Every summer, Center City District SIPS takes Philadelphians out of a midweek slump with food and drink specials from local spots on Wednesdays from June through August. The occasion officially starts on June 4, but 2025 is a little different for the heightened happy hour with it being the event’s 21st birthday (anniversary technically, but it seems more fitting).
SIPS runs every Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. and dozens of bars and restaurants will take part in the tradition by offering exclusive discounts found only in Center City. Venues will serve $7 cocktails, including specials made with Hornitos Tequila, $6 wine, $5 beer and half-price appetizers. After 7 p.m., select locations will provide 15% off dinner as well, a release notes.
“Philadelphia’s best happy hour program is back,” Center City District President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta said. “SIPS is about so much more than discounted cocktails—it’s about rediscovering the spontaneous conversations and authentic moments that happen when we step away from our screens and into each other’s company.”
“For 21 years, SIPS has transformed after-work hours into opportunities for meaningful connections that are even more important now,” she added. “Nothing replaces the energy of colleagues and friends forging bonds that strengthen both personal and professional relationships.”
To mark the 21st anniversary, the celebrations will begin early at Dilworth Park, with a party on May 21 hosted by Wooder Ice. As a release notes, from 5 to 7 p.m. this one-night event will “transport guests back to 2004” with an early-2000s aesthetic and décor, special SIPS pricing, a live DJ, plus giveaways and activations from Hornitos Tequila.
Admission is free for guests 21 and older, with ticketed upgrades available for purchase at centercityphila.org/sipspreviewparty. Upgrades ($50-$100) include perks like a skip-the-check-in-line pass, access to a private seating area with a private bar on the Rothman Orthopaedics Roller Rink, complimentary food and complimentary drinks.
Other Center City District SIPS participants for 2025 span Attico Rooftop, Barra Rossa, Butcher Bar, Con Murphy’s, Darling Jack’s Tavern, DBG, Double Knot, High Street, Ladder 15, Pearl & Mary, PJ Clarke’s, The Black Sheep, Via Locusta, Walnut Garden and more—a full list of CCD spots is available online.
For more information, visit centercityphila.org
