The National Weather Service in Mount Holly on Wednesday confirmed a tornado briefly touched land in Cape May County during powerful thunderstorms that swept through the region Tuesday evening.
The agency said a waterspout was witnessed going ashore at Cape May Point around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday and causing minor tree damage for about a minute. The tornado was classified as EF-0, with estimated peak winds between 60 and 70 mph, the agency said.
The National Weather Service also confirmed North Jersey tornadoes in the Stanhope and Mount Olive area, and in the Lower Berkshire Valley. An investigation was still ongoing in the Parsippany and Troy Hills area in North Jersey, the agency said.
We have confirmed the path of the tornado in Cape May Point. This tornado started as a waterspout before coming onshore. Here is the link to the storm summary: https://t.co/20miA0SeBspic.twitter.com/LM6ppYAqEN
The waterspout that became the tornado on the southwestern tip of Cape May County could be viewed as far south as Rehoboth Beach, Del.
The high winds tore down some trees and a few power lines in Cape May Point, said Bill Gibson, the borough’s emergency management coordinator.
“We commonly get waterspouts in the bay and harbor, but this was a big one, and when it hit land it was able to continue on for a little bit,” Gibson said Wednesday morning. “But it’s already all cleaned up.”
Here are the preliminary survey locations planned for tomorrow. The full report will be released via Public Information Statement by tomorrow evening. #NJwxpic.twitter.com/7BNmufr2Rj
National Weather Service surveyors were investigating the remaining North Jersey areas with tornadic damage Wednesday. Findings were expected Wednesday evening. The agency conducteda virtual survey for Cape May Point since the damage was minimal.
A 15-year-old boy was struck and killed by a CSX freight train late Monday night in Northeast Philadelphia.
Abdusalom Babaev, who was identified by police Tuesday evening, had been reported missing on Sunday from his home in the city’s Bustleton section.
Babaev was walking south along the railroad tracks near the 1500 block of Grant Avenue near his home when he was hit at 11:19 p.m., according to CSX. No crew onboard the train were injured.
The Philadelphia Police Department responded to the area at 11:30 p.m. for a report of a train striking a pedestrian. Officers’ initial investigation indicated that a CSX train, operated by a 55-year-old man, was traveling north at a “normal operating speed” under dark conditions and limited visibility when the conductor saw Babaev walking along the tracks.
According to police, the conductor immediately initiated emergency braking in an attempt to avoid crashing into the boy, but was unable to stop the train in time.
Babaev was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:44 p.m. by the Philadelphia Fire Department. His body was transported to the city Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation.
“CSX extends its deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by this tragic incident and will support local law enforcement as they complete the investigation,” a CSX spokesperson said.
Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.
A four-foot plastic traffic barrier was placed in the bike lanes on 18th and Spruce Streets on Sunday. Painted white and adorned with 12 sunflowers, the small protective barrier would not only protect cyclists from cars, but represent the people killed by drivers since the death of Barbara Friedes, a pediatric doctor who, in 2024, was killed where the painted barrier was placed while riding her bike home from work.
But just hours after hundreds of people, including City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, helped install the barrier during a memorial for Friedes, it was removed, said Jessie Amadio, an organizer for Philly Bike Action, which organized the memorial.
The swift removal led the group to suspect city crews may have removed it, sparking an outcry from supporters who contacted city departments and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.
“It takes years to protect a bike lane but hours to remove bike lane protection?” Philly Bike Action wrote on Instagram. “Drained and removed on a Sunday like it was the most pressing business in the entire City today.”
The city has said it was not aware of any removal efforts on its part.
Later Sunday, Philly Bike Action members found the memorial barrier tucked behind a dumpster in the alleyway behind Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, mere feet away from where it was placed. The city contends crews would have taken it to a sanitation facility or other waste removal site.
Hanna Kahler hands out sunflowers as family, friends, and Philly Bike action members arrive at Barbara’s Angel Bike at 18th and Spruce for a memorial Sunday. Barbara Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike on the spot by a drunk driver in July 2024.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The city’sManaging Director’s Office said it was unaware of any city employee taking part in the memorial barrier’s removal.
“We just need more time to ask every single person who might have been out there, but everybody who has been asked at this point who worked in that area on Sunday did not remove them,” a spokesperson said.
