Philadelphia & Region — October 2025 Art & Cultural Events

Philadelphia’s September is rich with culture and events: from a multi-disciplinary arts showcase and the Calder Gardens Opening to wine celebrations, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, jazz series, Friday Night Lounges, a Southern culinary evening, Cinema in the Cemetery, plus The Women’s Film Festival 2025.

Philadelphia & Region — October 2025 Art & Cultural Events

Philadelphia’s September is rich with culture and events: from a multi-disciplinary arts showcase and the Calder Gardens Opening to wine celebrations, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, jazz series, Friday Night Lounges, a Southern culinary evening, Cinema in the Cemetery, plus The Women’s Film Festival 2025.
Festivals
Oct 1 – 12
Design Philadelphia Festival
Mostly free / event-specific pricing
Annual city-wide design festival showcasing Philadelphia’s design community with exhibitions, talks, receptions, hands-on activities, and installations

Place:
Center for DesignPhiladelphia, 1218 Arch St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (plus satellite venues)
Oct 5
12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
St. Nicholas of Tolentine Italian Festival
Free entry; food & rides tickets $1 each (sold onsite)
Authentic Italian street festival with food vendors, live music, rides, children’s activities, and a parish procession. Annual South Philly tradition since 1987.

Place:
1700 Block of South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19148
Sep 6 – Nov 2
Pumpkinland at Linvilla Orchards
~$10–$20 (activities ticketed separately)
Hayrides (day/night), corn maze, apple shooting, pick-your-own crops, farm market, family attractions

Place:
Linvilla Orchards, 137 W Knowlton Rd, Media, PA
Oct 5, 2025 — 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Downingtown Fall Fest
Free entry; food & beer purchased onsite
Annual community street festival with food vendors, crafts, family activities, and the Victory Brewing Company Beer Garden. Organized by Downingtown Area Chamber of Commerce.

Place:
Green St & E Pennsylvania Ave, Downingtown, Chester County, PA
Oct 9
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
YèShì Chinatown Night Market
Free entry; food for purchase
Annual open-air food and entertainment event with dozens of vendors, live performances, and community celebration. Ranked Top 5 “Best Cultural Festival” by USA Today.

Place:
10th St & Race St, Philadelphia Chinatown
Oct 10 – 11
11am–5pm
Oktoberfest at 23rd St. Armory
~$25–$65
Bavarian beer fest with music

Place:
22 S 23rd St, Philadelphia
Oct 12
11am–5pm
Northern Liberties Fall Festival
Free entry
Street fest: food, music, vendors

Place:
N. 3rd St & Liberty Lands Park
Oct 12
11am–5pm
Chestnut Hill’s Fall for the Arts
Free entry
Arts, crafts, music, local shops

Place:
Germantown Ave, Chestnut Hill
Oct 13 – 19
Philly Music Fest
Varies (~$25–$40 per show)
A vibrant experience that mixes curated wine and spirits tastings (highlighting Black-owned and diverse brands), live DJ sets and performances, interactive art and photo installations, curated food vendors, and a marketplace featuring local creatives and businesses
Dress code: Rose Renaissance. Put smth red, pink, golden or white.

Place:
Underground Arts, Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy & more
Oct 15 – 31
Maze Days at Dilworth Park
Mostly free; select activities ticketed
A vibrant experience that mixes curated wine and spirits tastings (highlighting Black-owned and diverse brands), live DJ sets and performances, interactive art and photo installations, curated food vendors, and a marketplace featuring local creatives and businesses
Dress code: Rose Renaissance. Put smth red, pink, golden or white.

Place:
Underground Arts, Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy & more
Oct 18
11 aM
Manayunk Fall Fest
Free (some sub-events ticketed)
Outdoor autumn festival: local vendors, artisan goods, seasonal food trucks, live music, family-friendly games

Place:
Main Street, Manayunk, Philadelphia
Oct 17 – 18
Philadelphia TASTE! Festival
~$45–$75
Food, wine & spirits tastings, demos

Place:
Valley Forge Convention Center
Oct 25,
11am–4pm

Fall Fest – East Passyunk
Free entry
Family-friendly street festival

Place:
East Passyunk Ave
Oct 25 – 26
11am–4pm

Pumpkinfest at TileWorks
~$10–$15
Family autumn fest: music, crafts, lanterns

Place:
Doylestown, PA
Oct 3–4, 10–12, 23–26, 29–31
Halloween in Manayunk
Free / public
Trick-or-treating, themed activities, family celebration on Main Street

