We can’t believe it’s already October! That means it’s time to head to the East Coast for our Philly 3-Day. It’s going to be an amazing three days of walking, having fun, and making memories. Our 3-Day team can’t wait to host our walkers, crew, volunteers and supporters for a wonderful weekend together! But, before you pack your bags, Event Manager Melanie Toner is giving us a sneak peak of what to expect.

“We’re thrilled to bring back much of the route that people loved last year,” Melanie enthuses. “We’ve tried hard to continue to highlight new areas of the city, so you can see different parts of Philadelphia each day. If you loved last year’s route, you will be happy again this year.”

We will once again begin our journey with our Opening Ceremony at our hotel camp, the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing. We are so excited to be back at the location that was so lovely to our 3-Dayers last year.

Plus, as Melanie reminded us, “The hotel is right on the water, so it’s really beautiful!”

After the Opening Ceremony, walkers will head west across the city through historic areas of Philadelphia to University City. We will go through Rittenhouse Square early in the day, which Melanie promises is gorgeous!

Other highlights are the “Please Touch” Museum and an amazing cheering station at Smith Memorial Playground. The afternoon will also include a walk along the picturesque Concourse Lake Trail, which also has its own cheering station.

At the end of the day, walkers will return to our 3-Day hotel camp at the Hilton Philadelphia at Penn’s Landing. Camp is indoors again this year, and the extra comfort that provides will be the perfect end to both Friday and Saturday’s walks. Melanie is also glad for the comfort of the hotel, given that Philadelphia’s weather can be a little unpredictable in the fall.

“We are putting out good vibes to Mother Nature for continued good weather! But, just in case, we are glad to be able to offer a comfy hotel bed to keep you warm, dry and well rested again in 2019.”

There will be lots of similar sights to those in years past on Day Two, including a stop at the Liberty Bell within the first mile of the day. There will also be tons of community support out on the route, including a cheering station at the Gillin Boathouse.

We will also be stopping right in front of the Philly Museum of Art. That means you can celebrate Saturday with a photo op at the Rocky statue! The Philadelphia Zoo is also once again supporting 3-Dayers on Day Two. You can also expect some surprises throughout the weekend to make this weekend extra fun!

And then Sunday will be here before you know it! There will be some changes to the Day Three route due to our new closing site on Shoemaker Green at the University of Pennsylvania. Melanie can’t wait to make the most of this new ending location.

“I love it because it’s such an intimate and beautiful site where we can all gather together. The space will make it feel like more of a celebration as we wrap up the event as one community. Plus, it’s at the University of Pennsylvania, and two of the grantees who have benefited from the 3-Day’s fundraising dollars are right in that area as well. The University of Pennsylvania and the Wistar Institute are both Komen grantees, so we are honored to be able to celebrate right next door to those amazing institutions.”

But even with the changes, we will still have all the highlights you know and love, including views of Independence Hall and a cheering station along Broad Street that will put a big Day Three smile on the faces of our walkers. There will also be cheesesteaks at Pat & Geno’s, a walk along the Italian Market and more.

Melanie says, “You will still have all your Philly favorites, just in a different order. We really tried to keep all the elements that our walkers have come to expect and love to see!”

After Pat & Geno’s we will head back north towards the University of Pennsylvania for our Finish Line Festival and Closing Ceremony, where we will be celebrating three glorious days, and 60 difference-making miles under the Philadelphia sun!

Melanie encourages our Philadelphia 3-Dayers to soak in every moment of the weekend ahead and can’t wait to welcome you all to the City of Brotherly Love.

“I want everyone to feel proud of what we have done here. I was the first Philadelphia staff member hired back in 2004, and it has been so amazing to see this walk come full circle this year. I feel so much pride and I want all our participants to feel that way, too. We have given people hope and inspiration at a time in their lives that could have been very dark. We have worked so hard and we have so much to be proud of. We can not thank the people and city of Philadelphia enough.”