211 Things to Do in Philly This Week and Weekend

Philly Black Pride, Panda Fest, street fairs, Naturepalooza, monster trucks, the Philadelphia Show, and much more.


PHILADANCO! returns to the Kimmel Center April 25th-27th. / Photograph by Julieanne Harris

FESTIVALS, FOOD, OTHER FUN STUFF

ART/AUCTION
The Philadelphia Show
The annual fine art and antiques show is held in a tent on the Art Museum’s spacious East Terrace at the top of the stairs, behind the second Rocky statue. The Philadelphia Show benefits the museum’s Division of Learning and Engagement. Here’s the full list of exhibitors. (Note: There’s a fancy preview party Thursday, April 24th, 6-9 p.m. Tickets for that are $200-$650.)
$35-$50, April 25th-27th, in East Terrace of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

HAUNTING
East Coast Haunters Convention
Do you really get into the spirit of Halloween? Do you like scaring people in a fun, mostly harmless way? Then you might enjoy this “action-packed” regional convention aimed at “home/pro haunters, actors, enthusiasts and anyone who loves to celebrate Halloween.” Includes vendors, demonstrations, costume contests and more. (There’s also a party at Eastern State Penitentiary on Saturday night.)
$40-$65, April 24th-27th, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Avenue, Oaks.

FESTIVAL/FOOD
Panda Fest
“One of the biggest outdoor Asian street food festivals in the country” arrives at Dilworth Park this weekend featuring lots of food and craft vendors, games, performances and a giant inflatable panda.
$12-$15 admission, pay as you go, April 26th & 27th, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

WORKSHOP
Flea Plush Making Workshop
Learn to make colorful plush flea (inspired by María Fernanda Cardoso’s Cardoso Flea Circus). Led by Ash Garner of THECOLORG. These are cute fleas.
$30, all materials included, April 26th & 27th, 1-3 p.m., The Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street.

PRIDE
Philly Black Pride
The annual celebration returns with a long weekend of happenings including games, parties, mixers, roller skating and more. The biggest event is probably the free Philly Black Pride Block Party featuring Simply Christopher & The PHIRM, April 27th, 3 p.m., 200 South 13th Street.
Prices vary by event, April 24th-27th, multiple locations.

PHOTOS/NATURE
City Nature Challenge
People in Philadelphia and all over the world are taking part in this global effort to document plants and animals. You can participate, too! Just take a pic and send it in. More info here.
Free, April 25th-28th, anywhere.

KIDS
Sesame Place Birthday Celebration
Langhorne’s Muppet-infested theme park celebrated 45 Years of Furry Fun. They don’t mean furry like that. Featuring rides, activities, parades, a “birthday-themed dining experience” and more.
$49.99, April 26th-September 7th, Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne.

OUTDOORS
Rothman Orthopaedics Roller Rink
Lace up your skates or blades on the west side of City Hall and enjoy this “colorful, retro-inspired” outdoor roller rink. Reservations recommended. Things kick off with at the Rewind at the Rink Preview Party, April 24th, 6-8 p.m., $50, featuring drinks and light bites.
$8-$10 (plus $6 for skate rental), continues through June 29th, Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

SPORTS
Penn Relays
High school and college athletes compete in various track and field events, including the long jump, the hammer throw, shot put and more.
$26-$259 per day, April 24th-26th, Franklin Field, 235 South 33rd Street.

OUTDOORS/DRINKS
Parks On Tap: Columbus Square Park
Once again the nomadic beer garden roams the city, setting up taps and tables all summer long. This time you can find Parks on Tap in Columbus Square Park, in South Philly’s Passyunk Square neighborhood. (Note: This is n0t the park with the Columbus statue.)
Free to enter, April 23rd-27th, Azalea Garden, between the Art Museum and the Lloyd Recreation Center.

FOOD/SHOPPING
The Southeast Asian Market
Enjoy stuffed chicken wings, skewers, frosty drinks and more at this popular outdoor shopping op in FDR Park. Here’s the list of vendors from area Lao, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian communities. In addition to the many cuisine options, you can pick up produce, clothing, jewelry, etc.
Pay as you go, continues Saturdays & Sundays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., through October, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, 1500 Pattison Avenue.

