July 10, 2026
Thom Carroll/For Philly Voice
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge and roads around Old City and Fairmount will be closed this weekend for celebrations for the bridge's 100th birthday and MLB All-Star events.
Road closures for the Ben Franklin Bridge's 100th birthday and MLB All-Star events are expected to cause traffic around the city over the next few days.
Drivers will be prohibited from using the interstate connector from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday for the bridge celebrations. Instead, pedestrians will get a chance to walk the 9,573-foot span, which will host food trucks, carnival rides, live music and a pop-up museum exhibit from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
The party is free to attend but advanced registration is encouraged through the Delaware River Port Authority’s website. PATCO service will not be disrupted by the closure.
Starting Friday, the MLB and city will host six days worth of activities for All-Star weekend, including a red carpet show for some of baseball’s biggest names, a parade with the Budweiser Clydesdale horses and a drone show over the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Areas around Independence Mall will be temporarily closed for the parade Friday evening and the All-Star Red Carpet Show on Tuesday afternoon. The Independence Visitor Center will also be closed to the public starting at noon Tuesday and will reopen following the conclusion of the red carpet event.
The All-Star Village will be run Saturday through Tuesday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The opening rounds of the MLB draft will also be hosted in the center’s Grand Hall on Saturday afternoon.
At the stadium complex, Citizens Bank Park will kick off with the HBCU Swingman Classic on Friday, the All-Star Futures Game and 3-on-3 game starting at noon Sunday and the Home Run Derby on Monday at 8 p.m. — all leading up to the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Fans at Citizens Bank Park will get free SEPTA rides back to the city after Monday and Tuesday’s events, sponsored by DraftKings and the Pennsylvania Lottery.
An MLB Red Carpet event will take place Tuesday, July 14 starting at 2 p.m.
From 3-6 p.m. on Friday, 6th Street between Market and Chestnut streets will be, at least, partially closed to make way for the Budweiser Clydesdale parade. Parking will also be prohibited around the route.
Rolling closures will be implemented between 4-6 p.m., according to the following procession route.
• 6th Street from Market to Walnut streets, southbound
• Walnut Street from 6th to 7th streets, westbound
• 7th Street from Walnut to Market streets, northbound
• Market Street from 7th to 6th streets, eastbound
A drone show will take place at 9:40 p.m. Sunday near Eakins Oval. The following roads will be closed between approximately 9:10-10 p.m. that day.
• All lanes of Eakins Oval
• Kelly Drive between Eakins Oval and Fairmount Avenue
• Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive, behind the Art Museum
• I-76 eastbound off-ramp at Spring Garden Street
Closures around Independence Mall will begin Monday morning and last until Tuesday evening to prepare and host the MLB Red Carpet Show. Additional closures may be enacted by Philadelphia police as needed. All closures will be lifted by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday.
Starting at 5 a.m. Monday, the following roads will be closed to vehicles and parking will be restricted.
• 5th Street between Market and Chestnut streets
• Ludlow Street between 4th and 5th streets
• Ranstead Street between 4th and 5th streets
Starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday, the following roads will be closed. Parking will also be unavailable.
• 6th Street between Arch and Walnut streets
• 5th Street between Arch and Walnut streets
• Market Street between 7th and 4th streets
• Ranstead Street between 6th and 7th streets
• Chestnut Street between 4th and 7th streets
• Sansom Street between 6th and 7th streets
Mobile users can sign up for the Office of Emergency Management’s automatic alert system for weather, safety and schedule updates by texting “READYPHILA” to 888-777. Updates will also be communicated through the city’s 2026 Digital Resource Hub website.
