5 Healthy Things to Do in Philly This Weekend
Your agenda may involve a lot of dance parties.
The annual Cupid’s Undie Run is one of several twists on dance parties that are happening this weekend / Photograph by Dan Frenia
February is such a weird month, y’all. It can’t decide if it wants to be cold or warm. It’s extra short, but it tends to feel interminably long. Valentine’s Day and President’s Day are a little bit too close together, so all your fun holiday stuff is crammed in the middle of the month. BUT. The people and businesses of Philadelphia are determined to give you entertaining (and healthy!) activities to keep you busy, despite all these strange things. And this weekend, No. 1 (or in the case of this story, numbers three through five) seems to be dance parties? We’re not mad about it. Here are all the deets for those shindigs and more.
GET YOUR VEGAN SHOP ON. Carlo Giardina and Carmella Lanni-Giardina have been putting on all-vegan flea markets in Philly for almost three years, and the events are always flush with the coolest (and earth-friendly!) products. Take this Saturday’s free Little Love Market, a micro version of the Philly Vegan Pop Flea, which will feature vendors such as soul and Caribbean food caterer Nourishing our Mind. We’re hoping for samples of their pulled jackfruit BQQ sandwich, which would pair perfectly with the gourmet cornbreads and sweet tea from the simply named Sweet Tea & Cornbread. The event’s not just for foodies, though — Soap by Alana will be bringing her handmade body butters and luscious whipped soap. The market will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the South Philly vegan convenience store V Marks the Shop.
BE YOUR OWN VALENTINE. This Saturday morning self-love workshop ($29.99 to $39.99) hosted by OnPoint Nutrition is the ideal way to learn how to put the emphasis back on YOU. Join board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Sharan Abdul-Rahman to hear about the power of self-care, why you should be paying more attention to your sexual health, and how to create the perfect night in. (Hint: It involves aphrodisiac foods and kombucha.) Register here.
HAVE AN EARLY-MORNING DANCE PARTY. Boy, is it tough to get up on time on a Friday, let alone even earlier. But if anything gave us the motivation, it’d be Daybreaker, the pre-work dance party cum massive yoga and meditation session that’s made a splash in a bunch of major cities. If you snag your ticket — use the code “SELFLOVE” for a 10 percent discount — for Friday’s NOTO Philadelphia event in time, here’s what your schedule will be: an hour of yoga led by Mare Bear of Mishana Yoga followed by two hours of dancing to tunes from DJ Eddie Tully, and then a quick meditation with Jasmine Bailey of Vitality Meditation. (Remember to wear red to fit the V-Day theme.)
OR A MID-DAY DANCE PARTY. The best part about stripping down to your skivvies for the Cupid’s Undie Run? The fact that most of the event consists of a dance party. (You’re only running for about a mile.) OK, maybe the very best part is that 100 percent of the net proceeds go toward neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder that produces tumors on nerve cells. In fact, the reason folks run in their underwear at all is because those with NF don’t have the option to cover their tumors. Register here for $45 beforehand; it’s $50 at the door.
OR A LATE-NIGHT DANCE PARTY.
If you’re more of a night owl, head instead to Sanctuary Yoga & Mindfulness’ black light yoga class set to soulful tunes. The 6:30 to 9 p.m. session ($35) encourages you to wear white, so you glow in the dark. Or take advantage of the provided glow-in-the-dark paint and make your whole body light up. Tarot card readings and healthy snacks will wrap up the creative night. Register here.
