Food trucks! Mini golf! Community yoga! Movie nights! This place has everything.

The Oval is back on the Parkway again this summer, beginning Thursday, July 11th, and lasting until August 25th. Marking an exciting celebration of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway’s transformation into Philadelphia’s central park, The Oval is the ultimate destination for relaxation and fun in the city. With a wide range of family-friendly activities, it promises an engaging experience for both locals and visitors. This colorful transformation of Eakins Oval brings four weeks of fun for all ages to the Parkway, where visitors can expect eight acres of food and beverage, art, music and entertainment, wellness experiences, and free special event programming.

Live performances

Enjoy free outdoor performances all summer! Highlights include Parkway Presents, featuring Philly’s diverse culture through dance, music, and more. On Saturday nights, catch concerts curated by local band SNACKTIME.

Weekend marketplaces and festivals

Celebrate community at The Oval! On select Saturdays and Sundays, The Oval will host vibrant family festivals that welcome everyone. Visitors can explore various marketplaces showcasing the talents of Philly’s makers and artisans.

Mini golf

More Free Weekly Events

Every Thursday evening, grab your yoga mat for free outdoor community yoga classes, organized and run by Yoga Habit.  We especially love Family Fun Sundays, where you can bring the kids to family-friendly activities and test your trivia knowledge with Quizzo. And on Friday nights, stay up late for outdoor movies at 8 pm! It all starts with The Little Mermaid. Other planned movies include Wonka, The Lion King, and more!

Food and Drink

The beer garden will be open Thursday through Sunday with yummy food, wine, cocktails, “adult slushies”, and beer. This is yet another kid-friendly beer garden in a city trend that we are one-hundred percent on board with. The beer garden will be open beginning at 4 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 12 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

In addition to the beer garden, The Oval will host a rotating lineup of local food trucks.

The Oval is located at Eakins Oval, at 2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. The park pops up on July 11th, and runs through August 25th, and is open Thursdays through Sundays. For a full list of events, check out their calendar.

Cover photograph by NBC10 Philadelphia. Additional photographs by Laura Swartz. Original article by Laura Swartz.