Mayor Michael A. Nutter and city officials provided a media update on details about the City of Philadelphia’s plans to welcome the Made in America Festival, noting that construction is well under way and road closures have already begun.
The festival will take place on three stages on the Parkway in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park on Saturday, September 1, and Sunday, September 2. Performances are scheduled to begin at 2:00 P.M. and conclude at 11:00 P.M. on both days.
“Philadelphia, the birthplace of America and a major destination for music, arts and culture, is delighted to welcome visitors from all over the country to this truly national music festival that will enliven our City on Labor Day weekend,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “Jay Z and the Budweiser Made in America Festival are setting a new standard in live entertainment with an array of talent and a commitment to benefit local communities through financial support of United Way organizations.”
Specifically, this concert will benefit United Way organizations in Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Lancaster County, PA and New York City, enabling them to invest more dollars in their regions, strengthen local communities and positively impact the education, health and well being of the most vulnerable and needy citizens in their service areas.
Attendees are encouraged to visit www.MadeInAmericaFest.com for information on items that are (and are NOT) permitted in the venue, as well as information on concessions, accommodations, and directions.
“The City of Philadelphia has extensive institutional experience in managing large events on the Parkway and other sites in the city. Every year, we have detailed plans for public safety, street access, trash removal and we successfully accommodate 400,000 to 500,000 visitors on the 4th of July at Wawa Welcome America,” the Mayor said. “By contrast, the organizers of the Budweiser Made in America Festival are planning for about 50,000 ticket holders, roughly the size of a sold-out Phillies game.”
The Mayor emphasized that Center City and the Parkway in particular are large enough and city services are efficient and targeted enough to handle thousands of visitors at the same time. “Whether you are going to the Festival or you want to visit our museums and other institutions on the Parkway, this Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia will be a great, fun-filled time for everyone,” he said.
Road Closures
To accommodate the venue construction and two-day music festival, road closures along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in key sections of the Fairmount neighborhood began on Tuesday, August 28, with increasing closures up until the start of the Festival on the morning of Saturday, September 1. These closures will continue through Monday, September 3 to accommodate breakdown of the venue.
Delays can be expected and motorists are advised to use alternate routes, and allow for extra driving time, in the areas near these festivities before and during Labor Day weekend. (Please see attached list and map for specific road closures by date and a foot print of event or visit www.phila.gov.)
Transportation
SEPTA announced today that it will also provide bus service to-and-from remote event parking at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Regular SEPTA fares will apply for these trips. Further details on the hours of operation for this bus service will be available closer to the event.
SEPTA will add service on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines throughout the two-day festival, with trains running every five-to-ten minutes before, during and after the performances. Service will also be added on the Norristown High Speed Line, which provides a connection with the Market-Frankford Line at the 69th Street Transportation Center, and on city trolley routes. Details on adjustments to bus service will be announced and in the coming days.
SEPTA and NJTransit will operate under normal weekend schedules. Festival ticket-holders, Parkway cultural institution patrons and others with business or recreational plans are urged to use public transportation to get in and out of Center City during the festival weekend due to the number of road closures. For routes and schedules, visit www.septa.org and www.njtransit.org.
Cultural Institutions
Most of the institutions along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will maintain normal hours of operation during the Budweiser Made in America Festival. The City of Philadelphia is working collaboratively with Parkway cultural institutions to accommodate museum business schedules and reduce the impact of mass transit and vehicular traffic in the Parkway area. However, city officials are urging museum-goers to proceed with caution and plan accordingly during Budweiser Made in America, especially in the Parkway cultural corridor.
Please refer to the institutions’ websites for information on exhibit hours, ticketing and parking accommodations.
Public Safety
The City of Philadelphia will provide a comprehensive police presence for the duration of Budweiser Made in America to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants. Three Philadelphia Police beacons will be positioned outside the festival, showing where Philadelphia Police Officers are deployed to assist festival goers. These beacons will be on the northeast corner of 17th Street and the Parkway, the southeast corner of 18th and the Parkway, and the western entrance to Logan Circle between 19th and 20th Streets. (Please see attached map for locations of beacons as well as the joint Police/EMS/Fire Mini-Station or visit www.phila.gov.)
Weather
Budweiser Made in America is a rain or shine event. In the event of severe weather, listen for announcements and sign up at www.readynotifypa.org for text and email alerts or text PHILA to 411911 from your mobile device. Have a plan if you’re asked to leave the Parkway and take shelter.
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