A week-long celebration of the city’s sound kicks off Oct 13, spanning nine venues and twenty-two Philly-born acts.

Philly Music Fest is back for its ninth edition, and this year, the festival is pushing boundaries while staying true to its hometown roots. From October 13 to 19, the nonprofit festival will take over stages across the region with a lineup that blurs genres but keeps one thing constant: it’s all local.

This year’s biggest surprise? Dr. Dog.
After years of being the festival’s “white whale,” the beloved indie-psych veterans will headline two nights at Ardmore Music Hall (Oct 13 & 14), performing full-length sets with no openers. It’s a rare hometown appearance from the band, which stepped back from traditional touring in 2021 — making these shows an instant sellout and a victory for founder Greg Seltzer, who’s been chasing the booking since PMF’s early days.

A City-Wide Lineup

Nine venues. Seven days. Twenty-two artists.

For the first time, Philly Music Fest will run multiple shows on the same night across the city, adding fresh energy (and a few logistical puzzles) to the tradition. Newcomer venue The Fallser Club joins the roster alongside staples like Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy, Solar Myth, and Underground Arts.

Highlights include:

  • The Wonder Years, pulling double duty with two sold-out nights at Underground Arts (Oct 17–18).
  • Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy, performing a one-off solo set with local horn players and surprise guests.
  • Rising names like Catie Turner, Chioke, KulfiGirls, and Caracara, representing the next wave of Philly talent.

Beyond the Stage

True to form, PMF continues to funnel its proceeds directly back into the community. After paying artists and venues first, the festival donates remaining funds to local music-education nonprofits, including Rock to the Future, Musicopia, Settlement Music School, and Beyond the Bars.

The annual Inside Hustle event also returns — a networking mixer and panel for Philly musicians and industry professionals. This year’s session, “The Musician Hustle,” will be moderated by WXPN’s Bruce Warren and feature publicists, venue operators, and performing artists sharing real-world advice on sustaining a career in music.

The Details

  • Tickets: Available through phillymusicfest.com and individual venue sites
  • Venues: Ardmore Music Hall, Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy, Underground Arts, Solar Myth, The Fallser Club
    Dates: October 13–19, 2025
  • Heads up: Many headlining sets (especially Dr. Dog and The Wonder Years) are already sold out or close to capacity