OLD CITY (KYW Newsradio) — Speaking inside the 18th century Free Century Quaker Meeting House at 5th and Arch Streets, Amy Needle, president and CEO of Historic Philadelphia, announced the Summer line up of events in store for the Old City-based nonprofit dedicated to bringing Philly’s Historic District to life.
But this wasn’t just any other season kickoff for Historic Philadelphia, it also marked a major milestone for the organization.
“Thirty years of making history fun and real and making it relevant for visitors and residents,“ said Needle. “This is our fullest season that we have had since COVID.”
And hitting a major milestone also calls for some new attractions.
“One is the colonial kids quest, which is a free puppet show where people and their friends search for the missing copy of the declaration of independence,” said Needle.
There will also be a daily reading of the Declaration of Independence at Independence Hall.
Some old favorites are also making a comeback, like Once Upon A Time storytelling benches.
This year, there will be eight benches for visitors to sit and hear a story about a history maker.
“The stories are site specific and they really are the dots that connect the stories and places in history,” said Needle.
Visitors will also collect stars at each of the benches and once all eight are visited, they get a free ride on the carousel at Franklin Square Park.
Program schedules and more information can be found at historicphiladelphia.org.