John,

We are planting flowers. Painting murals. Cleaning up our City!

This is our year, and Philadelphia will be ready to take center stage. Our City will be welcoming over 1 million tourists and visitors from across the country and world to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday, the FIFA World Cup, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and many other major events stretching across the City.

With company coming over, we are cleaning and greening like never before!

That’s why I was proud to launch our “Gateway to the City” beautification project: a multimillion-dollar partnership between the city, state, and philanthropic partners to replace blight with beauty and foster pride in our City and our neighborhoods.

This means transforming areas along highways and major roadways with trees, flowers, public art, landscaping, lighting, and mural installations. We are turning neglected or bleak spaces into vibrant corridors of welcome and improving the aesthetic that shapes every impression of Philadelphia for first-time visitors and long-time residents alike.

This project is about people — the ones who live here, love the City, and give it its spirit.

So, I want to hear from you:

• What makes you proud to be from Philly?💬
• What are you most looking forward to in 2026?💐
• What’s your favorite place, mural, or memory that made you fall in love with this City?🎨

We aren’t just preparing to welcome the world — we are celebrating who Philly is and giving all of us more reasons to love our City.

Cherelle L. Parker