2024 in photos: A battleground year for the Philly region

Here’s a view from WHYY News photographers of how the last 12 months unfolded in real time.

Lori Ney brought her dogs Ava and Lilly to Independence Mall in Philadelphia ahead of the debate between presidential candidates Trump and Harris, and display her love for the U.S. on September 10, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

2024 in photos: A battleground year for the Philly region

Here’s a view from WHYY News photographers of how the last 12 months unfolded in real time.

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

2024 was a battleground year across the Delaware Valley.

Two of the most prominent storylines? Trump vs. Harris and Chinatown vs. the Sixers arena.

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, in her inaugural year, also took on Kensington’s open-air drug market and Philly’s “Filthadelphia” moniker.

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And the S.S. United States lost its long battle to become a permanent attraction in Philadelphia. Instead it will become an artificial reef off the coast of Okaloosa County in Florida.

Photos from WHYY News photographers reflect these struggles, but they also show the vibrant daily life of the Philadelphia area and the triumphs of its artists, its athletes, its students and its activists.

Mummers celebrating the New Year perform a sketch inspired by the Barbie movie
Mummers celebrating the New Year perform a sketch inspired by the "Barbie" movie at City Hall in Philadelphia, Jan. 1, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker is seen on her inauguration day
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker (right) with her family at her historic inauguration on Jan. 2, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
A dog is seen in the snow in Penn Treaty Park
Georgia fixates on a stick while paying no mind to snow at Penn Treaty Park in Philadelphia during a snow storm on Jan. 19, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Heavy, wet snow
Heavy, wet snow falls on Moorestown, N.J., on Jan. 18, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Keeper Andrew Ahl
Keeper Andrew Ahl coaxes Mommy out of her shell on Feb. 4, 2024. At 99, Mommy is the Philadelphia Zoo's senior Galapagos tortoise. Recent attempts to mate her resulted in three clutches of eggs, but none were viable. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
8th grade science class
An 8th grade science class at the Allen M. Stearne middle school in Philadelphia reacts to their classmate, Zyir Best, 14, being vacuumed sealed into a plastic bag during an interactive science demonstration with Grand Hank on Feb. 6, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Chinatown during Lunar New Year Parade
Generations of Philadelphians flocked to Chinatown for the Lunar New Year Parade on Feb. 11, 2024. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Three dancers from Pieces of a Dream Academy of Dance
Three dancers from Pieces of a Dream Academy of Dance present a ballet routine to kick off an event featuring barrier-breaking ballet star Misty Copeland at the Wilmington Public Libraryon Feb. 28, 2024. (Johnny Perez-Gonzalez/WHYY)
Not Welcome Anywhere co-curator, Mae West
Not Welcome Anywhere co-curator, Mae West, with items belonging to sex workers and drug users related to their experiences. Gia’s sweatshirt after she was assaulted earlier this year (right); the purse and recreated outfit of Monica when she was arrested under suspicion of being a sex worker in Phoenix, Ariz. (center right); a broken toilet symbolizing the difficulty people who are unhooked have finding restrooms (center left); printed copies of bad date reports that give the description and location of dangerous people who hire sex workers in Philadelphia from 2023 (left). (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Protesters gathered at Rittenhouse Square
Protesters gather at Rittenhouse Square in Center City in solidarity with Palestinians and demand a ceasefire on March 9, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Paul Eaton, chair of fine arts at Girard College
Paul Eaton, chair of fine arts at Girard College, plays the organ in the college chapel on March 13, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Monster Factory, a wrestling gym in Paulsboro, N.J.
The motto of the Monster Factory, a wrestling gym in Paulsboro, N.J., is “wrestling is for everybody.” On Tuesday night, all ages of wrestlers gather to workout together. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Biophilic dome project of Judith Schaechter
The biophilic dome project of Judith Schaechter, artist-in-residence at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics on March 11, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Teacher Michelle Gibbs
Michelle Gibbs, a 5th grade reading and writing teacher at Elwood Elementary in Philadelphia, describes the feeling of being free as she read the letter informing her that her student loans had been forgiven. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Three people are seen holding up eclipse glasses as the eclipse streaks across Philadelphia
Hundreds gather outside the Franklin Institute in Center City Philadelphia to watch the partial solar eclipse. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Mark Briscoe wins the ROH World Championship
Mark Briscoe won the ROH World Championship in the main event of Supercard Of Honor on April 5, 2024 at the Liacouras Center, 11 years to the day his brother Jay won the belt. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Julia Zagar reflected in mirrored tile
On April 23, 2024, Julia Zagar is reflected in a mirrored tile as she returns to her original Eyes Gallery for the first time since it was damaged by fire in 2022. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Qais Dana, a Community College of Philadelphia student from Palestine
Qais Dana, a Community College of Philadelphia student from Palestine, and a Jewish student, who identified himself only as Danny, clash during a protest on Temple University campus on Apriil 25, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
A police officer sets up a barricade on the street
Philadelphia police install barricades along Kensington Avenue after removing people who were camped out there and cleaning the sidewalk. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Quinta Brunson at Temple
Quinta Brunson delivers the commencement address at Temple University's graduation ceremony on May 8, 2024, where she also received an honorary doctor of fine arts degree, (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Police disband pro-Palestine encampment
Police disband the pro-Palestine encampment and make numerous arrests, Friday May 10, 2024, on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. (Joseph Kaczmarek for WHYY)
Tony Bolante appears in costume as a giant squid in the mud pit at the 2024 Kensington Derby and Arts Festival
Tony Bolante, as “The Kensington Nautilus,” won best costume design and the people’s choice award at the 2024 Kensington Derby on May 11, 2024. (Emily Neil/WHYY)
