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Banquet Room
The Carlin Room
The largest of the three indoor spaces — hardwood floors, a gas fireplace, pendant lighting, ceiling fans, and room for a full seated banquet with high-top cocktail tables.
A venue for every occasion.
The Venue
A historic setting for any occasion.
With capacity for up to 120 guests, more than 2,500 square feet of indoor space, and an additional 1,000 square feet on the balcony, this intimate historic setting provides a memorable backdrop for any occasion.
Fairmount Rowing Association is part of Philadelphia's historic Boathouse Row and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For 150 years, Fairmount has been one of the nation's premier rowing clubs, producing Olympians and U.S. National Team athletes across generations.
Perfectly situated on Kelly Drive, Fairmount is in the heart of Fairmount Park's Lemon Hill. Tucked just behind the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art, the venue offers unmatched convenience.
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Occasions
Perfectly suited for the moment.
Weddings
Ceremonies, receptions, and rehearsal dinners with the river behind you and Boathouse Row lit up as the evening starts.
Social Gatherings
Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, reunions — a century and a half of stories, ready for yours.
Corporate Events
Trade the conference room for a National Register landmark, minutes from Center City.
Casual Get-Togethers
Team banquets, regatta days, happy hours on the water — the boathouse does relaxed just as well.
The Spaces
Inside the boathouse.
We rent the Carlin Room, the Kieffer Room and the Quaker City Room together, at one flat rate.
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Bar & Social Area
The Kieffer Room
The social heart of the house, anchored by an eleven-foot marble-top bar with four CO2 taps — plus sofas and club chairs for settling in.
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Vestibule
The Quaker City Room
A warm arrival space with hardwood floors and a gas fireplace — ideal for welcome drinks and cocktail hour before the main event.
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Two-Tier River Balconies
The Balconies
Two tiers — 582 and 418 square feet — overlooking the Schuylkill River, the Art Museum, and Kelly Drive, with partial canopy cover on the river side.
What Comes With It
Everything included.
No surprise add-ons — these come with every rental.
Spaces & Comfort
- 120-person capacity
- Three indoor social areas — over 2,500 sq ft
- River-view balconies — over 1,000 sq ft
- Hardwood floors in the Carlin & Quaker City rooms
- Gas fireplaces in the Carlin & Quaker City rooms
- Four in-wall air conditioning units
- Ceiling fans in the banquet and bar rooms
- Pendant lighting throughout
- Partial canopy cover on the Schuylkill River balcony
- Separate men's & women's bathrooms
Bar & Catering
- Eleven-foot marble-top bar area
- Four CO2 taps available for beer and soda
- Undercounter ice maker
- 700-watt microwave
- 38″ Weber direct-line gas grill
- Selection from five separate caterers
- Clean-up service included
Furniture & Equipment
- Twelve round (5′ diameter) banquet tables
- Six rectangular (6′) banquet tables
- 100 white padded folding chairs
- Eight high-top cocktail tables in the Carlin Room
- Four high-top tables with eight bar stools
- Three sofas, pedestal table, and eight club chairs in the Kieffer & Quaker City rooms
- 58″ wall-mount LED HD 4K television
- 26″ 2700-watt Bluetooth speaker with microphone
Parking & Location
- Convenient parking on Kelly Drive, Sedgley Drive, or the adjacent Water Works lot
- Valet parking can be contracted
- Minutes from Center City
- Easy access to the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), Vine Street Expressway (I-676), and I-95
- Steps from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Eakins Oval
Your event belongs on Boathouse Row.
Tell us the occasion and a rough date — we'll come back with availability and next steps.
Getting Here
Minutes from everywhere.
2 Kelly Drive, Fairmount Park, PA 19130
Its prime location makes hosting your event effortless for guests coming from anywhere in the region — just minutes from Center City, with easy access to the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), Vine Street Expressway (I-676), and I-95, and only steps from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Eakins Oval.
Tucked just behind the iconic Philadelphia Museum of Art, in the heart of Fairmount Park's Lemon Hill.
- Convenient parking on Kelly Drive, Sedgley Drive, or the adjacent Water Works lot
- Valet parking can be contracted
Inquire
Start planning your event.
Use the form to inquire about renting 2 Kelly Drive for your event. Weddings and rehearsal dinners, corporate events, milestone celebrations, team banquets — the boathouse has hosted them all. Tell us the occasion and a rough date, and we will come back with availability and next steps.
Dates at a 150-year-old boathouse are limited — especially evenings on Boathouse Row. If you have a date in mind, the sooner you write, the better.