Philadelphia Culture, Nightlife In Spotlight For Papal Visit
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Organizers of the World Meeting of Families, set for next September in Philadelphia, are actively working with local tourism groups to come up with a "nightlife" for the thousands who will be visiting the city.
Donna Crilley Farrell, the executive director of the World Meeting of Families - Philadelphia - says there's been a push to connect with various cultural institutions, shrines, and historic sites.
She says at least 15,000 visitors from 153 countries will be in Philadelphia at the end of next September for four days of meetings. And while they will busy with sessions during the day, they will be looking to do some things at night, and it's a perfect opportunity to showcase the city, its history and culture.
Farrell says events also can be geared toward people who are from this area who might not have come into the Philadelphia area for some time.
"Not just the attendees, but also all the people in the region," she says. "People who might necessarily come to the Congress or maybe they'll come for one or two days. But there will be other things happening throughout the region during the evening and late afternoon."
Farrell says she has also connected with the Philadelphia Mural Arts program and working on plans to paint a mural to capture the spirit of the World Meeting of Families, including the first visit of Pope Francis to the U.S.
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