June 28, 2023
City of Philadelphia/Flickr
The Oval pop-up festival is kicking off at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway this July with a free concert headlined by the Philly brass band Snacktime.
The Ben Franklin Parkway will soon be decked out with public art, food trucks and carnival games as The Oval pop-up festival returns for the summer.
While it has been known by other names over the years, including The Oval XP last summer, the pop-up heads back to Eakins Oval Friday, July 7 and runs through Sunday, Aug. 20. The festivities begin 6:30-10 p.m. with a free concert headlined by Snacktime, Philly's brass-heavy band that got its start performing on the streets of Rittenhouse Square, Philly DJ Killsing and rapper Eshu Tune, otherwise known as comedian Hannibal Buress. Christian Crosby, a musician and Sixers personality, will also make an appearance.
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MilkBoy is managing The Oval's 21,000-square-foot beer garden, where it will serve beverages while guests browse the lineup of food trucks. There will also be pastries and non-alcoholic drinks from the Kensington-based Forin Cafe.
"It's all about getting the community outside and grooving together," said Sam Gellerstein, Snacktime's cofounder. "Philly's been through a lot in 2023 and we're only halfway through. I think we could all benefit from busting out dance moves, going a little stupid, and getting really funky."
The Oval pop-up is free through the summer, taking up eight acres of the Parkway across the street from the Museum of Art steps. It will also have family-focused programs like storytelling, a playground and arts and crafts.
Each Friday night at dusk, The Oval will host an outdoor movie night with different films screening each week. For more information, check out The Oval's full calendar of events.
Concert: Friday, July 7 | Pop-up: July 7 to Aug. 20
Free to attend
Eakins Oval
2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
