Join Fairmount Park Conservancy for a fun-filled Saturday at FDR Park! To celebrate the launch of the Conservancy’s Fair Play Campaign, all of FDR Park will be buzzing on June 14 with free activities, exclusive park tours, snacks, and entertainment. This event is for all ages, and advance registration is recommended for pre-event information.
Special thank you to our event sponsor Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY).
Event highlights include:
- Kids’ music and dance activities
- Free snacks and treats at the Gateway Plaza (while supplies last)
- Tours of park projects
- Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the brand-new, $6 million Gateway Plaza
- Youth sports! Football, basketball, soccer, baseball, and hockey
- Free paddle boating
- Pay-as-you-go food trucks
Check out the full event schedule below!
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GATEWAY PLAZA GRAND OPENING
10 AM – 12 PM | Ribbon Cutting at 11 AM
Celebrate the grand opening of FDR Park’s Gateway Plaza — Philly’s newest town square — at this all-ages party! From 10 AM – 12 PM, Mister Boom Boom’s Music Play Patrol will lead dance, music, and movement activities for young children. Swing by for free snacks, check out the plaza’s new water misters, and dance to selections by DJ C-Rob. At 11 AM, join the historic ribbon-cutting ceremony with Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, elected officials and community members, marking the official debut of this tree-lined plaza complete with custom benches and a striking 6-foot-tall “FDR” sculpture.
NATURE PHASE TOUR
10 – 11 AM, meeting location to be announced
Join the Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Landscapes team for a guided tour of one of the biggest environmental projects underway in Philadelphia! After nearly a century of human disturbance to the western edge of the park, the Nature Phase of the FDR Park plan will restore diverse native vegetation to the area and establish a resilient landscape of wetland and forested habitat. This tour will take you past examples of this work in action, including a burgeoning 33-acre tidal wetland and a “hummock-and-hollow” forested wetland. Along the way, watch for birds, insects, and other species already embracing the new habitats! Note: this tour has limited capacity and requires additional separate registration here.
PADDLE BOATING
10 AM – 2 PM at the FDR Boathouse
Ahoy! Stop by Edgewood Lake for a free paddle boating session, hosted by Fairmount Park Conservancy in partnership with the Independence Seaport Museum. Boating sessions are first come, first serve, no experience needed! Your paddle boat can take you from the Boathouse to all corners of FDR Park’s largest lake. Note: Children must be accompanied by an adult and safely fit in a life vest in order to participate. In addition, Let’s Go Outdoors will lead a special arts and crafts project at the boathouse so kids can take home a one-of-a-kind souvenir from the day!
BIOBLITZ
11 AM – 1 PM at the Anna C. Verna Playground
Join us for a guided BioBlitz nature walk through FDR Park! Together, we’ll explore the park’s diverse riparian habitat — while identifying as many plant and animal species as we can. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or just curious about the outdoors, this is a great opportunity to connect with nature and contribute to community science. Bring your smartphone, water, and your sense of wonder!
WE WALK PHL
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, meet at the Gateway Plaza
Lace up your sneakers and join the popular We Walk PHL social walking group for a stroll through FDR Park. Get your steps in, enjoy park scenery, and make new connections in this approximately one-hour walk. We Walk PHL is a citywide social walking program led by Fairmount Park Conservancy, the Departments of Public Health and Parks & Recreation, and volunteer walk leaders. FDR Park’s group meets on Tuesdays and Saturdays every week in May and June!
FAMILY FIELD DAY
11:30 AM – 2 PM at the Boathouse Lawn
Game on! Stop by Boathouse Lawn for a free Family Field Day with sports activities for kids of all ages. Soccer, football, basketball, baseball, hockey — we’ve got something for every young athlete to try. There will also be pay-as-you-go food trucks for lunchtime refueling! Special thanks to our partners including Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, the Philadelphia Union, the Philadelphia Eagles , the Philadelphia Flyers, EPYSA, Philadelphia Youth Basketball, Sigma Sharks Youth Organization, Cool Wurld Organization, and Let’s Rock Recess.
WELCOME CENTER TOUR
12 – 1 PM, meet at the future Welcome Center
Get a sneak peek at the future and first-ever FDR Park Welcome Center, a $12 million adaptive reuse of the former park guardhouse and stables, originally built in 1919. The new Welcome Center has been renovated to LEED Gold standards and will offer public restrooms, an open-air courtyard for refreshments and events, community meeting spaces, park offices, and more. Fairmount Park Conservancy’s architectural conservation experts will lead the tour and highlight the integration of preservation design, including the restoration of windows, doors, glazed brickwork, original hardware, sculptural elements, and more. Note: this tour has limited capacity and requires additional separate registration here.