“Let’s make history, together,” declared PCMA and CEMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat last October in advance of the 70th anniversary of PCMA and its flagship event, Convening Leaders, which took place January 11-14 at Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Karamat’s rallying message speaks to Philadelphia’s unprecedented 2026 event calendar (see below), which includes six FIFA World Cup matches and the semiquincentennial of the U.S., commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Debated and signed in the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall, the nation’s founding document originated from its first citywide convention, the First Continental Congress. In 1956, a group of healthcare meeting executives made history again by founding the global industry association now known as PCMA in the City of Brotherly Love.
Originated as a networking and educational platform, Convening Leaders, last hosted by Philadelphia in 2006, was right at home in its birthplace, where “Eds and Meds” (education and healthcare) drive the area’s economy along with government and transportation.
Count hospitality (“Beds”) in the core sector mix as well, as this year’s events are poised to propel historic visitation and economic impact.
“Over the last 12 months, Philadelphia has been on a global stage in ways we could have only dreamed of years ago,” stated Philadelphia CVB (PHLCVB) President Gregg Caren at the bureau’s annual luncheon last November. That dream is now a reality as Philadelphia’s once-in-a-generation year gets underway.
[Related: PCMA Convening Leaders Is One for the History Books]
A Feast for the Senses, On the Pitch and On the Plate
Philadelphia is primed for its first World Cup after hosting eight FIFA Club World Cup matches at 69,328-capacity Lincoln Financial Field last year.
Renamed “Philadelphia Stadium,” according to FIFA rules, the multipurpose venue hosts six World Cup fixtures this summer, including five group stage contests and a prized Round of 16 knockout match on the auspicious date of July 4.
With powerhouses Brazil, France and Croatia among the six group stage teams, international visitation promises to energize the entire city.
Expect packed restaurants and bars, as Philadelphia’s culinary identity got a deserved boost last November via inclusion in a new Michelin restaurant guide edition.
Joining the new “Northeast Cities” edition with fellow newcomer Boston and returnees New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago, Philadelphia garnered 35 honors in a hometown ceremony at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
Three event-capable restaurants—French/Italian/Jewish-inspired Her Place Supper Club, French-meets-Korean Provenance and contemporary American-style Friday Saturday Sunday (events on a select basis)—won Michelin stars.
Ten restaurants received Bib Gourmand awards, signifying “good quality food for a good value.” Another 21 were “Recommended,” including “intentionally vegan” Green Star winner Pietramala.
Two event-capable Michelin honorees are part of an enticing set of group-ready hotels and venues in reborn Fishtown, which will likely see significant World Cup and other event tourism with its concentration of popular restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
With public festivals and street parties in the programming mix, Philadelphia’s world-class cultural campus will also be front and center in 2026.
[Related: Philadelphia's Fishtown Neighborhood Is a Great Catch for Groups]
Philadelphia Event Venues That Put Groups in the Spotlight
The Kimmel and its siblings, the Miller Theater and Academy of Music, form the esteemed Ensemble Arts Philly organization along with the Philadelphia Orchestra, which turned 125 last year, and seven other leading resident companies. Collectively staging diverse year-round cultural programming, each venue offers exceptional event options.
Turning 25 this year, the glass-domed Kimmel’s 10 versatile event spaces include the main 2,500-capacity concert hall where the Michelin ceremony was staged. Home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, this gorgeous cello-shaped room, with reverberation chambers providing rich acoustics, was rededicated as Marian Anderson Hall in 2024 after the legendary Philadelphia-born singer and civil rights icon.
Other rentals include the 650-capacity Perelman Theater, scenic 230-capacity rooftop Hamilton Garden and 5,000-capacity buyouts.
Built in 1918 atop the demolished Horticultural Hall (an early host venue for Philadelphia’s pioneering Flower Show, from 1827), the buyout-capable 1,840-seat Miller Theater has hosted Broadway shows for decades.
