Fall Fest Comes to Morgan's Pier for Six Weeks of Celebrating the Season, Kicking off with an Ode to Pope Francis at the Transformed Fall Wonderland

Store away the sunnies and flip flops but don't cross Morgan's Pier off the list just yet - the restaurant announced today plans to extend the season, transforming into Fall Fest at Morgan's Pier opening Wednesday, September 23 and closing with a Halloween bash on Saturday, October 31. In addition to the fall menu by Chef Nicholas Elmi, specialty beers, weekly events and no cover, the venue will be prepared for the autumn elements with weather-adjustable tents and outdoor heat lamps.

Fall Fest allows Philadelphians to soak up the best parts of the season in a convenient urban setting, while encapsulating not only traditional fall activities, but items with a Morgan's Pier twist as well. Starting with Popeapalooza in honor of the Papal visit on September 25 - 27, the restaurant will provide Pope Francis-inspired menu items and all day specials including $3 Yuengling Lagers and $4 Victory Festbiers (along with several batches of local brewery pope-beers). Additionally, for every customer who attends, a dollar will go to charities that reflect the pope's values and causes. The next four weekends, local celebrity chefs Michael Solomonov, Joe Cicala, Jeremy Nolen and Jason Cichonski will be taking over the kitchen and collaborating with Elmi for their own interpretations of a seasonal backyard barbeque.

Throughout Fall Fest, the Pier will have specialty batches of beers to complement Elmi's fall-inspired menu as well as the option to order from the outdoor grill. The venue will also host pumpkin carving on weekends, Sunday kids tailgates, complimentary cornhole games, as well as no-cover DJs on Friday and Saturday nights and weekend-days. And finally, the grand finale of Fall Fest is Halloween - Morgan's Pier style: with a discounted entry fee for wearing a costume, the open bar bash will end the season by inviting all attendees to drink the bar inventory dry.

Keep reading for a breakdown of all Fall Fest offerings:

Fall Food & Drink: The 2015 Chef in Residence, Nick Elmi, is at it again, cultivating a fall-friendly menu with many items from served from the outdoor grill. Additionally, the fall beverage program includes specialty beers such as Evil Genius Trick or Treat Pumpkin Porter, Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Amber Märzen, Saranac Pumpkin Ale and Victory Festbier, as well as warm-you-to-the-core hot drinks on the specialty cocktail list.

Popeapalooza: On September 25, 26 and 27, while much of the city is shutdown, akin to a sunny snow day, Morgan's Pier will welcome Pope Francis and all his admirers for a Popeapalooza celebration. Opening at 11 a.m. all three days, for every customer who enters the Pier, the restaurant will donate a dollar to one of the following three charities - attendee's choice: Francis Fund, a special fund in honor of Pope Francis' visit, used to meet concrete needs of people in the region who are struggling with hunger, homelessness, and poverty; Mil Mujeres, an organization that provides direct legal services in the area of immigration law to low-income survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; and PennEnvironment, a nonprofit aimed at raising awareness of environmental issues within Pennsylvania.

Pope-related snacks pair up with all-day drink specials including $3 Yuengling Lagers and $4 Victory Festbiers. The bar will also feature Cape May Brewing Company YOPO, Philadelphia Brewing Company Holy Wooder and Yards Brewing Cape of Good Hope.

Guest Chef Series: Weekends at Fall Fest bring in the area's most acclaimed chefs from the city, each creating a meal that incorporates items they would bring to a backyard barbeque in October. For $30, guests can enjoy an exclusive chef's board only available that weekend, and in limited quantities: first come first serve with the option to buy online in advance. For those that miss out on the meal, the weekly menu at Morgan's Pier will offer a sandwich also designed by that chef, starting Wednesday of the week they host. A full list of chefs and the dates they are hosting:
10/3 & 10/4 | Joe Cicala | Le Virtù, Brigantessa
10/10 & 10/11 | Michael Solomonov Zahav, Federal Donuts, Abe Fisher, Dizengoff, Percy Street Barbecue
10/17 & 10/18 | Jeremy Nolen | Brauhaus Schmitz, Whetstone Tavern
10/24 & 10/25 | Jason Cichonski | Ela, The Gaslight, 1100 Social

Tickets for the series go on sale Tuesday, September 8 on http://www.morganspier.com - with 200 meal reservations per chef available.

Halloween: To conclude the last night of both Fall Fest and the season, Morgan's Pier will host an epic open bar costume party. Starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday October 31, attendees can order drinks including anything from well up to premium shelf until the inventory runs out - or the night ends. The entry fee is $30 with a costume or $40 without, both prices guaranteeing a unique way to close out the Pier until 2016. Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 1 on http://www.morganspier.com.

And more: Even when Fall Fest is not hosting one of its premier events, there is plenty to do and see down at the waterfront:
•Wednesday through Sunday - complimentary cornhole and other tailgating games will be available all week long.
•Friday and Saturday nights and during the weekends all day - DJs will be spinning with no cover charge to enter.
•Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm - there will be pumpkin carving in the Craft Bar. For $5, guests can pick a pumpkin from anywhere on-site, take it to the carving station and use stencils or just get creative to mastermind their perfect pumpkin.
•Sundays - family-friendly tailgates will give kids the opportunity to learn about football through games, toys and books.

All Fall Fest activities are rain or shine, as the restaurant is installing cozy clear vinyl walls that can roll away or zip down depending on weather conditions, along with heat lamps to keep warm before the beer kicks in. Morgan's Pier will be open for Fall Fest from September 23 to October 31. During the Fall Fest season, it will operate with adjusted hours: Wednesday through Friday 4p.m. - close; Saturday and Sunday 11a.m. - close; closed on Monday and Tuesday. For updates about events and more information, visit morganspier.com or call 215.279.7134.
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About Morgan's Pier
Morgan's Pier is an outdoor restaurant against the backdrop of the Delaware River Waterfront. Named after George C. Morgan, the first person to cross the Ben Franklin Bridge, the "backyard beer garden" on Columbus Boulevard is an ideal summer spot. In its inaugural season, Morgan's Pier received the 2012 Excellence on the Waterfront Honor Award for Commercial Design from The Waterfront Center. It has also been selected as Philadelphia Magazine's "Best of Philly" winner for several categories in recent years, including Best Backyard Burger and Best Dance Spot. During the Fall Fest season, Morgan's Pier will operate with adjusted hours: Wednesday through Friday 4p.m. - close; Saturday and Sunday 11a.m. - close; closed on Monday and Tuesday. For more information, call 215-279-7134 or visit http://www.morganspier.com.

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