Long Lines and Limp Hoagies Anger Opening Weekend Philly Flower Show Attendees | Eater Philly

"Moved outdoors to FDR Park for the first time in its 193-year history, I found the Philadelphia Flower Show’s opening marred by long, disorganized entry and parking lines in 90–93-degree heat, prompting many attendees on social media to call for refunds. Despite $45 timed tickets, people waited an hour or more to get in with no staff explaining the delays, no one selling water while lines formed, and at least one group only able to enter after finding a distant third entrance. Inside, the event’s rules around outside food and beverages were confusing—buried FAQ guidance said to bring water and noted there were no on-site refill options—yet bottled water cost $4 and many were glad they’d brought their own. Food operations were chaotic: menus advertised raclette sandwiches, Maryland crab cakes, Italian desserts, and to-go cocktails, but many items were sold out or required online ordering; my group managed only olives, short ribs, and chicken rollatini, which felt odd in the heat. Preordered picnic bags were left in the sun so items like deviled eggs, parfaits, and salmon bagels were warm and inedible to some, and vegan attendees reported $15 “grilled veggie hoagies” that tasted like microwaved frozen vegetables, while another hoagie had almost no quinoa and few veggies. Vendors and some staff were working uncovered in direct sunlight, a safety concern for the many older, higher-risk attendees—one 78-year-old waited nearly two and a half hours before leaving—and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was inundated with messages (its auto-reply noted very high email volume) as organizers and the show’s vendor organizer were pressed for answers." - Dayna Evans