Seriously stupendous news today, Philadelphia. This June, the Delaware River Waterfront will morph into Spruce Street Harbor Park, taking the perennial good times of summer on Penn’s Landing — outdoor concerts, movies, fireworks — to a whole new level.

From Friday, June 27 through Sunday, August 31, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation — the folks that brought us this past winter’s Waterfront Winterfest at the Blue Cross RiverRink — transforms the Penn’s Landing Marina at Columbus Boulevard and Spruce Street into a pop-up summertime village.

Penn’s Landing has long been an awesome hub of good times in the summer months, with annual programming like the PECO multicultural festival series, concerts at the RiverStage, Screenings Under the Stars and Smooth Jazz Summer Nights.

In 2014, though, all of those annual festivals and events will be enriched by what promises to be an amazing two-month-long placemaking installation.

Read on for a rundown of what’s coming to Penn’s Landing and get ready to spend the summer on the water.

Count us in.

The Layout



Spruce Street Harbor Park opens on Friday, June 27 and is currently slated to remain open through Sunday, August 31. Throughout the two months, visitors to the waterfront will be able to take advantage of all of the festivals, concerts and movies at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, as well as the amenities of the pop-up park — mostly (if not all) completely free of charge.

Developed in conjunction with David Fierabend of Groundswell Design Group, Interface Studios and Digsau, Spruce Street Harbor Park will include both built-out landscaping and on-site programming all aimed at reminding the city of the waterfront’s awesome maritime history and ever-developing future (have you read the cool plans in the Central Delaware master plan?).

The Penn’s Landing Marina, the site of the park, already features the Paddle Penn’s Landing program, the Moshulu, the Independence Seaport Museum, the Olympia and Becuna, the Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing, the Chart House and the Spirit of Philadelphia and the Spirit Elite.

Once Spruce Street Harbor Park opens, the riverside entertainment will extend south from the Independence Seaport Museum to include temporary elements like a floating pop-up restaurant, a hammock lounge, fire pits, boardwalk, mister walk and urban beach.

Of all the pop-up features, the coolest might just be the “The Oasis,” a floating construction to house a restaurant and bar made up of three barges, a lily pad water garden, seating and incredible-sounding nets that will extend out over the river, putting visitors right over the Delaware’s cool waters.

On land, parkgoers can hang out in oversized hammocks, around fire pits near the Columbus Monument, along a riverfront boardwalk, under umbrellas on the urban beach and beneath cooling misters.

The Food & Drink



Though not all of the details have been announced, visitors to Spruce Street Harbor Park can definitely expect excellent food and drink options from concessioners along the boardwalk and from the pop-up restaurant and bar situated on the area dubbed “The Oasis,” the three floating barges.

If the presenting crews’ chef-driven offerings at its wintertime pop-up, Waterfront Winterfest, are an indication of what’s on tap for this summer, we can all rest assured the grub will be on point.

Stay tuned for more on what promises to be a sensational summertime destination.

Spruce Street Harbor Park

When: Friday, June 27 through Sunday, August 31

Where: 401 S. Columbus Boulevard at Spruce Street

Cost: Free admission

More info: www.delawareriverwaterfront.com



