Made in America’s coming: Road closures, fest event info
PHILADELPHIA » The city has released information for visitors and residents for the 2017 Budweiser Made in America Music Festival, the two-day music event during Labor Day weekend. Now in its fifth year, the event will be produced locally by Live Nation, Roc Nation and DPS on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The festival will feature more than 60 musicians and it will benefit The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Pennsylvania and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
The 2017 Budweiser Made in America artists will perform on five stages along the parkway Saturday, Sept. 2-Sunday, Sept. 3. Performances are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and doors will open each day at noon. Performances will run until approximately midnight on Saturday and 11:30 p.m. on Sunday. For tickets, lineup and general information about the Budweiser Made in America Festival, visit www.madeinamericafest.com
Budweiser Made in America is a rain or shine event. In the case of severe weather, listen for announcements, and sign up to receive free Ready Philadelphia Made in America event specific emergency text alerts by tex ting “America” to 888-777. Visit www.phila.gov/ ready and click on “Sign up for alerts” to receive additional alerts after Made in America such as SEPTA delays and service interruptions. Plan for a safe, informed holiday.
Most of the cultural institutions on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will maintain normal hours of operation and, in some cases, even extend schedules during the Festival and throughout Labor Day weekend.
Road Closures
To accommodate the venue construction and two-day festival, gradual road closures along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and in sections of the Fairmount neighborhood will begin Sunday, Aug. 27, with the number and magnitude of street closings and parking restrictions increasing each day. All roadways will re-open prior to morning rush hour on Tuesday, Sept. 5 with traffic patterns returning to normal. Some low-impact parking and travel lane restrictions will remain in place until 11:59 p.m. Sept. 5.
Delays can be expected during the course of the event construction set-up and during festival days. Motorists are advised to avoid the area by using alternate routes, and allow for extra driving time in the areas near these festivities before and during Labor Day weekend. Please refrain from double-parking, which creates congestion, limits traffic flow and is illegal.
The first six phases of road closures are:
• Phase 1, 7 a.m. Aug. 27– 11:59 p.m. Sept. 5: Two lanes of Eakins Oval in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
• Phase 2, 7 a.m. Aug. 28–5 a.m. Sept. 5: Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Phase 3, 7 a.m. Aug. 29– 11:59 p.m. Sept. 5: Parking prohibited on Pennsylvania Avenue from 22nd Street to 23rd Street (south side) and Park Towne Place from 22nd Street to 24th Street (north side)
• Phase 4, 10 a.m. Aug. 30-5 a.m. Sept. 5: The inner lanes of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and Eakins Oval; Cross traffic on numbered streets will be permitted
• Phase 5, 7 p.m. Aug. 31-5 a.m. Sept. 5: 22nd Street reduced to one running lane between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Phase 6, 10 a.m. Sept. 1-5 a.m. Sept. 5: Outer lanes of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, between 20th Street and Eakins Oval; 23rd Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway; 22nd Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Park Towne Place; 21st Street, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Winter Street; Kelly Drive outbound, from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Fairmount Avenue; Outer lane of MLK Drive adjacent to Paine’s Park.
Starting at 10 a.m. Sept. 1, due to the closure of the outer lanes on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, traffic headed inbound (to Center City), from Spring Garden Street Bridge or Martin Luther King Drive, must exit Eakins Oval on the 24th Street ramp. Traffic headed inbound on Kelly Drive must exit Kelly Drive at Fairmount Avenue.
The final phase road closures around the festival site begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, and remains through the duration of the event. The complete list of road closures is: The entire width of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, beginning at 20th Street extending through Eakins Oval (25th Street) and behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The rear of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be accessible to Museum guests via Fairmount Avenue, to Pennsylvania Avenue, to 25th Street; 21st Street, between Winter and Spring Garden streets; 22nd Street, between Race Street and Fairmount Avenue;
23rd Street, between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Fairmount Avenue; 24th Street, between Fairmount and Pennsylvania avenues; Spring Garden Street, between 20th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, including the Spring Garden Street Tunnel; Spring Garden Street Bridge (the city will make every effort to keep this bridge open during Philadelphia Art Museum operating hours on Sept. 2-3 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., but it may be forced to close during periods of heavy pedestrian traffic); Kelly Drive, between 23rd Street and Fairmount Avenue; Martin Luther King Drive, between the Falls Bridge and Benjamin Franklin Parkway; Pennsylvania Avenue, between Hamilton and 25th streets; 2000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, between the Whole Foods store and 21st Street (the eastern half of the block, from the Whole Foods Market to 20th Street, will remain open to allow access to the store); Park Towne Place, between 22nd and 24th streets; I-676 westbound off-ramp at 22nd Street (I676 eastbound off-ramp at 23rd Street will be open).
