This week, Philadelphia celebrates the city’s rich history and offers plenty of hands-on fun. Highmark Mann marks its 50th anniversary with a milestone-filled community expo, while a Franklin Square sculpture honors the city’s role in photographic history. Families can also get creative at a cardboard carnival built entirely from imagination. From history lessons to hands-on play, there’s something for everyone this weekend.
52 Weeks of Firsts: First Selfie: 1839What: A look into Philly’s selfie historyWhen: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. Sixth St., PhiladelphiaCost: Free
Long before camera phones and filters, Philadelphia innovator Robert Cornelius captured the world’s first selfie in 1839 with a homemade camera in his backyard. That single bold pose sparked a photographic revolution. This weekend’s Firstival celebrates the milestone with a First Selfie sculpture from artist Alana Bograd, a Philadelphia-based muralist, educator, and freelancer whose work spans exhibitions and residencies from New York to Dubrovnik. Her design blends 19th-century ingenuity with today’s selfie culture, tying a groundbreaking piece of local history to a distinctly modern form of self-expression.
Highmark Mann Milestone MashupWhat: A milestone-filled expo celebrating Philadelphia’s historyWhen: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.Where: Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave., Fairmount Park, PhiladelphiaCost: Free admission; vendors will have items available for purchase
The Highmark Mann Milestone Mashup celebrates pivotal moments in American history that unfolded in Philadelphia, including the nation’s founding in 1776, the 1876 Centennial Exposition, and Highmark Mann’s own 1976 debut. Presented in partnership with the Parkside Association of Philadelphia, the free, campus-wide event brings these eras to life through live performances, a community sing-along, strolling entertainment, an interactive kid zone, hands-on demonstrations, and a vendor village. Throwback foods round out this family-friendly journey through 250 years of history.
What: A carnival built from cardboard and imaginationWhen: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Where: Spruce Street Harbor Park, 301 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., PhiladelphiaCost: Free
PopUpPlay’s Cardboard Carnival turns Spruce Street Harbor Park into a handmade boardwalk carnival, with kids crafting their own games with nothing but cardboard and imagination. Part of the organization’s weekly Family Sunday Funday programming, the event blends hands-on crafts with intro-to-STEM activities. Prizes are provided, but the games are entirely up to the players’ creativity. It’s a hands-on, upcycled twist on classic carnival fun, designed to build connections through play for families of all ages.
Other Events
This weekend blends art, cabaret, and classic rock nostalgia. An outdoor sculpture courtyard sets the scene for a summer arts celebration, while a playful brunch cabaret adds a theatrical touch to Sunday afternoon. Rock fans can close out the weekend with a milestone celebration from one of the genre’s most legendary acts.
Art Under the Stars IV: Philly Summer Fantasy: Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Sculpture Courtyard, 1714 N. Mascher St., PhiladelphiaSon of a Brunch Cabaret: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Standard Tap, 901 N. Second St., PhiladelphiaRUSH: Fifty Something: Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Xfinity Mobile Arena, 3601 S. Broad St., PhiladelphiaMore To Explore Next Week
This week’s music schedule features a barrage of soulful, chart-topping artists in Philadelphia. R&B fans are in for a treat with powerhouse singers headlining some of the city’s most famous spots. Emerging pop and acoustic acts round out the week, delivering a variety of intimate and epic concerts across the city.
Shaun Milli: Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Main Stage, City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., PhiladelphiaElla Mai: Do You Still Love Me? Tour: Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. at Skyline Stage at Highmark Mann, 5201 Parkside Ave., Fairmount Park, PhiladelphiaMyles Smith – My Mess, My Heart, My Life Tour: Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, at 8 p.m. at The Met Presented by Highmark, 858 N. Broad St., PhiladelphiaKeyshia Cole: Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026, at 7 p.m. at Dell Music Center, 2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive, Philadelphia