“All eyes of the world, literally, will be on Philadelphia for longer than we’ve ever experienced before.”
That sentiment shared by Visit Philadelphia President & CEO Angela Val summed up the excitement at the April 30 Philly 250 Forum. The panel, co-moderated by UGI Corporation President & CEO Bob Flexon and AmeriGas Director of Marketing Jessica Morris, featured Philadelphia’s top civic, tourism, and sports leaders discussing this summer’s Philadelphia’s 250 celebration, the return of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic (PCC), and the FIFA World Cup.
Twenty years of preparations are resulting in a summer of exciting family-friendly events designed to boost tourism and the economy for local businesses. While festivities celebrating the country’s 250th birthday are planned around the country, Philadelphia has prominence as the nation’s birthplace. The Philly 250 Forum event previewed these activities for employees at the Valley Forge office.
World Cup: We are Philadelphia
The Philadelphia 250 celebration includes 250 block parties throughout the city. All supplies will be provided by the City of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is hosting six FIFA World Cup matches this summer. They are expected to draw 600,000 soccer fans to the city, and only 30% of those are expected to have match tickets. A free FIFA Fan Festival will be held at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park from June 11 to July 19. This ongoing, 39-day celebration includes World Cup watch parties, concerts, cultural performances, and food trucks. Notably, Philadelphia is also the only city offering free SEPTA transportation. Fan zones are also established in Reading, Pittsburgh, and Scranton with the aid of Governor Shapiro.
AmeriGas Brings Back a 30-Year Tradition
The summer will culminate with the Philadelphia Cycling Classic presented by AmeriGas on August 30, 2026, after a decade-long hiatus. The race is especially important as it is not a one-off event and serves as a destination each year to watch the world’s most elite cyclists. The PCC is historically attended by tourists and residents alike for its lively festival atmosphere and once drew more than 100,000 spectators.
“To bring something like this back just doesn’t happen. It really does take a team, and we are honored to have this partnership. I knew right away it was different, because the way I look at it, and for me personally, AmeriGas and UGI care. That’s really what it comes down to. Good people doing good work.” -- Race Street Partners Co-Founder and Former Mayor of Philadelphia Michael Nutter
The 14-mile race will feature professional men’s and women’s fields competing on a course that weaves through the city, including the iconic Manayunk Wall (with a legendary 17% grade climb) and Lemon Hill. AmeriGas's sponsorship has powered this return and provided Race Street Partners with the ability to offer equal prize purses for both fields.
“AmeriGas shares a lot of the qualities of the riders: the perseverance, the dedication, the desire to win, and it just makes perfect sense for us,” said AmeriGas President Michael Sharp.
In the picture, from left to right: Race Street Partners Co-Founders Michael Nutter, Carlos Rogers, and Eric Robbins; Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Senior Director of Strategy, Operations & Partnerships Alison Grove; Visit Philadelphia President & CEO Angela Val; AmeriGas Director of Marketing Jess Morris; AmeriGas President Michael Sharp; and UGI Corporation President & CEO Bob Flexon
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