Philadelphians celebrating Independence Day.

The culture of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania goes back to 1682 when Philadelphia was founded by William Penn. The city has many theaters, performance halls, art galleries and museums that attract many tourists. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1710x985, 265 KB) Summary A painting of the celebration of July 4th 1819, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by John Lewis Krimmel (a German-American immigrant painter active in Pennsylvania during the 1810s. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1710x985, 265 KB) Summary A painting of the celebration of July 4th 1819, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by John Lewis Krimmel (a German-American immigrant painter active in Pennsylvania during the 1810s. ... In the United States, Independence Day (commonly known as the Fourth of July or simply the Fourth) is a federal holiday celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. ... The word culture, from the Latin colo, -ere, with its root meaning to cultivate, generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activity significance. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ... William Penn William Penn (October 14, 1644–July 30, 1718) founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ...

People and religion

When Philadelphia was founded in 1682 the area was already inhabited by the Native American culture, the Lenape. During the 17th Century, the Dutch, British and Swedish settlers arrived in the area.^[1] When William Penn founded Philadelphia he envisioned the city as a place where many groups of people could live together and worship freely. In the late 1600s Quakers, Mennonites, Amish, Moravians and Pietists came to Philadelphia and Pennsylvania to escape persecution in Europe because of their religious beliefs. Philadelphia grew into a major city during the 1700s and other ethnic groups such as the Welsh, Irish, Germans, Finns, Africans, Anglicans, Catholics and Jews moved to the city. During the 1800s Philadelphia, with the rise of industry, became a major immigrant destination with Southern and Eastern Europeans, Russians, Chinese and African Americans relocating within the United States. The 20th Century saw further immigration from South and East Asia and Latin America.^[2] By the 2000 US census the city's population was 1,517,550.^[3] A Hupa man, 1923 The term Indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the inhabitants of the Americas before its European discovery in the late 15th century, as well as many present-day ethnic groups who identify themselves with those historical peoples. ... The Lenape or Lenni-Lenape (later named Delaware Indians by Europeans) were, in the 1600s, loosely organized bands of Native American people practicing small-scale agriculture to augment a largely mobile hunter-gatherer society in the region around the Delaware River, the lower Hudson River, and western Long Island Sound. ... William Penn William Penn (October 14, 1644–July 30, 1718) founded the Province of Pennsylvania, the British North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... The Religious Society of Friends (commonly known as Quakers or Friends) began in England in the 17th century by people who were dissatisfied with the existing denominations and sects of Christianity. ... The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist (Re-baptizers) denominations named after and influenced by the teachings and tradition of Menno Simons (1496-1561). ... The Amish, (IPA pronunciation: ) are an Anabaptist Christian denomination found primarily in the United States and Ontario, Canada, that are known for their restrictions on the use of modern devices such as automobiles and electricity and for their mode of dress. ... The Moravian Seal, as rendered by North Carolina artist Marie Nifong The Moravian churches form a modern, mainline Protestant denomination with a religious heritage that began in 15th-century Bohemia, Czech Republic. ... Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late-17th century to the mid-18th century. ... Motto: (Welsh for Wales for ever) Anthem: Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Capital Cardiff Largest city Cardiff Official language(s) English, Welsh Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Rhodri Morgan AM Unification    - by Gruffudd ap Llywelyn 1056  Area    - Total 20,779 km² (3rd... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ... The term Anglican (from medieval Latin ecclesia Anglicana meaning the English church) is used to describe the people, institutions, and churches as well as the liturgical traditions and theological concepts developed by the established Church of England, the Anglican Communion and the Continuing Anglican Churches (a loosely affiliated group of... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ...

In some cases the different ethnicities developed into neighborhoods such as Chinatown in Center City, the mostly Italian South Philadelphia and the Puerto Rican North Kensington neighborhood. Philadelphia's gay community is mostly centralized in the Washington Square West neighborhood in Center City. For the most of the first half of the 20th Century Philadelphia's most conspicuous group was the rich and cultural elite. They were the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, wealthy families that dominated the wealthier sections of Philadelphia and later the Main Line suburbs just outside the city. Chinese Friendship Arch, 10th and Arch Streets. ... Center City District, highlighted on a map of Philadelphia County. ... South Philadelphia district, highlighted on map of Philadelphia County. ... Kensington - a neighborhood of the city of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual and romantic attraction between two individuals of the same sex. ... Washington Square West (or Wash West) is a neighborhood in downtown, or Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Alternate meaning: Wasp (disambiguation) WASP is an acronym which stands for White Anglo-Saxon Protestant. ... The Main Line is a collection of affluent towns in suburban Philadelphia named after the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad (currently Amtraks Keystone Corridor and SEPTAs R5 line). ...