The office has been investigating since Sundayafternoon, checking with the Philadelphia Police Department, the Fire Department, the Streets Department, and the Department of Sanitation as to whether one of their crews removed it. The spokesperson said that no city department issued an order for employees to remove the barrier.
The Police Departmentreported back that it did not have nearby surveillance footage showing the area where the barrier was placed to identify who may have removed it. Police canvassed the area Monday to gather additional information and doorbell surveillance footage, a spokesperson said.
City Council President Kenyatta Johnson speaks as friends, family, and Philly Bike Action members gather at the angel bike for Barbara Friedes at 18th and Spruce for a memorial Sunday. Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike at the intersection by a drunk driver in July 2024. Johnson pledged he would remain committed to finding ways to protect cyclists in Philadelphia.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
In Philadelphia, the majority of people killed in vehicle crashes are pedestrians and cyclists, according to recent PennDot data. While overall crashes have declined since 2020, the number of drivers crashing into non-motorists has stayed the same or increased.
Following the deaths of Friedes and other cyclists and pedestrians, the city pledged $4.8 million to install permanent concrete bike lane barriers along Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City. Part of this plan was to convert parking spaces along these streets into loading zones intended to give vehicles a place to briefly stop instead of in bike lanes. However, the neighborhood group Friends of Pine and Spruce sued on the grounds that the city had no legal authority to remove parking spaces to create “neighborhood loading zones.”
A car is parked in the bicycle lane in the 1700 Block of Spruce Street on Sunday even as family, friends, and Philly Bike Action members gather at Barbara Friedes’ Angel Bike at 18th and Spruce for a memorial. Friedes, a 30-year-old Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was killed on her bike at the intersection by a drunk driver in July 2024.Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
The city has since delayed the Spruce and Pine Streets safety project due to a 2025court injunction. Common Pleas Judge Damaris L. Garcia recently denied the city’s motion to dissolve the injunction, and the project remains on pause.
While Philly Bike Action recognizes the need for the city to wait on legal proceedings, the group believes the judge’s order should still allow the construction of barriers as the injunction targets “ongoing construction” and efforts associated with proposed “neighborhood loading zones, or related restrictions on Pine and Spruce Streets.” However, the addition of “related restrictions” introduced ambiguity and has kept the city’s plans stalled.
“We can’t wait another two to five years,” Amadio said. “The barrier is not much bigger than the curbs on the end of the road and will prevent cars from merging into the bike lane and hurting people.”
Philadelphia has beenflush with tourists flocking here for the World Cup and the nation’s 250th, patronizing local restaurants, bars, and stadiums.
And in the aftermath, bar owners are weighing the exact size of any World Cup sales boom, how it compares to an Eagles’ Super Bowl run, and whether Philadelphia truly is a 4 a.m. bar town as the state allowed some establishments to stay open later.
One thing is clear: If the bar had TVs playing World Cup games, it had a chance at cashing in on fans eager to experience the game with others.
Sports bars and tourism hot spots made out well
Jason Evenchik’s Garage bars in Fishtown, Passyunk, and Rittenhouse saw “a nice bump in sales” throughout the World Cup, driving business up 30% to 40%, he said. Evenchik said the TV bars fared better than usual during what’s typically a summertime lull — and much better than when World Cup games were being broadcast from Qatar in 2022.
Lucy’s Rittenhouse, a sports bar from FCM Hospitality’s Avram Hornik, also did well during the afternoon and evening games, especially when Team USA played, Hornik said. And it attracted patrons during its 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. shift, thanks to a Philadelphia 250 Permit, a temporary license that allows eligible bars to serve alcohol two hours past the city’s usual 2 a.m. closing time.
“I don’t think it could have gone better,” Hornik said. FCM also operates the Center City nightclub Concourse, the family-friendly taproom Craft Hall, and riverside deck Morgan’s Pier, among other bars.
“It was a mix of tourists. A lot of South Americans stayed out later because they’re used to places open late. Europeans we found like to camp out at a bar and stay for a while. There was also just a lot of Philadelphians who were happy to have some place to go and experience this moment,” Hornik said.
Even bars without TVs like the decades-old Fergie’s Pub, nestled smack dab in Center City’s bar scene, saw a tourism boom, said owner Fergie Carey, attracting tourists to its authentic Irish experience. Carey evendecided to open for the Fourth of July, when the bar usually closes, because there was so much foot traffic. But having no TVs can have repercussions.