2024 Atlantic Cape culinary school graduate Matthew Apt
2024 Atlantic Cape culinary school graduate Matthew Apt poses for his graduation photo with his 6-month-old daughter Rosalina on May 15, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Students wave keffiyeh at an University of Pennsylvania encampment
A few students waved a keffiyeh and showed support for Palestine on their mortarboards at the University of Pennsylvania’s commencement ceremony on May 20, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
For Tyrese Gould Jacinto walks the grounds of the Cohanzick Nature preserve in Quinton Township
For Tyrese Gould Jacinto walks the grounds of the Cohanzick Nature preserve in Quinton Township on May 20, 2024. The 63-acre property was purchased by the Native American Advancement Corporation for use as a cultural center and nature preserve. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Members of Philadelphia’s Sunrise Movement
Members of Philadelphia’s Sunrise Movement dressed as literary characters to demand funding for city services like libraries and parks on May 23. 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Thousands of people march through Center City to the Gayborhood for Philly Pride 365
Thousands of people march through Center City to the Gayborhood for Philly Pride 365 on June 2, 2024. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Faculty and staff of University of the Arts march on South Broad Street
Faculty and staff of University of the Arts march on South Broad Street after union negotiations were abruptly canceled on June 5, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Dancers rehearse a movement called ''Rock Family
On June 6, 2024, Dancers rehearse a movement called ''Rock Family,'' a dance that is part of Meg Foley's multifaceted presentation on queer parenting, called ''Blood Baby.'' (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Syd Carpenter poses in front of her garden
Syd Carpenter's garden covers her whole property in Mount Airy spilling out to the sidewalks and accessible to her neighbors. The garden is profiled in the new book “Private Gardens of Philadelphia” by author Nicole Juday and photographer Rob Cardillo published in Spring of 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Dragons line Palace Lantern Corridor
More than 918 dragons line the Palace Lantern Corridor at the entrance to the 2024 Chinese Lantern Festival on June 21, 2024. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the audience at the Liacouras Center on June 22, 2024. (Emily Neil/WHYY)
AJ Rotondella removes hook
AJ Rotondella removes the hook from the mouth of a brown or sandbar shark after helping clients catch the fish on a N.J. beach. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Penn Phd.D student Leening Liu
Penn Phd.D student Leening Liu works to align the bass in a CT scanner. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Kamala Harris supporters
Kamala Harris supporters fill the Liacouras Center to welcome the candidate and her running mate Tim Walz on Aug. 6, 2024. ((Emma Lee/WHYY)
Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz
Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz receives a warm welcome during a Kamala Harris campaign event at the Liacouras Center on Aug. 6, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
JD Vance speaking at a podium
U.S. Senator and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks at a campaign rally in South Philadelphia on Aug. 6, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Cyclists and activists rally at City Hall
Cyclists and activists from across the city hold a rally at City Hall on Aug. 15, 2024 demanding concrete barriers be installed for bike lanes throughout Philadelphia. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Protesters march around Philadelphia City Hall
Protesters march around Philadelphia City Hall on Aug. 18, 2024 calling for Vice President Kamala Harris to support a U.S. weapons embargo on Israel ahead of the Democratic National Convention. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
Love ’n Fresh Flowers’ purple baptisia
Love ’n Fresh Flowers’ purple baptisia attract bees on Aug. 19, 2024. The farm practices what is known as regenerative farming.(Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Young dancers portray enslaved children
Young dancers portray enslaved children in the dance-theater production, ''On Buried Ground,'' on Sept. 3, 2024. The performance takes place at both Christ Chuch and Christ Church Burial Ground in Old City. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Pro-Palestinian protesters march
Pro-Palestinian protesters march on Market Street toward Independence Mall on Sept. 10, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris arrives at WHYY to be interviewed by NABJ journalists on Sept. 17, 2024. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Striking Aramark workers
Striking Aramark workers picket for better pay and health care at Philadelphia’s stadium complex on Sept. 26, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Curtis Zunigha, a performer from the Lenape Center
Curtis Zunigha, a performer from the Lenape Center, teaches kids the traditional bean dance at the Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration at Penn Treaty Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 14, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
No Arena Chinatown organizer Debbie Wei
No Arena Chinatown organizer Debbie Wei is removed from City Council chambers in Philadelphia on Oct. 24, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Vice President Kamala Harris (right) and her husband Doug Emhoff
Vice President Kamala Harris (right) and her husband Doug Emhoff (left) exit the stage in Philadelphia on Nov. 4, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Memorial to the Lost installation at the Arch Street Meetinghouse
The Memorial to the Lost installation at the Arch Street Meetinghouse in Philadelphia invites visitors to reflect on the people who lost their lives to gun violence. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
The SS United States in port at pier 82 in Philadelphia
The SS United States in port at pier 82 in Philadelphia on Nov. 14, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Residents doctors and fellows
Residents doctors and fellows from CHOP, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Temple Hospital and Einstein Health announce their intent to unionize outside the now closed Hahnemann hospital in Center City on Nov. 21, 2024. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Drivers travel down South 13th Street, home to an elaborate holiday display
Elaborate holiday decorations on 13th Street in South Philadelphia bring pedestrian and auto traffic to the neighborhood every holiday season. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Zoe Fox with her beloved holiday llama
Zoe Fox with her beloved holiday llama on South 13th Street in South Philadelphia. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

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