Philadelphia will be the scene of many festivities this summer, from hosting games for the FIFA World Cup to being a key city celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.
What better way to get into the spirit than allowing partygoers to stay out even later? Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed a bill that will give bars and restaurants the green light to stay open two hours longer during the summer celebrations, pushing closing time to 4 a.m.
On March 29, Shapiro signed Senate Bill 1218, which amends the liquor code in Philadelphia to allow bars and restaurants in Philadelphia to stay open later from June 11 to July 20.
“We’re ready to welcome tourists and fans from across the world this summer — and extending hours for the World Cup and America250 means more business for our bars, more pay for our workers, and more opportunity to come together and celebrate,” Shapiro said on X.
According to the City of Philadelphia, businesses that plan on staying open until 4 a.m. will need to apply for a “Philadelphia 250” permit. They will also need to complete required training.
The following cities are scheduled to host World Cup games this summer:
Philadelphia is not the only city relaxing liquor laws this summer.
In 2025, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe preemptively signed a bill allowing establishments to sell alcohol between 6 a.m. and 5 a.m. the following day during the 2026 World Cup.
Kaitlyn McCormick is a Philadelphia-based reporter writing all things trending, breaking and city-related for USA TODAY’s Philadelphia Metro Connect Team.