“The most people I’ve ever seen leave our pub because there are no TVs was on the Fourth of July,” Carey quipped.
Evenchik and Hornik also saw lower engagement at some of their bars with little to no TVs or sports vibe, such as Evenchik’s Vintage wine bar, which he said suffered a 30% decline in sales during World Cup weeks. Hornik’s neighborhood restaurant and bars like Rosy’s Taco Bar or Harper’s Garden didn’t necessarily take a sales hit, but their private dinner party business “almost disappeared during the time of World Cup,” he said.
Fans react to the Eagles play the Chiefs in the NFL Super Bowl LIX, in a bar near Frankford and Cottman Aves., Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, in Philadelphia.Tyger Willliams / Staff Photographer
The World Cup pales in comparison to a Super Bowl at Philly bars
While the sports bars and hotter tourism areas saw a World Cup sales bump, bar owners say it was nothing compared to the revenue brought in from the Eagles going on a playoff-to-Super Bowl run, or the Phillies in the World Series.
“I don’t think there’s anything that compares to Philly sports fans and their loyalty to our Philadelphia teams when they do well,” Hornik said.
When a Philly sports team is doing well, Evenchik said, people seem more willing to go out and celebrate on the town.
“In those times we see a bump in the sports bars, but also everywhere else, including restaurants, because everyone’s so joyous,” Evenchik said. “The World Cup doesn’t really get close to the Super Bowl madness.”
At Philly’s oldest craft and woman-owned brewery, Dock Street, bartender Jessica Head and assistant general manager Abby Stover said they’ve been relishing the fervor of World Cup fans for every game, regardless of who is playing.
“The World Cup finals are truly similar to us Philadelphia sports fans in their passion and how much they are willing to ride for their teams, but nothing can beat a good Eagles playoff run,” Stover said.
“With an Eagles playoff run, we get the bursts during the games once a week, and the energy is undeniable. But the World Cup is really something so special,” Head said. “We’re so lucky we get to see that excitement every single day during the tournament.”
Fans watch a Team USA match at the Fishtown sports bar, Garage, during the 2026 World Cup.(Courtesy of Jason Evenchik)
4 a.m. bars in Philly aren’t as popular as believed
Hornik applied for the Philadelphia 250 Permit at several of his bars.
But only Lucy’s really enjoyed the benefits of 4 a.m. closing times. FCM’s other nightlife-oriented locations generally didn’t take advantage of their permits, Hornik said.
While Hornik found success at Lucy’s, others have said the 4 a.m. party culture in Philadelphia just didn’t materialize.
“I’ve spoken to a couple people who are involved in some of the bars that had a 4 a.m. license, and everyone kind of universally agreed that it cost a bit more than it was worth,” Evenchik said.
The permit itself cost $500 to apply for, and another $250 for safety training from the city.
Additionally, only a handful of the 104 World Cup matches were broadcast close to times near Philadelphia’s usual 2 a.m. closing time. “It didn’t really make sense because none of the games were really that late,” Evenchik said.
World Cup fans share pizza and beer while watching matches at Dock Street South on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia during the 2026 World Cup.(Courtesy of Renata Vesey)
What lasts is the cultural exchange
Neighborhood bars largely didn’t see a boom like Center City and established sports bars, but the World Cup did bring more business and, occasionally, international tourists, said Renata Vesey, creative director at Dock Street, which operates a brewery along Washington Avenue and a taproom in Fishtown.
“When Côte d’Ivoire played, we got a big crew of Ivorians of all ages,” Vesey said. “It happened to be on a Sunday that we were also hosting a line-dancing event, so it was just such a random, cool mix of people and interests and vibes.”
Bars were livelier and more crowded than usual, and Dock Street opened for a few games on Mondays, when it is normally closed,she said.
Hornik’s neighborhood bars and restaurants like Rosy’s continued to draw their usual crowds as well. But what stands out to him is the role that Philadelphia bars and restaurants played in making the city one of the more memorable places to watch the World Cup, he said.
“It’s not just our job to entertain them for one night, but to make them want to come back here,” Hornik said. “I think that Philadelphia did a great job of showing how great a city Philadelphia is.”
The Philadelphia region is under an extreme heat warning Wednesday, leading transit agencies to slow down trains to ensure safe travel amid a high of 98 degrees.
