JFK Stadium helped bring Live Aid, one of the biggest concerts of all time, to Philadelphia, long before the city became the hot spot it is today, writes Victor Fiorillo for Philadelphia Magazine.
In 1985, Philadelphia did not have a nationally recognized dining scene, nor was it named one of the best places to travel to in the world. It was headed toward bankruptcy, so was far from the first choice for Live Aid.
When promoters began searching for a city to host the U.S. portion of Live Aid, there were about 100 contenders. But Philadelphia stood out by meeting two key requirements set by concert organizers: a central location and the capacity to accommodate the largest possible ticketed crowd in a controlled setting.
JFK Stadium, built in 1926, was on its last legs by 1985, literally falling apart. Yet it was centrally located, with an international airport just 10 minutes away, and boasted one of the largest capacities in the country at 102,000 people. Mayor Wilson Goode also offered the stadium to Live Aid for free, adding traffic police, cleanup crews, and other concessions to sweeten the deal.
After bringing the spectacle to Philadelphia, JFK Stadium lasted only four more years before being condemned and finally demolished later.
Read more about Live Aid and how it came to Philly in Philadelphia Magazine.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in July 2025.