See also: Demographics of Philadelphia

See also: List of people from Philadelphia

Median household income in Center City and surrounding sections, 2000 Census. ... The following is a list of notable residents, natives, and persons generally associated with the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fifth largest city in the United States. ...

Art

Fine art

Before the American Revolution the upper class increasingly began to support the arts, particularly there was a demand for portrait paintings. The demand for portraits made Philadelphia attractive to artists and many came to the city, including William Williams who introduced oil painting to another Philadelphia artist, Benjamin West. In 1805 an art collector, believing Philadelphia the best place for the encouragement of artistic taste, offered the city numerous paintings, sculptures, engravings and other art work. To accept the gift the city formed the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. The Academy, the oldest art school and museum in the United States, helped establish many artists. Portraitist Charles Willson Peale and sculptor William Rush helped found the Academy of the Fine Arts and artists such as Thomas Eakins and Henry Ossawa Tanner studied there.^[1] The city's major art museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art was founded in 1876 as part of the Centennial Exposition. The museum holds over 225,000 pieces of artwork including work by Vincent van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, and Marcel Duchamp.^[4] Not far from the Museum of Art is the Rodin Museum. The museum, founded in 1929, is the largest collection of Auguste Rodin work outside of France. In 1991, to promote Old City art galleries, the Old City Art Association began First Fridays. On the first Friday of every month, Old City galleries hold a collaborative open house night.^[2] The American Revolution was a political movement that ended British control of the south-eastern coastal area of North America, resulting in the formation of the United States of America in 1776 and sparking the American Revolutionary War. ... It has been suggested that Portrait painting be merged into this article or section. ... Mona Lisa, Oil on wood panel painting by Leonardo da Vinci La Donna Velata, painted in 1516, Oil on wood panel painting by Raphael Oil painting is done on surfaces with pigments that are ground and mixed into a medium of oil — especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. ... Benjamin West Benjamin West (October 10, 1738 – March 11, 1820) was an Anglo-American painter of historical scenes around and after the time of the American Revolution. ... The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts is the oldest art school in the United States, founded in Philadelphia in 1805. ... Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 - February 22, 1827) was an American painter, soldier and naturalist. ... William Rush (1756 - 1833) was a U.S. sculptor. ... Eakins Max Schmitt in a single scull Thomas Cowperthwaite Eakins (July 25, 1844 - June 25, 1916) was a painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts educator. ... Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City by Henry Tanner Henry Ossawa Tanner (June 21, 1859–May 25, 1937) was one of the first important African American painters. ... The Philadelphia Museum of Art, located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphias Fairmount Park, was founded in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year and is now among the largest and most important art museums in the United States. ... The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official worlds fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. ... Self-portrait (1887) Vincent van Gogh (IPA: )   (March 30, 1853, Zundert–July 29, 1890, Auvers-sur-Oise) was a Dutch draughtsman and painter, classified as a Post-Impressionist. ... Young Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso (October 25, 1881 – April 8, 1973) was a Spanish painter and sculptor. ... Marcel Duchamp. ... The Rodin Museum, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, contains the largest collection of sculptor Auguste Rodins works outside Paris. ... Auguste Rodin Rodins The Burghers of Calais in Calais, France. ... Old City is a neighborhood in Center City, Philadelphia located in the area near the Delaware River where William Penn and the Quakers first settled. ... First Friday is an event that occurs on the first friday of every month. ...

A mural on South Street.

Beyond Philadelphia's art museums and galleries the city has more public art than any other American city. The inclusion of decorative art in Philadelphia structures goes back to the 19th Century. In 1872 the Fairmount Park Art Association was created. Responsible for the art along the Schuylkill River drives, the private association was the first in the United States dedicated to integrating public art and urban planning.^[5] In the late 1950s the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority included a clause in its development contracts that at least one percent of construction budget be allocated to fine art. After lobbying by the Artists Equity Association, the clause became the Percent for Art ordinance in 1959. Philadelphia was the first United States city to approve a Percent for Art ordinance.^[6] The Percent for Art program, which is responsible for over 200 pieces of public art, is administered by the Philadelphia Office of Arts and Culture which is designated as Philadelphia's local art agency.^[7] South Street during the daytime, looking west. ... The term public art properly refers to works of art in any media that has been planned and executed with the specific intention of being sited or staged in the public domain, usually outside and accessible to all. ... Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is one of the largest municipal public parks in the world, at over 9,100 acres (37 km²). This figure includes all parkland within the city limits, as all 65 city parks are considered part of Fairmount Park and overseen by the Fairmount Park Commission... The Schuylkill River, pronounced SKOO-kull (IPA: ), is a river in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. ... Urban planning is concerned with the ordering and design of settlements, from the smallest towns to the worlds largest cities. ... The stela of King Hammurabi depicts the god Shamash revealing a code of laws to the king. ...

