Wawa Welcome America is officially here. The Independence Day festival began on Sunday, June 19, and plenty of programming is planned in advance of the holiday celebration.
Before three free concerts at Independence Mall on June 24, 26 and July 3, the Bourse Food Hall is hosting block parties from 4 to 9 p.m. Each event will feature a performance by Rev. R2 and Da' Crew, craft vendors from 4 to 7 p.m., an outdoor beer garden and zero-proof mocktails on the 5th Street patio.
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The outdoor beer garden features food vendors like Scoop DeVille, Freebyrd Chicken and Grubhouse. Drink selections will include frozen spiked lemonades, beers from Night Shift Brewing, Doc Wylder's, Spearhead Brewing Company and Double Nickel Brewing Company.
Several mocktails are being served by La Botanica for the duration of the events.
"We are so excited and honored to partner with Wawa Welcome America this year at the official pre-party for the Independence Mall performances," said Katelyn Martin, general manager of the Bourse Marketplace. "The performances don't start until 7 p.m. each night, so we encourage visitors and locals to join us before each show for a frozen lemonade, beer or mocktail while perusing some gifts, crafts, and wares from some really awesome local small businesses and artists."
A rotating list of vendors will be featured at each block party, including Hurricane Woodwork, Trial By Fire, Mama Phoenix Traveling Boutique, Nataliya Yermolenko, HevaDeer Designs and Nyambi Naturals.
The U.S. Army Field Band and Soldier's Chorus will perform on Friday, June 24. Adams and the Welcome America Choir will perform on Sunday, June 26. To round out the Independence Mall programming, the Philly POPS will perform along with singer/songwriter Ryan Shaw on Sunday, July 3.
Each concert runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and are free to attend, as are the block parties at the Bourse. Food and drink are pay-as-you-go.
On Monday, July 4, check out the Wawa Welcome America concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The free holiday celebration is being headlined by Jason Derulo, Ava Max and Tori Kelly, and will be followed by a fireworks display across the skyline.
Additional information about Wawa Welcome America — including free museum admission days — can be found on the festival's website.
Bourse Food Hall Pre-performance Parties
June 24, June 26, July 3, 2022
4 to 9 p.m. | Free, food and drink pay-as-you-go
Bourse Food Hall
5th Street between Chestnut and Market streets
Philadelphia, PA 19106