The list of no parking zones during the final phase is: Pennsylvania Avenue, between 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue (south side of street); Winter Street, between 20th and 22nd streets (both sides of street); 20th Street, between Vine and Callowhill streets (east side of street); 21st Street, between Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Race Street (both sides of street); 22nd Street, between Winter and Spring Garden streets (both sides of street); Park Towne Place, between 22nd and 24th streets (both sides of street).
Public Transit, Parking
• Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines: Local train service will operate on a normal weekend schedule throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. RaceVine and City Hall Stations on the Broad Street Line and 15th Street Station on the Market Frankford Line provide easy walking access to the festival gates on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines will offer overnight service as usual on Saturday.
• Regional Rail: Latenight train service will be available on SEPTA’s Regional Rail Lines on Saturday and Sunday nights departing from Jefferson, Suburban and 30th Street Stations. Special schedules will be posted in stations and are also available online at www.septa.org/ events. If the concert runs late on Saturday or Sunday, these trains will be held for approximately 20 minutes after the concert ends. Parking is free at all SEPTAowned Regional Rail lots on weekends. Parking lot loca-
tion information is available online at www.septa. org/parking
• Trolley: Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 15, 34 and 36 offer convenient service to and from the concert, with 19th and 22nd Street Stations providing easy walking access to Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Trolley Route 15 connects with Broad Street and Market Frankford Line service at Girard Avenue.
• Bus: Due to Festival-related street closures, SEPTA Routes 7, 32, 33, 38, 43 and 48 will be detoured from its normal routes through the Benjamin Franklin Parkway area beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 2 through 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 5. Specific route changes are available on the System Status Page at www.septa.org
• SEPTA Customer Service will extend its hours of operation on Saturday and Sunday, with phone and online agents available from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Customer service can be reached at 215580-7800 and directly on Twitter @septa_social. For more information on SEPTA and NJ Transit routes and schedules during Labor Day weekend, visit www.septa. org or call 215-580-7800, and www.njtransit.org or call 973-275-5555.
• PHLASH transportation is an inexpensive way to visit key attractions in Center City and the Parkway vicinity, with stops at 22 locations including many in Center City. Find PHLASH on the go, with live updates at RidePhillyPHLASH.com and visit www.phillyphlash.com for a schedule and route details.
• Rideshare: Taxi, Uber, and Lfyt designated drop off and pick up locations are along the 2100 block of Spring Garden Street and the 1900 block of Arch Street.
• If driving, commercial off-street parking lots and garages conveniently are located on or near the parkway. Contact individual facilities in advance for rates and availability, or visit the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s website at www. philapark.org for a list of parking options. The Budweiser Made in America Festival is not affiliated with these parking facilities.
Cultural Institutions
Most of the cultural institutions on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will maintain normal hours of operation and, in some cases, even extend schedules during the festival and throughout Labor Day weekend.
During the festival, the west entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art will be open and visitors may obtain access via pathways north and south of this entrance. Art Museum Drive will be open at 25th Street, with access to the museum’s parking garage for museum visitors throughout the weekend. Anne d’Harnocourt Drive will be accessible for visitor drop off, Art Museum staff, and event staff after their vehicles are searched at PPD checkpoints on either end of Anne d’Harnocourt Dr. Rocky Statue will not be accessible Friday evening after 5pm through Sunday.
The Franklin Institute will be open throughout Labor Day weekend, and the parking garage located at 21st and Winter streets will be accessible.
Visit www.parkwaymuseumsdistrict.org or the institutions’ individual websites for more information on exhibit hours, ticketing, parking, accessibility and accommodations.
Venue Details, Public Safety
The Budweiser Made in America venue features multiple entrances/exits for ticket-holders during the two-day festival. Entrances are located at 21st Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Re-entry to the venue will not be permitted on either day.
The perimeter of the festival will be firmly secured and protected for maximum public safety. The enclosed event boundaries are: 21st Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Park Town Place; Pennsylvania Avenue from 20th Street to 25th Street; the south side of Eakins Oval from Martin Luther King Drive to 24th Street; Park Towne Place from 24th Street to 20th Street.
Throughout the event, the City will provide enhanced law-enforcement support and emergency medical services on the parkway and vicinity. The city and Budweiser Made in America are coordinating with local, state and federal public safety authorities to utilize a network of prevention and response services, which will be integrated, mobile and in constant communication.
