Welcome to Philadelphia Chinatown
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Chinatown Treasures
Friendship Gate
Snap a selfie at the internationally known China Friendship
Gate! Handcrafted by Master artisans from Tianjin China,
the gate is a symbol of cultural exchange and friendship
between Philadelphia and its sister city.
10th Street Plaza
Enjoy the shade under the pergolas of the 10th street plaza!
Chinatown’s first dedicated public space provides a place
for visitors and residents to sit and relax. Two 8-foot granite
foo dogs (Chinese guardian lions), shipped from China,
symbolize the protection of Chinatown.
Annual Events in Chinatown
Chinese/Lunar New Year
Date: January/February
The most important traditional holiday in China, celebrating Chinese New Year with family gatherings, food, and cultural festivities.
Hoyu Folk Festival
Date: March
A celebration of customs and rituals from the Hoyu region of Fuzhou, including processions and ancestral offerings.
Dragon Boat Festival
Date: June
A traditional Chinese festival honoring poet Qu Yuan, celebrated with dragon boat races and eating sticky rice dumplings (zongzi).
Mid-Autumn Festival
Date: September/October
A traditional Chinese festival celebrating the full moon, family reunion, and harvest, often marked with mooncakes and lanterns.
Chinatown Yeshi Night Market
Date: October
An annual open-air, food and entertainment event meant to highlight Chinatown as a commercial hub and community! YèShì Chinatown Night Market was recently ranked #5 “Best Cultural Festival’ by USA Today in 2024.
History of Chinatown
First settled by immigrants in 1845, Chinatown became a cultural, social and commercial hub for Chinese Americans and later Asian Americans in Greater Philadelphia. The first Chinatown business, a laundry, was established at 913 Race Street in 1871. Chinatown’s first restaurant, Mei Hsiang Lou, opened at the same location in 1880.
Today, Chinatown is a dynamic neighborhood where business flourish with neighboring historic attractions of Independence National Historic Park. Chinatown’s population growth in the 21st Century exhibits the rapid expansion of the community, and its contribution to the city’s image as a multicultural hub.
About PCDC
Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporationis a grassroots, non-profit, community-based organization. Since 1966, PCDC has represented Chinatown in matters of urban renewal and community development. PCDC focuses on bringing the three key tenets of our mission to life: protecting our neighborhood, preserving our heritage, and promoting the businesses and residents of our community.
The Past Supporting the Future
Crane Chinatown Community Center, a notable landmark and recreation space, offers an opportunity to provide residents with PCDC’s family services, youth programming, community recreation nights, and wellness and health programming.
The mural, “The Past Supporting the Future”, covers more than 100 feet of the west wall. Funded by PCDC, this mural was created by Asian artists Eurhi Jones, Chenlin Cai, and Yvonne Lung, and managed by Mural Arts Philadelphia.
