East Park Trails to Ales: Guided Hike + Drinks

Join us for a brewing history hike through East Fairmount Park!

Date

Thursday, August 27

Time

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Location

Mount Pleasant Mansion

3800 Mt Pleasant Drive
Philadelphia PA 19121

Join John Sigmund, Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Director of Sponsorships and Partnerships, for a 2.5 mile hiking tour to explore the history of brewing and beer gardens around East Fairmount Park. Naturally, we’ll end the hike at a modern-day park beer garden – Parks on Tap at Lemon Hill!

As the name of the Brewerytown neighborhood that borders East Park indicates, Philadelphia was a beer-brewing town. In fact, in the late 19th century, with over 30 breweries, we were the brewing capital of America! Before the city created the park, the banks of the Schuylkill River were valuable to emerging breweries for the harvesting and storage of ice and for the cold storage of lager beer in underground vaults. Also, after acquiring several historic houses with the establishment of Fairmount Park, the city sought ways to re-adapt them and the properties were leased as beer gardens enjoyed by a growing German population. The hike will discuss this and many other intoxicating aspects of beer history in Fairmount Park.

Please note, this is NOT a loop hike! It’s a one-way hike beginning at Mount Pleasant Mansion and ending at Parks on Tap in Lemon Hill. We strongly suggest using Uber/Lyft, public transit, or Indego bike share to arrive at the starting point so you do not have to return for your vehicle/bike.
  • Starting Location for August 27: Mount Pleasant Mansion (3800 Mt Pleasant Drive, Philadelphia PA 19121)
  • Ending location for August 27: Parks on Tap at Lemon Hill (1 Lemon Hill Drive, Philadelphia PA 19130)
Interested in learning about the history of West Fairmount Park? Join us for our West Park Trails to Ales Hike on August 13.
INSTRUCTOR BIO: John Sigmund is a multidisciplinary artist, history lover, and urban park enthusiast with years of experience as a nonprofit manager and arts educator. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he spent a decade living in Austin, San Antonio, and New York City, but made a happy homecoming to go back to school at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. John has the proud distinction of actually living in Fairmount Park– he and his partner Jaime are resident caretakers at Lemon Hill Mansion. And although Lemon Hill is his home base, John is an enthusiastic advocate for all of the historic houses in the park system.
TICKET PRICES: $10
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:
  • The hike is roughly 2.5 miles over a combination of open parkland and hilly trails (moderate exertion).
  • Drinks at Parks on Tap are not part of the ticket cost.
  • Please dress according to weather conditions and wear good hiking shoes (boots/sneakers).
  • There are bathrooms (restroom trailer) at the end location but not at the start or along the route so please plan accordingly.
  • Bring your own water and snack (drinking water is not available in the park).
  • We recommend wearing and/or bringing sunscreen and bug spray. 
  • Well-behaved dogs on leashes are permitted on the hike and in the beer garden.
  • Special notes for the beer garden: The beer garden is 21+ to enter with valid, government-issued photo identification. Children, families, and anyone under 21 are welcome to join as long as they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
  • Important pre-event information and any event updates are sent out via email. Please make sure the email address entered is correct and that you check it before coming out to the event.
PARKING/GETTING THERE:There is plenty of free parking available in the park. As always, never leave valuables in your car! If traveling by public transit, the nearest stop is at 33rd and Oxford – about a half-mile walk from the start. The nearest Indego bike station is also at 33rd and Reservoir Drive.
QUESTIONS? Please reach out to programs@myphillypark.org.
Enjoy our programs? Play it forward for Philly parks! Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Fair Play Campaign is creating healthy park infrastructure, expanding people-centered programs, and preparing our organization for the future. Learn more and get involved at fairplayphilly.org.  

This event will take place in light rain. In the event of heavy rain or other severe conditions, the event will be canceled and attendees are eligible for a full refund.

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