In 1984 the Department of Recreation began the Mural Arts Program. The program, an extension of the city's Anti-Graffiti Network, is intended to help provide an outlet for graffiti artists while beautifying neighborhoods. The program, which became independent from the Anti-Graffiti Network in 1996, has created over 2,300 murals, more than any other city in the U.S. The murals are created by professional, staff and volunteer artists and along with the creation of murals the program runs art education programs and tours of the murals.^[2] The Mural Arts Program was founded by Jane Golden in Philadelphia, PA in the early 1980s as the Anti Graffiti Network. ... Graffiti is the application of media on publicly viewable surfaces. ... Salle des illustres, ceiling painting, by Jean André Rixens. ...

Music

Main article: Music of Philadelphia

Music first began to be a major part of Philadelphia life in the middle of the 18th Century. Organs were being installed in the non-Quaker churches and Philadelphia experienced its first opera, The Beggar's Opera. The city's musical scene continued to grow with the music of William Henry Fry, the creation of the Musical Fund Society in 1820 and the opening of the Academy of Music 1857. Musical Fund Society concerts ended with the creation of the Academy of Music, which now hosts the Philly Pops, the Pennsylvania Ballet and the Opera Company of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Orchestra, founded in 1900, rose to prominence with conductors Leopold Stokowski and Eugene Ormandy.^[1] The orchestra's home was the Academy of Music before the opening of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in 2001. One of Philadelphias first mainstream stars, Chubby Checker, in 2005 The city of Philadelphia is home to a vibrant and well-documented musical heritage, stretching back to colonial times. ... Organ in Katharinenkirche, Frankfurt am Main, Germany Modern style pipe organ at the concert hall of Aletheia University in Matou, Taiwan The organ is a keyboard instrument with one or more manuals, and usually a pedalboard. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan is one of the worlds most famous opera houses. ... Painting based on The Beggars Opera, Scene V, William Hogarth, c. ... William Henry Fry (August 10, 1813 – 1864) was an American composer, said to be the first American to compose a grand opera that was publicly performed. ... The Academy of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the oldest opera house in the United States that is still used for its original purpose. ... The Philly Pops is a music group in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Pennsylvania Ballet is a ballet company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1963 by Barbara Weisberger. ... The Opera Company of Philadelphia is an opera company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Philadelphia Orchestra, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is one of the Big Five symphony orchestras in the United States and usually considered among the finest in the world. ... Leopold Stokowski (born Antoni Stanisław Bolesławowicz April 18, 1882 in London, England, died September 13, 1977 in Nether Wallop, England) was the conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the NBC Symphony Orchestra, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Symphony of the Air. ... Eugene Ormandy in the 1950s Eugene Ormandy (November 18, 1899 – March 12, 1985) was a conductor and violinist. ... Kimmel Center exterior, September 2005. ...

The city developed an early jazz scene with many future jazz luminaries, such as John Coltrane and Charlie Biddle, coming out of Philadelphia. In 1952 WFIL-TV, contributed to American pop music when it premiered Bandstand which, in a few years, would become American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark.^[8] The national success of the show led to rise of local music labels such as Swan Records, Cameo-Parkway and Chancellor Records. The 1960s saw the development Philadelphia soul. The major architects of the sound were Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who became the most renowned producers of the Philadelphia soul scene.^[9] John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967), often known as Trane, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. ... Charlie Biddle otherwise known as Charles Reed Biddle, was born July 28, 1926, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA but lived the majority of his life as a Montrealer and Canadian citizen. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Dick Clark redirects here. ... Label of Swan record by Phil Napoleons jazz band Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label based in Philadelphia. ... Cameo and its sister label Parkway were a major Philadelphia_based record label. ... Chancellor Records is a record label associated with ABC_Paramount Records See also List of record labels Categories: Record labels | Stub ... Philadelphia (or Philly) soul, sometimes called the Philadelphia Sound, is a style of soul music characterized by lush instrumental arrangements often featuring sweeping strings and horns. ... Kenneth Gamble (born on August 11, 1943 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and Leon Huff (born in 1942 in Camden, New Jersey) are an American songwriting and record production team. ...

