Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest Returns This Weekend

Ensemble Arts Philly will celebrate the kickoff of Philadelphia's robust arts and culture season with Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest on Saturday, September 13, from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts – a day of FREE festival-style performances, tours of the magnificent Marian Anderson Hall, and the chance to interact with more than 50 arts organizations from across the region! This annual event brings thousands of arts and entertainment lovers together under the soaring vaulted glass roof of the Kimmel Center and shines a spotlight on the rich and diverse arts and culture ecosystem of the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.

“Our annual Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest is central to our mission as a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the transformative power of the performing arts and arts education with the widest possible audience,” said Ryan Fleur, president and CEO. “Built around the power of partnerships and our commitment to amplifying local artistry as well as global talent, this festival is a reminder that our city's arts and culture community is stronger together.”

Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest guests are welcome to explore activities and demonstrations highlighting genres ranging from tap dance to jazz, Broadway to classical, opera to ballet. The Kimmel Center's Commonwealth Plaza stage will feature performances from shows coming to Philadelphia as part of Ensemble Arts Philly's 2025-26 Broadway season, including Tony-winning Best Musical Kimberly Akimbo and The Sound of Music, with accompaniment from high school students from the Philadelphia Independence Awards; a quartet of Philadelphia Orchestra musicians; The Philly Pops; Opera Philadelphia; Esperanza Arts Center; and Project 440. The Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater stage will feature performances from Philadelphia Ballet; Née Danse/Theatre; Chocolate Ballerina Company; SHARP Dance Company; BalletX; Carne Viva Dance Theatre; Living Arts Dance; International Ballet Exchange; and PHILADANCO!. A full schedule of the day is below.

Attendees are invited to peruse the many tables staffed by participating arts organizations to gather information about upcoming programs and events; many organizations will also be recruiting staff or volunteers. Highlights include a ‘Keep Music Alive' instrument petting zoo, as well as a table from the local Alice Paul Museum for Gender Justice – a local Mount Laurel, NJ, institution honoring the late suffragette and subject of Suffs, the Tony Award-winning musical premiering in Philadelphia in January 2026. Additionally, the DeLorean from the Broadway hit Back to the Future The Musical – premiering in Philadelphia in November 2025 – will be parked outside the Kimmel Center building for photo opportunities. Attendees are welcome to engage in friendship bracelet-making, in honor of Tony Award winner Kimberly Akimbo, premiering in Philadelphia in October.

In partnership with the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, Ensemble Arts is thrilled to offer "organ pumps,” an experience showcasing the mighty Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, during which guests are invited to lie on the stage of Marian Anderson Hall to feel the vibrations of this historic instrument. This is a one-time opportunity during Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest – taking place at 1:00 PM – with other hall tours happening at 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM.

The Philadelphia Orchestra is commemorating its 125th anniversary this year and is inviting everyone to join the celebration. Members of the public are invited to record special anniversary messages and share their Orchestra memories in a special video booth that will be set up in Commonwealth Plaza at the Kimmel Center. The booth will be accessible during the Philadelphia Fall Arts Fest on September 13 and the Orchestra's Opening Weekend concerts October 3–5. 

Curtain Call, the cafe and lounge space inside the Kimmel Center, will be open with special family-friendly food and beverage offerings, as well as Broadway- and Orchestra-themed cocktails and mocktails available for purchase.

WURD Radio will broadcast live from the Kimmel Center between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.

Attendees will be treated to a special in-person flash sale offer: 50% off tickets to over 70 spectacular shows across the upcoming 2025-26 season. Valid on select price levels and select performances within each show's run, performances included in the 50% off flash sale are listed below the day's schedule-of-events and participating organizations.

The preliminary schedule for activities inside the Kimmel Center is as follows:

Commonwealth Plaza Stage inside the Kimmel Center:

11:00 AM – The Philadelphia Orchestra String Quartet
11:30 AM – Opera Philadelphia
12:00 PM – The Philadelphia Independence Awards
12:30 PM – Performances from Broadway's Kimberly Akimbo, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and The Sound of Music
1:05 PM – The Philly Pops
1:30 PM – Esperanza Arts Center
2:00 PM – TBD
2:30 PM – Performances from Broadway's Kimberly Akimbo, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and The Sound of Music

Perelman Theater Stage inside the Kimmel Center:

11:40 AM – Philadelphia Ballet
12:05 PM – BalletX
12:25 PM – Chocolate Ballerina Company
12:50 PM – Carne Viva Dance Theatre
1:05 PM – SHARP Dance Company
1:25 PM – Usiloquy
1:45 PM – Née Danse/Theatre
2:05 PM – Living Arts Dance
2:25 PM – International Ballet Exchange
2:45 PM – PHILADANCO!

Marian Anderson Hall inside the Kimmel Center:

12:00 PM – Hall Tour
1:00 PM – Organ Demonstration featuring Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ
2:00 PM – Hall Tour

The preliminary list of participating organizations is as follows:

• 1812 Productions
• American Guild of Organists (AGO), Philadelphia Chapter 
• Arden Theatre Company 
• Art Sphere, Inc. 
• The Arts League
• Aurora Classical 
• BalletX 
• Caribbean Community in Philadelphia 
• Carne Viva Dance Theatre
• The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia 
• Chocolate Ballerina Company
• Choral Arts Philadelphia
• The Clay Studio
• Curtis Institute of Music 
• East Passyunk Opera Project (ePOP) 
• Esperanza Arts Center 
• Georgia E. Gregory Interdenominational School of Music 
• The Greater South Jersey Chorus
• InterAct Theatre Company 
• International Ballet Exchange
• Jazz Bridge Project
• Keep Music Alive 
• The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble 
• Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra
• Lantern Theater Company
• Living Arts Dance 
• Mosaic Society of Philadelphia 
• Musicopia / Musicopia Dance
• Née Danse/Theatre
• Network for New Music 
• Opera Philadelphia 
• Penn Live Arts 
• PHILADANCO! 
• Philadelphia Ballet 
• Philadelphia Chamber Music Society 
• Philadelphia Film Society 
• The Philadelphia Freedom Band 
• The Philadelphia Independence Awards 
• The Philadelphia Orchestra 
• Philadelphia Scenic Works 
• The Philadelphia Theatre Company 
• Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival 
• Philadelphia Women's Theatre Fest
• Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts 
• Philadelphia Youth Choral Ensembles
• Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute 
• Philly Dance Share
• The Philly Pops
• Piffaro, the Renaissance Band 
• The Primavera Fund 
• The Print Center 
• Project 440 
• Project Moshen Dance Company
• Quintessence Theatre Group
• Ravensong
• Rock to the Future
• The Roxborough Orchestra 
• Scribe Video Center
• Settlement Music School 
• SHARP Dance Company 
• Storybook Musical Theatre
• Temple Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts 
• Temple Music Prep 
• Theatre Ariel 
• UNCF Philadelphia
• Usiloquy
•  Variant Six 
•  The Wilma Theater