Mayor Michael A. Nutter said that the Budweiser Made in America Festival is already producing significant benefits for the City of Philadelphia noting that the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association is reporting a considerable increase in rooms booked this Labor Day weekend.
Mayor Nutter also spotlighted recently released logistical information for patrons of the Festival, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant accommodations, a remote parking/shuttle service from The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, live streaming of the concerts on two websites, and specifics about the Festival venue.
“Even though we won’t have a full picture of the economic impact that Budweiser Made in America will have on the City of Philadelphia until sometime in September, it is encouraging and even exciting to see that the Festival is already doing positive things for the city,” said Mayor Nutter. “Labor Day weekend is normally a quiet holiday for the hospitality industry in the city.
But the early reports we’re getting indicate substantially increased activity in our Center City hotels. We hope this will mean good news for the entire tourism and hospitality industry, including the many restaurants, shops, museums and bars that those visitors will patronize.”
Ed Grose, Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association said, “Historically Labor Day weekend is slow for Philadelphia hotels, however this upcoming weekend my members are telling me that they are doing very well. While some hotels sold out, there are still rooms available. Visitors who are interested in booking a room should check their favorite hotel website and if there are no rooms available then go to www.visitphilly.com to book a room.
While we don’t survey customers as to why they are here, the only different factor this year is the Budweiser Made in America Festival and it appears that this two-day event is a reason for the increased occupancy this weekend.”
City Representative Melanie Johnson talked about the long-term impact that the city hopes to attract. “We are hearing from our hotel partners that occupancy rates are much higher this upcoming holiday weekend than in years past.
This welcome news confirms our confidence that Philadelphia has so much to offer visitors — whether its the Budweiser Made in America festival, the Philadelphia Art Museum and it’s blockbuster ‘Visions of Arcadia’ exhibit, the new Barnes Foundation, or our many other attractions,” said Johnson. “We expect them to also take advantage of our exploding restaurant scene and have a truly special experience here — and then come back to Philadelphia for more.”
ADA Accommodations
The Budweiser Made in America Festival is fully ADA compliant and offers accommodations for persons with disabilities including parking, seating, and restrooms. Vehicles with appropriate placards and/or license plates should enter the Festival site at Pennsylvania & Fairmount Avenues and travel east (as traffic permits) towards the Festival’s North Entrance at 23rd Street for drop-off. There are no ADA-designated parking zones other than those already in public parking lots and marked on street parking; the North Entrance is a drop-off zone only. Once inside the venue, each performance area has a corresponding ADA-compliant seating platform. (Please see the attached Festival Map for information on ADA compliant accommodations or visit www.madeinamericafest.com.)
Transportation
SEPTA announced that it will provide bus service to-and-from a remote parking site at The Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Beginning at 10 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, SEPTA will stage buses on Kelly Drive between Fairmount Avenue and 25th Street for return-trip shuttle service to The Mann. Those taking advantage of the remote parking site need to be on the shuttles by 11:45 p.m. Regular SEPTA fares will apply for these trips.
SEPTA will add service on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines throughout the two-day festival, with trains running every five-to-ten minutes before, during and after the performances. Service will also be added on the Norristown High Speed Line, which provides a connection with the Market-Frankford Line at the 69th Street Transportation Center, and on city trolley routes.
SEPTA and NJTransit will operate under normal weekend schedules. Festival ticket-holders, Parkway cultural institution patrons and others with business or recreational plans are urged to use public transportation to get in and out of Center City during the festival weekend due to the number of road closures. For routes and schedules, visit www.septa.org and www.njtransit.org.
Live Streaming
Today, Budweiser in partnership with YouTube and Pandora announced its plan to deliver live webcasts and music streams of the Budweiser Made in America Festival. The live streams on You Tube and Pandora can be accessed via www.youtube.com/BudMadeInAmerica or www.pandora.com/BudMadeInAmerica, on Saturday, Sept. 1 and Sunday, Sept. 2, from 2 to 11 p.m. ET. Fans also can watch the live event from Philadelphia on YouTube’s mobile website. This marks the first time Pandora has live streamed a music festival.
Mayor Nutter emphasized that the live streams will further highlight the City of Philadelphia to a global audience. “The City of Philadelphia is investing in itself by welcoming the Budweiser Made in America Festival. Philadelphia will be featured as a fun, vibrant city with a thriving arts and music scene to audiences watching around the world.”
Venue Details
The Budweiser Made in America venue features three entrances/exits for ticket-holders to utilize during the two-day festival. The main entrance is located on 22nd Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Additional entrances – (marked ‘Exit Only’ on the attached Festival Map) on either side of the venue at 23rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue and 24th Street and Martin Luther King Drive at Eakins Oval – will be opened to facilitate easier access to the venue as needed.
The Festival is a rain or shine event; re-entry to the venue will NOT be permitted on either day. (Please see attached Festival Map for information on the interior of the venue or visit www.madeinamericafest.com.)
Festival organizers stressed what items will and will not be allowed inside the venue perimeter. Ticket-holders will be subject to searches and pat-downs before being permitted inside the venue to ensure the enjoyment and safety of everyone at the Festival.
Items allowed inside the venue include:
– Blankets and towels
– Umbrellas (small, hand-held only)
– Factory-sealed, plastic water bottles (1 per person up to 1 liter)
– Empty plastic water containers or Camelbacks
– Non-professional cameras, flip-cams, camera phones
– Non-framed backpacks and bags (subject to search)
– Encouraged items: sunscreen, sunglasses, government issued I.D., cash/debit cards/credit cards
Items NOT allowed inside the venue include but are not limited to:
– Weapons of any kind (regardless of permitting, e.g. Right to Carry permits will not be honored and weapons will be confiscated)
– Fireworks or explosives
– Illegal or illicit substances of any kind
– Outside food & beverages (except factory-sealed water bottles)
– Pets (except service animals)
– Flyers, handbills, posters, stickers (no solicitation allowed)
– Chairs
– Glass containers
– Skateboards, motorized vehicles or scooters
– Coolers
– Professional recording devices or cameras (no detachable lenses or tripods meant for commercial use)
– Glowsticks
– Laser pointers
– Items that would obstruct others’ view of the stages (kites, flag poles, large signs, etc.)
Shawn “Jay Z” Carter will curate and headline the blockbuster roster of talent, which includes nearly 30 artists who will perform on three stages on the Parkway in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park on Saturday, September 1, and Sunday, September 2. Performances are scheduled to begin at 2:00 P.M. and conclude at 11:00 P.M. on both days, rain or shine. The Festival will be locally produced by Live Nation on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and will benefit local United Way organizations.
Attendees are encouraged to visit www.MadeInAmericaFest.com for information.
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