NATURE/ART
ZOOTopiaries Living Art Exhibit
The Zoo teams up with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to improve their various gardens and natural features. This includes several “towering, three-dimensional mosaic topiaries” scattered throughout the Zoo in the shape of giraffes, a peacock and more.
Included in Zoo admission of $19-$29, through October, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.

FLOWERS
Spring Blooms
Longwood Gardens cranks its flowers up to maximum splendor for their annual Spring Blooms displays featuring tulips, trees, and geophytes out the wing wang.
$22-$25, through May 4th, Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square.

HISTORY
History Hang Out
Hang out by the Liberty Bell and engage in casual conversation and hands-on activities with park rangers.
Free, through May 31st, Liberty Bell Center, 526 Market Street.

TOUR
The Stand Up and Drink Trolley Tours
Standup comics lead tours of the city while you drink and laugh on “country’s only roving comedy show.”
$45, Fridays and Saturdays, through May 17th, Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.

BEER/FLOWERS
PHS Pop-Up Gardens
Is it beer garden season already? Yes! Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s pretty, hardy Pop-Up Gardens are back on South Street and in Manayunk.
Pay as you go, ongoing through late fall; PHS Pop Up Garden at Manayunk, 106 Jamestown Avenue; PHS Pop Up Garden at South Street, 1438 South Street.

TOUR/SHOPPING
A Deeply Rooted Trolley Tour
StarFire hosts this “highly curated, deeply immersive tour of Philadelphia’s food, art, music and culture scene” sponsored by Harriett’s Bookshop. The twice-on-Saturdays tour visits highlights local women and women-owned businesses, and pays tribute to legendary poet Sonia Sanchez.
$50, Saturdays through May 31st, 11 a.m. & 3 p.m., starting and ending at Harriett’s Bookshop, 258 East Girard Avenue.

KIDS/FISH/BUBBLES
Bubble Bash
Every half hour, bubbles come pouring into Adventure Aquarium’s rotunda for kids to go nuts in. Plus: music, lights, Dippin’ Dots and science demonstrations about bubbles.
$31-$50, through May 4th, Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.

SCIENCE
Body Worlds: Vital
Body Worlds returns to the Franklin Institute with its grisly/fascinating menagerie of human remains displayed in interesting poses in the name of science. What makes “Vital” different? “It will also showcase the remarkable capability and vitality of the human body and the influence of the emotional phenomenon of happiness on our minds and entire bodies.” More info in our preview.
$20, through September 1st, Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

See Also: Inside the Franklin Institute’s Stunning New “Body Worlds” Exhibit

KIDS
Bluey x Camp
Take the kids to a 50-minute immersive adventure with misshapen canine icons Bluey and Bingo; run wild and play games in their famous house.
$54, through May 1st, King of Prussia Mall, 160 North Gulph Road, level 3, King of Prussia.

ON STAGE

DANCE
PHILADANCO!
The long-running Philly modern dance company presents four performances at the Kimmel Center under the banner of Relentless Resident Visions, featuring works by choreographers Christopher Huggins, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Ray Mercer, and Milton Myers.
$29-$49, April 25th-27th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

OPERA
Don Giovanni
Opera Philadelphia presents this “beloved opera about a despicable man.” Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Conducted by Corrado Rovaris, directed by Alison Moritz. Starring Timothy Murray, Olivia Smith, Khanyiso Gwenxane and Elizabeth Reiter.
Sold out, but $10 rush tickets will be available at the box office two hours before the performance, April 25th-May 4th, Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Disney’s Aladdin Jr.
Walnut Street Theatre for Kids present the beloved juicebox musical about a genie, a dude, a princess and a magic carpet ride. Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice, and Chad Beguelin, book by Chad Beguelin. Based on the Disney film.
$17-$20, April 26th-May 11th, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street.

THEATER
Disenchanted!
Storybook heroines take control of their own narratives in this subversive, not-for-kids musical written by Dennis T. Giacino. Directed by Annie Hnatko. Starring Alexa Archer, Alyssia Sims, Amy Tarr, Carson Long and lots more.
$25, April 25th-May 11th, Old Academy Players, 3544 Indian Queen Lane.

