I've wanted to visit the Chinese Lantern Festival for a few years now, and finally made my first…read moretrip this summer. Getting in was easy enough despite the crowds, with plenty of staff on hand to keep the line moving and tickets scanned quickly. The real draw, of course, is the lantern displays. They're beautifully crafted and surprisingly diverse, ranging from insects and flowers to more Philadelphia-themed exhibits tied to the city's 250th anniversary and major sporting events. There are well over a dozen displays spread throughout Franklin Square, and each one feels distinct enough to keep you moving through the park. Timing matters. While the lanterns are interesting during daylight, they really come alive once darkness sets in. If you're planning a visit, aim for dusk or later to get the full effect. As expected, there were plenty of families in attendance, along with food and drink options throughout the venue. The atmosphere was relaxed and festive without feeling overwhelming. Overall, I came away glad I finally went. The displays are impressive, the event is well organized, and it's easy to see why it has become a popular Philadelphia summer tradition. While I'm not sure it's something I'd need to do every year, it's absolutely worth experiencing at least once.

Planned trip here to see the Chinese Lantern Festival in Philly while in town during opening…read moreweekend. Perfect timing as it aligned with other activities planned - easy to purchase tickets online. Easy to get here by train - Franklin Square PATCO Station leaves you right here by the entrance literally or one can take car service or walk depending where you are coming from. Go through security and scan your ticket based on timed ticket entry and you are in. Tada! Overall it was good with interactive spots in the park. Even though earliest entry starts at 6pm, needed to wait til sunsets when the lights start coming on. The map was helpful though there wasn't really a course that took you from one section to another... it was just all open to find everything. The jellyfish mirror room was really cool but it was very warm. Lanterns were colorful. If you wish to eat in the park, there are food stands to purchase from. Have fun and take pics for memories.

This place may be a fun novelty for anyone who can attend and leave, but for those of us who own…read morehomes, pay taxes and have to live here, it's hell! Every weekend, Sat. and Sun., and now some sneak attacks during the week--we are subjected to 10 hrs a day of loud music in excess of the local noise ordinance by 100% and attendees taking all the parking spots! Forget trying to sell our homes, as who would want to live here?! This is not the appropriate location for this kind of thing! And since it is operated by the township, they break their own laws and make no apologies or concessions to the residents. It's a "good ol' boys" frat house without the walls. It's a stupid, irresponsible waste of taxpayers' money at our OWN expense. They need to cut the music and charge for parking. I have no idea how they call it a "success" when they rent the tents, equipment, stage, use township employees to maintain it and don't charge a cover charge or a parking fee. The only income to the township is some stipend from the $6 beers. This can't go away soon enough.

Lived in HT for 48 yrs, 1.5 blocks from the Avenue and Haddon Square, we needed the revitalization,…read more we are glad it bustling with activity. The Westmont Farmers Market at the Square, The stores, restaurants and the Square events keep families walking around town. Love seeing the children dancing to the music during the day and adults enjoying neighbors/friends in the evenings. Great events, many family friendly. Benefits and fundraisers for local sports etc. Theme nights like Octoberfest and Severinos Pasta Night Dinner are always a big hit. Beer lines and bathroom lines can get a bit long but it's a popular venue. Mixed age crowd, some bands better than others. Music isn't spectacular /loud but doesn't ruin the night. Events end at 10 so get there early. Home values are great in the area thanks to all Haddon Twp has to offer. We travel back for Haddon Square events. Many people we meet have heard of Haddon Square and talk about the events. Worth a stop.

Always a great time with great food I go every year with my mom she's from that area so it's a…read moregreat time for her

I once had the pleasure of a one day trip with good close friends to Philadelphia, PA during the…read moreItalian Market Festival. We had a foodie day of Italian staples including sweets. Italian Market Festival is an outdoor market on 9th Street that complete me... Italian sausage, Italian staples as freshly handmade pasta, and all genres of sweets imaginable. Eat, walk a little, walk some more on Philadelphia's historic 9th Street! Foodie galore in the City of Brotherly Love!

