Note to self: Don’t forget to wash the Art Museum steps
Philadelphia is slated to host millions of visitors in 2026 as it braces itself for the FIFA World Cup, the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and the country’s 250th birthday. That’s in addition to annual summer events, such as Wawa Welcome America, Pride, and Juneteenth celebrations.
Philadelphia councilmembers, city agencies, and the private sector are in continued conversations about how to maximize the attention and convert those visitor dollars into gains that outlast the events drawing the crowds. But with 2025 right around the corner and various stakeholders to consider, much remains to be done.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of outstanding items stakeholders hope to be addressed come 2026.
Ensuring the city can safely host millions over the summer is going to require some serious city, state, corporate, and philanthropic dollars.
Philadelphia’s first responders and public safety officers will be working overtime. City icons, such as Independence Hall and the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, will ideally get a powerwash and much-needed sprucing up before visitors flock for selfies. Should money allow, Philly would also advertise itself in Europe as a 2026 destination.
Yet just how much Philadelphia will be working with remains up in the air, though some estimates and asks have been floated.
Councilmember Isiah Thomas, who chairs the legislative oversight committee and convened a hearing Monday on 2026 preparedness, wants to get some of the spending budget firmed up.
“It’s important that the private sector who has done heavy lifting already, hears numbers from us as it relates to government,” said Thomas. “Specifically, what we want to ask for, right, not what we actualize.”
Thomas said he would like a combined city and state investment of $50 to $100 million for all 2026 events, excluding the World Cup, which is so large it is being treated separately. Meg Kane, CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, said the event would require north of $100 million from the city and state.
Speaking of FIFA, the city has already promised $3.5 million to get Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill ready for tournament fan activities.
For non-FIFA celebrations, Thomas said the city ought to show the private sector it has “skin in the game” through its investments.
Already, Visit Philly estimates it has raised $14.6 million of the $32.6 million it plans to receive from the private sector for 2026 celebrations. That money will fund the cost of events, marketing, beautification, and ambassadors. The tourism agency seeks an additional $23.4 million from the city and state to cover these costs. Without such public investments, the tourism agency worries other major cities would draw from Philadelphia’s pool of potential visitors.
According to Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philly, tourism tax revenue “saved each household in Greater Philadelphia $633 in state and local taxes in 2023.”
So how soon will the budget question be resolved and how much will be asked of the state? It’s unclear.
As the city’s 2026 director, Michael Newmuis is coordinating some of the biggest events coming to Philly that year, including the 250th celebration.
Newmuis did not say Monday how much Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration would dedicate to the celebrations in her 2026 budget or how much the city would ask the state to pitch in for “public safety infrastructure.”
Philadelphia is expecting many foreign visitors in 2026, some of whom will presumably be on different eating schedules, and Philadelphia is ill-equipped to handle late-night munchies.
Fear not, says night mayor Raheem Manning. He is working with councilmembers to expand an overnight food truck market across multiple districts so tourists can have safe, designated places to eat.
It’s unclear when this would get checked off the to-do list.
Kensington already deals with bad-faith actors who create “viral” moments and videotape residents experiencing addiction and living on the street. With millions of dollars being invested in the city, Councilmember Quetzy Lozada wants to know what the Parker administration plans to do to make sure 2026 tourists are met with a different landscape should they go to Kensington.
Lozada noted the neighborhood is already tapped into Department of Commerce grant programs, but she hopes the city can develop a separate plan to ensure the neighborhood can benefit from the 2026 boon.
SEPTA has scrapped its bus revolution, is looking to hike fares come New Year’s Day, and could make service cuts soon after. The changes have some lawmakers nervous about what that would mean for visitors in 2026. What’s the point of all this programming if visitors can’t get where they want to go?
Event organizers like Kane, however, are optimistic about the system’s ability to move revelers.
Kane said Monday a functional transit system is key to the visitor experience for FIFA, which will be coordinating with Welcome America, the MLB, and city agencies to make sure transit can work for all events.
Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is looking at how shuttle systems can help transport fans to and from Lemon Hill, where the World Cup fan festival is slated to take place.
Kane said the organization also continues to advocate for additional state funding for SEPTA.
Councilmembers have stressed this point throughout planning conversations: What good is tourism if only one part of the city benefits?
Councilmembers want to see events outside Center City and small businesses to reap the benefits of contracts related to 2026 events.
But 2026 is supposed to be different and councilmembers like Rue Landau were optimistic about where planning is after Monday’s hearing.
“The 250th anniversary folks are going to have events in 11 neighborhoods throughout the city,” she said. “They’re not keeping their work only in Center City. They’re going out to our neighborhoods. They’re making sure that our visitors will see our neighborhoods and see all that they have to offer.”

source

Post Views: 1