Amtrak and SEPTA were slowing trains down by 5 to 10 mph, and Amtrak was canceling some Acela and Northeast Regional train trips due to the heat, officials said.
Amtrak plans to reduce train speeds through Friday, in addition to canceling at least a dozen trains each day Wednesday and Thursday.
“While these measures are intended to maintain safe and reliable operations, customers traveling during these hours should continue to monitor their train status for the latest updates,” an Amtrak spokesperson said.
Regional rail train heading to Philadelphia Airport stopping at Jefferson Station. SEPTA Regional rail riders at Jefferson Station, Philadelphia, Tuesday, October 7, 2025.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
SEPTA has not canceled trips, but it was operating trains at a slower speed, which could lead to delays of up to 15 minutes on Regional Rail and trolleys, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said. Subway lines were also running slower but were less affected since they are not exposed to direct sunlight as often as other services.
“Bringing speeds 5 to 10 mph slower from their top speed is not always very noticeable to customers, but it can cause some minor delays,” Busch said. “Extreme heat like this makes the tracks more susceptible to damage, and by slowing down the speeds you can help prevent that.”
In extreme heat, rails can begin to warp and eventually crack, creating dangerous circumstances. The wires that hang overhead to power the trains also begin to “sag” in extreme heat, Busch said. The heat also affects electrical equipment like signals and switches, similar to how many across the region can experience power outages in extreme heat.
When temperatures reach 88 degrees, all of these potential safety hazards intensify, Busch said. That is the threshold for when transit agencies begin monitoring their rail systems to see if adjustments are needed.
These safety measures are expected into Thursday and Friday as temperatures are expected to reach 96 and 92 degrees, respectively, according to the National Weather Service. Philadelphia has hit the 100-degree mark three times in 2026, just two shy of the record number for most 100-degree days, according to the weather service.
While the city has not declared a heat emergency, the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services declared a “code red,” meaning additional outreach was being done to connect those in need to services.
A man was killed and four others were injured in a shooting overnightoutside an apartment complex in the city’s Crescentville section.
Nearbyofficers heard several gunshots coming from the 500 block of East Hill Creek Drive, where the Hill Creek Apartments, a Philadelphia Housing Authority complex, is located, at 11:52 p.m., according to police. The responding officers found two people suffering gunshot wounds, an unidentified male who wasshotin the leg and an 18-year-old woman who was shot in the shoulder, Philadelphia Police Capt. Louis Higginson said. Both were transported to Einstein Medical Center, where they were in stable condition.
Additional responding officersfound another unidentified man at the scene who was shot and taken to Temple University Hospital, where he died at 12:14 a.m. Monday, Higginson said.
While investigating, officers were called to a different part of the complex around 12:10 a.m., where they found two additional people who were shot: a 45-year-old man who was shot in the arm and a 16-year-old boy who was shot in the ankle. They had fled from the shooting into a nearby property on the 5500 block of North Hill Creek Drive, police said. They were transported to Temple University Hospital, where they were in stable condition.
Police said they found at least 17 spent shell casings at the scene.
PHA said an unauthorized “pop-up” party held at the Hill Creek Apartments prompted the large gathering before the shooting took place.
“The safety and well-being of our residents remain our highest priority, and PHA is making supportive services available to residents who may be impacted by this tragedy,” a PHA spokesperson said.
As of publication time, police could not confirm a motive and no arrests have been made.
A large crowd, shooting, and vandalism the night before
Police were working to determine if the shooting, which occurred following a large gathering late Sunday night, was connected to another large gathering that ended in shots fired early Sunday morning.
Around 2:45 a.m. Sunday, police responded to the Hill Creek Apartments to assist PHA police officers who were following a reportedly stolen vehicle into the area. During the incident, an unidentified person jumped onto a marked PHA police vehicle and vandalized it, police said.
As police officers worked to disperse a large crowd that had gathered, an unknown person fired several gunshots before fleeing the scene. Two unoccupied vehicles were struck by gunfire, and no injuries werereported.
No arrests have been made, and police did not confirm if these two shooting incidents are connected.
Officers cited three men, ages 22, 23, and 28, for disorderly conduct during Sunday morning’s large gathering.
With Philadelphia’s final World Cup game Saturday, the city’s international soccer tourists, who have created generational memories for weeks here, will be heading home.
