Old City on July 3 is as specific a place to be as Philadelphia offers this summer — the night before the Semiquincentennial, on the First Friday that precedes it, one block from Independence Mall. The Gas Lamp Hotel First Friday Fête at 140 North 2nd Street runs 5 to 9pm that evening: free admission, a courtyard above, a speakeasy below, and enough to keep you past your first hour.

The hotel itself earns a line of context. The Gas Lamp Hotel occupies a row home at 140 North 2nd Street that dates to 1845 — it opened as a boutique property in 2024 with five guest rooms, each named after notable figures from history and science. The Adams room looks out over Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest continuously inhabited street in America. Newton’s Cellar, the basement speakeasy, fits the naming logic exactly. The building sits one block from Independence Mall, the kind of address that earns its location in this neighborhood during this particular summer.

Gas Lamp Hotel First Friday Fête: What’s On

Downstairs is the draw. Newton’s Cellar — the Gas Lamp Hotel’s intimate basement lounge — will have Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey serving specialty cocktails throughout the evening. Dad’s Hat is a Bristol-distilled rye with a strong Philadelphia footprint, and a basement rye cocktail in Old City the night before July 4 is a combination that handles its own editorializing.

The outdoor courtyard has Farina Di Vita handling hand-crafted hoagies and Cocco’s Gelato running small-batch gelato and sorbetto for the evening. Cocco’s is family-owned and operating with six flavors: Watermelon Lime Mint Sorbet, Root Beer Float, Sweet Corn & Blueberry, Peach Pie, Chocolate Cake, and Lemon Ricotta. Sweet Corn & Blueberry is the summer-specific one — worth factoring into your plans.

For the Gas Lamp Hotel First Friday sound, Mac Wondo runs the decks throughout the evening — a Wilmington-based DJ whose sets pull from R&B, soulful house, jazz, and deep grooves. The kind of music that rewards staying rather than passing through. The Gas Lamp Hotel First Friday has made this format work before. July 3 is the most charged date they’ve done it on.

Old City is open on First Friday regardless, but having somewhere specific to land — a courtyard, gelato you wouldn’t have predicted, a speakeasy with a proper Pennsylvania rye — makes July 3 easier to plan around. The Gas Lamp Hotel First Friday Fête is free admission. Reservations are encouraged at Eventbrite; walk-ins are welcome. Go early enough for the galleries and stay for the rest of it.

About Post Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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