Press Release

Real Fun, Real Young And Under 21 in Philly
Beyond The Bar Scene, There's Loads To Do In The Philadelphia Region

PHILADELPHIA, September 16, 2005 - Nearly 300,000 students are dusting off their laptops as they return to classes at the Philadelphia region's 80-plus colleges and universities this month. Just because notebooks and "office hours" have replaced bathing suits and beach weekends, that doesn't mean the fun has to end. Philadelphia has plenty to offer the under-21 set in every season. Here are a few fun-and wallet-friendly-ideas:

Students riding in the park

Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC

• Tech-savvy culture vultures log onto www.PhillyFunGuide.com and sign up for FunSavers, the best half-price tickets for the coming week. Delivered to e-mail into every Thursday, these bargain orchestra or dance performances, concerts, exhibits, plays and more make the good life accessible to all. Old City's edgy Arden Theatre Company hosts $10 per ticket "college nights," for college students with valid identification. The Philadelphia Orchestra sells last-minute tickets for $10 apiece. Seats to concerts and cutting-edge dance performances are also available to students for a steal, five days before show times at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in University City. Arden Theatre Company,
  40 N. 2nd Street, (215) 922-1122, www.ardentheatre.org; Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street,
  (215) 898-3900, www.pennpresents.org
• Friday evenings are something to talk about at the Philadelphia Museum of Art with Art After 5, a weekly evening series showcasing an eclectic mix of world and jazz music, plus extra hours to explore 2 00 galleries, for the price of museum admission. (215) 763-8100, www.philamuseum.org
• For art on a student's budget, nothing beats First Friday, when Old City's galleries, antique shops and design studios open their doors to evening visitors on the first Friday of every month. Live music, performances and refreshments are usually on hand, along with the latest in local art. www.oldcityarts.org

Music 101 :

• Tired of old-school laser shows? On Friday and Saturday nights, Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute Science Museum offers SonicVision, a 38-minute digitally animated rock music show featuring a mix by Moby, which includes tracks from Radiohead, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay and The Flaming Lips.
  222 N. 20th Street, (215) 448-1200, www.fi.edu

Philly's vibrant local music scene encourages new music of all kinds:

• While R5 Productions' concerts are usually all ages, the independent hip-hop, punk and indie artists draw equal numbers of savvy teenagers and hip adults to venues like the First Unitarian Church.
  R5, (267) 765-5210, www.r5productions.com; First Unitarian, 2125 Chestnut Street
• Two venues in West Philadelphia, the Rotunda and The Gatherings at St. Mary's, are known for avant-garde, ambient and experimental performances. Rotunda,4014 Walnut Street, (215) 573-3234, www.foundationarts.org; The Gatherings, St. Mary's Hamilton Village, 3916 Locust Walk,
  (610) 734- 1009, www.thegatherings.org
• Finally having earned a devoted following for their impressive skills, the young students of the Paul Green School of Rock show off their education several times a year with tributes to Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, the Ramones and others. Various locations throughout Philadelphia, Downingtown and Bucks County, (215) 988-9338, www.schoolofrock.com 

• Hipsters head to Strikes Bowling Lounge, one of University City's newest hangouts, modeled after the lanes in Los Angeles and New York that have become celebrity favorites to dine, shoot pool and bowl until the wee hours. 4040 Locust Street, (215) 387-BOWL, www.strikesbowlinglounge.com
• Philadelphia's answer to the rink at Rockefeller Center is the Blue Cross RiverRink, the city's premier outdoor ice skating rink. Returning to its original location on Market Street, the RiverRink will host live music, movies and other entertainment during its 12th season, taking place from November 25, 2005 to February 20, 2006. Penn's Landing, Market Street, (215) 925-RINK, www.riverrink.com
• Fairmount Park, one of the largest municipal park systems in America, makes it easy to burn off those late-night cheesesteaks. An eight-mile paved path that runs along Kelly Drive and the Schuylkill River is perfect for bikers, bladers and joggers. Inside the park, the recreational activities abound-everything from disc golf to ultimate frisbee, plus rugged hiking trails, tennis courts and fields for baseball, softball and soccer. (215) 683-0200, www.fairmountpark.org

Extracurricular Activities :

• Visitors to the American Helicopter Museum in West Chester don't need to be in ROTC to get a kick out it. The 20,000-square-foot hangar is full of 70 years' worth of vintage and modern helicopters that demonstrate the copter's roles in war and rescue missions, agriculture and police surveillance. The only V- 22 tilt-rotor Osprey in the world that's on public display is also housed here. 1220 American Boulevard, West Chester, (610) 436-9600, www.helicoptermuseum.org
• Catch the latest romantic comedy or gasp-inducing action flick in luxury at The Bridge: Cinema De Lux. Located in University City, The Bridge is the future of movie-going, featuring a full-service lounge and restaurant, cappuccino bar, free wireless Internet access and a state-of-the-art media room for short films and movies by local filmmakers. 40th & Walnut Streets, ( 215) 386-3300, www.thebridgecinema.com
• In need of stress relief? Head to the King of Prussia Mall in Valley Forge. The nation's largest retail shopping mall specializes in upscale retail and several restaurants, with eight department stores, more than 40 dining options and nearly 400 specialty shops, guaranteed to supply the perfect Saturday night-outfit-or first-time interview suit. King of Prussia Mall, (610) 265-5797, www.kingofprussiamall.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) builds the region's economy and image through destination marketing to increase the number of visitors, the number of nights they stay and the number of things they do in the five-county region. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery.

CONTACT:

Caroline Bean, GPTMC
(215) 599-7433, caroline@gptmc.com