DNC

PHL Airport readies for DNC

PHL Betsy Ross Flag

Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross and Alexander Hamilton (characters…) are getting ready to hand out 13-star Colonial flags and otherwise entertain passengers when Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) welcomes the delegates, party officials, journalists and spectators traveling to the city for the Democratic National Convention (DNC), taking place July 25-28.

“Many of these folks will be traveling by air to Philadelphia for the convention, and the airport will be their first impression of the City. We want to make sure it’s a positive one,” said Airport CEO Chellie Cameron.

Beginning Friday, July 22, airport staff will fan through the terminals to greet and assist delegates. And volunteers from the DNC Host Committee and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB) will be in the baggage claim areas to help convention attendees.

Inside the airport, visitors will be hear The Sound of Philadelphia – a playlist of popular songs by Philadelphia’s own legendary producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.

In the baggage claim areas on Saturday and Sunday, July 23-24, visitors will be treated to complimentary Philadelphia-centric Tastykakes and soft pretzels while Benjamin Franklin, Betsy Ross, and Alexander Hamilton hand out Colonial flags.

There’s more:

There will be a pop-up movie theater in the B/C bag claim, courtesy of the Bryn Mawr Film Institute and History Making Productions, showing short documentaries about the city’s cultural and innovative history;

Shops and restaurants will have special sales and DNC merchandise for purchase;

The airport’s landscape is getting a tidying up and taxis are being offered a free wash in advance of the convention;

And, to get ready for the departure of attendees on Friday, July 29, the Transportation Security Administration will have extra screeners on duty.

And don’t forget the art:

PHL Political pins

An exhibition – Philadelphia’s History of Presidential Conventions, 1848-Present (in Terminal A-East) highlights the 12 Presidential conventions the city has hosted. The 11th took place in 2000 when Philadelphia was the site of the Republican National Convention

PHL airport ready for Democratic National Convention

PHL Political pins

Attendees at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia later this month will be welcomed at Philadelphia International Airport with a soundtrack featuring Philadelphia-made hits and an exhibition of political pins.

The soundtrack, playing now, features the “Sound of Philadelphia,” a series of songs from Philadelphia’s Grammy award-winning producers and songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff that became hits for artists such as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass, the O’Jays Patti LaBelle, the Stylistics and many others.

Gamble and Huff’s well-known songs being heard on the audio system throughout the terminals include I Love Music by the O’Jays, The Love I Lost and If You Don’t Know Me By Now by Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul, Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now by McFadden and Whitehead, Rubberband Man by the Spinners, and Don’t Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston.

The exhibition of political pins – post-security in Terminal B – is from the collection of Philadelphian Alfio J. Brindisi, who has been collecting American political memorabilia for nearly 50 years.

Just Plane Fun at PHL Airport – again

 

The Philadelphia Mummers entertain airport visitors during the holiday season at Philadelphia International Airport.

Courtesy PHL

It’s back!

Philadelphia International Airport has kicked off another summer of its customer appreciation program, called Just Plane Fun, which will present live entertainment, magicians, caricature artists, beauty makeovers and demonstrations and fun activities to passengers right through to Labor Day.

There’s plenty to do at PHL even when the Mummers, the magicians and the makeover artists aren’t on duty: PHL has a robust arts and culture program that currently lists almost two dozen permanent and temporary exhibitions around the airport.

Courtesy City of Philadelphia

Courtesy City of Philadelphia

 

Right now, for example, in anticipation of the Democratic National Convention is being held in Philadelphia July 25-28, the airport is presenting an exhibition about the city’s long history of hosting presidential conventions.

The exhibit, Philadelphia’s Presidential Convention History 1848-2016, is in Terminal A-East and will be on display through June 2017.