And there’s no better place in the world to celebrate fandom than in Philly, said Côte d’Ivoire-born Philadelphian Ahmadou Dia, who moved to the city a decade ago.
“This is wonderful for Philadelphia and wonderful for America, welcoming everybody into this beautiful country,” Dia said. “The World Cup, the football itself, brings every country, every single person, together regardless of color. It doesn’t matter what you look like, because on the field or in that stadium, we’re family.”
The World Cup is one of those global events where fans save thousands of dollars for years to make their way across the world to watch their favorite team.
Ecuadorian native Francisca Castellanos traveled 14 hours to meet her father and other family in Quito, before heading to Philadelphia in time for the World Cup. Her father, Francisco, has attended the last 10 World Cup tournaments, including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. When the United States was announced as a World Cup host, the Castellanoses were overjoyed.
“A World Cup in the U.S is a lot more accessible to Ecuadorians because a lot of our population already lives in the U.S., and the currency is the same,” Castellanos said. “There is also language accessibility because people speak English here, unlike in Qatar, where communication was harder.”
Ecuador national team fans cheer during the national anthems before the FIFA World Cup Group E match between Ecuador and Côte d’Ivoire on June 14, 2026, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. The match marked the first FIFA World Cup game played in Philadelphia.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The six matches played in Philadelphia brought tourists from Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Curaçao, Ecuador, France, Ghana, Haiti, and Iraq, but where Philly’s World Cup and America’s 250th tourists are coming from spans the globe.
Fraser McNaughton, a Scot visiting Philadelphia with family, couldn’t believe how inviting Philadelphians have been as he took photos with the Rocky statue last week.
“Everywhere we’ve went, everyone’s been so friendly, so welcoming, helping us out when we need it,” McNaughton said. “It’s just a brilliant city.”
“They go out of their way to say ‘Hello’ or ‘Welcome to Philly’ here,” said fellow Scot Michelle Thomson. “We’ve really loved it.”
Here are the main takeaways, based on flight data shared by Sojern,a hospitality marketing platform that provides travel data to hotels, airlines, and tourism boards.
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Ecuadorian travelers surged this World Cup
Ecuadorians don’t make up a sizable chunk of the international travelers coming to Philadelphia this summer. Canada, the United Kingdom, and Italy take that crown, in that order.
However, Ecuadorian travelers, like the Castellanoses, were so pumped to experience a World Cup in person that the number of flights booked from Ecuador to Philadelphia surged by 622% compared to the year prior. Philadelphia hosted Ecuador’s first group match in the World Cup, convincing many Ecuadorians to make the 2,760-mile trip to the City of Brotherly Love.
“It was the first game for Ecuador, so a lot of the Ecuadorians from Ecuador and the U.S. had to be here because there was a lot of expectation,” Carrión said.
To the Ecuadorian-American who lives in New York, the influx of people was facilitated by an ease of travel between the South American country and the U.S.
“It’s easier for us to travel to the States than to Europe or Qatar,” Carrión said. “And there are direct flights to LaGuardia and New York.”
Ecuadorians require visas to enter Europe, Canada, and the United States. Even traveling to Mexico can involve visa procedures if they don’t have a U.S. visa first, a formality that has become more complex since Ecuador and Mexico broke international relationships in 2024, Carrión said.
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Dutch Caribbean islands show up for Curaçao
The small autonomous nations of Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten, all part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, have seen a huge surge in flights this summer.
Curaçao had the largest increase, almost 240%, despite being the smallest nation ever, with a population of 158,006 people, to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
“When we won tickets through the FIFA lottery for the Curaçao versus Ivory Coast in Philadelphia, we knew we had to make it happen, especially since the Curaçao match falls on my husband’s birthday,” said Vanessa Santine-Vinck, who traveled here from Curaçao with her partner and two sons.
Travel from Sint Maarten and Aruba are also up — 193% and 117% respectively.
Croatia and Hungary aren’t missing Philly’s World Cup
Croatia claimed victory over Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium on June 27, and flights from the European country have jumped almost 100%.
Neighboring Hungary has also seen a dramatic increase. There are almost 200% more flights from Hungary this summer than last summer.
Dominican Republic shows steady growth
Philadelphia’s Dominican community has grown in recent years, helping drive population growth in the city.
With the World Cup in Philly this summer, travel from the Caribbean nation has increased 34%. While DR is not in the World Cup, their neighbor, Haiti, faced Brazil on June 19, losing 3-0.