Modeled after Milan’s La Scala, the Academy of Music (1857) is the oldest opera house in the U.S. still serving its original purpose. Home of Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Ballet, this 2,600-seat Renaissance Revival-Baroque confection features a 26,000-crystal chandelier. Groups can also book the 200-capacity Ballroom.
[Related: How Major Events Come Alive in Philadelphia]
Arts, Culture and History in a Walkable City
Ensemble Arts Philly anchors the Avenue of the Arts, Philadelphia’s central cultural and arts district. Running south of City Hall along Broad Street, this dynamic strip is also home to the Wilma Theater and Suzanne Roberts Theatre; hotels including The Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, W Philadelphia and historic Bellevue; and numerous surrounding restaurants and bars.
Ten-plus minutes by foot from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, this visitor hub highlights a perennial Philadelphia plus for visitors: walkability. Named the Most Walkable City in the U.S. for the third year running in the 2025 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Philadelphia’s easy navigability owes to city founder William Penn’s visionary grid of public squares and streets.
From the Pennsylvania Convention Center—the most walkable in The Wall Street Journal’s ranking of the nation’s 30 largest convention centers—it’s a 30-minute stroll along another storied cultural corridor (the leafy, flag-lined Benjamin Franklin Parkway, or Museum Mile) to the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Emerging from Philadelphia’s Centennial Exhibition of 1876, this hilltop art temple offers flexible rentals for events large and small.
Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky (1976) turns 50 next year. Attracting 4 million visitors annually, the museum’s two Rocky statues, at street-level and crowning the Museum’s 72 front steps, are the focal point of an April-August 2026 exhibition on monuments. Another Rocky statue now greets passengers inside Philadelphia International Airport’s Terminal A.
This April, the Museum is partnering with the storied Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts on a landmark dual-venue exhibition celebrating 250 years of American creativity.
Other event-capable Museum Mile institutions include the Barnes Foundation, featuring a globally preeminent assemblage of works by Van Gogh, Picasso and other European masters. Housed in a blade-like structure with dramatic underground exhibit spaces, the new Calder Gardens honors legendary late Philadelphia-born artist Alexander Calder, whose grandfather sculpted the William Penn statue atop City Hall and whose son created the famed Swann Memorial Fountain.
Investments and Infrastructure Set the Stage for Success
In the words of Thomas Edison, who illuminated much of Philadelphia in the early 20th century, “Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration.” This well describes Philadelphia’s efforts ahead of 2026, including heavy investment over the past decade-plus in enhancing its “event city” infrastructure.
Between 2016 and 2024, an estimated $902 million in residential, hotel and retail development along the Avenue of the Arts has generated approximately $1.4 billion in local economic impact. Another $100 million in direct investment is projected for the next decade.
PCMA delegates were greeted by 150 new digital screens around the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Karamat, speaking at the PHLCVB luncheon, expects sales to surpass last year’s record in San Diego.
Sweeping “beautification” efforts, including banners, planters and benches marking America’s 250th birthday, will transform Center City, Old City and 20 commercial corridors.
Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the city’s World Cup Host Committee, is also leveraging the tournament for the future. Led by Host City Executive/CEO Meg Kane, who was instrumental in bringing the World Cup to her hometown, the organization is partnering with the U.S. Soccer Foundation on the FIFA World Cup 26 Legacy Program. Commitments to date include “26 for 26,” a $2 million investment in 26 youth soccer initiatives throughout Pennsylvania designed to create safe play spaces and equitable access.
As Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated at the luncheon, “Something exciting is happening in the city of Philadelphia and it’s organically occurring from the ground up.”
Valley Forge and Montgomery County Are in the Groove
Expectations are also high in suburban Montgomery County (locally, Montco) and its historic seat, Valley Forge, as the destination looks to maintain its strong momentum in 2026.
At the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board’s (VFTCB) Annual Luncheon last October, attendees including Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro heard how tourism, meetings, sports and hospitality drove $2.5 billion in overall economic impact for Montco in 2024.
Milestones included $1.8 billion in visitor spending, up almost 4% year-over-year, and $247 million in room revenue, up 4.2%.
