George Fox was a co-founder of the Quaker faith, and we joined communities around the world to celebrate his 400th birthday!
On Saturday, June 29th, Arch Street Meeting House was open for FREE as a part of Wawa Welcome America’s Free Museum Day with birthday cake, historic interpreters, crafts, dunk tanks, and more! What better way to celebrate the Quaker City ahead of Independence Day weekend than with a birthday bash four hundred years in the making!
Our historic corner of Old City came to life with historical interpreters of William Penn, Hannah Callowhill Penn, and the birthday boy, George Fox himself. Period-dressed vendors shared their finest handcrafted goods, and visitors explored the exhibits on our historic burial grounds and experienced a self-guided tour of the meetinghouse’s exhibitions.
The festivities were not just a celebration of the Quaker legacy in Philadelphia, but a reminder of the enduring values of community, peace, equality, and integrity that Quakers have strived towards for centuries.
Schedule of Events
10 am –
Arch Street Meeting House opens to the public with family-friendly crafts.
10:30 am -
“John Woolman visits the Lenape People at Wyalusing” a Faith & Play story about friendship across differences
11 am -
Meet Quaker History: George Fox & Hannah Callowhill Penn (historic interpreters)
11:30 am –
“Margaret Fell of Swarthmoor Hall” – a Faith & Play story for all ages about George Fox’s partner in ministry and life
12 pm –
“Happy Birthday, George!” You can’t have a birthday party without cake! Join us for singing and a cake cutting. Cake available on a first come, first serve basis.
12:30 –
“George Fox’s Big Discovery” – Fox was a young man with a lot of big questions. His questions led to co-founding the Quaker faith. Hear his Faith & Play story and wonder about what it says to us today.
1 pm –
“Fox Forward” - A round table that will feature leaders in the Quaker community today speaking to how we can learn from the past as we vision the future of the faith and its witness in the world. Speakers include Robin Mohr, Executive Director of FWCC Section of the Americas, Brian Blackmore, Director of Quaker Engagement for the American Friends Service Committee, Dwight Dunston, host of The Seed podcast from Pendle Hill, and Hazele Goodridge, clerk of the Monthly Meeting of Friends of Philadelphia which runs the Friends Pantry & Community Fridge at Arch Street Meeting House.
2:30 –
“The Power of Goodness”: The Power of Goodness is a collection of stories and artwork on nonviolence and reconciliation collected by Quakers over 65 years. Respect for the dignity of all life emboldens people to act in love and conscience. “Bridging Divides: Mercy: A Poet’s Memory” is an exhibition of children’s art and stories of nonviolence and reconciliation, opening with an interactive event for youth and adults, an Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) mini-session.
4 pm –
Optional community worship in the historic West Room (1811) will be open to the public.
