Philadelphia’s Historic District was filled with Halloween excitement on Saturday as families gathered for “Halloween in the Historic District.”
The event, which was organized by the Independence Visitor Center Corporation in partnership with the National Historical Trust, offered families a chance to explore Philadelphia’s historic landmarks while enjoying Halloween-themed activities.
“The goal is to really remind Philadelphians that this is our local national park,” said Maita Soukup, vice president of eExperience and eEngagement at the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation. “We’re always serving visitors who come from all over the country and world to visit the Liberty Bell and see the birthplace of America here in historic Philly. But sometimes residents forget that they also have this resource.”
The event offered more than just treats; many organizations and museums across the district hosted activities that blended history with Halloween. The Science History Institute features attractions for all ages, drawing interest from both industry professionals and families. The museum offered a trick or treat station, scavenger hunt and food science “I Spy” game with historical recipes, drawing attention from event attendees
Elizabeth Fedie stumbled upon the event while exploring Philadelphia’s historic sites while visiting from Minnesota.
“We just saw it along the way,” Fedieshe said. “Lots of fun. The kids have really enjoyed the activities and got some candy and treats.”
Fedie’s Her family originally came to see the Liberty Bell, but the Halloween event turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
The event saw a steady flow of families throughout the day, a sign of success for Soukup.
“Whenever you do anything for the first time, you really just want to make sure that you get the word out properly,” Soukup said. “Everything kicked off at 11 a.m., so you know, to see that there was lines of people waiting to get going before 11 a.m. meant that was a pretty great feeling.”
Attendees left with candy-filled bags and memories of a uniquely Philly Halloween experience.
“We have trick or treating across the whole Historic District,” Soukup said. “The great thing about today is you can go trick or treating. You can pick up candy and engage in like over 30 spots and sort of get a flavor for what you might want to come back to on another weekend, which is cool.”
David Santiago, a Philadelphia local, brought his children after reading about the event in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Santiago and his family planned to explore the route, taking advantage of the day’s festivities.
“We love the season,” Santiagohe said. “We love the time of year. We love the dressing up and the candy.”
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