Walk Around Philadelphia brings people together in shared physical and cultural experiences that connect us to our own bodies, our neighbors, and the landscape of Philadelphia.
As we collectively explore our boundaries, we work to make the unique experiences of the city’s edge accessible to all.
The Walk is a segmented 100+ mile walk around the entire city border that happens twice a year in February and September, with other programs throughout the year.
Participants can join us for any individual segment as they are able, or set out to do it on their own anytime.
Upcoming events:
- March 23 – Spring Celebration & concert
- April 6 – Printmaking @ Maker Faire
- April 12 – Visit to Fox Chase Farm’s Conservation Day
- April 17 – Virtual info session / open house
- April 20 – Spring Picnic + walk in Heinz Wildlife Refuge
Sign up for updates & invites:
Through facilitated walks, exhibitions and narrative storytelling, the project uses the structure of exploring the city’s perimeter to engage with themes of borders and boundaries, privilege and access, social and environmental justice, infrastructure and ecosystems, commerce and incarceration, indigenous history and colonization and more.
By creating shared experience and connection between participants of all ages and backgrounds from across the entire city and metropolitan area, Walk Around Philadelphia cultivates community, civic pride, public health and a richer understanding of the complexities of an urban environment.
Get answers to frequently asked questions about the walk:
The walk is so many things – a way to connect to friends old and new; an opportunity to connect to aspects of the city that are familiar and totally unfamiliar all in the same walk.
– Utsav S.
WAYS TO PARTICIPATE:
Do the walk!
Attend our events
- Exhibits
- Virtual events
- Printmaking workshops
Help support the walk
- Make a financial contribution
- Become a Trail Angel
- Volunteer at events
Partner with the walk
Options include:
- Artist talks
- Facilitated walks
- Retreat experiences
- Community workshops
Read all about it:
“Walk Around Philadelphia” redefines the city’s edge
– SJU Hawk News
“These people walked Philly’s 100-mile perimeter and discovered new things about the city — and themselves”
– The Philadelphia Inquirer
“What Walk Around Philadelphia taught me about our city’s borders—and my own”
– Broad Street Review
“After a year of crises, a 100-mile walk offers a chance to see Philly anew”
– WHYY
“Walk around Philadelphia’s borders fosters a better sense of where the city ends and the rest of the world begins”
– GRID Magazine
Listen:
Audio producer Samia Bouzid joined the walk and produced this sweet piece about the experience…
Give it a listen!
“It just made me feel alive again. It made me feel proud to be a Philadelphian and just really wanting to explore these boundaries of my city and also like myself, right? I challenged myself that day.
– Clio M
Help make it happen
Walk Around Philadelphia will be truly successful when its participant pool is representative of the city’s demographics, and all those who want to participate in it are able to.
Our vision is that in the future, Philadelphia students will use the walk as a rite of passage when they graduate high school.
Incoming university students will use the walk as part of their new student orientation.
Citizens returning from incarceration will have the opportunity to do the walk as part of a reentry program.
All of these things have already happened, in small limited ways.
We need your help to help build Walk Around Philadelphia’s next steps!
Walk Around Philadelphia is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Walk Around Philadelphia must be made payable to “Fractured Atlas” only and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
If you don’t care about tax-deductibility and would like to support Walk Around Philadelphia organizer JJ Tiziou’s work more broadly, you can become a backer right on this website, where less of your $ will go to processing fees.