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'''Having the city of Philadelphia so close to campus opens up a plethora of opportunities.

Dates for events in Philly

October 1, 2016 Midtown Village Fall Festival

Held every autumn, the Midtown Village Fall Festival is one of Philadelphia’s biggest annual street festivals. Now in its 11th year of throwing down in Midtown, the fest unfolds along and around 13th Street with an all-day affair packed with tasty food, drinks, live entertainment, shopping and more.

October 1, 2016 Revolutionary Germantown Festival and Grumblefest

History goes on full display during the Revolutionary Germantown Festival, a day-long festival featuring costumed characters, live music, food and drink, culminating in a reenactment of the Battle of Germantown, the only military battle ever fought within the borders of Philadelphia. Head down Germantown Avenue after the "battle" for Grumblefest, an Oktoberfest celebration at the garden of the historic Grumblethorpe house featuring Oktoberfest food, beer, live music, and more.

October 1, 2016 Go West! Craft Fest

The Go West! Craft Fest returns to The Woodlands in West Philadelphia this October. While browsing through handmade items from more than 80 vendors, festival-goers enjoy performances by acrobats, musicians and other performers. Kids can engage in free crafting activities, and hungry patrons can dig in to fare from local restaurants and food trucks.

October 1-2, 2016 Morris Arboretum’s Fall Festival and Designer Scarecrows

What better place to celebrate fall than in the beautiful, red- and-orange-hued setting of the Morris Arboretum. Now in its 17th year, the Fall Festival and Designer Scarecrows event invites families to come out and create a scarecrow, paint a pumpkin and enjoy local apples, among other activities set to take place at the arboretum.

October 1, 2016 Roxtoberfest

The town of Roxborough celebrates Oktoberfest with Roxtoberfest, unfolding along Ridge Avenue between Lyceum and Leverington avenues. In addition to plenty of food and drink options, the fest brings live music, life-sized board games, an array of children’s activities and other activities to keep the entire family entertained all afternoon long.

October 1, 2016 Opera on the Mall

Now in its sixth year, Opera on the Mall is a free, big-screen HD broadcast performance from Opera Philadelphia. Bring chairs, a blanket and a picnic dinner for an alfresco evening filled with beautiful live music on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia

October 1, 2016 Ambler Main Street Oktoberefest

Downtown Ambler transforms into a traditional Bavarian festival scene during its 25th annual Oktoberfest. Over 90 vendors and 10 food trucks are set to line Butler Avenue and surrounding side streets, along with rides for the kiddos, a beer garden, musical performances on two stages, arts and crafts stations and more.

October 1, 2016 Kennett Brewfest

Sample beers from more than 90 craft breweries during the 2016 Kennett Brewfest. The day-long festival features top brews from around the country, live music and tasty food. The event also raises funds for Historic Kennett Square, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping the Kennet Square area thriving.

October 1-2, 2016 Skippack Days

Skippack goes into full party mode for the annual Skippack Days, the biggest event on the town's calendar. Thousands of visitors who appreciate handmade goods stroll the mile-long stretch where hundreds of artisans offer original crafts, jewelry, art and other items. Music, food and family activities round out the festivities.

October 6-16, 2016 Design Philadelphia

The entire city celebrates DesignPhiladelphia, one of the largest design festivals in the nation with 85 events representing 400 nationally recognized designers. Each fall, the Philadelphia Center for Architecture hosts exhibits, lectures, workshops and demonstrations that highlight architecture, fashion, furniture, multimedia and urban-planning design at venues all around town.

October 6 & 8, 2016 King of Prussia Beerfest Royale

The parking lot at the King of Prussia Mall transforms into a German beer oasis at the annual Beerfest Royale, a two-day event consisting of more than 100 types of beer from 50-plus national and international brewers, food from area restaurants, live music and a cigar lounge. Tickets are limited, so reserve your spot in advance by clicking the button below.