MUSIC
The Ancients
This “intergenerational coalition” of free-jazz musicians — saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Isaiah Collier, drummer William Hooker and double bassist William Parker — plays two nights at Solar Myth this week.
$49.44, April 23rd & 24th, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.

OPERA
L’amico Fritz
The Academy of Vocal Arts presents Pietro Mascagni’s “romantic masterpiece” five times at three locations in the area. Conductor: Joseph Colaneri. Director: Jeffrey Buchman.
Call 215-735-1685 for wait list, April 26th-May 6th, multiple locations.

MUSIC/KIDS
Sound All Around: Ensemble
Carol Jantsch hosts the Philadelphia Orchestra’s celebration of the ensemble. Featuring percussionist Charlie Rosmarin, clarinetist Socrates Villegas, trombonist Matthew Vaughn and bassist Christian Gray.
$10, April 26th and 28th, 10 & 11:15 a.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

COMEDY
Casey Rocket
Casey Rocket* is an Austin-based* comedian who regularly appears on the Kill Tony* podcast and at the SkankFest* festival. [* = certified red flags]
$25-$35, April 24th-26th, Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

COMEDY
Isabel Hagen
The comedian/violist — not a descriptor I’ve used before — plays three shows at Punch Line this weekend. She’s very funny and a talented musician.
$25-$46, April 25th at 7:30 p.m. and April 26th at 7 & 9:15 p.m., Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.

MUSIC
Philadelphia Orchestra
Tugan Sokhiev leads the Orcs in the performance of Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) and Symphony No. 4 by Beethoven. Featuring pianist Yefim Bronfman.
$25-$166, April 25th-27th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street

THEATER
Archduke
The Wilma Theater presents the regional premiere of this new play by Rajiv Joseph about the conspiracy to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Directed by Blanka Zizka. Stars Suli Holum, Sarah Gliko and Brandon J. Pierce.
$35-$72, through May 4th, Wilma Theater, 265 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Delaware Theatre Company presents this new Broadway-style musical inspired by the true story of dancer-choreographer Norma Miller. Book by Phaedra Michelle Scott and Alan Govenar. Featuring music by Ella Fitzgerald, Chick Webb, Benny Goodman and more.
$32-$82, through May 4th, Delaware Theatre Company, 200 Water Street, Wilmington.

THEATER
Rabbit Hole
Stagecrafters presents David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. “Five characters, each affected by a tragic accident, do their best to heal, each following their own path with humor, sensitivity and finally, grace.” Directed by Suki. Stars Olivia Gendron, Janine Silano, Brian Scott Campbell, Bobbi Block and Peyton Carson.
$27.50, through April 27th, Stagecrafters Theater, 8130 Germantown Avenue.

THEATER
January 6: A Celebration
Subtitled “A Bodega Princess Remembers Tradition, Not Insurrection,” this workshop production written and performed by Iraisa Ann Reilly, is billed as “an interactive one-woman show that invites the audience to celebrate and reclaim the date, January 6th.” Directed by Estefanía Fadul.
Pay what you decide, through April 27th, Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake, 302 South Hicks Street.

THEATER/KIDS
The Hobbit
The Arden’s Children’s Theatre presents J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic adventure, adapted for the stage by Greg Banks. Directed by Rebecca Wright. Stars Eliana Fabiy, Ciera Gardner, Nathan Alford-Tate, Kelly McCaughan and Sean Lally.
$25-$46, through June 1, Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

THEATER
Rift, or White Lies
InterAct Theatre Company presents Gabriel Jason Dean “bold, visceral” play about estranged brothers, “one a progressive novelist, the other a convicted murderer and high-ranking member of a white supremacist prison gang.” Directed by Seth Rozin. Actors Jered McLenigan and Matteo Scammell will alternate roles with every performance; InterAct is offering $12 return tickets.
$38, through April 27th, InterAct Theatre Company, 302 South Hicks Street.

THEATER
Birthday Candles
People’s Light’s presents Noah Haidle’s “poignant and humorous exploration of life’s highlights and heartbreaks” following a woman’s life from 17 to 101. Directed by Abigail Adams. Stars Teri Lamm.
$35-$59, through May 1st, People’s Light, 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern.

