20+ Reasons to Plan a Spring Break in Philadelphia and The Countryside(R)

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- This spring, Philadelphia and The Countryside® continues its event-filled year with Pablo Picasso, Body Worlds 2, a Roman Empire exhibition and so much more, giving visitors plenty of reasons to spend a weekend or more in town. The Philadelphia Museum of Art examines an art master's most dramatic years with Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris, while the inaugural Philagrafika 2010: The Graphic Unconscious debuts as a one-of-a-kind print festival. Science and history buffs will be busy with Gunther von Hagens' can't-look-away Body Worlds 2 & The Brain at The Franklin Institute and the National Constitution Center's Ancient Rome & America. Popular annual events, spring-themed festivals and new and traditional sports round out the calendar, keeping the Philadelphia region abuzz this spring.

Visitors who book one of the 70 hotel packages—including the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package with free hotel parking—featured on visitphilly.com/withlove receive a special gift at check-in. The giveaway includes Philly Fill-Ins word games, a five-pack of With Love postcards, a With Love pin and the Official Philly Brag Book, featuring 200 reasons to love the Philadelphia region, along with maps and coupons. The packages are bookable online at visitphilly.com/withlove or by calling the hotel directly.

Science & History:

1. Visitors to The Franklin Institute can uncover the incredible intricacies of human anatomy during Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds 2 & The Brain. More than 200 specimens, including 20 whole bodies, healthy and unhealthy organs and body sections, provide an unprecedented view inside the human body. And the "The Three Pound Gem" feature delves into the mysterious world of the brain. Through April 18, 2010. 222 N. 20th Street, (215) 448-1200, fi.edu

2. What does Rome have to do with America? Lots. Visitors can learn just how significantly the Republic-turned-Empire impacted the new nation when they explore Ancient Rome & America, an 8,000-square-foot exhibition at the National Constitution Center. The exhibit features more than 300 ancient artifacts, including bronze and marble sculptures, ceramics, coins and jewelry, from Rome's Republican and Imperial periods and examines what America's Founding Fathers learned from the ancient civilization. February 19-August 1, 2010. 525 Arch Street, (215) 409-6700, constitutioncenter.org

Art & Culture:

3. After five years of planning, the inaugural Philagrafika 2010: The Graphic Unconscious contemporary art festival will take place in 80 venues throughout Greater Philadelphia, making it one of the largest art events in the country. More than 300 artists from around the globe will feature works that engage the visual, intellectual and creative frontiers in printmaking. January 29-April 11, 2010. (215) 557-8433, philagrafika2010.org

4. In Picasso and the Avant-Garde in Paris, the Philadelphia Museum of Art celebrates the icon internationally renowned as one of the most innovative and influential artists of the last century. The exhibition surveys Picasso's work from 1905 to 1945—decades when he transformed the history of art. February 24-April 25, 2010. 26th Street & the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org

5. It only happens once a year, but people in the art world talk about it months in advance: It's the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts' Annual Student Exhibition. As the culmination of their formal study, undergraduates and grad students at this highly respected institution display their finest work, making this show the ideal place to spot fresh young talent. Collectors with an eye for talent can select from an outstanding array of paintings, sculptures and prints. May 15-June 6, 2010. Historic Landmark Building, 118 N. Broad Street; Samuel M. V. Hamilton Building, 128 N. Broad Street, (215) 972-7600, pafa.org

6. Outstanding furniture, glass, metalware, ceramics, folk art, quilts and other fine antiques from across the nation are featured at the Brandywine River Museum Antiques Show. While there, art lovers can check out the museum's unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and an outstanding collection of American illustration, still life and landscape paintings. May 29-June 1, 2010. Route 1 & Creek Road, (610) 388-2700, brandywinemuseum.org

Sporting Action:

7. Philadelphia Union, the nation's 16th Major League Soccer team, kicks off its first season during a nationally televised away match on March 25, 2010, and then plays its first home game two weeks later. To provide seating to a greater number of fans, the team will play that inaugural home opener on April 10, 2010 and several major games at Lincoln Financial Field. Once the new 18,500-seat soccer stadium in Chester is complete in spring, the Union will play most of its regular season games there. Spectators at the new stadium will enjoy views of the Delaware River, a restaurant, 30 luxury suites, a club section and dedicated areas for tailgating, picnicking and music. Chester Waterfront, philadelphiaunion.com

8. For the 116th year, high school and college track stars compete at Franklin Field during The Penn Relays, the first and oldest relay meet in the nation. With an average of one race every five minutes, the action is non-stop all weekend. April 22-24, 2010. 33rd & South Streets, (215) 898-6145, thepennrelays.com

