On Friday, September 15, 2023 the annual worldwide event known as PARK(ing) Day will be celebrated in Philadelphia for the sixteenth consecutive year. Over 30 teams and mini pop-up parks (parklets) are expected to appear on city streets between the hours of 8am - 5pm as artists, activists, planners, local businesses, and average citizens take over metered parking spots in an effort to promote green and pedestrian-friendly urban spaces. Contained within 160 square feet, the small size and temporary nature of the parklets allows for volunteer teams to experiment with the city's urban fabric and to challenge us all to consider whether the current use of our city's streets and sidewalks is the best use. In past years, these parklets have included landscaped meeting areas, cafés, makeshift mini golf courses, and inventive public art displays. 

PARK(ing) Day was founded by Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, in 2005 to raise awareness of the scarcity and value of urban public space. Philadelphia celebrated PARK(ing) Day for the first time in 2008 with over 25 installations for relaxing, cycling, creating art, education, and socializing. Philadelphia's PARK(ing) Day is presented by the Center for Architecture and Design in partnership with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the American Institute of Architects Philadelphia Chapter, the Community Design Collaborative, and Design Gym with official photographer (since 2017)Kendon Photography. 

To access a continually updated and printable map of all the parklets planned to date, visit www.parkingdayphila.org. PARK(ing) DAY Philadelphia can be found on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ParkingDayPhiladelphia) and Instagram (@parkingdayphila). Use the #PARKingDAYPHL hashtag to publish and view photos of the parklets throughout the day. Want to take it a step further? Help determine the 2023 Golden Cone Awardees by tagging #GoldenConePHL to your posts or texting your favorites during the day of the event!

Join us at the PARK(ing) Day After Party! Visitors to and volunteer teams from PARK(ing) DAY Philadelphia are invited to join us at the Center for Architecture and Design (1218 Arch Street) from 5:30-7:30 PM on September 15th for a reception with light refreshments and the Golden Cone Awards in honor of all the impressively creative park designers. Photos of all the parklets will be on display. Entry is free for participating PARK(ing) DAY team members and Pay-What-You-Wish admission for the public to continue to support this event. More information is available at https://parking-day-phl.ticketleap.com/2023-after-party/.

Be sure to check out the PECO Crown Lights as well during the week of the event. For more information on PARK(ing) DAY Philadelphia and print out your own map, visit www.parkingdayphila.org and be sure to greet all our teams "HAPPY PARK(ing) DAY!"

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About PARK(ing) DAY

PARK(ing) DAY is an annual international event founded by Rebar, a San Francisco art and design studio, in 2005 to raise awareness of the need for more urban open space. Philadelphia celebrated PARK(ing) Day for the first time in 2008 with over 25 installations for relaxing, cycling, creating art, education, and socializing. Philadelphia's PARK(ing) DAY is presented by the Center for Architecture and Design in partnership with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the American Institute of Architects Philadelphia Chapter, the Community Design Collaborative, and Design Gym with official photographer Kendon Photography. 

For information on the international PARK(ing) DAY event, visitwww.myparkingday.org. To find out about Philadelphia's celebration or participate in the future, visit www.parkingdayphila.org.

About Philadelphia Center for Architecture 1218 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-569-3186 philadelphiacfa.org 

The Philadelphia Center for Architecture was founded in 2002 by the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The Center's mission is to engage and educate the public about the importance of architecture and design to the quality of their lives. The Center strives to accomplish our mission through 3 main goals: (1) celebrate and promote the built environment and related design disciplines, (2) champion the value of thoughtful architecture & design and how it shapes the City of Philadelphia, and (3) connect the design community and general public through meaningful programming and education. Further, we leverage our physical space as the hub for the Philadelphia design community and the general public.For more information, visit: philadelphiacfa.org.