Place:
Main Street, Manayunk
Sep 8 – Oct 26, 2025 (daily)
Scarecrows in the Village
Free to view; some activities ticketed
46th annual Bucks County fall tradition: 150+ handmade scarecrows on display, from silly to spooky

Place:
Peddler’s Village, Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA
Sep 12 – Oct 30
FallFest at Shady Brook Farm
~$10–$20 (activities ticketed separately)
Hayrides (day/night), corn maze, apple shooting, pick-your-own crops, farm market, family attractions

Place:
Linvilla Orchards, 137 W Knowlton Rd, Media, PA
Social
Oct 25 (also every 4th Fri)
Twilight in the Gardens
~$20
Evening with live music, BYOB, hands-on art activity

Place:
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South St
Oct 2
Ken Lum & John Yau in Conversation
Free
Artist talk & discussion

Place:
Arthur Ross Gallery, Univ. of Pennsylvania
Oct 14
6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Annual Meeting & Arts Party 2025 by Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance
$25 (Alliance members);
$50 (non-members) + Eventbrite fee
Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s yearly gathering of artists, cultural leaders, and supporters. Theme: “Standing Together: Arts and Culture in Solidarity.” Program includes performances, advocacy updates, networking, music, food & drinks. 18+ event.

Place:
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Oct 16
Jesse Krimes Lecture
Free
Distinguished lecture on art & justice

Place:
Arthur Ross Gallery
Exhibitions
Oct 5 – 26
Works Under $300
Free entry
Affordable art show

Place:
Philadelphia Sketch Club, 235 S Camac St
Oct 19 – Feb 22, 2026
Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets
$25 adult
Major art exhibition

Place:
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Music
Oct 1
The Witcher in Concert
~$45–$100
Orchestral concert + visuals

Place:
The Met Philadelphia, 858 N Broad St
Oct 2
Stardew Valley: Symphony of the Seasons
~$40–$80
Game music symphony

Place:
Kimmel Center / Marian Anderson Hall
Oct 3
6:30 PM
Candlelight: Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop Favorites
From ~$32.50
String quartet performing neo-soul, R&B, hip-hop favorites by artists like Prince, Alicia Keys, etc.

Place:
Independence Seaport Museum
Oct 6
Ludovico Einaudi
~$60–$120
Piano concert

Place:
The Met Philadelphia
Oct 17
6:30 PM
Candlelight: Kings of R&B: Usher, Mario, and More ft Del Hartley
~$30
R&B tribute in a candlelit concert format

Place:
Independence Seaport Museum
Oct 23-24
Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics
From ~$41
Spooky / Halloween themed concert (string quartet)

Place:
Independence Seaport Museum
Oct 25
3pm
Philly Pops – Luck Be a Lady
~$35–$99
Sinatra & Bennett tribute concert

Place:
Kimmel Center / Verizon Hall
Cinema
Oct 16 – 26
Philadelphia Film Festival
~$15–$20 per screening
100+ films, Q&A, panels, parties

Place:
Philadelphia Film Center, PFS East, Ritz Bourse
Theater
October 2025 (multiple nights)
Hocus Pocus & Rocky Horror Speakeasies
~$30–$50
Immersive cabaret-style Halloween shows with themed cocktails and live performances

Place:
Red Rum Theatre, 601 Walnut St, Philadelphia
Sep 30 – Oct 5
Six (musical)
From ~$40
Hit Broadway musical about the six wives of Henry VIII

Place:
Academy of Music, Broad & Locust St, Philadelphia
Oct 1 – 5
Oedipus in Seattle
~$25–$40
Modern reinterpretation of Sophocles

Place:
Theatre Horizon, Norristown, PA
Oct 2 – 26
Young Frankenstein
From $35
Mel Brooks musical comedy

Place:
Media Theatre, Media, PA
Oct 11 – 26
Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play JR.
~$20–$25
Family musical based on Mo Willems books

Place:
Media Theatre, Media, PA
Until Oct 5
The Real Thing
~$25–$45
Tom Stoppard’s play about love and theater

Place:
Lantern Theater Company, 923 Ludlow St
Oct 19
Your Sunday Best
~$20
Comedy, music, and mixed live acts

Place:
Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St
Oct 21 – Nov 2
Kimberly Akimbo (musical)
From ~$45
Tony Award–winning dark comedy musical

Place:
Academy of Music, Philadelphia
Sep 30 – Nov 2
Million Dollar Quartet
$35–$100
Rock’n’roll musical about Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis

Place:
Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St
Sep 25 – Oct 26
Falsettos
From ~$35
Contemporary musical about family, love, and change

Place:
Arden Theatre Company, 40 N 2nd St