THEATER
Dreamgirls
Walnut Street Theatre presents the hit Broadway musical about the rise of a Supremes-like girl group. Music by Henry Krieger. Book and lyrics by Tom Eyen. Directed and choreographed by Gerry Mcintyre.
$49-$217, through May 4th, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street.

THEATER
A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Antony & Cleopatra
Quintessence Theater presents “The Reckless Romance” — two Shakespeare classics in rotation for two months straight. Directed by Alex Burns.
$30-$40, through April 26th, Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Avenue.

THEATER
In the Heights
Bristol Riverside Theatre presents Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other beloved Tony-winning musical. Music by LMM, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. Directed by Carlos Armesto.
$62, through April 27th, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol.

THEATER
Spiritual Experience
This “uniquely intimate encounter” is only performed for two audience members at a time. Let’s put your mind at ease now: Spiritual Experience is not frightening and it does not involve audience participation. Directed by Rebecca Wright. Written by Adriano Shaplin. Performed by Severin Blake, Bailey Roper and Adriano Shaplin.
$150-$200 per performance, through May 11th, the Private Theater, 3408 Brandywine Street.

MOVIES

Philadelphia Latino Art and Film Festival
PhLAFF is back for its 14th season, kicking off this weekend with three full days of free screenings at Cherry Street Pier. Highlights include Bruno Jorge’s documentary The Invention of the Other (about researchers helping members of an uncontacted tribe get home), Cynthia Gates Fujikawa’s crime doc Ninety Minutes Later, and José Joffily’s Sinfonia de um Homem Comum, a documentary about the true story that inspired Syriana. (PhLAFF continues through July 6th at multiple venues.)
Free, April 25th-April 27th, Cherry Street Pier, 121 North Columbus Boulevard. 

35mm Film Festival
Ambler Theater’s annual weekend-long film fest returns, showing thrillers, comedies, dramas and more in 35mm. Festival passes are sold out, but tickets to individual screenings are still available.

  • April 25th: My Favorite Wife @ 7 p.m. and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! @ 9:45 p.m.
  • April 26th: Fantasia @ 10 a.m., Dancing Lady @ 1:30 p.m., Joan Crawford’s Home Videos (presented by her grandson Casey LaLonde) at 3:45 p.m., The Heartbreak Kid @ 6:30 p.m., Blue Velvet @ 9:45 p.m.
  • April 27th: Captain Blood @ 11 a.m., Gypsy @ 7 p.m.

$18 for most screenings, April 25th-27th, Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.

The Housemaid
Kim Ki-young’s South Korean classic from 1960 is billed as an “explosive and sexually-charged tale of class warfare between the titular femme fatale and her targets for revenge: a bourgeois family existing within an illusion of safety.” Stars Kim Jin-kyu, Ju Jeung-ryu, Lee Eun-shim and Um Aing-ran.
$15.50, April 26th-28th, Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street.

Jewish Resilience Film and Media Series
The Weitzman hosts this new series of screenings and discussions. Includes a performance of *Theodor by the Israeli Opera on April 25th and *Torn, a documentary about “kidnapped” poster conflict on April 27th. Full calendar here.
$15, April 24th-28th, Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall East.

Tommy Wiseau in Person
Tommy Wiseau — a triple threat to acting, directing and screenwriting — comes to town to host screenings of his indie classic The Room and his new horror-comedy Big Shark, which the IMDB summarizes thusly: “Three firefighters must save New Orleans from a shark attack.”
$22.50, April 25th & 26th, 10 p.m., Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street.

Virtuosity
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe and Kelly Lynch star in Brett Leonard’s 1995 techno-murder-action flick. Tagline: “Hell hath no fury like a composite of 183 serial killers. Meet Sid 6.7.” We don’t usually include the MPA rating but this cracked me up: “Rated R for strong futuristic violence, some brutal beatings and some language.”
$15.50, April 25th at 9:45 & April 26th at 9:15 p.m., Film Society East, 125 South 2nd Street.

2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi classic from 1968 stars Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood and William Sylvester. Tagline: “Only two men have walked on the moon. For the rest of us, 2001 is as close as we’re likely to get.”
$24.25, April 25th-28th, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.

