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Read the news of the day in less than 10 minutes — not that we’re counting.
Taylor Swift has been getting lots of love from cities she visits on her uber-popular Eras Tour.
Glendale, Arizona, rebranded itself as “Swift City” for a weekend. Las Vegas lit up its Gateway Arches in the colors of her “eras.” Arlington, Texas, put up a “Taylor Swift Way” road sign, Tampa made her honorary mayor for a day, and NRG Stadium in Houston temporarily became “NRG Stadium (Taylor’s Version).” She’s also gotten the keys to two of those cities.
Swift will bring her 3-hour, 44-song set to three separate crowds of fans at Lincoln Financial Field — many of whom spent hours on Ticketmaster to make sure they could be there — across three tour dates: May 12, 13, and 14.
Each host city seems to be trying to one-up the last, so the pressure is on for Philadelphia.
Why? On one hand, Philly might be running low on unique ideas after Swift’s made seven other tour stops. Plus, her performances at the Linc are basically her hometown shows. (Though you could maaaaaybe make a case for Nashville, happening the weekend before.)
The pop singer-songwriter was born at Reading Hospital, a little over an hour’s drive from Center City, and grew up in Berks County. Among Swift’s early singing gigs was a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Sixers game when she was 12.
Oh, and this is the third tour in a row where she’s scheduled a show at the Linc on the 13th — her lucky number.
Kinda seems like we should do something pretty special for her (in the humble opinion of this Swiftie reporter).
There aren’t yet any official plans, according to the Kenney administration, but there’s still plenty of time. How exactly should Philly greet Taylor next month? Billy Penn asked, and local fans answered. Here are some free ideas for the city’s power brokers on how we could give her a warm “welcome home” to Southeastern Pa.
Rename the city
Idea credit: Many people
One of the most popular suggestions: Philly could do its own version of what Glendale did, but make it more fun. Some ideas that folks floated:
- Swiftadelphia (this one was the most popular idea)
- City of Swifterly Love
- Philly (Taylor’s Version)
Throw a party in LOVE(R) Park
Idea credit: “Philly Swifties” Facebook group member
LOVE Park already has most of the letters it needs to be named after Swift’s seventh studio album, so like, it’s kind of the perfect place to get a new name for the weekend — and the perfect place to host a “Swiftfest,” featuring plenty of bejeweled Philly stuff.
Or how about a parade?
Idea credit: @JenDevor on Twitter
Route: from City Hall to the stadiums
Necessary contents, per the suggester: Led by Philly Elmo, Sixers bus with t-shirt launcher, Snacktime Philly band, chicken man on a float, special “Taylor’s in Philly” shirts from South Fellini, UArts student dancers, and “a mummer or two.” Basically, “we should have every Philly thing at once.”
Light up the skyline
Idea credit: @fifimcfae on Twitter, @katfromphilly on Twitter, Tori in the “Philly Swifties” Facebook group
There are two options for this idea: light up all the major buildings and bridges in a light shade of purple (a “Lavender Haze”), or each in a different color corresponding to one of Swift’s 10 album eras.
Rename the Ben Franklin Bridge after one of her iconic musical bridges
Idea credit: This writer, inspired by @hushmirrorball on Twitter
No one else writes a bridge the way Taylor writes a bridge, or so the conventional Swiftie wisdom goes. So why not name a city bridge after one of her strongest? (My suggestion: Let’s call it “All Too Well” Bridge.)
Greet her with a ‘welcome home’ banner
Idea credit: @fifimcfae on Twitter, “Philly Swifties” Facebook group member
It could be at the Linc, or hanging at a major cultural institution like the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Display cardboard cutouts on the museum steps (one from each era)
Idea credit: “Philly Swifties” Facebook group member
They did it for the Eagles when we went to the Super Bowl…
Name an Evil Genius beer for her
Idea credit: @VUmander on Twitter
The Fishtown taproom known for its pop culture-themed beers could debut a new one in Swift’s honor.
Make “It’s a Swiftie thing” merch happen
Idea credit: @rachel_thehuman on Twitter
Taylor is thought to be an Eagles fan, after all.
Some very Philly™ honorable mentions to make you laugh
None of these are very likely to happen, but hey, points for creativity.
- Throw her a furnace party (Credit: @VUmander)
- Present her with Hitchbot’s remains (Credit: @brainplan)
- Invite her to an abandoned pier for a ceremonial Eating of Rotisserie Chickens (Taylor’s Version) (Credit: @labuzamovies & @CTMateer)
- Steal the Liberty Bell and give it to her so she can recreate the “Haunted” performance from her Speak Now Tour in 2011 (Credit: @TheBrookeDestra)
- Let her be the Phillies’ fifth starter (Credit: @Joe_Meets_World)
- Gift her the Sixers (Credit: @kostancaaa__ & @katfromphilly)
- Put her on the mayoral ballot (Credit: @KayTeeOh)
- Just make her the mayor until Kenney’s term is over ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (Credit: @perutoisms)