October 6, 2016 Night Market Philadelphia: Navy Yard

The Navy Yard marks the final destination of the 2016 Night Market Philadelphia series. As one of the largest and best celebrations of street food and city neighborhoods, don't miss out on your opportunity to experience a market this year! While you're there, explore the expansive waterfront Navy Yard as you enjoy eats from some of the top food trucks in the city.

October 7, 2016 PHeaSt

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) presents its popular culinary event PHeaSt for the fifth year, bringing another huge garden-to-table dining experience to the Navy Yard. Sample dishes sourced from local ingredients courtesy of some of the region's top restaurants, sip on cocktails and craft beers and speak with growers firsthand to get your own gardening tips.

October 7-9, 2016 Philadelphia's First Annual Oktoberfest at 23rd Street Armory

The castle-esque 23rd Street Armory will get a makeover for Columbus Day weekend, transforming into an authentic Munich festival tent for Philadelphia's First Annual Oktoberfest at 23rd Street Armory. Bavarian blues and whites will paint the ceilings, while authentic festival tables and benches imported from Germany will furnish the floor along with a lofted stage area for live bands. Hofbräuhaus will supply the beer and German fare will flow from the kitchens.

October 8,9,22 and 23, 2016 Philadelphia Open Studio Tours

Ever wonder what an artist’s studio really looks like? Philadelphia Open Studio Tours allows everyone a chance to take a sneak peek inside the city’s most creative spaces. For two weekends in October, artists around the city open their studios to curious visitors, inviting them to talk, check out how they work and purchase artwork.

October 8, 2016 Fishtown RiverCity Festival

Celebrate fall in Fishtown during the annual RiverCity Fall Festival at scenic Penn Treaty Park on the Delaware River Waterfront. The annual neighborhood festival, presented by the Fishtown Neighbors Association, is a free celebration of local music, food, and businesses in Fishtown.

October 9, 2016 Old City Fest

Artists, crafters, designers, techies, entertainers and restaurateurs all come out to celebrate the neighborhood’s creative spirit during the Old City Festival. Activities, exhibits and programs throughout several blocks along North 3rd Street and Arch Street cater to both families and the over-21 crowd.

October 9, 2016 Outfest

OutFest, part of the National Coming Out Day Festival, is the largest event of its kind in the world. The 10-block party packs in the fun with drag shows, games, bar crawls, music and shopping. However, it’s the main stage at 13th and Locust streets in the Gayborhood that serves as the centerpiece of the festival, featuring lively entertainment such as the high-heel race.

October 12-16, 2016 Oktoberfest at Dilworth Park

Beer, food, live music and fun activities are set to fill Dilworth Park for its multi-day Oktoberfest celebration. The beer fest starts after work on Wednesday, October 12 at the park's Saultoberfest Beer Garden and continues on throughout the week. On both Saturday and Sunday, the festival kicks off at noon with music from local DJs and performers.

October 13, 2016 Chinatown Night Market Yé Shi

Head to Chinatown for a festive food truck affair during the Chinatown Night Market Yè Shì. Many of the area's top food trucks will gather together, while an array of live bands, karate-demonstrators and dance performers take to the stages to form a lively – and certainly delicious – night.

October 15, 2016 Blocktoberfest

Graduate Hospital’s Bloktoberfest returns for a day of all-ages fun on South Street. The celebration features a wide selection of craft beer from around the country, delicious food from local restaurants and food trucks, live music and entertainment and family-friendly activities. Beer proceeds from the neighborhood event are reinvested into community schools, projects and area organizations.

October 15, 2016 Philly's Cheesesteak and Food fest 2016

Last October, Philadelphia finally hosted its first festival devoted entirely to the cheesesteak. The highly anticipated event is set to return this year with an expanded amount of awesome offerings, including other favorited Philly eats such as hoagies, roast pork sandwiches, pretzels, water ice and more!

October 15, 2016 East Falls Autumn Street Festival

Back for its second year, the East Falls Autumn Street Festival returns to the banks of the Schuylkill River for an afternoon full of food truck fare, beer garden lounging, local craft shopping and live music listening. A kids’ zone will keep the little ones entertained, and the Fire Department will have firetrucks available for kids to explore, equipment to try on and simulated fire-fighting demonstrations.

