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| What Philly's Talking About |
| Philly’s Price Tag for Mayor’s July 4 Concert | The annual Independence Day concert is usually organized by the local nonprofit Welcome America, but was taken over by Mayor Cherelle Parker’s administration this year. The change has led to new branding, a new production crew, and a new bill of $15.5 million, considerably more than past years. Which will result in an increased cost to taxpayers. [🔒The Inquirer] | | | ‘Big Boy’ Makes a Visit to Philly This Weekend | The largest operating steam locomotive continues its cross-country tour with a stop at the Navy Yard on July 4 and 5. Union Pacific, the company behind the train, will host an America250 Block Party as part of the event on Saturday. [CBS Philly] | |  | The Clover Club cocktail was created in Philly before Prohibition and features raspberry syrup and gin. (Courtesy of Alisha Miranda) |
| A Toast to the 250th | America’s biggest party is on Saturday, and as you munch on a menu of burgers, hot dogs, and wings, you can’t forget about drinks. Celebrate the country’s birthday with cocktails founded here in Philly. [🎧 City Cast Philly] | | LOVE Park ‘Flying Saucer’ To Debut New Cafe | After years of vacancy, the former LOVE Park Welcome Center will be occupied by a beer garden from Broad Street Brewing in the outdoor plaza starting this weekend through the fall. Renovations will begin on the building’s interior to convert it into a coffee shop, with a grand opening planned for spring 2027. [Philly Voice] |
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| | | Stop staring at that "to-do" list. Taskrabbit connects Philadelphians with skilled local Taskers for furniture assembly, mounting, and home repairs. Browse reviews, pick your Tasker, and get things handled with confidence. Let a neighbor handle the heavy lifting while you enjoy the city. |
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| Where To Grab a Hot Dog in Philly |
|  | What’s on your hot dog order? Do you like mustard, ketchup, relish, or everything? (Ball Park Brand / Unsplash) |
| Did you know that Americans are expected to consume 150 million hot dogs on July 4? The sausage — with or without a bun — is practically synonymous with Independence Day, summertime, and baseball games (R.I.P. Dollar Dog Nights, we still think of you). While Philly is better known for cheesesteaks and hoagies, there are plenty of spots to grab a hot dog in the city. | | Ortlieb’s | 847 N. 3rd St. | Hot dogs are the only food on the menu at this Northern Liberties bar. Ortlieb's serves up all-beef maplewood smoked dogs with options ranging from the Pickle Dog (classic snap dog on a pickle bun) to the Devil Dog (pickled jalapeño, onion, tomato, cheese whiz, and housemade hot sauce). Don’t eat meat? No worries — there are vegan versions of all the beef options. | The bar is currently running a “15 Dogs in 15 Days” series. A different speciality dog is available each day now until National Hot Dog Day on July 15. There will be a party from noon until midnight to celebrate the holiday. | | Lucky’s Last Chance | Multiple Locations | Lucky’s is popular for its award-winning burgers, but don’t sleep on the hot dogs. You can go with an original Lucky’s Chili Cheese Dog, a Good Ol’ Dog (filled with smoked pulled pork, house slaw, and mustard BBQ sauce), or the aptly named Stinker (sauerkraut, fried onions, garlic aioli, and sharp provolone). | | For July only, have a taste of Hawaii with the Kahuna Dog, which includes bacon, American cheese, grilled pineapple, diced jalapeños, and housemade teriyaki sauce. | | Loco Pez | Multiple Locations | Loco Pez has a robust Mexican food menu with tacos, burritos, and other favorites. If you turn your attention to El Menu Vaquero (the cowboy menu), consider grabbing the street dog. This bacon-wrapped dog is complete with beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños, ketchup (yes, ketchup belongs on hot dogs, naysayers!), mayo, mustard, and cheese. | | Royal Tavern | 937 E. Passyunk Ave. | The South Philly restaurant is shining a spotlight on hot dogs with its annual "Dog Days of Summer" event. The month-long series features a weekly rotating menu. Week one is themed around American classics, such as the Chicago Dog and Detroit Coney. Veggie hot dogs will also be available. You can track your progress with a punch card, and if you have a hot dog concept that you think is the top dog, submit it as “Best in Show” for the final day of the event. | | Looking for more barbecue favorites? Check out our list of local barbecue restaurants. |
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| |  | Every Thursday, we highlight shoutouts from our City Cast Philly Neighbors. Become a member to tell us what you love about Philly. |
| 📣 Here’s a shoutout from City Cast Philly Neighbor Nicole L.: “Project Meow - all-volunteer non-profit helping get the cats of West Philly off the streets, healthy, and into good homes!” | | Thanks, Nicole! Let’s help these adorable felines find a new home. You too can share what you love about Philly when you become a Neighbor. | |
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