Access to the venue is limited strictly to ticket-holders, who will be subject to searches before being permitted inside the venue to ensure the enjoyment and safety of everyone at the festival. Ticket holders should be prepared for additional searches inside the venue at the discretion of festival security staff. Spectators are strongly discouraged from carrying bags, backpacks, or satchels of any kind. All bags are subject to search. The public can do their part by using common sense. If you are attending the festival activities, plan ahead regarding driving, public transit, parking, supervision of children and wearing comfortable attire.
There is an ADA/Accessible Entrance at the Main Gates on Benjamin Franklin Parkway at North 20th Street. Festival attendees requiring accessible accommodations for guest screening and arriving via vehicle can be dropped off at 24th and Park Towne Place.
Leave no bags or items unattended. In an emergency or to report a suspicious person, activity or item (a backpack, a package, a container), notify a police officer immediately or call 9-1-1. Do not try to open, move, cover or touch a suspicious item.
Items allowed inside the venue include: Factorysealed plastic water bottles — one per person up to one liter; empty plastic water containers — one per person up to 64 ounces for re-use at water refill stations (drinking water will be available for purchase and there will be water stations for re-filling bottles); empty hydration packs of any kind (backpacks, waist bands or other hydration items and inserts); one small non-framed backpack or bag subject to search and re-search (all searched bags will be tagged following search); blankets and towels; umbrellas (small handheld only); non-professional cameras, flip-cams, camera phones; sunscreen, sunglasses, government issued I.D., cash/debit cards/credit cards are encouraged.
Items not allowed inside the venue include but are not limited to: Weapons and contraband of any kind (regardless of permitting, e.g. Right-to-Carry permits will not be honored and weapons will be confiscated); masks of any kind; drones; fireworks or explosives; illegal or illicit substances of any kind; food and non-water beverages including alcohol taken in from the outside; pets (except trained 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); fluorescent plastic lights (glow sticks); laser pointers; items that would obstruct others’ view of the stages (kites, flag poles, large signs, etc.).
Made in America is a “No Drone Zone”. Drone use is prohibited, and the use of drones over groups of people or over stadiums is a violation of FAA Special Rule for Model Aircraft. Organizers request festival-goers “see something, say something” if they see a drone operating in the vicinity of Made in America.
The Budweiser Made In America festival is an allages event. However, to enter the festival beer garden areas, guests must be ages 21-plus and have valid photo ID. Underage drinkers will be detained. Smoking is not permitted on any Parks & Recreation property including, but limited to, buildings, playgrounds, ice or skating rinks, fields or courts, pools, picnic areas, walking areas and parking lots. Take missing or lost persons to Info Booth #3 located next to the Main Merchandise Booth. Found items can be taken to various information tents placed throughout the venue, with the primary lost and found located at Info Booth #3 located next to the Main Merchandise Booth. Alpha-numeric “Location Markers” will be posted to clearly and easily identify a location or section (by letter and number, example: CD-1) to facilitate communication in the event of an emergency.
EMS tents are located near the main entrance between 21st and 22nd, at the north and south sides of 23rd Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and near the Rocky statue to the right of the main stage. Portable facilities, including ADA-compliant units, will be available for use throughout festival grounds. Festival attendees requiring accessible accommodations for guest screening are encouraged to enter the festival at the VIP check in at 24th and Park Towne Place. For information on the venue, concessions, accommodations and directions, visit www.madein-americafest. com
Emergency Weather, Heat Information
Budweiser Made in America is a rain or shine event. In the case of severe weather, listen for announcements, and sign up to receive free Ready Philadelphia Made in America event specific emergency text alerts by texting“America” to 888-777. Visit www.phila.gov/ready and click on “Sign up for alerts” to receive additional alerts after Made in America such as SEPTA delays and service interruptions. Plan for a safe, informed holiday.
In the event of high temperatures, be aware of the risk of heat-related health issues. EMS personnel will be on duty all day at accessible first aid stations and will be on patrol to monitor activities. Many heat stress or heat exhaustion issues can be avoided by taking simple precautions. Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water; avoid overindulging in alcoholic liquids, caffeine and avoid wearing excessive layers of clothing. Consider the Three L’s Rule: light-colored, lightweight and loose-fitting. Wear garments made of natural fibers like cotton.
For information on how to stay safe and cool during hot weather, please review these tips: http://bit. ly/CoolPHL