Philadelphia is giving September 24 to the college students with the 19th annual College Day on the Parkway, the first of a number of events that make up the Campus Philly Kick-Off.
“The mission of the Campus Philly Kick-Off, presented by the city of Philadelphia, is to present a unique, high profile series of events to welcome college students to the Philadelphia area upon their entrance into the new academic year,” according to Campus Philly’s website.
On September 24, several of Philadelphia’s museums and cultural institutions, mostly located on the Ben Franklin Parkway, will open their doors free of charge to students with college IDs. Participating institutions include Eastern State Penitentiary, the Franklin Institute Science Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and others.
“It is a distinct pleasure to work with the other participating institutions during this citywide effort to introduce new and returning college students to the wealth and variety and culture available in Philadelphia,” said Marla Shoemaker, the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s senior curator of education, in a news release.
Students can also attend the free concert and festival, also on the Ben Franklin Parkway. The MTVU music stage will feature performances by hip-hop emcee and vocalist, K-os, and the pop-rock band, Head Automatica. The festival will also include activities, programs and displays from various national and local organizations.
College Day on the Parkway runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the concert and festival run from noon to 7 p.m. More nocturnal students can stay for the After Kick-Off, a program featuring performances by local bands and a movie screening, which runs from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
According to Shannon Hartsock, director of SAB at Eastern, discount train tickets will be available to Eastern students wanting to attend College Day.
The Campus Philly Kick-Off will host three other events: the Career Philly Fall Internship Fair on September 28, the Grad Students Mixer on September 30 and the “Chillin’ on the River” picnic on October 1.
More information on College Day on the Parkway and other Campus Philly Kick-Off events is at www.campusphilly.org.