We Know Where One Of Next Year’s PHS Pop-Up Gardens Is Going To Be
PHS Pop-Up Garden | Photo via Facebook
Don’t freak out, but the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society may not serve beer at next year’s PHS pop-up (beer) garden. According to spokesperson Alan Jaffe, the society is looking for a site in the Callowhill district to showcase and bring art to the future Philadelphia Rail Park along the Reading Viaduct. Because the PHS got a Pew grant this year to “blend art, history and agriculture” near the park, the objective or layout for this particular temporary installation may not jive with a beer garden.
“My guess is there will be some kind of refreshments,” is all Jaffe can say about it right now.
But don’t despair.
Jaffe says there will likely be a second pop-up somewhere else, which may center around drinks. And it’s not like the society wants to lose the revenue beer gardens bring in. Though he didn’t give monetary figures, take a look at how attendance skyrocketed once beer and cocktail service was added to what started as a daytime destination.
2012 (Rittenhouse Square with no beer garden) — 6500
2013 (S. Broad Street with beer garden) – 28,000
And attendance has continued to grow since.
2014 (South Street with beer garden) – 50,000
2015 (two different sites with beer gardens) — 75,000
The PHS has hired different bar operators to run each garden, with Jaffe saying that, “We’re always looking for ways to make the gardens different.”
In our opinion, different is fine. Scrapping the beer program isn’t.
PHS [Official]
