Parks & Rec’s dedicated staff and partners host dozens of events at locations across the city each month. This July we’ve got free outdoor movies, kayak tours, salsa dancing, Wissahickon history, a bevy of bats, and more!
Check out these highlights:
July 01, 2021—12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Story Trails at Tacony Creek Park
Visit Tacony Creek Park and enjoy reading a story in English and Spanish as you move along the trail. The books include: I Know the River Loves Me, Call Me Tree, and Talking with Mother Earth. Visit the Frankford Library or Greater Olney Library to get a free copy of the books. Learn more.
- Event by Tookany/Tacony-Frankford (TTF) Watershed Partnership and Free Library of Philadelphia
July 02, 2021 —7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
¡BAILAR en FDR! Salsa Class & Social Dance
Experience culture, meet new people, and discover a fun and enjoyable way to keep yourself fit by moving your feet. Held on the first and third Fridays through October 15, 2021 at the FDR Boathouse overlooking the central lake. Hosted by DJ Val Flores & Philly Outdoor Bachata & Salsa. Purchase tickets (pay what you can).
- Event by Friends of FDR Park
July 08, 2021—8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Free Outdoor Movie Night at Schuylkill Banks – Center City
Bring your friends, blanket, and picnic for a great time watching Lady Bird riverside! Greta Gerwig’s dramatic comedy about coming-of-age in the early 2000s is heartfelt and goofy. Movie starts at sunset. Learn more.
- Event by Schuylkill Banks
July 10, 2021—8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
West Fairmount Park Birdwatching Walk
Join science educator and passionate bird watcher Jason Hall for a friendly, all-ages bird watching walk around West Park. The walk will follow the Lansdowne Creek—a protected body of water that serves as a popular “rest stop” on the highway for the spring / early summer migration of many spectacular species. Register and purchase tickets (pay what you can).
- Shofuso Japanese House and Garden – Lansdowne and Horticultural Drives
- Event by Fairmount Park Conservancy
July 10, 2021—1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Embodying Thoreau at Pennypack Environmental Center
Join our environmental center staff for a 1 and a 1/2-mile hike to view three wooden structures and reflect on Henry David Thoreau. Free. Learn more.
July 11, 2021—10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Yoga in the Park (various locations)
Celebrate the summer and find your peaceful place in the greenspace! There’s no better way to connect with your practice and with other people than outdoor yoga. Join us for a socially-distanced yoga classes held in various locations around Fairmount Park. These all-levels classes take place Sundays from 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM and will be led by a rotation local teachers from Tula Yoga. View dates, locations, and purchase tickets (pay what you can).
- Various locations in Fairmount Park
- Event by Fairmount Park Conservancy
July 14, 2021—7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Bat Night at Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Center
Join our environmental staff as we search for bats using a sonic detector. Learn about the bats commonly living in our region and their important role in the ecosystem. Find out about current threats to bats. Free.
July 15, 2021—8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Free Outdoor Movie Night at Schuylkill Banks – Grays Ferry Crescent
Bring your friends, blanket, and picnic for a great time watching the movie Barbershop riverside! Tim Story’s dramatic comedy of a day in a barbershop will keep you laughing all night! Movie starts at sunset. Learn more.
- Event by Schuylkill Banks
July 23, 2021—9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Leave No Trace: History of the Wissahickon Guided Walk
Learn about the industrial history of the Wissahickon Creek and how the need to protect Philadelphia’s water supply from pollution created Wissahickon Valley Park. Walk led by part-time historian Brad Maule. Register for the event.
- Event by Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW)
July 24, 2021—5:45 p.m.
Kayak Tours
Explore the tidal Schuylkill River on a kayak! Hidden River Outfitters leads this professionally guided tour of the tidal Schuylkill which includes equipment rental, instructions on how to paddle and safely operate the kayak, and a little over an hour out on the river. The tour departs from and returns to the Walnut Street Dock. Kayaking on the tidal Schuylkill requires moderate exertion. Learn more and purchase tickets.
- Event by Schuylkill Banks
July 31, 2021—10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Urban Medicine Cabinet: Herbal Exfoliation
Exfoliating your skin is more important than you may think! As you age, cell regeneration slows down and old skin cells pile up, creating a dull and dry appearance. Stimulate healthy new skin cells using nutrient-rich fresh ingredients from the garden. Learn more and purchase tickets.
- Event by Bartram’s Garden – 5400 Lindbergh Blvd. Philadelphia, 19143