Performance art

In Philadelphia's early history the city was visited by outside theater troupes, but experienced some resistance from conservatives and Quakers who tried to restrict performances. The creation of the Southwark Theater in 1766 marked the permanent presence of theater in Philadelphia. Theatrical performances were banned during the American Revolution, but the ban was repealed in 1784, theater returned and another theater, the Chestnut Street Theater, opened in 1794. Over the next century a number of other theaters opened in the city including the Forrest Theater and the Walnut Street Theater. Philadelphia produced several major theater actors, including Edwin Forrest, John Drew, and John Barrymore.^[1] The Philadelphia Theater Company, founded in 1974 and specializes in new American plays, performs in Plays and Players Theatre but will soon move into a new theater under construction along Broad Street.^[10] Other modern theaters include the Arden Theater Company and the Wilma Theater, and the University of the Arts' Merriam and Arts Bank theaters. The University of Pennsylvania puts on productions at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, the Irvine Auditorium and the Iron Gate Theater. African American themed plays are put on at the Freedom Theater and the Bushfire Theater.^[2] Other theater companies include the Ardienne, the InterAct Theater Company, the Venture Company, and the Mum Puppet Theater. Every year the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival performs three Shakespeare plays. Serge Sudeikins poster for the Bat Theatre (1922). ... A troupe is a theatre company of touring actors, singers and/or dancers. ... The interior of the Comédie-Française, Paris, showing the stage, boxes, galleries and orchestra sections of the house. ... The Walnut Street Theatre (or simply The Walnut) is the oldest continuously-operating theatre in the English speaking world, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 825 Walnut Street. ... This photograph of Edwin Forrest was taken by Matthew Brady. ... John Drew (1827 - 1862) was a U.S. (Irish-born) actor. ... John Sidney Blythe Barrymore (February 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942), better known as just John Barrymore and nicknamed The Great Profile, became famous as a Shakespearean actor, lauded for his Hamlet, and was frequently regarded as the greatest actor of his generation, playing a wide variety of roles on stage... The University of the Arts, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is comprised of the College of Art and Design, the College of Performing Arts, and the College of Media and Communication. ... The University of Pennsylvania (Penn is the moniker used by the university itself [2]) is a private, nonsectarian research university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts is a music venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

There are an estimated 120 theater organizations in the Philadelphia area.^[2] The Theater Alliance of Philadelphia was formed in 1990 out of its predecessor the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia. The goal of the Theater Alliance is to promote Philadelphia theater. Among the Theater Alliance's events is the annual Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theater. The awards, held since 1994, honor theater productions in the Philadelphia area.^[11]

Dance became a part of Philadelphia with the beginning of the Philadelphia Dancing Assemblies in 1748 which remained popular into the 20th Century.^[1] Major dancing organizations include the Pennsylvania Ballet founded in 1963. The Pennsylvania Ballet performs in the Academy of Music and the Merriam Theater. The Philadelphia Dance Company (Phildanco) was founded in 1970 and specializes in modern dance.^[12] The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Pennsylvania Ballet is a ballet company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1963 by Barbara Weisberger. ... picture of Isadora Duncan - Source: Library of Congress Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. ...

Film and television

Lubin Studios in 1911.