What an unforgettable festival! Dino's Ice Cream, Bussin'…read moreTacos, Taco Frys and Birria Wings to Corn Lovers, Nephews Taqueria and Grubaholics, I'm Just Wingin' it, Rosie's Taco Kitchen, Cantina La Martina, Bussin' Taco and Corn Lovers!! I wish I could comment individually however let's just say this festival was a food lover's delight. Every bite was a delight, I'm already counting down to the next one... #FoodieHeaven #FestivalVibes #TacoLove #FestivalFun #Yum #TasteAdventure #FoodFest #DeliciousEats #GoodTimes

Very Disappointing VIP Experience We paid extra for VIP this…read moreyear and unfortunately left feeling like we were treated terribly and that the experience was not worth the money. From the moment we arrived, the organization was a mess. The front entrance was poorly coordinated, the line was unclear, and a staff volunteer actually yelled at us because we accidentally entered through the wrong direction. The map that was sent to us was also incorrect. We asked four different bars where the early-access nacho bar was, and each one gave us a different answer. When we finally found the nacho bar, the experience was disappointing. The chips were so soggy they pulled apart and flopped over, there was no queso fountain as advertised, and the toppings were messy and not kept on ice. Plastic serving spoons were frequently left sitting directly in the toppings. Because of how poorly the nacho bar was set up, we didn't even feel comfortable fully taking advantage of something we had specifically paid extra for. The VIP free drink was another mess. One bar told us they could only serve Corona, another said only margaritas, and a third said only Miller Lite. There was no consistent information. We also tried to get the complimentary waters advertised as part of VIP. Out of approximately 10 bars, only one said they could provide them. The others said they knew nothing about it. The bartenders we interacted with were also extremely disrespectful and cocky. Then there were the food issues. My boyfriend's taco fries had a long black hair in them. I ordered the Fruity Pebble dessert nachos and found three small black hairs in them. At that point, along with everything else, the experience had become incredibly frustrating. The food overall was also very mediocre compared with previous years. The event itself felt significantly smaller this year, there were no free vendors like there had been in previous years, and communication from event staff was extremely poor. We repeatedly had to ask multiple staff members the same questions just to get an answer. Overall, we paid more for a VIP experience and ended up feeling like we got less while being treated poorly. The lack of organization, inconsistent information, disappointing food, cleanliness issues, and poor staff communication made the entire experience extremely frustrating. We will not be returning.

This was a great annual event put on by Cherry Hill. Fun for the kids. Great food options for the…read moreadults. Police and Fire had displays, and several of the local businesses pitched in to make the area full of fun things to do. Pumpkin crafts for sale, an art show on display, and a dance floor and more all brought out many people of all ages. Only a few parking spots remained due to the great weather and popularity of the event. Will take my children to this in the fall every year, for sure!

This is the 1st time I've ever attended the Collingswood Book Festival. This year's festival was…read morealso moved from outside into Collingswood High School due to rain, same as what happened in the previous review from 2014. Exhibitors plying new books were housed in both gymnasiums, & some second hand book vendors, such as Second Time Books & the Philadelphia Science Fiction Society, were set up outside in a protected courtyard. Would suggest that if the sellers have to be inside in the future, to spread them out a little more between the 2 gymnasiums. The one was overly crowded to the point of being claustrophobic, while the other gym had plenty of space left. Anyway, so many authors & illustrators! If you were looking for independent writers & publishing houses this was a festival to wander through for several hours. I was there to mainly check out the Poetry Tent, which was relocated to the Middle School Cafeteria. I was introduced to a tasty cornucopia of New Jersey-based poets. The Nick Virgilio Haiku Association (NVHA), Reet Starwind, Peter Murphy, Shawn R. Jones, Suzanne Gili Post, Cole Eubanks, Bruce Niedt, & many more were in attendance, & read from new & older work. I was heartened & inspired by the poetry read & recited. From haiku to poems on topics ranging on subjects from David Bowie to Darth Vader (!) to the climate crisis. I'd have purchased all the poet's books if I'd had the cash. I did purchase for $10 Vol. 1 - Nick Virgilio Writers House Poetry - Haiku, Senryu, and Tanka. The president & staff from NVHA were all approachable. A panel on how to get published had me taking notes. As a novice poet, I was there to listen & absorb. I am looking forward to attending the 2024 festival.

