filming, stop-motion animation, audio recording, and more. Hosted by the Pashchalville Library, PhillyCAM will run these creative audio and video workshops as a hands-on grassroots media lab. The July and August sessions will focus on learning about the camera to develop visual storytelling and animation. One of the instructors is Anaiah Davis, a Caribbean-American filmmaker and musician who has examined diversity in telling community stories and the impact of mental health issues in her career. No media experience or equipment is needed. Sign up for just one or a monthly workshop. Pre-registration is optional but encouraged.
Free, 11 a.m. EST. Paschalville Library, 6942 Woodland Ave. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/blog/post/5582 or www.phillycam.org
Shopworks Coordinator Olivia Dwyer weaves her magic at The Fabric Workshop. Photo courtesy of The Fabric Workshop.
Weave This Event into Your Schedule
Saturday, July 18, 2026. Learn to weave a colorful potholder, or try your hand at weaving on a floor loom with Philadelphia-based artist Lena Kolb; discover how artists make cloth through contemporary approaches.
Work with yarns, colors, and textures to create a mini tapestry using recycled fabrics and yarns that you can take home. Do this and more at Community Weaving Day hosted by The Fabric Workshop and Museum. No experience is needed.
The workshop will be part of the opening of the exhibit You Stretched Diagonally Across It: Contemporary Tapestry, featuring 25 artists. Organized by Mexico-based curator Su Wu, the show is inspired by Jewish writer Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who imagines his father’s presence woven across a world map. According to promotional material, it will present “works that test the boundaries between art and craft, perception and tactility, and tradition and improvisation.” The exhibit will be on view through Sunday, January 3, 2027. All weaving workshop materials will be provided on a first-come basis.
Free, but a $10 donation is encouraged. No registration required; 1 p.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. The Fabric Workshop and Museum (2nd & 8th floor galleries), 1214 Arch St. fabricworkshopandmuseum.org.
Free admission gives Philadelphia families a chance to see great works at The Barnes on the Ben Franklin Parkway. Photo courtesy of Visit Philadelphia.
Free Admission To 2 World-class Museums
Through Friday, July 31. Calder Gardens and its neighbor on the Ben Franklin Parkway, The Barnes Foundation, will offer free admission to Philadelphia residents all July long to mark America’s 250th anniversary. See Calder Gardens’ rotating installation of works by Philadelphia artist Alexander Calder (1898-1976), along with daily screenings of Cirque Calder on Film and Le Cirque Calder through Monday, August 3. Explore The Barnes Foundation and its vast collection, daily gallery talks, and special exhibitions including Freedom Dreams, Sky Hopinka: Red Metal Dust and Just Us.
The Barnes Foundation: Mondays, 11 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST; Thursdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. The Barnes, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 215-278-7000 or https://www.barnesfoundation.org. Calder Gardens: Free, just show a valid Philadelphia residency ID; Mondays, 11 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST; Thursdays to Sundays, 11 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. Calder Gardens, 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Email: info@caldergardens.org, 215-278-7250 or https://caldergardens.org/
Shop for food, household goods, and wellness-beauty supplies at ‘Third Thursdays.’ Photo courtesy of Navy Yard Philadelphia.
Enjoy Food, Games & Music At Navy Yard
Thursday, July 16 2026. Workers once turned out massive United States Navy vessels as the government’s most productive and oldest shipyard. Now the bustling 231-year-old manufacturing giant has been converted to a private commercial complex and community oasis. The Navy Yard’s Third Thursdays is one of Philly’s newest attractions and part of a great family event series. Immerse yourself in live music and lawn games, and an al fresco-style experience in the 35,000-square-foot converted public space in South Philly. On the third Thursday of each month through October 15, 2026, snack on food truck bites, shop, get giveaways and special promotions from local businesses. The next event will be on July 16th. The monthly gathering will be hosted by Ensemble and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC).
Free admission, 4 p.m. EST to 7 p.m. EST. Philadelphia Navy Yard/ Chapel Plaza, 1200 Normandy Pl. https://navyyard.org/events/third-thurdays-july/
Photo by Getty courtesy of the United Negro College Fund
Scholarships Are Up For Grabs At United Negro College Fund
Through Friday, July 31, 2026. High school and college students: Apply for job opportunities or (national and regional) scholarships in the arts, STEM and healthcare offered through an affiliation with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The deadlines are this month. The Philadelphia Orchestra & Ensemble Arts Scholarship Program will award $5,000 in merit-based scholarships to performing artists from Greater Philadelphia attending an historically Black college or university. The deadline for the 2026-2027 Philadelphia Orchestra & Ensemble Arts Scholarship is Friday, July 17. Another scholarship opportunity is funded by Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., for students enrolled full-time at any accredited UNCF-member institution or any four-year historically Black college or university. Students must be pursuing or majoring in the life sciences. It is a one-time need-based scholarship of up to $5,102.00 for the 2026–2027 academic year. The application for the 2026-2027 Intellia Therapeutics UNCF Scholarship Program will close on Friday, July 31. For those interested in a career in healthcare, check out the Health Care Scholars United, funded by the United Health Foundation. It will support 30 students committed to pursuing a clinical professional career. The program will provide renewable merit-based scholarships of up to $5,000 per year, wrap-around scholar support services, exam/licensure prep, and college registration fee stipends. It will close on Friday, July 31: 2026-2027 MetLife Foundation Legacy Endowed Scholarship. For more UNCF scholarship information: UNCF.org/Scholarships.
What Just Happened?…. Recent Events Around Town
Photo by Tu Huynh, Creative Philadelphia /City of Philadelphia
The Art Of Boxing: ‘Smokin’ Joe’ Finds New Home
Yo, move over, Rocky! Heavyweight champ Smokin’ Joe Frazier is now immortalized in the Italian Stallion’s old spot near the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s lower steps. It became official at a statue-dedication ceremony with Frazier’s family, Mayor Cherelle Parker, Philly boxing champs Bernard Hopkins of North Philly and Tim Witherspoon of South Philly, as well as many adoring fans, outside of the museum on Monday, June 29. While both had thunderous Thor-like left hooks, West Philly’s Frazier, who was overshadowed by the hubris of his archrival Muhammad Ali, is real. As for the Rocky statue, a movie prop gifted to the City of Philadelphia by actor Sly Stallone, it climbed the steps once again and was relocated to the top landing outside the Art Museum, where Rocky did his famous shadowboxing dance in the initial Academy Award-winning movie in 1977. For a one-two punch, you can see the Frazier and Rocky statues free at any time at 26th Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway.
