52 Weeks of Firsts in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is running a citywide yearlong celebration, 52 Weeks of Firsts, to commemorate not only America’s 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, but also Philadelphia’s longstanding history of innovation.As the birthplace of the country, Philadelphia has played its part in many historic “firsts’ in the history of the United States, and 52 Weeks of Firsts is designed to showcase those groundbreaking inventions by inviting visitors to a series of free public events called Saturday Firstivals. These will be held every Saturday throughout 2026 from 11am to 1pm, in more than a dozen neighbourhoods around the city.

Each Firstival features an opening ceremony tailored to each First, a Once Upon A Nation storyteller sharing the true tale of that week’s First, family activities, giveaways, music and entertainment, selfie stations, and the spotlighting of a #1 Sculpture representing that milestone.

Each of the stories is created by Once Upon A Nation historical experts, then recorded by an actor and made available below after the Firstival. 

Such Firsts that will be commemorated include the first balloon flight in America in 1793, the first flower show held in 1829, the first stadium built in America in 1895 and even the first ever hospital in America, built and founded in 1751 by none other than Benjamin Franklin himself.For a full list of the celebrations, and for further information, please visit: https://www.visitphilly.com/52-weeks-of-firsts/#balloon-flight-in-america