Philly’s French connection brings throngs of tourists
This summer has brought a notable uptick in French tourism to Philadelphia, with 33% more flights. The cross-cultural connection runs deep, Parisian aesthetics have long influenced the city’s architecture.
Throngs of Francophones across the city cheered on their national team to a 3-0 victory against Iraq on June 22.
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France also ranks fourth in terms of total foreign travel this summer after Canada, the U.K.I, and Italy. Between the architecture, the French cuisine, and the fact that two of his family’s favorite teams, France and Côte d’Ivoire, would play in Philadelphia, traveling to the city was an easy choice for Frenchman Elias Pierson.
He had already heard of the comparisons between the city and Paris, and as he walked through Independence Hall with his family last week, much of the architecture he saw reminded him of home.
“We have a good relationship with the people of Philadelphia. We were just in the train station with a Philadelphian, and she explained to us where we needed to go and where the best French restaurants are,” Pierson said. “My favorite part of Philadelphia so far is City Hall and Old City because of the very beautiful buildings.”
Now, before Pierson heads home, he said he hopes to get a coveted seat at Philly’s world-famous French bistro, Parc.
Fairmount residents are accustomed to annual July Fourth fireworks; it comes with the territory of living near Benjamin Franklin Parkway, where the city stages its major celebrations. With the United States’ 250th birthday, this July Fourth is no different — except that the fireworks will start closer to midnight.
“We have the whole family coming to our home, all on their way right now,” said Fairmount resident Margo DelliCarpini. “But 11:30, midnight is just too late for some families with children. I understand that it’s the Fourth of July, but the late start for fireworks is decidedly not a family-friendly decision.”
DelliCarpini will have her children and grandchildren visit to experience the Semiquincentennial in the city where the country began. But with young children in tow, parents along for the trip were hoping to have them in bed by midnight, she said. Instead, the large group is looking to catch one of the fireworks shows at Valley Forge or across Montgomery County, which start around 9 p.m.
Fans react to the music as the Wawa Welcome America Festival concluded July 4, 2023, with a free concert on Benjamin Franklin Parkway.Charles Fox / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia’s July Fourth concert and fireworks show, the One City: Unity Concert for America, is expanding its lineup from two to three acts like in years past, to 10 artists, including Christina Aguilera, Will Smith, Meek Mill, and Seal. The show will also start earlier and end later, spanning into July 5 by the time people head home.
The city did not respond to request for comment.
Other cities, like New York, Boston, and Los Angeles, are keeping their 9-9:30 p.m. start times, while Washington, D.C. is among the cities pushing back its fireworks show to 10:30 p.m. or even 11 p.m. to allow for its expanded America 250 showcase.
Mykola Kosyk, 36, a lifelong Fairmount resident, has been witnessing the Parkway fireworks for years. Usually he’ll catch some of the concert with his wife, head back home, have time to set off some fireworks of his own with family, and then all head back to the Parkway for the city’s grand finale. Kosyk said he’ll still likely watch the midnight fireworks on Saturday, but feels disappointed that younger Philadelphians may not get to experience itas children during 1976’s Bicentennial, Kosyk’s father recalled.
“It is the 250th, so if there is a time to do something big, I’m open to the idea,” Kosyk said of the later show. “But I also feel bad for the youngsters coming out, because 9 p.m. is usually a pretty good time for kids to watch the show. Midnight is pushing it a little for kids.”
For residents like Kosyk and DelliCarpini, the nuisance is less with the noise of fireworks which most Fairmount residents are used to by now, but how late the show will run, limiting access to younger kids and delaying vehicle and pedestrian traffic later into the morning.
The Inquirer reported that this year’s event will cost more to operate after Mayor Cherelle L. Parker decided to change the management of the festival from its previous nonprofit partner to a for-profit production company. Parker defended that decision at a news conference Wednesday: Philadelphia needed to meet the moment and host a celebration that is “fitting to and for our historical significance and prominence.”
Jason Derulo performs during the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert on the Parkway in 2022.ELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
Moving an expected 300,000 attendees and their vehicles
Besides the hurdles for parents with younger children, there’s also the headache of moving an expected 300,000 people from the Parkway back home after the show.
