Where to Drink Before Making Time Festival at Fort Mifflin

Making Time is taking over Fort Mifflin this weekend, and if you're heading to the festival, you might as well make a whole night of it.

From September 18 through September 20, the historic Fort Mifflin becomes one of Philly's most unusual music venues, with three days of DJs, live performances, electronic music, and experimental sounds. 

And while there will be plenty of food and drinks available inside the festival, sometimes you want to start the night with a proper bar stop.

So if you're making time for Making Time, here's where to grab a drink prior.

Sourced via South Philadelphia Tap Room

Start in South Philly

If you're coming from the city, South Philly makes a pretty natural jumping-off point before heading toward Fort Mifflin.

South Philadelphia Tap Room

The Newbold neighborhood bar has a rotating beer selection, a full food menu and the kind of casual atmosphere where you can grab a drink hear the people you're with before spending the next several hours surrounded by music.

It's also open late, so if you're looking for somewhere to regroup after the festival, you've got options.

Second District Brewing

If your ideal pre-fest ritual involves a locally brewed beer and something to eat, Second District Brewing is another South Philly option worth putting on the list.

The brewpub makes its own beer and has a food menu that goes beyond the usual bar snacks, making it a good spot to actually fuel up before heading to Fort Mifflin.

Fountain Porter

Fountain Porter is the neighborhood bar that works whether you're kicking off the night or trying to decompress after a long one.

Grab a drink and enjoy one last moment of normalcy before disappearing into Making Time for the evening.

It's also a particularly good option for anyone who would rather keep things casual than turn the pre-festival portion of the night into another event.

Stateside

For something a little more cocktail-forward, Stateside gives you a chance to trade the festival wristband aesthetic for cocktails and small plates before you head out.

Watkins Drinkery

Sometimes you don't need a complicated plan, you just need a bar, a drink, some food and enough time to get where you're going.

Watkins Drinkery is a longtime South Philly neighborhood bar that fits that bill. It's casual, relaxed and open late, making it a good choice if your group wants to keep the pre-Making Time portion of the evening uncomplicated.

Making Time is one of those Philly weekends where the venue is almost as much of the experience as the lineup. You're partying inside an 18th-century Revolutionary War fort, with planes flying overhead and music running well into the night.

So grab your tickets, pick your starting bar, charge your phone and maybe make peace with the fact that you're probably not getting home early.

We'll see you at the bar. Then we'll see you at the fort. Then...well, we'll see what happens.