Exciting News!

Everything to know about The Oval+ 2018 season

by Melissa Romero on June 27, 2018

Mark your calendars: On Friday, July 20, 2018, The Oval+ returns to Eakins Oval (and beyond), this time bigger and better than ever before!

Fairmount Park Conservancy, in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Mural Arts, PORT, and Heads of State, is pleased to announce that The Oval+ is expanding its footprint even more this year, extending the pop-up park from Eakins Oval down a portion of the Parkway.

The limited road closures build directly on the public feedback and data that the Conservancy and Parks & Recreation collected as part of the 2017’s theme of “What’s Your Parkway, Philly?” With more than 40 percent of visitors said they wanted to see more family-related activities at The Oval+, this year’s pop-up park will expand beyond the perimeter of Eakins Oval to transform the area into a grand promenade, with the theme “More Park, More Play.”

Here’s a quick guide to The Oval+, sponsored by PNC Bank and supported by funding from ArtPlace and the Knight Foundation:

When is The Oval+ open?
The Oval+ season runs from July 20th to August 19th. It is open Wednesdays-Sundays from 11am-11pm.

What’s new this year?
The Oval+ will debut plenty of new, exciting features, including:

  • A pedestrian walkway down the Parkway, closed off to traffic
  • A dazzling, 22,000-square-foot mural by Mural Arts and The Heads of State spanning Eakins Oval and the Parkway
  • New play areas at The Oval+, including a misting pavilion, a ribbon pavilion, and other play structures

What events or activities will be at The Oval+?
Favorites like the beer garden Eakins Tavern will return with a rotating line-up of food trucks. Each day will feature free activities and events, including “Wellness Wednesdays,” “Arts & Culture Thursdays,” “Friday Food & Flicks,” “Game Day Saturdays,” and “Sunday Family Fundays.”

What are the road closures?
During The Oval+ season, the outbound outer lanes (north side of the Parkway) will be closed to vehicular traffic between 20th and Art Museum Drive, but the north-south numbered cross streets will remain open to traffic. The bike lane will remain in service.

From July 5-August 26, vehicle traffic will be redirected in the following ways:

  • The outbound outer lanes (north side of the Parkway will be closed to vehicles between 20th street and Art Museum Drive;
  • The outbound Parkway bike lane will remain open;
  • N. 20th St., N. 21st St., and N. 22nd St. will remain open;
  • Vine St. traffic will be directed to the Parkway inner lanes or to make a right onto 20th street

 

Hope to see you at The Oval+ this summer!