🏊 The best June events in Philly

Visit Philly’s Museums for Free

The Penn Museum is celebrating the semiquincentennial with its summer event, “Penn & Philly 250: Celebration of Community, Culture, and Freedom” – an indoor/outdoor festival on June 13 that includes free museum admission. And as part of Wawa Welcome America’s Independence Day celebration, several local museums and cultural institutions are offering free entry beginning June 19.

Philly Pools Are Reopening

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation typically reopens the city’s pools and spraygrounds in June. While the official schedule hasn’t been released yet, keep an eye on this page for updates and find pool locations and policies. Don’t know how to swim? Take lessons at these local swim schools.

Keep the Kiddos Occupied

With school out for the summer, students need something else to keep them busy until September. More than 300 Playstreets will provide children safe places to play in their neighborhoods and access to free meals. Both the School District of Philadelphia and Parks & Recreation will run summer programming and camps. And make reading an adventure with the Free Library’s Ultimate Quest.

Cool Off With a Sweet Treat

Warmer weather means we need to find ways to cool down after spending time outside. We know exactly where to find the best ice cream, water ice, and gelato in the city.

Take to the Streets

Center City’s Open Streets is back, now pedestrianizing streets in Midtown Village. This iteration is switching things up with evening hours every Tuesday in June. From 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., enjoy live music, double dutch, and pop-up mini-golf.

Visit a Philly-Area Farm

Eat seasonally by stocking up on summer fruits and veggies! Take a day trip outside of the city to nearby farms like Linvilla Orchards, Highland Orchards, or Shadybrook Farm to pick your own strawberries, cherries, and raspberries. Be sure to visit Shadybrook on June 6 and 7 for the farm’s Strawberry Festival.

Consider What’s Next for America

As the semiquincentennial approaches, from now until July 2 artists across the city are responding to the question “What Now?” as we ponder what’s next for the United States. Explore more than 30 performances and installations from Art Philly on topics ranging from the climate crisis to the contributions of Philadelphia’s Chinatown.

Show Off Your Pride

It’s Pride Month, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s march and festival will be June 7 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway instead of the typical Gayborhood location. There's a $10 admission. If you can’t make it, other Pride events around the city include the month-long Philly Pride Arts Festival and the South Street Queer Pride Night Market on June 7. For sapphics looking for love in a sober setting, MonoGAYmous’s Red Velvet singles event is at Bar Palmina on June 7.

Celebrate and Learn About the End of Slavery

June 19 commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The annual Juneteenth parade will depart from the Highmark Mann Center at 12:30 p.m. and conclude at Malcolm X Park, where a marketplace will already be in full swing and a music festival begins at 5 p.m. At Bartram’s Garden, there’s a Juneteenth Jubilee on June 14 with free workshops and storytelling. And over in Germantown, the Johnson House is celebrating its 20th Juneteenth Festival on June 20. Continue learning about the history of slavery and abolition in Philadelphia with these tours.

Celebrate the Start of Summer

Although we’ve been feeling summer temperatures for weeks now, we don’t officially transition seasons until June 21, when you can soak up the sun on the longest day of the year. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge is hosting a celebration ahead of the solstice on June 18 with food, music, and free archery. On June 20, the Franklin Institute is throwing a block party with an opportunity to view the sun through the museum’s telescope. In Torresdale, Glen Foerd is leading an eco-craft event on the actual solstice, making art with sun printing and natural dyes.

🎧 Want more recommendations? Listen to this week’s podcast, where we give our top picks for major activities, freebies, food, and ways to give back.

• Now through June 7: “The Outsiders” at the Academy of Music
• Now through June 14: “Same Team” at the Drake Theatre
• Now through June 28: “Driving Miss Daisy” at Old Academy Players
• Now through July 5: “Dear Evan Hansen” at Arden Theatre
• Now through July 5: Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival
• June 4: A$AP Rocky at Xfinity Mobile Arena
• June 4: James Blake at Franklin Music Hall
• June 5: Summer Walker at Xfinity Mobile Arena
• June 6: St. Vincent at The Met
• June 7: Josh Groban at Xfinity Mobile Arena
• June 9: Meet Me @ the Altar at the Foundry
• June 14: Young the Giant at Highmark Mann Center
• June 19: Jimmy Eat World at the Highmark Mann Center
• June 26: Noah Kahan at Citizens Bank Park
• June 26: The Strokes at Highmark Mann Center
• June 27: Walle & Smino at the Fillmore