On December 18, 1895 Charles Francis Jenkins showed off his film projector at the Franklin Institute. It was the first demonstration of moving pictures using flexible film in Philadelphia. A week later Woodville Latham's eidoloscope was shown to Philadelphia audiences. German immigrant and optician, Siegmund Lubin, was impressed with the technology and bought Jenkins' camera. In Philadelphia he filmed his first film, his horse eating hay. Lubin continued to make films in Philadelphia, now showing them commercially, and built his own cameras and projectors which he marketed. He eventually created a production company, Lubin Manufacturing Company, in 1902. Shortly afterwards Lubin opened up some of the cities first movie theaters and in 1905 Jules Mastbaum opened the city's first Nickelodeon.^[13] Lubin Studios shut down in 1917 and through most of the 20th Century Philadelphia had an almost non-existent film industry. In 1985 the Greater Philadelphia Film Office was created as part of the city government, and, in 1992, it became a regional economic office.^[14] Since 1992 the GPFO, which promotes the Philadelphia region and helps coordinate film productions, has assisted in the making of over 200 films and television shows. Between 1992 and 2002 film productions have brought in US$500 Million to the city's economy.^[2] Every year Philadelphia hosts the Philadelphia Film Festival and the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Charles Francis Jenkins (August 22, 1867 _ June 5, 1934) was a pioneer of early cinema and one of the inventors of television, though he used mechanical rather than electronic technologies. ... 35 mm Kinoton movie projector in operation. ... The Franklin Institute is the memorial to Benjamin Franklin, that serves to perpetuate his legacy; the museum contains many of Franklins personal effects. ... Major Woodville Latham (1837-1911) was an ordnance officer of the Confederacy during the American Civil War and professor of chemistry at University of West Virginia. ... An optician is an individual who makes and adjusts optical aids. ... Siegmund Lubin Siegmund Lubin (April 20, 1851 - September 11, 1923) was an American businessman and motion picture pioneer. ... Lubin Studios, Philadelphia (c. ... A typical multiplex (AMC Promenade 16 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California). ... Nickelodeon is an early 20th century form of small, neighborhood movie theaters in which admission was obtained for a nickel. ... The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i. ... It has been suggested that film production be merged into this article or section. ... The Philadelphia Film Festival is held annually, generally during the first weeks of April in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... The Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by TLA Entertainment Group in 1995. ...

In the early 1930s Philco Corp. founded Philadelphia's first experimental television station, W3XE. That station became NBC's first affiliate in 1939, and in 1941 the station became WPTZ-TV after it was granted Philadelphia's first commercial license. By the late 1940s WPTZ, which would eventually become CBS affiliate KYW-TV, was joined by WCAU-TV and WFIL-TV, now WPVI-TV.^[15] In succeeding decades, WHYY-TV, WPHL-TV, WTXF-TV and WPSG-TV would join the Philadelphia market. Major shows that were broadcasted out of Philadelphia include American Bandstand, Double Dare and The Mike Douglas Show. A television station is a type of broadcast station that broadcasts both audio and video to television receivers in a particular area. ... NBC, (Formerly an acronym for the National Broadcasting Company until 2004), is an American television and radio network based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity. ... It has been suggested that CBS evening news anchors be merged into this article or section. ... KYW-TV CBS3 is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Philadelphia. ... WCAU, channel 10, is the NBC-owned and operated television station serving the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania market, with studios on the border between Philadelphia and Bala Cynwyd, and transmitter in the Roxborough neighborhood. ... WPVI-TV 6ABC is the owned-and-operated ABC television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by ABCs parent The Walt Disney Company with its transmitter in the Roxborough neighborhood (shared with KYW-TV). ... WHYY-TV is the PBS television member station broadcasting on channel 12 (DTV 55) and serves the Delaware Valley area, including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. ... WPHL-TV, channel 17, is a television station currently affiliated with the WB television network, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and owned by the Tribune Company. ... It has been suggested that WTXF-TV Personalities be merged into this article or section. ... WPSG, channel 57, is the CW-affiliated television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Double Dare was a childrens game show, originally hosted by Marc Summers, that aired on Nickelodeon. ... The Mike Douglas Show was an American daytime televsion program starring singer Mike Douglas. ...

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the home of many culinary institutions, both gourmet and humble local staples. Philadelphia has more restaurants, scoring a 29 in the 2005 Zagat Restaurant Guide, than any other city. The city is commonly identified with the cheesesteak, which is a local invention. Also well-known are its hoagies, soft pretzels and Italian ice (known in Philadelphia as "water ice", pronounced "wooder ice"). // Restaurants Philadelphias restaurants have great diversity, depth, and quality. ... Zagat Survey (pronounced Zuh-GOT) was established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979 as a way to collect and correlate the ratings of restaurants by diners. ... Cheesesteak with Cheez Whiz, as prepared by Pats Steaks The cheesesteak, known outside the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area as the Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, or steak and cheese is a sandwich principally of sliced pieces of steak and one of three types of cheese. ... The hoagie is a kind of submarine sandwich. ... A pretzel is a baked snack that is ordinarily twisted into a unique knot-like shape. ... Blue raspberry Italian ice Italian ice (also known as granita, granite, slush, Italian water ice, or water ice in areas with large Italian-American populations) is a frozen dessert made by mixing flavorings (typically fruit juices but also coffee and chocolate) with ice. ...

