In Philadelphia, summer doesn’t officially begin until the lights go up at the Dell Music Center—and this year, the city’s beloved outdoor amphitheater is delivering a season filled with powerhouse vocals, throwback grooves, and gospel that have long defined the venue and the city it serves.
Tucked into the greenery of East Fairmount Park, the Dell Music Center is more than just a concert venue. It’s a cultural gathering ground where music, memory, and legacy take the spotlight. Operated by Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the open-air venue is now in full swing with its 2025 Essence of Entertainment Series, a Thursday-night tradition that has drawn generations of fans to its hillside since 1972.
Originally opened in 1929 as the Robin Hood Dell East, the venue began as a summer home for the Philadelphia Orchestra. Over time, it evolved into a vital platform for Black artists and audiences. After a $6.2 million renovation in 2010, the Dell emerged as a modern, community-rooted amphitheater, offering 5,344 reserved seats and 600 lawn spaces, and standing today as the city’s fourth-largest performance venue.
The Dell’s history reads like a hall of fame—from Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan to Patti LaBelle and The O’Jays. In 2024, fans from around the globe packed the Dell for the final concert by Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, held only weeks before Beverly’s passing—a moving farewell to a legend who helped define the venue’s soul-soaked legacy.
Essence of Entertainment Series at the Dell Music Center
This week’s Essence of Entertainment Series opener set the tone for a memorable summer at the Dell Music Center. Chester’s own Avery Sunshine opened with her Grammy-winning blend of soul, gospel, and heartfelt truth, earning waves of applause and head nods of recognition from the hometown crowd. Then came 803Fresh – Boots On The Ground, bringing electrifying choreography and undeniable Southern energy from Columbia, South Carolina. Their crowd-pumping chant—“Where them fans at?”—rose above the rhythmic snap of hand fans across the amphitheater. Capping off the night under a shifting summer sky, Fantasia took the stage in full command. Her powerhouse vocals soared into the air, echoing across Fairmount Park as the full moon slipped in and out of the clouds overhead.
The summer lineup continues with an intergenerational mix of talent, including October London, Xscape, SWV, En Vogue, Tye Tribbett, Boney James, Kierra Sheard, Rose Royce, and Philly’s own Jermaine Dolly.
“The Dell is where music and memories come together,” said Susan Slawson, Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. “Whether you’re coming for old-school R&B and hip-hop, or gospel, the energy is infectious with people who love music and a good time.”
A new addition this season is the Young Artist Spotlight Night, designed to elevate rising voices while continuing the Dell’s legacy of showcasing legendary performers. More details will be announced later this month.
Tickets are currently available at the Dell Music Center Box Office (2400 Strawberry Mansion Drive) every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or online via Ticketmaster.
Offstage, the Dell Music Center experience is just as rich: local vendors dish out crowd favorites, families gather on blankets beneath the trees, and the aisles often double as dance floors. Whether you’re harmonizing with SWV or swaying to the smooth jazz of Boney James, the Dell remains a space where the city’s rhythm, soul, and stories all come together.
For updates and full concert details, visit www.dellmusiccenter.com or follow @DellMusicCenter on Instagram.
Photos by Ron Allen
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