True to his Quaker sensibilities, William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia, was a serious and sober fellow. The same cannot be said for Benjamin Franklin, whose saucy and irreverent wit earned him the title of “First American Humorist.”
In Philadelphia, his lifetime home after moving here in his late teens, the Founding Father unsparingly poked fun at the political, personal, and social issues of the times—and himself. His aim was not to ridicule, but to entertain while encouraging positive change.
From the self-deprecating (think hometown comedienne Tina Fey) to the downright dirty, humor is a long-running tradition in Philadelphia. For groups meeting here and in adjacent Valley Forge and Montgomery County, where planners are encouraged to “think beyond the meeting,” comedy headlines a diverse lineup of entertaining diversions for loosening up the agenda.
Philadelphia
Healthcare is serious business here in the birthplace of American medicine, where half of all meetings are life sciences-related and the Philadelphia CVB has its own dedicated life sciences division, PHLLife. It’s also a prescription for memorable gatherings that include a healthy dose of the best medicine going—laughter.
Putting science and art together for laughs is John Kelly IV, University of Pennsylvania surgeon and associate professor, who doubles as a stand-up comedian, corporate and charity events included (see “Zoom In” Q&A in the Philadelphia/Valley Forge section on MeetingsFocus.com this month). Planners looking to add major muscle to their event can also call upon longtime local radio personality Joe “Man of a Thousand Voices” Conklin, renowned for his impersonations and skewering routines and one of the area’s most prized corporate banquet speakers. For groups seeking uninhibited comic relief, Mike Hans raunchily interprets Neil Diamond songs with his parody band Dirty Diamond, while also leading adult-only tours at Philadelphia’s Yards Brewing Company.
Popular venues, meanwhile, include the Laffhouse Comedy Club at Harrah’s Philadelphia and Helium Comedy Club, which offers full room rental and food and beverage packages. The club is also home to the Philadelphia Comedy Academy, where acclaimed comedian Brad Trackman offers workshops, seminars and private coaching for aspiring talent—including corporate executives looking to enhance their presentation skills with comedy.
And there’s plenty more on the “play” bill.
“Beyond Philadelphia’s professional and industry advantages, the city is a playground for convention attendees,” says Jack Ferguson, president and CEO of the Philadelphia CVB. “From Colonial pub crawls to record-breaking video games played on skyscrapers, there’s no shortage of fun to be had when meetings have ended for the day.”
The latter refers to Drexel University’s transformation of two city buildings into giant video game screens for Philly Tech Week in 2013 and 2014, on which gamers played the classic games Pong and Tetris. Another visual spectacle is the 2,100-square-foot video wall in the lobby of the Comcast Center, featuring constantly changing programming 18 hours a day.
Other interactive fun includes major events such as this month’s Philadelphia Car Show, Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention and the globally renowned Philadelphia Flower Show.
In late May, Philly Beer Week (www.phillybeerweek.org) is billed as a “10-day celebration of beer in America’s best beer-drinking city.” Held each New Year’s Day, the colorful Mummers Parade is the nation’s oldest folk parade. Groups can also visit or rent the Mummers Museum, where exhibits include costumes and learning how to “strut” like a Mummer.
Groups looking to unwind like their business counterparts in Japan have event-ready Yakitori Boy, Philadelphia’s first izakaya (Japanese pub) and upscale karaoke lounge.
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Valley Forge & Montgomery County
Joy was in short supply here in the winter of 1777-1778, as 12,000 Continental Army soldiers endured the harsh conditions and deprivations of encampment. As surgeon Albigence Waldo noted in his diary of the time, there was “little…to keep a clever fellow in good humour.”
Unfolding 18 miles west of Philadelphia, the destination today offers entertainment to thaw even the chilliest disposition.
“Business travelers and conference attendees clearly want to maximize their participation in an off-site, while also balancing work/family dynamics,” says Bill Fitzgerald, president of the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. “That means that spouses and children often come along—and we offer numerous ways to engage them after that final keynote speaker has wrapped for the day.”
As Fitzgerald also notes, “unplugging is an especially valuable commodity nowadays,” and as revealed by the diverse listings on the bureau’s online “Let Freedom Reign” program, groups have plenty of opportunities to do just that.
Who can resist the knucklehead humor of The Three Stooges? Containing close to 100,000 artifacts from the legendary comedy trio, the Stoogeum in Ambler is the world’s first and only museum of The Three Stooges memorabilia. While the 10,000-square-foot facility does not host events, groups can arrange for weekday visits, which include viewing exhibits and Stooges shorts in the museum’s 85-seat theater.
Founded in 1955, the theatre-in-the-round Valley Forge Music Fair has been revived at Valley Forge Casino Resort. Occupying the venue’s newly renovated convention center, the event, relaunched by Smokey Robinson in December, will feature headline entertainment throughout the year. The casino resort also hosts monthly comedy shows.
Housed in a converted tire factory in Oaks, the 90-minute American Treasure Tour tram ride takes visitors through an eclectic collection of Americana, including music-making machinery that once provided accompaniment to dance halls, carnivals and circuses.
Montgomery County’s newest attraction, the Colebrookdale Railroad, revives the “Secret Valley Line” built by soldiers home from the Civil War. Cutting through the Schuylkill Valley’s earliest iron industries, the 8.6-mile route is as intriguing as it is scenic. Presently offering limited runs between Boyertown and Pottstown until its grand opening in fall 2015, the service, which includes heated vintage Pullman cars, is available for group rental.
Four-season Spring Mountain Adventures in Schwenksville hosts corporate and teambuilding events, including rock wall climbing, mountain biking, geocaching and, always good for a laugh or scream, zipline canopy tours. Groups of 30 to 100 people can rent rustic Lenape Lodge, while Woodside Lodge, with nine two-room suites and an eight-person bunkroom, can accommodate up to 100 people for meetings and events.
Visiting Philadelphia and the Valley Forge region always brings a smile to longtime Meetings Focus contributor Jeff Heilman.