9. The 31st annual Broad Street Run, which raises money for the American Cancer Society, spans 10 miles from Olney to South Philadelphia. The two days before the event, runners and spectators alike can head to Lincoln Financial Field to enjoy the Expo, which includes runner information, vendors, face painting and refreshments. May 2, 2010. (215) 683-3594, broadstreetrun.com

10. With competitors from across the country and Canada, the longstanding Dad Vail Regatta is the largest collegiate regatta in the world and takes place on the Schuylkill River. May 7-8, 2010. (215) 542-1443, dadvail.org

Gay & Lesbian Festivals:

11. The week-long Equality Forum celebrates the cultural and political legacy of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and includes more than 50 events by 60 regional, national and international organizations. April 26-May 2, 2010. (215) 732-3378, equalityforum.com

12. New Hope Celebrates Pride in Bucks County includes the New Hope Pride Parade, the Family Forum, the "Decade an Hour" Dance and the "Sing Out Loud and Proud" Concert. Proceeds benefit national and local charities. May 13-16, 2010. (215) 431-6674, newhopecelebrates.com

Family Fun:

13. The month-long Sakura Matsuri—the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival—welcomes the arrival of spring and honors Japanese culture and traditions. Celebrated in Japan for hundreds of years, the citywide festival in Philadelphia encourages a better understanding of the cultural, social and educational customs of Japan and the U.S. As part of its beautification initiative, the Cherry Blossom Festival plants and cares for 100 cherry trees in Fairmount Park every year. March 5-April 17, 2010. (215) 790-3804, phillycherryblossom.org

14. Jugglers, folk singers, puppeteers and acrobats delight young audiences at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts during the Philadelphia International Children's Festival. April 27-May 1, 2010. 3680 Walnut Street, (215) 898-3900, annenbergcenter.org

15. At Peddler's Village's free Strawberry Festival, berry fans can sample everything from pies and tarts to shortcakes, jams and preserves while enjoying live entertainment. Visitors can see how much of the tasty fruit they can stomach during pie-eating contests. May 1-2, 2010. Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, (215) 794-4000, peddlersvillage.com

16. One big block party, the 9th Street Italian Market Festival features live entertainment, games and food booths, plus the Italian Market's dazzling array of homemade sausages, delicious cannolis, imported meats and cheeses, luscious cappuccino, butcher-cut beef and poultry, specialty cookware and fresh pastas. May 15-16, 2010. 9th Street between Federal & Fitzwater Streets, (215) 545-4543, 9thstreetitalianmarketfestival.com

17. For the spring Garden Railway, Morris Arboretum presents G-scale model trains running along a quarter-mile track that features seven loops and tunnels with 12 rail lines, two cable cars and nine bridges. May 29-October 11, 2010. 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, (215) 247-5777, morrisarboretum.org

18. Part of the day-long Trenton Avenue Arts Festival in the Fishtown neighborhood of the city, the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby challenges participants to invent the most outrageous and artistic yet functional human-powered vehicles they can dream up—like alien space ships mounted on welded bikes. May 22, 2010. Norris Street between Trenton Avenue & York Street, (215) 427-0350, ext. 120, kinetickensington.org

More Must-Dos:

19. Eastern State Penitentiary plays up history and fun with two themed weekends in April. Debuting during Tunnels and Towers Weekend on the first weekend of the month, the Tower Cam comprises large, high-definition screens that give prison-goers a glimpse into the guards' point-of-view from five flights above the ground. The new Prison in a Prison tour, also launching that weekend, explores Eastern State's tiny and windowless isolation cell, dubbed "The Hole" and "Klondike." April 3-4, 2010. The next weekend, Prison Break Weekend, is filled with activities like rock climbing and theatrical portrayals of the famous—or infamous—1945 tunnel escape by "Slick Willie" Sutton and Clarence Klinedinst. April 7-8, 2010. 22nd Street & Fairmount Avenue, (215) 236-3300, easternstate.org

20. Longwood Gardens welcomes spring with a new exhibition, Making Scents: The Art and Passion of Fragrance, embracing the beauty of gardens, the glamour of perfumes and the pleasure of wonderful smells. Visitors can delve into the history, science and evocative power of fragrance in the unmatched environment of Longwood's conservatory filled with fragrant lilies, jasmine, lilacs and more than 260 other plants. They'll also have the chance to make their own personalized scent card. April 10-November 22, 2010. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, (610) 388-1000, longwoodgardens.org

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region's vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to Hear Philly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

SOURCE Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation

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