SEPTA has covered most of its bases for getting people home. Regional Rail lines will have extended service on all lines, but the Landsale/Doylestown, Paoli/Thorndale, Manayunk/Norristown, Trenton, and West Trenton lines are the only lines that will run their last train between 1 a.m. and 1:10 a.m. All other Regional Rail lines stop running before 1 a.m., and in some cases before midnight, so people traveling in from the suburbs should plan accordingly.
Subways and trolleys will run overnight for those heading back home within the city, and bus service will run on a Sunday schedule, which usually stops operating around 2 a.m. for some routes.
But vehicle and pedestrian traffic could use some city intervention, said Dustin Dove, president of the Fairmount Civic Association, as there is concern among local civic leaders and some residents about how the city is handling traffic leaving the Parkway.
“It’s usually a bit of a mess near the Parkway after the fireworks and can lead to some reckless driving nearby as people are stuck,” Dove said. “Historically, after the fireworks, there are thousands of pedestrians and cars that come into the neighborhood.”
A police presence is seen in Eakin’s Oval as people wait for the fireworks to start at the Wawa Welcome America Festival on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.Allie Ippolito / Staff Photographer
Dove and others are hoping to see an increased police presence and traffic direction, as the event will be much later with more people this year, Dove said.
Additionally, residents hope police manage safety accordingly on Saturday.
“There’s going to be problems when you live in a city; it’s not like it’s the middle of nowhere with no neighbors, but this week … you’re now having people walk back home at midnight, 12:30 a.m.,” DelliCarpini said. “There needs to be a safe environment after the show.”
As soon as international soccer fans arrived in Philadelphia for the World Cup, they continued a time-honored tradition of gathering en masse at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, thrusting their fists to the sky as Sly Stallone did 50 years ago, and rallying for their team to victory.
From the thousands of Ecuadorian fans draping soccer jerseys on the Rocky statue, inadvertently cursing the Ecuador national team before it lost to Ivory Coast, to Brazilian fans staging security guards to deter fans from doing the same, and Iraqi fans waving their flags at the top of the steps — Rocky and its picturesque views of the Benjamin FranklinParkway have been a staple of Philly’s World Cup.
Temporary fenced walkways were erected for tourists to access the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps and Rocky Statue while the One City: Unity Concert for America stage is under construction on Saturday, June 27, 2026. Some World Cup fans and tourists have remarked on its inconvenience, but are enjoying the Parkway anyway.Henry Savage / Staff
However, last week, a stage spanning the width of the steps was erected in front of theRocky statue, leaving two narrow walkways to access the iconic landmark. Metal fencing ushers tourists through a walkway behind the under-construction stage, which will soon host the One Philly: Unity Concert for America on July 4 — the city’s revamped Fourth of July concert, which had been known as the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Concert for more than a decade.
“Because of the magnitude of this year’s event, organizers needed to properly position the stage back to where they’ve done large scale events before at the Art Museum,” a spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office of Communications said about the placement of the stage.
Additionally, a spokesperson for the Office of Special Events said Croatia was the only fan meetup that was asked to relocate so far, as it planned to transport a 300-foot Croatia flag through the area which would prove difficult in the narrow walkways.
For most, this is a minor inconvenience. For Croatian fans, it forced them to relocate their pre-game rally and march.
“People did want to start the parade at the Rocky steps, and some people were upset by it,” said Croatia supporters organizer Daniel Pedisich. “But some of our fans went to Rocky on their own, and in some ways, maybe we avoided that Rocky curse?”
Croatia fans cheer outside Con Murphy’s Irish pub along Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, June 26, 2026. A plan to gather at the Rocky statue turned out to be logistically impossible.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
Before the Croatian fan delegation would go on to cheer the checkered-clad team to a win against Ghana on Saturday, Pedisich said the city encouraged them to relocate their parade elsewhere along the Parkway. They settled for Con Murphy’s Irish Pub on 17th Street.
Before the fan parade Friday, Bosko Katic, known to friends as “Coach Bosko,” was sporting red-and-white checkered overalls and a Croatia-themed cowboy hat as he waited for the fan parade to start at the new location. Croatians know how to bring joy to everyone they meet, Katic said, so while the delegation didn’t begin their march with Rocky, they still found ways to make memories — including crashing a wedding photo shoot at City Hall.