Annual fairs and events

Philadelphia holds many annual festivals and events. One of the most famous is the Mummers Parade. The first modern version of the parade was held in 1901 and is held every year on New Year's Day.^[2] There is also the Puerto Rican Day Parade and the Saint Patrick's Day Parade which is the second oldest parade in the United States.^[16] Three major annual shows in Philadelphia are the Philadelphia Flower Show held in March, the Philadelphia International Auto Show held in February and the Philadelphia Antiques Show held in April. Major events include the Greek Picnic which is a reunion and celebration of African American college fraternities and sororities. Another event, the Wing Bowl is an eating contest started in 1993. Festivals include the Philadelphia Folk Festival and Unity Day an event celebrating unity between people and families. PrideFest events are to promote gay and lesbian rights, and there are two major film festivals, the Philadelphia Film Festival and the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. In September, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival is held. The ten day festival in Old City highlights experimental art, performances and exhibits.^[2] A group of comic mummers in the 2005 parade A few members of a the Aqua String Band in the 2005 parade presenting their theme Just Plain Dead The Mummers Parade is held each New Years Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... For the movie, New Years Day, see New Years Day (film). ... The Puerto Rican Day Parade (also known as the National Puerto Rican Day Parade) takes place yearly across the United States. ... St. ... The Philadelphia Flower Show is an annual event organized by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in early March. ... The Greek Picnic is an annual event and reunion celebrating Black fraternities and sororities. ... The terms fraternity and sorority (from the Latin words frater and soror, meaning brother and sister respectively) may be used to describe any number of social and charitable organizations, for example the Lions Club, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Rotary International, Ordo Templi Orientis or the Shriners. ... Wing Bowl is an annual event founded by Philadelphia talk-radio hosts Al Morganti and Angelo Cataldi as a celebration of gluttony in 1993. ... Sonya Thomas and Tim Janus at the 2005 Midway Slots Crabcake Eating Competition Competitive eating involves the consumption of large quantities of food in a short time period – typically 12 minutes or less. ... The Philadelphia Folk Festival is a three-day festival of folk music held annually in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania in the vicinity of Philadelphia by the non-profit Philadelphia Folksong Society since 1957. ... UNITY DAY, now in its 27th year, is a celebration held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Ben Franklin Parkway. ... A film festival is a festival in one or more movie theaters with a special program showcasing many films. ...

Philadelphia in fiction

Main article: Cultural depictions of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The city has been featured in literature, film and television. One of the first novels to take place in Philadelphia was The Quaker City by George Lippard. Published in 1844, the book was based real events in 1843 and depicted seduction and violence. The novel sold 60,000 copies in less than a year.^[1] Other novels that take place in Philadelphia include John J. Rust science fiction novel Epsilon, John Edgar Wideman's Philadelphia Fire: A Novel and the Old Philadelphia Mystery book series. George Lippard (1822-1854) was a brilliant but erratic 19th century American novelist, journalist, and playwright. ... John Edgar Wideman (born June 14, 1941 in Washington, DC) is an American writer. ...

The film Rocky is one of Philadelphia's most iconic films partially because of its use of Philadelphia locations. Other films include Philadelphia, a film about AIDS discrimination, and two films set in the city's 1930s high soicety, The Philadelphia Story and Kitty Foyle. Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has set many of his films in or around Philadelphia including The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Television that takes place in Philadelphia includes Cold Case, Hack and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Rocky (1976) is a film written by and starring Sylvester Stallone as an underdog boxer. ... Philadelphia is a controversial 1993 drama movie written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. ... Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections in humans resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ... The Philadelphia Story is a 1940 romantic screwball comedy starring Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. ... Kitty Foyle, subtitled The Natural History of a Woman, is a 1940 film which tells the story of a white-collar girl who falls in love with a young socialite, despite the objections of his family. ... Manoj Nelliattu Shyamalan (born August 6, 1970), known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian American film writer, director, and producer. ... The Sixth Sense is a 1999 film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan that tells the story of a troubled, isolated boy (played by Haley Joel Osment) living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a child psychologist (played by Bruce Willis) who tries to help him. ... This page refers to Unbreakable the film. ... Cold Case is an American hour-long fictional television show about a police division that specializes in investigating unsolved crimes. ... Hack was a television series that aired on the CBS television network from 2002 to 2004. ... Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a sitcom on FX, starring (and created by) Rob McElhenny, Glenn Howerton, and Charlie Day. ...

See also

Philadelphia Portal

• Buildings and architecture of Philadelphia
• List of sites of interest in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Media of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Image File history File links Portal. ... The buildings and architecture of Philadelphia combine historic and modern styles that reflect the changing city. ... The following is a list of sites of interest (attractions) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... This is a list of media based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ...

References