Dilworth Park re-establishes William Penn’s original Center Square, immediately adjacent to Philadelphia’s City Hall, a National Historic Landmark. The park is a fully-accessible, central gathering place for Philadelphians: residents, workers, students, and visitors. It provides a signature entrance to SEPTA’s subways, trains and trolleys, makes major transit lines accessible by elevator, links the Avenue of the Arts, the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and connects the office district to Market East destinations. 

The park supports the CCD’s mission to promote Center City as a competitive and accessible place to work and an attractive place to live and visit, with a diverse offering of arts, cultural, retail and leisure activities.

A long-term lease with the City of Philadelphia enabled the Center City District (CCD) to raise more than 90% of the $55 million in construction costs from sources other than local government.  Through the lease, the CCD assumes all financial responsibility for cleaning, landscape, and hard-surface maintenance, previously provided by the City, as well as for supplementary day and nighttime security.

Dilworth is built in accordance with sustainable design principals, governed by municipal rules, regulations and insurance requirements, as well as by the terms of the lease agreement between the City and CCD. Through the lease, the CCD is charged with maintaining Dilworth Park at a high standard with a greater frequency of services than most other City parks, while creating job opportunities for Philadelphia residents. Through the lease, the City has also delegated to the CCD the management of all permitted events in the park and the CCD is authorized to support operating costs through revenues generated on-site and through permit and event fees.

Events in a park at the center of the city, immediately adjacent to offices for government and business, as well as residential housing, must be compatible with the surrounding working and living environment, not cause damage or excessive costs to the park, nor interfere with the use of public transit or the enjoyment of the park by the public. The CCD welcomes events that attract workers, visitors and residents, including families with children, enhance and showcase the vitality of Philadelphia’s arts, cultural, civic, and creative economy, while helping support the maintenance of Dilworth Park. The CCD reserves the right to reject any and all events that do not comply with the applicable park regulations or the goals and objectives of the park. 

Click here to plan your event in Dilworth Park.

The park is closed from 1:00 am to 6:00 am Entrances to transit remain open 24 hours a day.