Fact: I love this festival more than any other event. Since discovering its existence in 2009, I've…read morefaithfully attended every year -- with the exception of 2010, when I was stuck in Switzerland (the horror) -- and have begun hyping it up to friends and family in the springtime! For this festival, they close down the entire main street of Collingswood in the name of literacy. It's beautiful. Well, aside from this year, when it was moved to the high school thanks to the rain. Rain + books = no, no. I'm always impressed with the amount of books and accessibility of the local authors at this event. They give talks, but you can also always walk right up to them and chat with them about their books! It's fantastic. I've met lovely people this way. You will not go wrong attending this festival. Really. A huge thank you to the wonderful people who keep it going strong!

I'm what you might call a festival-phile. As my friend said when he ran into me at yet another…read morefestival for three weeks in a row "if there is a festival in Philly Melissa P. is there!" True story. This was my second year at Bloktoberfest and it was once again a good time despite the little fall of rain and some intense lines. $15 presale online (with a few dollars processing fee) gets you 3 beer tickets and a sweet wristband, they're $20 the day of. You can get a 5 beer ticket for $25 or additional beer tickets for $5. There are some fancy strong beers, some ciders, and a lot of pumpkin ales and Oktoberfests. I would recommend going with 3 tickets and taking it from there in case it rains/gets too loud/crowded/your lame friend wants to leave/your awesome friend gets too drunk and needs to leave, etc. Lots of food trucks are out and places like Jamaican Jerk Hut, Sawatdee, and Magpie have food for sale. Lots of live music and even activities/performances for the kiddies (but ya know 26 year olds like to paint pumpkins too!) Some freebies from State Farm, City Fitness and even free on site eyebrow wax! Also love the print your own instagram table. It gets really crowded though so if you're not into things like night market... I would not recommend. I'm really not sure what my weekends will look like without all these fall fests, probably a lot of crying and moping around the house.

Had I had even considered reviewing Bloktoberfest before I would have done so 5 years ago when it…read morewas Graduate Hospital's event of the year! But since that time I've have seen it grow into a big time festival that showcases everything that's awesome about my favorite side of South Street. Deep down I'm happy to say that I was at the first 2 Bloktoberfest's that took up 2 to 3 blocks of the Graduate Hospital hood just south of Sidecar. And even though they were smaller scale, had fewer food trucks and brews, and the 2nd one suffered a huge hit by a considerable rain storm; it was a solid event that showcased the best of a South Philly community. And even when it expanded onto the best of South West South Street, teamed up with Bella Vista Beer Distributors to bring in even MORE beer, added in even more food truck and restaurant involvement, and utilized even bigger musical acts; it maintains the central organic theme that it was based on. This years fest gave me the chance to catch up with bad ass Philly bands like Swift Technique, West Philadelphia Orchestra, and Jason Jefferies & Tall Trees. While it was great to catch up with old food truck standbys like Say Cheese, Koja, and Sugar Philly Truck; I was blown away by new trucks like Mom Mom's Polish Food Cart. Grabbing familiar brews from the likes of DuClaw and Clown Shoes was definitely a winning combo. But I enjoyed new brews from Horny Goat, and the fact thar Neshiminy Creek brewed Bloktoberfest's own fest beer. Add in some suitable previews of restaurants I've been meaning to try like Rex 1516 and Cambridge; and this year's festival might have been the best one yet!