The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the new home of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Accommodated within the center is Verizon Hall for orchestral presentations, the Perelman Theater for chamber music concerts, Innovation Studio and the Merck Arts Education Center. A variety of Philadelphia's performing arts groups serve as resident companies, presenting their artistry each season along with performances by visiting guest artists and ensembles.

The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts was established in 1971. Be it in the fields of music, theater, film, or dance, a bevy of versatile performances and events are hosted here throughout the year. The International Children's Theatre Festival is also held here annually.

Sit on the sloping lawn or in the reserved boxes under the high shed awning. Pick up a drink or some food from the stalls by the back fence—everything from hot dogs to a full-course salmon dinner served by waiters. This outdoor stage is the summer home to the Philadelphia Orchestra, plus a schedule of jazz, rock, big band, the Philly Pops, opera, theatre, and dance. The acoustics can be unreliable and Philadelphia's erratic weather can be a problem, but you can sit in Fairmount Park, hear a good show, and look at the soft night lights of the downtown skyline.