Summer 2015's big events

Marvel Comics brings an "augmented reality" superhero expo to the Linc for two villain-vanquishing weeks, and the world sends in its elite sailing vessels for a Tall Ships festival on both sides of the Delaware.

On the Parkway, the Art Museum imports a blockbuster Impressionist show that's been all the rage in London and Paris. At Penn's Landing, the Independence Seaport Museum mounts its latest homegrown exhibit, this one involving produce-peddling roustabouts.

Add a packed slate of Fourth of July fireworks (starting on June 27, because, why not?) and a gala 50th anniversary celebration of LGBT civil rights, and you have one hot summer. Your go-to summer street parties are back, too.

'Hucksters: The Tumult of Dock Street,' June 10-Feb. 16. Exhibit at feisty seafaring museum celebrates the rough-and-tumble produce merchants who put Dock Street on the map - long before the beer did.

Independence Seaport Museum, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily (summer evening hours until 7 p.m. Thurs.-Sat. through Labor Day), $10-$15 (under 2 free), 215-413-8655, phillyseaport.org.

Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, June 7. You can't keep a great race down. This year, the city sponsors it. As always, the Manayunk Wall looms large.

Start/finish line at Lyceum Avenue, men's pro race 8:30 a.m., women's pro race at 12:30 p.m., amateur fun ride (reservations required) at 6:30 a.m., free for spectators, phillycyclingclassic.org.

Odunde Festival, June 14. Street fair marks its 40th anniversary. (Fun fact: Back in 1975, a measly $100 grant started it all.) Entertainment includes a special-for-the-big-anniversary peformance by Philadanco and a cavalcade of old-school hip-hoppers: Chubb Rock, Special Ed and Kwame.

Street fair centered at 23rd and South Street, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., free, 215-732-8510, odundefestival.org.

The Marvel Experience, June 19-July 5. Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Spider-Man and peers come to life-ish as 3D digital projections inside domed theater, interacting with fans in super high-tech, multiplayer walk-through adventure. Costumes encouraged.

Lincoln Financial Field, open every day except June 22 and June 29, with timed admissions most days from morning until 8 p.m., $24.50-$44.50 (under 4 free, parking $16), 800-745-3000, themarvelexperiencetour.com.

Manayunk Arts Festival, June 20-21. Picky, picky juried show attracts many, many arts-and-crafts browsers - typically about 200,000 annually. Visit the Emerging Artist Tent to catch up-and-comers before their prices go up and up.

Main Street between Carson Street and Shurs Lane, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. June 20, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. June 21, free, manayunk.com. Shuttle buses run from parking lots at 555 City Ave. and the Ivy Ridge train station (4996 Umbria St.)

Discovering the Impressionists, June 24-Sept. 13. Museum of Art blockbuster gathers paintings you love - Renoir's "Two Sisters," Degas' "The Ballet Class," Monet's "Les Galettes," Cassatt's "The Child's Bath," - to tell the story of visionary art dealer Paul Durand-Ruel, who loved them before they were famous. The exhibit, already a smash in Paris and London, should really pack 'em in here. Philadelphia is its only U.S. stop.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, timed-entry tix $12-$25 (under 5 free), 215-763-8100, philamuseum.org.

Tall Ships, June 25-28. Our own Gazela welcomes a dozen well-trimmed gals like herself. Also, a massive rubber duck. Stake out a free perch along the Delaware for the Parade of Sail. Buy tix to go aboard during fest hours.

Penn's Landing and Camden waterfront, Grand Parade of Sail 1 p.m. June 25. Festival noon-8 p.m. June 25, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. June 26-27, noon-8 p.m. June 28. One-day access pass to ships and festival, $12 (under 5 free), four-day pass $19, 877-435-9849, tallshipsphiladelphia.com.

Delaware Waterfront Fireworks (Philly side), June 27. The U.S. Army band Pershing's Own plays patriotic faves at Penn's Landing to warm up the crowd for the big riverfront pyrotechnics.

Great Plaza, Columbus Boulevard at Chestnut Street, 8 p.m., free, delawareriverwaterfront.com.

Wawa Welcome America, June 27-July 4. The Roots again headline the Fourth of July Jam preceding the Art Museum fireworks. Other highlights of Welcome America week: a Philadelphia Orchestra concert at Penn's Landing, followed by modest fireworks (8 p.m. July 2 ); free admission to the Franklin Institute (June 29); and Hoagie Day (July 2).

Various times and locations, free, welcomeamerica.com.

Longwood Gardens Nightscape, July 1-Oct 31. New "light and sound experience" plays out at nine locations on the landscaped grounds. Another nighttime update: a beer garden, pouring Victory brews.

1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square. Nightscape starts after dark Wednesday-Saturday (9:30 p.m. in July, 9 p.m. in August, earlier in the fall months) and continues through 11 p.m., $17-$27 (under 5 free), reserve entry in advance, 610-388-1000 longwoodgardens.org.

LGBT Civil Rights 50th Anniversary, July 2-5. Starts somber with wreath laying at Gay Pioneers Historical Marker (6th and Chestnut streets, 2 p.m. July 2). Stays educational for the duration with LGBT history exhibits at museums on Independence Mall and nearby. Gets festive with parties in the Gayborhood nightly - and a daytime street festival July 5.

Various times and locations, many free, lgbt50.org.

Delaware Waterfront Fireworks (Camden side), July 4. Blood, Sweat & Tears headlines the first day of Camden's two-day Freedom Festival. Fireworks follow.

Wiggins Waterfront Park, Riverside Drive and MLK Boulevard, Camden, festival opens at 5 p.m., concert 8 p.m., fireworks 9:30 p.m., free, camdencounty.com.

Bastille Day, July 11. Philly's silly take on the French Revolution this year falls three days before the actual French holiday. C'est la vie!

Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Ave., 5:30 p.m., free, 215-236-5111, easternstate.org.

East Passyunk Car Show and Street Festival, July 26. Eat their dust - or choose street fare from the nabe's famously great restaurant row. The big-wheeled block party hits its 10th anniversary.

East Passyunk Avenue between Broad and Dickinson streets, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Rain date: Aug. 2, free to attend, $15 to show a car or bike, visiteastpassyunk.com.

Bug Fest, Aug. 8-9. Celebration of the creepy and the crawly returns with the always popular (but why?) roach race. New this year: $2 off for guests dressed as bugs.

Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $13.95-$15.95 (under 3 free), 215-299-1000, ansp.org.