Bosko Katic cheers while waving the Croatia national flag outside of Con Murphy’s Irish pub along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Friday, June 26, 2026.Aidan T. Gallo / Staff Photographer
“We couldn’t gather at Rocky because there is something happening there, so we changed the parade route,” Katic said. “But it does not matter anyway — we always bring party, happiness, and love to everybody who is around us.”
Later that weekend, as tourists made their way to the Art Museum steps, squeezing by each other in the walkways, El Salvadorian World Cup fan Stephanie Rodriguez took photos of the steps while standing behind the stage. While Rodriguez admits she’s never seen a Rocky film, the site is “one of those things in pop culture that’s so iconic that you have to see it — like you can’t go to Philly and not see the Rocky steps,” she said.
Tourists shuffle by each other in the temporary fenced walkways erected for near the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps and Rocky Statue while the One City: Unity Concert for America stage is under construction on Saturday, June 27, 2026.Henry Savage / Staff
While the large stage perplexed her, she said she was able to eke out some great photos with Rocky, as the statue itself was accessible and not blocked from view.
“I mean it was surprising because I wasn’t expecting to see such a big stage in front of the Rocky steps, but I think the photos are coming out great,” Rodriguez said.
The concert will turn the Parkway into a festival on July 4 from 3 p.m. until midnight, when a fireworks finale caps the night. Some of Philadelphia’s most prized musical acts will headline, from The Roots and Jill Scott to Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, plus Meek Mill, Beanie Siegel, and Freeway are scheduled to perform starting at 5 p.m.
In the dull glow of the overhead Convention Center lights, Todd Marcocci and a band of craftspeople stood next to large wheeled platforms, some housing floral gazebos, others a recreation of a Pennsylvania farm. Sweat dripping from his brow, Marcocci intently drilled palm tree crowns into the base of a platform dedicated to Central and South America.
With just days until Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial parade, Marcocci, alongside his crew and John Shaw of Shaw Parades, is assembling 19 parade floats to commemorate the United States’ 250th birthday.
Todd Marcocci works on a float back stage with the crews of Friday’s parade and festival.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
The “Salute to Independence” Semiquincentennial Parade is scheduled to begin at noon Friday nearwhere the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, which Marcocci reminded himself of while he designed a historical parade.
“I told all the groups who signed on for the parade that we’ll be lining up in the footsteps of the Founding Fathers,” Marcocci said. “We’ll walk through history.”
In the halls of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where float builders worked on Monday, larger-than-life recreations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman awaited placement on a platform celebrating the Civil Rights movement.
Mike Oyer works backstage on the floats.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
The next float over was bathed in white sequins, where a giant “peace dove” sculpture accompanied by a globe would rest. A few paces over sat a 6-foot-tall Wawa smoothie and coffee cups, and right by that were multiple United States-themed layered birthday cakes marking the various anniversaries of the country.
Shaw worked a blade saw, slicing through two-by-fours to construct the float frames that Marcocci and Co. were painstakingly deciding the minutiae of, such as how many American flags or sequins can be threaded through a float.
Annie Woods (left) and Johanna Gelber working on the floats.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Shaw, whose parade float company has passed down through four generations, said Philly Fourth of July parades usually average seven floats. “This year it’s almost tripled,” he said. “Todd designs everything in his head, and then we collaborate back and forth to come up with the plan to actually make these ideas work.”
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker will be on board the “One Philly — A United City” float, which features a large sculpture in the shape of the number 1 and a butterfly-and-floral gazebo symbolizing the city’s commitment to a clean and green city, Marcocci said.
Jeremy Williams, works on a float back stage.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
A Liberty Bell float will commemorate some of the Founding Fathers and Betsy Ross with an Independence Hall backdrop. Another celebrates Philadelphia Pride with prominent LGBTQ figures and pride flags atop a vibrant rainbow platform.
“The most important thing for me is that people, whether they’re watching on TV at home across the nation or here in person, is that they see themselves in our parade,” Marcocci said of representing the diversity of America’s history.
Philadelphia’s Semiquincentennial Parade on Friday starts at noon at Fifth and Chestnut Streets, passing such historical landmarks as Independence Hall before heading to Sixth and Market Streets and then west on Market to circle City Hall before ending at Broad and Chestnut Streets after a heat emergency was declared, cutting short the route that was to continue to Logan Circle and loop around before heading back to City Hall.
Fan zones are at Sixth and Market Streets , 11th and Market, and the northeast side of City Hall, where a bar is available for those 21 and over.
