Parkway Pals Play Day Returns to Sister Cities Park With Free Activities and Entertainment for Kids
Here’s a little something for all those with little ones. Parkway Pals Play Day at Sister Cities Park (18th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway) will return for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, May 7 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with free activities and entertainment for children and their families. The all-day celebration of laughter and learning is the official kick-off event for Parkway Pals, a summertime educational series that brings nearby cultural institutions outside for kid-friendly programming.
Visitors are invited to join friends and neighbors for a full lineup of performances, including sing-a-longs with Silly Joe, a bubble magic show and Story and Movement Adventures with Thembi Palmer. Kids can shake off their sillies with energetic Soccer Shots demonstrations, and will even get a chance to rock out with Mr. Boom Boom and friends from Music Play Patrol. The fun keeps coming with crafts, balloon animals, meet-and-greet characters and more! Everyone is encouraged to stick around for the entire event as entertainment will be provided from start to finish.
The Children’s Discovery Garden and Boat Pond will be open throughout the afternoon, and the Earth Fountain will keep kids cool in between performances. The Sister Cities Café will also be open with a full menu of grab-and-go snacks and treats.
The day’s entertainment includes:
11 a.m.: Silly Joe Sing-a-Long
11:15 a.m.: Story Adventures with Thembi Palmer
11:30 a.m.: Travel-Inspired Activities with the Geography Lady
11:45 a.m.: Rock Out with Music Play Patrol
12 p.m.: Storytime with the Free Library of Philadelphia
12:15 p.m.: Bubble Magic Show
12:45 p.m.: Music Play Patrol Encore
1 p.m.: Movement Adventures with Thembi Palmer
1:15 p.m.: Soccer Shots Demonstration
1:30 p.m.: Tree House Books Story Reading
1:45 p.m.: Butterfly Release with Insectopia and the Butterfly Princess
2 p.m.: Silly Joe Storytime
2:15 p.m.: Canticuentos – Spanish Stories and Songs with Ana Atach
2:30 p.m.: Meet-and-Greet Your Favorite Pups on Patrol
Many of these entertainers will be stationed around the park with fun activities and interactive lessons throughout the afternoon, including the Free Library of Philadelphia Book Bike and engaging animal and insect lessons with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
