Source: Jonathan Daniel / Getty
NFL Football fans the world over will be focused on Philadelphia this week and weekend for the NFL Draft, taking place Thursday, April 27th through Saturday, April 29th in a special 3000 seat open air pavilion constructed right in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Officials expect some 200,000 visitors to converge on the city for the draft and dozens of surrounding festivities. Those “surrounding festivities,” called The NFL Draft Experience will provide FREE family-oriented fun including a 100 yard zip line, autograph opportunities, photo-ops and more; some 25 football fields worth of activities for fans, accessible by using the Fan Mobile Pass downloadable app. Events run from noon-11 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturday. But wait, as they say on those TV ads, There’s More!
Source: Getty / Getty
The 123rd Annual Penn Relay Carnival is ALSO this week, starting on Thursday (of course!) at Franklin Field 32nd and South Streets, right off the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) on the University of Pennsylvania campus. This is one of the oldest track and field events in the country and attracts high school and college athletes from all over the country. Information and schedules are online at: http://pennrelaysonline.com. Over 100,000 people are expected in Philly for the relays! Now I’m going to voluntarily date myself! I remember “back in the day” when the Penn Relays were a party weekend in Philly, when we would dress up to go to “The Relays,” marking the 2nd appearance of that cherished “Easter Outfit,” to parade around the stands looking for the party hookup for that night! Am I the only one who remembers that? I hope not…but back to the subject at hand! Yes, there’s still more going on in Philly this weekend…
The TRAFFIC!!! Between the Art Museum area of the Parkway and adjacent streets being basically closed for the NFL Draft and the ongoing construction at the Parkway’s other end, plus the Penn Relays being held not far away just off the Schuykill Expressway’s South street exit (I-76), traffic into downtown will be kind of crazy and parking will be almost nonexistent. Because the Kelly and MLK Drives will be heavily detoured, and the Schuylkill taking up the slack, your best bet will be SEPTA buses and / or trains or your bike! Motorists can park free at the Stadium complex in South Philly or at the Sugar House Casino. Add to that lots of people from out of town and…well, you get the idea! Another fun Philly Weekend! Enjoy!
by Jerry Wells from articles on uwishunu.com, nfl.com/draft/2017 and thepennrelays.com
