An award, a quick stop at Jim’s, and Rita’s water ice: Colman Domingo’s July 4th in his hometown

It might not have been a long time, but Colman Domingo certainly seemed to have himself a good time during a whirlwind 24 hours in Philadelphia for Saturday’s Fourth of July festivities.

The West Philly native and Emmy Award-winning actor was in town to accept an award from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker as part of the city’s Semiquincentennial celebration. And he did what any Philadelphian would do to deal with the heat: eat a cheesesteak and wash it down with a water ice.

“Oh Philly! A time was had in 24 little hours,” Domingo wrote on Instagram Saturday, along with photos from a variety of Philly sites and restaurants, posing with his husband Raúl Domingo. “Thank you to Mayor Parker for the tremendous honor this morning at Constitution Hall. Got me a cheesesteak and a water ice and I am good!”

Domingo, who has vaulted to stardom through roles in HBO’s Euphoria and the Academy Award-nominated film Sing Sing, among others, joined the throngs of visitors that filled the city for the celebration of America’s 250th birthday.

The actor stopped at South Street, where he patronized Jim’s South St. and Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard.

“We were in here doing our thing like normal, and [people] were like, ‘Oh, my God,’” Earon Waiters, the manager at Jim’s, said of Domingo’s surprise appearance.

“He’s a very down to earth, chill guy, funny, real relaxed — very pleasant to talk to,” Waiters added. “Some staff recognized him immediately, but he didn’t want any special treatment; he went through the line, placed his order.

“He was really cool.”

Waiters said Domingo was at the restaurant for about a half hour, eating and taking photos with customers and members of the staff.

Asked about Domingo’s order, Waiters paused to check with the cooks.

“They say he ordered a Whiz with onions,” he reported back.

(His cheesesteak order, the actor told The Inquirer in 2023, consisted of “cheesesteak with Whiz, grilled onions, salt, pepper — you always gotta say salt, pepper, ketchup — pickle, and sweet peppers." )

Domingo’s stop at Rita’s — a few minutes’ walk away from Jim’s — was more covert.

Aaliyah Neal, an employee at Rita’s, was working on Saturday when Domingo stopped by with a group of people. She didn’t immediately know for sure it was him, she said, as he was wearing a hat and sunglasses.

“Him and all the people he was with were very nice,” said Neal, who recognized the actor from Euphoria and his role in Michael, the recent Michael Jackson biopic. “I recognized him, but ... I wasn’t sure if it was him. I didn’t ask, because I didn’t want to bother him.”

“He got a small water ice — I just don’t remember the two flavors he had gotten," she added.

On Saturday, the actor was honored, along with six others, during a ceremony at the National Constitution Center celebrating the nation’s Semiquincentennial. Domingo, who attended Temple University, was presented with the “One Philly Award for The American Voice” award by Mayor Parker, part of the city’s Celebration of Freedom.

His social media post included a photo of him with WDAS host Patty Jackson and singer Yolanda Adams, who sang the national anthem at the event.

As he often does, Domingo spoke glowingly of the city that shaped him at the ceremony.

“Philadelphia, I love you so much,” he said in his address to the gathered crowd. “I love the people, the spirit. And baby, let me tell you something, when people say, ‘Where do you get your style from?’ I said, ‘I come from Philly.’ ‘Where do you get your work ethic?’, ‘I come from West Philly.’ ‘Where do you get your stride?’ I said, ‘Just look around at the people in Philly — they’ll show you everything.’"