October 15, 2016 Historic Bristol Day

Historic Bristol Day brings a family-friendly street fair packed with arts and crafts, food vendors, entertainers, children’s games, a sailing regatta and Colonial characters, all celebrating the town’s connection to the Delaware River.

October 15, 2016 Conshohocken Beer Festival at the A.A. Garthwaite Stadium

Join dozens of breweries — from Philadelphia-area favorites to national mainstays — for the Conshohocken Beer Festival, which also includes live music, great food and more.

October 20-30, 2016 Philadelphia Film Festival

The 25th Philadelphia Film Festival showcases the best in independent and foreign cinema in theaters and venues around Philadelphia. Attendees will have the opportunity to take in short films, feature-length films, animated movies and special guest appearances.

October 21-22, 2016 Harry Potter Festival

The wizards of Hogwarts take over Chestnut Hill during the Harry Potter Festival. The quaint area transforms into a mini-Hogsmeade with a costume parade, Horcrux Hunt, Dumbledore’s Powers Maze, Potter Pub Crawl and more. It all culminates with dozens of Quidditch teams competing for the Golden Snitch in the annual broomstick-laden tournament.

October 22- November 20,2016 Chrysanthemum Festival at Longwood Gardens

Gaze in awe at more than 16,000 expertly arranged chrysanthemums in Longwood Gardens' four-acre conservatory during the Chrysanthemum Festival. Longwood’s experts train these fall favorites, creating cascades of color that drape the conservatory walls like flowery waterfalls. The centerpiece of the festival is Longwood's coveted Thousand Bloom chrysanthemum, featuring more than 1,500 perfectly arranged flowers — the largest of its kind grown outside of Asia.

October 29- 30, 2016 Head of the Schuylkill Regatta

Bringing together more than 7,000 athletes and upwards of 25,000 spectators, the festive two-day Head of the Schuylkill Regatta features a 2.5-mile rowing race along the scenic Kelly Drive section of the Schuylkill River. College crews, high school crews, master rowers, elite rowers and previous world champions come together for an inclusive event that allows both highly experienced and brand-new rowers to hit the water together. Cheer them on as you take in the picturesque fall regatta.

October 29, 2016 South Street's PumpkinFest

Celebrate all things fall at the annual South Street Headhouse District Pumpkin Fall Fest at the historic Headhouse Shambles. Enjoy hay rides, pumpkin painting, crafts, live music and more.

November 5-6, 2016 Apple Festival at Peddler's Village

It’s all about the apples at the Peddler’s Village Apple Festival. The annual fruit fest honors the seasonal treat with old-fashioned country apple butter, apple cider, apple dumplings, apple fritters, caramel-dipped apples and pie-eating contests.

November 7-19, 2016 First Person Arts Festival

Every November, folks from all walks of life come together to share their stories on stage during the First Person Arts Festival. Past participants have included everyone from musicians Toni Morrison and Talib Kweli to celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson to actress Janeane Garofalo to political activist Angela Davis. Beyond storytelling, the 13-day celebration includes food events, workshops and more.

November 10-20, 2016 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival

The Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival aims to educate and expose the Philadelphia region to films about Asian Americans and by Asian Americans via an abundance of awesome screenings and events. Multiple films are shown at different locations throughout the city each of the 10 days throughout the festival – all at a price under $10.

November 13,2016 Cyclocross at Sly Fox Brewery

Sly Fox Brewing Company raises a pint to the Belgian tradition of cyclocross and beer with its second-ever Sly Fox Cyclocross hosted at the Pottstown brewery location. More than 100 cyclists and a ton of spectators will come together for a day of bicycle racing, beer and food.

November 18-20, 2016 Philadelphia Marathon

With a fast course that winds through the city’s historic downtown, past the stunning Philadelphia Museum of Art and along the scenic Boathouse Row, the Philadelphia Marathon is one of the country’s premier running events. The weekend also includes an 8K race, half-marathon, a Kids Fun Run and the well-attended Health & Fitness Expo.