Exploring Everyday Philadelphia

This year’s Army/Navy football game on Dec. 6 at the Lincoln Financial Field celebrates the 109^th event marking the rivalry between the two teams, and the 81^st game between them played in Philadelphia. The Army/Navy football game is usually played on the first Sunday of December, and it is one of the most popular and lasting rivalries in the history of football. Philadelphia was chosen as the perfect neutral battleground for the Army/Navy rivalry in 1899 because it rests right between the Navy and Army academies, beginning at Franklin Field and ending up at the Lincoln Financial Field. Last year, the Navy won, continuing the Navy’s record number of consecutive wins against opposing service teams. This year, we will see whether the Army can break the Navy’s winning streak.

The Navy march-on begins at 9:30 a.m. The Army march-on follows at 10 a.m. with a kick-off at noon. CBS offers national live coverage of the game.

The oldest Thanksgiving Day Parade in the country, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 27, 8:30 a.m.-noon, presents family-friendly festive holiday fun to enjoy. Filled with floats, balloons (like Kermit the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Curious George, Cookie Monster, and many more), marching bands, musical numbers, celebrity guests (like Kelly Ripa, Pat Sajak, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Santa Claus, and many more), and dance teams like the Eagles cheerleaders help Philadelphia celebrate Thanksgiving in style. The parade starts at 20^th and Market Street and goes along Benjamin Franklin Parkway - the best vantage points are the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eakins Oval, and Logan Circle.

Be sure to wear your coats and stop by the Campbell’s Winter Wonderland Expo tent for hot chocolate and special giveaways. If you can’t make it to the parade in person, check out the ABC network on channel 6, one of the parade’s sponsors, at 8:30 a.m.

Set in an ornamental garden with a beautiful pond; the Japanese House, as its known to the locals, was built according to the 16^th century style known as desk-centered. It is located in Western Fairmount Park on States Drive. The Japanese House was built in 1953, for an exhibition in New York and was given to the City of Philadelphia in 1958, where the garden was designed by Sano Tansai. The house is continually maintained by a group of volunteers known as the Friends of the Japanese House and Garden. The venue offers a fantastic serene landscape allowing one to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautifully designed and laid out surroundings.

The Fireman’s Hall is located on the corner of N 2^nd and Quarry Streets in the historic district of Philadelphia. It contains a marvelous history of firefighting in America, from the old ‘tin’ hats, to the leather buckets and the wooden trunks used for water storage in the event of a fire. The firehouse itself has been fully restored to its initial glory - it was built in 1902, active as Engine Company #8 and active until 1952, the firehouse was added to in 1977. The museum is a treat for all with all sorts of firefighting history and antiquated equipment. A great place to take the kids, which offer the ‘Firehouse kids’ interactive exhibit, as well as the Philadelphia Fire Department’s Kidszone geared to educating the younger ones on fire safety and precaution.

The Liberty Bell symbolizes freedom and one can learn of its rich history when visit The Liberty Bell Center located at 6^th and Market Streets at the Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia. The Center was opened in October, 2003 and has seen over two million tourists each year. The center holds historical documents, videos, exhibits and myths of everything that there is to know about the Liberty Bell. Opened throughout the year from 9am -5pm, the Center also allows visitors to get an up-close view of The Liberty Bell from its crack to its interior seen through x-ray vision. The Liberty Bell which is made up of copper, tin, gold and zinc to name a few is 12 feet in circumference and it weighs 2,080 pounds. Liberty Bell-inspired items are also displayed at the Center. Admission at the Center is free, though you may be subjected to a search.

A casual stroll through parts of Philadelphia will reveal a treasure trove of art displays that you don’t want to miss. The “city of brotherly love” is brimming with art displays that you just can’t resist capturing on film. You can start your tour at 15^th street in downtown Philadelphia. It’s there that you would find a most unusual 45-feet Clothespin sculpture. Made out of steel, this sculpture was created by Claes Oldenburg in 1976. Elsewhere and not to far away just northwest of City Hall are the bright and bold red colors that form the word “LOVE”. This is located at the John F Kennedy Plaza which is popularly known as “The Love Park.” This 1976 Robert Indiana sculpture truly echoes the feeling of the city’s residents. The LOVE sculpture is one of those often duplicated through the United States and even in Taiwan.

Longwood Gardens is a beautiful 1,050-acre oasis in Philadelphia. It was rescued in 1906 by Pierre St. du Pont to keep it from being cut down for lumber. Today it boasts more than 11,000 different species of plant life, meticulously arranged English style gardens, beautiful fountains, and a spectacular conservatory. Longwood Gardens also hosts seasonal events such as Autumn Colors from September thru November.

During Autumn Colors, there are several events. There is the giant pumpkin weigh off and Fall Fantasy in Glass, which features specially handcrafted glass pumpkins and gourds made for Longwood Gardens. All the pumpkins on display are available for sale in the Longwood gift shop along with even more pumpkins that are not on display.

There are also beautiful Christmas Programs, including lights and ice skating shows. Longwood Gardens also features a restaurant with café and full service dining and a gift shop. Longwood Gardens is a great place to spend some time strolling and relaxing and enjoying all the beauty nature has to offer.

Philadelphia offers many area pumpkin festivals with any number of attractions and other goodies just in time for the harvest and Halloween season.

The Harvest Festival at the Reading Terminal Market on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. is an annual event that celebrates the harvest season featuring fresh produce, a pumpkin market on Filbert Street, a pumpkin weight contest, hay rides, face painting, barbeque and other foods, sidewalk sales, and bluegrass musical entertainment.

The Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival heralds in its 38th year with pumpkin patches, weigh-off competitions, pumpkin sculptures, a parade, arts and crafts, harvest-inspired food. This free event occurs Sunday and Monday, Oct. 19 and 20, hours from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Bucks County Pumpkin Fest at Fonthill Park presents a family-friendly Halloween event on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25 and 26. Artists carve pumpkins for the enjoyment of the crowd, clowns and magicians entrance their audience, and there are hay rides, petting zoos, inflatable rides, and tons of festival foods.

Visit one, or stop by all three - either way you’re guaranteed an amazing time!

Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is offering a family-friendly Halloween celebration which is guaranteed to be both entertaining and educational for kids (from 6-16 years old) and their parents (one adult per three children). From 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, to 9 a.m. Sunday, the academy welcomes you to stay overnight among the oddities, monsters, and mummies within the museum to learn about these fascinating creatures. There will also be a costume contest, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and a live animal show of nocturnal creatures, perfect for the spirit of the season.

Check-in is from 6:30-7 p.m. on Oct. 25. Children get in for $35 (for members) or $40 (for non-members). Adults get in for $30 (for members) and $35 (for non-members). A deposit of $10 is due by Oct. 17, and the rest of the balance at the door. The fees cover food, and the next day’s admission. For more information or to register, call the museum number, 215-299-1060.

The HatOber Fest is a great way to celebrate the days leading up to Halloween.  Autumn is such a beautiful time of year, come enjoy it with the many others who know that fall is in the air from October 16-18 and October 23-25.

Come enjoy the sidewalk sales and craft show, perhaps even get a head start on your Christmas shopping!  Bring the kids to the spooktacular haunted house and ghost tours through the historic town of Hatboro.  Take a hay ride through a cemetery, have some spinning fun on the amusement rides and play a game or two.

On the final day of the festival, October 26^th, there will be a costume parade where the children can show off their costumes a little bit early for all to enjoy.  They may even win if they have the best costume!  There will also be pumpkin painting available, best pumpkin wins!

The HatOber Festival runs for two weekends in a row and there is so much to do, that you will want to attend both weekends!