Groups figured prominently in the success. The most significant hotel occupancy growth came from weekday meetings, rising by 3.5%, as Valley Forge Sports posted another record year, hosting 20 new events and exceeding 100,000 room nights for 6% overall growth.
“With high-profile regional events, including America’s 250th and the FIFA World Cup alongside our own annual events, we are forecasting another 4.4% in hotel room revenue growth in 2026, reaching $300 million,” said Lisa Karl, VFTCB’s vice president of sales and strategic partnerships.
Speaking at the luncheon, Ryan Ogle, championship director of PGA of America, anticipates that the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club will attract 200,000 spectators and generate more than $125 million in economic impact. Last hosting the event in 1962, Aronimink is just nine miles south of Valley Forge.
Local developments poised to further boost tourism and economic impact include the new Netflix House Philadelphia, which opened last November at the King of Prussia Mall.
Featuring 100,000-plus square feet of immersive, interactive experiences inspired by Stranger Things, Squid Game, Frankenstein and other hit Netflix shows and movies, the free-admission, pay-as-you-go venue includes the full-service Netflix BITES restaurant and 229-seat TUDUM theater. Versatile event options include custom menus and 800-capacity buyouts.
Hosting the luncheon in its 54,000-square-foot Event Center, Valley Forge Casino Resort, offering 411 rooms and 100,000-plus square feet of space, commenced a multiphase transformation last May by unveiling a new food hall. Completed upgrades since include a classic Vegas-inspired redesign of all 253 Stardust Tower standard rooms (four premium suites to follow) and lobby, new comedy club and luxurious Valley Spa. Announced last October, NBA legend Charles Barkley is partnering with the resort on a high-end steakhouse and cigar lounge.
“As we find our rhythm and look ahead to 2026, I’m proud of how our team continues to move in sync, driving growth, collaboration and excitement across Montgomery County,” said VFTCB President & CEO Mike Bowman. “That collective energy will make next year’s historic celebrations our most impactful yet.”
[Related: Inspiration Is Around Every Corner in Philadelphia and Valley Forge]
Events Driving Philadelphia’s Powerhouse 2026
The 2026 events secured by the Philadelphia CVB (PHLCVB) alone are projected to generate an estimated $1 billion in economic impact, with $950 million in spending and 1.5 million overnight visits. Increased tourism from 2026 events overall could generate between $1.3 billion and $2.5 billion in net economic impact for the Greater Philadelphia Region.
That’s just the start. As PHLCVB President Gregg Caren stated at the bureau’s annual luncheon last November, “Our team has been working diligently to make sure our city’s success endures far into the future.”
Efforts to date are already producing dividends: The PHLCVB has secured event bookings for 2027 through 2030 representing more than $1 billion in projected economic impact.
Here are the main attendance and revenue drivers for 2026:
- Founded in Philadelphia in 1956, PCMA Convening Leaders launched 2026 with its 70th anniversary at the Pennsylvania Convention Center January 11-14.
- March Madness NCAA Division I college basketball action kicks off in Philadelphia with first- and second-round tournament play at Xfinity Mobile Arena March 20 and 22.
- The 2026 PGA Championship takes place at Aronimink Golf Club in nearby Newtown Square May 11-17.
- On June 14, Philadelphia hosts the first of six FIFA World Cup 26 matches, concluding with a marquee Round of 16 knockout match July 4.
- In 1976, America’s bicentennial, Philadelphia hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The Midsummer Classic returns for its 97th edition at Citizens Bank Park July 14, with events starting July 11.
- Wawa Welcome America, the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration, honors America’s 250th anniversary with free city-wide programming between June 19 and July 4.
- 52 Weeks of Firsts spotlights Philadelphia’s historic “firsts” through weekly citywide events and experiences.
- The planned 50th-anniversary RockyFest will feature an extended event schedule honoring the 50th anniversary of the first Rocky movie, an enduring symbol of Philadelphia’s resilient spirit.
