Are you ready for Philly boot camp? Philly is recruiting 10,000 ‘Phambassadors’ for America’s 250th birthday

Are you ready for Philly boot camp?

Are you Philly proud enough to withstand the rigors of one, five-hour session learning Philadelphia fun facts and hidden histories, playing Philly-themed Quizzo, and enjoying a happy hour at a Historic District beer garden?

Yeah, youse probably are.

That’s the hope of Kathryn Ott Lovell, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corporation, who plans to recruit 10,000 Philly "Phambassadors“ to serve as Philly champions, advocates, and storytellers ahead of America’s 250th birthday in 2026.

“It’s a movement to give people a vehicle to express their love for Philly,” said Lovell, scheduled to announce the program Tuesday morning at a Love Park pep rally.

After all, there are no push-ups at this boot camp.

Phambassadors will be trained on how to represent Philly’s energy, culture, and city spirit on a global stage.

“Every Philadelphian should be empowered to be able to welcome visitors — to encourage people to come here, to know what cool things are happening around the city,” she said.

Not everyone who signs up for the Phambassador movement will have to attend camp. Participants can choose between different levels of engagement. Everything from the five-hour camp to sharpen storytelling abilities and learn expert customer service to simply receiving monthly “Philly good-news newsletters” to social media training to drown out nasty Philly trolls.

Expert Phambassadors — or “Most Valuable Phambassadors,” as Lovell said — could be asked to create their own Philly tour itineraries, staff pop-ups to help visitors at Semquincentennial events, or become tour guides.

Every level comes with Philly swag and invites to special events, Lovell said. Being a movement, there are no paying gigs, Lovell said.

But expert Phambassadors could be prime recruits for open positions in the city’s hospitality industry or at different visitor centers, she said. Planners are also exploring youth employment positions in 2026.

“It could be a pipeline for jobs,” Lovell said.

Everyone who wants to join will have to take the Philly Phambassador pledge, Lovell said. It’s a Philly-doozy of a pledge:

“Yo Philly!” it begins. “I Brotherly Love You(se) more than: Cheese loves a steak. Ben loves his kite. Rocky loves Adrian. The Roots love a Picnic.”

It goes on:

“And because I Brotherly Love you this much, I promise to tell the world just how ‘Philly Special’ you are.”

Lovell said: “Wouldn’t it be amazing if every eighth grade in the city recites this pledge like the Pledge of Allegiance? Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

While the pledge may be firmly tongue in cheek, Lovell and 250th planners, like Angela Val, president and CEO of Visit Philadelphia, are serious about the Phambassadors — and Philly’s starring role in the Semiquincentennial, a yearlong celebration they see as potentially transformative for the city. Both are Philly boosters in the vein of Leslie Knope, the indefatigable city official in Parks and Recreation.

“We’re unlocking the pride that already lives here, giving residents more ways to share their stories, represent their neighborhoods, and show off their favorite small businesses,” Val said. “There’s nothing like Philadelphia pride.”

The pep rally in Love Park, which will feature pom-poms, foam fingers, a giant pledge, all five Philly sports mascots, a DJ, drum lines, and pep bands — intends to get things off to a rockin’ start.

“You can be as engaged as you want,” Lovell said. “The bottom line: It’s just a vehicle to help people show their love for Philly and to share that love with other people.”