Dog Days of Summer on South Street, July 18-23

The Supper Dog

Story and Photo by Danya Henninger

It’s hot-dog season, and in addition to doing your own taste test of Philly’s best franks (check out our recent smackdown), you can celebrate the iconic sausage with the Dog Days of Summer. This series of events put together by the South Street Headhouse District begins tonight with the relighting of the famous Levi’s Hot Dogs sign on the corner of Fourth and South Streets. Thursday evening, stop by Supper or Brauhaus Schmitz for a special hot dog happy hour from 5-7 PM. (Housemade bacon-wrapped dogs? Yes, please.) The wiener fun continues through the weekend.

On Friday, please your eyes as well as your palate at an art show of hot-dog-themed drawings by Hawk Krall, set up at Hot Diggity. Saturday brings the opportunity to “chill by the grill” at Second Street’s Twisted Tail from 3-7 PM, where you’ll enjoy specials on beer, lemonade and dogs fresh off the coals. Sunday sees a family-friendly block party taking over the 600 block of South from noon-5 PM, with live music, activities for the kids, a dog dress-up contest and more.

Finally, July 23 is National Hot Dog Day, and Gus’ Hot Dog Stand at Fifth and South will be holding forth on the history of the hot dog on South Street, a tradition that stretches back to 1895 and the original Levi’s pushcart. Bring on the frankfurter fun.