May 08, 2026
Michaela Althouse/PhillyVoice
Philadelphia will host weekly walking tours on the history and culture of its neighborhoods. Jacqueline Wiggins, above, a resident and historian, helped develop some of the tours centered on North Philadelphia.
Nearly every weekend this summer, history buffs, tourists and interested residents will be hoofin' it around the city on a series of walking tours honoring Philadelphia's diverse array of neighborhoods.
Neighborhood Jawnts — which stands for join a weekly neighborhood tour — will include 20 free excursions focused on the arts, culture, history and food of a certain neighborhood, officials announced Friday. Some are tailored to a specific theme including jazz, Black artists and civil rights, and officials said a few were existing tours that they added into the fold.
Jazelle Jones, the city's director of special events, said the tours are about the "essence of Philadelphia." They're one of a number of activities honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
"Philadelphia is extremely proud to be known as the birthplace of American democracy. But if you can ask anybody who lives here, they will tell you that our real story is where? In our neighborhoods," Jones said. "It lives in our blocks, it's in our small businesses, it's in our murals, our music, our food but most importantly in you, our people. That's exactly what Neighborhood Jawnts is all about."
Tours will run May to October, with five taking place every weekend on Fridays from 2-5 p.m.; Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m.; and Sundays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Registration is required for each tour, and opens three weekends in advance.
Here's the full list of tours coming this summer:
• May 29-31: Pas-sy-yunk or Pas-shunk, EE-ther, Eye-ther way, Everybody Eats (East Passyunk)
• June 5-7: Main Street's New Warp (Manayunk)
• June 12-14: Tacony Drums, Tight and Strong (Frankford/Tacony)
• June 19-21: Sacred Spaces, Shared Spaces and Cake (Lower Bustleton/Castor Gardens)
• June 26-28: Africatown Rising: Heritage, Art & Nature (Africatown/Southwest Philadelphia)
• July 10-12: Exploring Chinatown: A Deep Dive into History and Heritage (Chinatown)
• July 17-19: If These Walls Could Talk: Central Germantown Architectural Landmarks (Germantown)
• July 24-26: Where Philly Breathes, Architectural Diversity and Gilded Remnants (Chestnut Hill/Mount Airy)
• July 31-Aug. 2: Our Market: Our Stories (South 9th Street Market)
• Aug. 7-9: Fields, Flags and Family (Deep South Philly/FDR Park/Marconi Plaza)
• Aug. 14-16: Jazz in North Philly Tour: People Places and Events (North Philly)
• Aug. 21-23: The Lo Mo Beat (South Broad Street)
• Aug. 28-30: Poquessing Trail of History: Discovery Byberry's Hidden Heritage (Poquessing Trail)
• Sept. 11-13: West is Best (West Philadelphia)
• Sept. 18-20: Civil Rights, History and Freedom Fighters Tour (North Philadelphia)
• Sept. 25-27: Tracks that Shaped a Community (Oak Lanes/Overbrook)
• Oct. 2-4: North Philly Proud: Historical Neighborhood Tour (North Philadelphia)
• Oct. 9-11: Youth Voices and Creative Spaces (North Philadelphia)
• Oct. 16-18: Black Artists Culture and Resistance (North Philadelphia)
• Oct. 23-25: Truth and Transformation (River Wards)
Jacqueline Wiggins, one of the collaborators on the the North Philadelphia tours, said the excursions include the murals, markets, spiritual sights and "dreams" that made the area what it is today.
"Historical cultural tours mean telling the truth about the city's history to inform residents and guests about racial, economic, political and social changes in neighborhoods," Wiggins said.