Long Live the New Flesh: David Cronenberg
This series at Film Society celebrates the work of independent Canadian director David Cronenberg, known for making an impact on audiences with stories about body horror and tech run amok. Long Live the New Flesh finishes up with a pair of films featuring Cronenberg the actor. Last up is Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1983) April 26th & 30th.
$15.50, Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street.

This Week @ Lightbox Film Center

  • Nightshift — A new restoration of Robina Rose’s “surreal, somnambulant” film from 1980. “Over the course of a single nightshift, a West London hotel clerk (U.K. counterculture icon Jordan) plays silent witness to a nocturnal constellation of guests ranging from punk rockers and scenester magicians to seemingly staid businessmen and old-world gentry.” Wednesday, April 23rd, 7 p.m.
  • I Belonged to the Blank Generation — Lightbox and Secret Cinema join forces for this screening of footage recorded during the early years of Philly’s punk and new wave scene. “The centerpiece of the program is a previously unseen 25-minute documentary shot at Philly’s Artemis nightclub, featuring very early footage of L.A. band X, storied WXPN DJ Lee Paris, and club owner David Carroll.” Friday, April 25th, 7 p.m.

$15.28, Bok Auditorium , 800 Mifflin Street.

ART & MUSEUMS

Forensic Beauty
Exhibition of works by British fine art X-ray Photographer Nick Veasey. “His work transforms the raw, scientific precision of X-ray images into graceful works of beauty, while revealing the intricate details of bones and everyday objects within different narrative contexts.” Free opening reception Friday, April 25th, 6-8 p.m.
Free, through May 30th, Morton Contemporary Gallery, 115 South 13th Street.

The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution
This major exhibition at the Mercer Museum explores the history of the Doan Gang, a group of Revolutionary War British loyalists who “plotted, schemed, and plundered their way through a divided world in the earliest days of a budding American nation.” Through December 31st.
$20 admission, Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown.

Philadelphia, The Revolutionary City
Old City’s important and mysterious Philosophical Society hosts this long-running exhibition uses historic documents, diaries, newspapers, political cartoons and more to “illuminate the lived experiences of Philadelphians leading up to, during, and after the fight for independence.”
Free, through December 28th, American Philosophical Society Library & Museum, 104 South 5th Street.

Banners of Liberty: An Exhibition of Original Revolutionary War Flags
This summer exhibition marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the War for Independence and the creation of the U.S. Armed forces, and features “the largest gathering of rare and significant Revolutionary War flags in more than two centuries.”
$23, through August 10th, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 South 3rd Street.

In Tune
This group exhibition at James Oliver Gallery includes paintings and prints by Jim Houser, Martin Mazorra, Timothy Prettyman and Josh Stover. “Viewers step into each artist’s shoes, finding personalized artifacts of daily rituals and mantras, home settings, memories of the past, and everyday encounters.”
Free, through May 24th, James Oliver Gallery, 723 Chestnut Street.

Two’s A Crowd
Artists team up for this group show at Tiger Strikes Asteroid. Participating artists include Nicolo Gentile, Melissa Simpson, Sunny Hsu, Duwenavue Santé Johnson, Cecilia McKinnon and more.
Through May 24th, Tiger Strikes Asteroid, 1400 North American Street.

Small Favors
This annual group show at the Clay Studio features some 400 small artworks, each displayed in four-inch cubes. In addition to clay, Small Favors 2025 includes works in wood, metal, glass, fiber, paper, and paint.
Free, through June 29th, the Clay Studio, 1425 North American Street.

Now Showing @ African American Museum in Philadelphia

  • Demond Melancon: As Any Means Are Necessary — The New Orleans artists sews glass beads on to campus via Black Masking Culture, creating elaborate and intricate works by inspired by Caribbean and African folk art. Through June 27th.
  • Shaheed Rucker: (re)Covering the Iconic — Designer/artist Rucker creates Jet magazine covers “ adorning them with prominent figures throughout Pennsylvania’s history” including Cecil B. Moore, August Wilson, Patti LaBelle DJ Jazzy Jeff and more. Through June 27th.
  • The Pearl Bailey Showcase — This online exhibition includes scrapbooks, archival photographs, and letters related to the famous Broadway and nightclub singer. Through September 13th.

$14 admission, African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street.

Now Showing @ Woodmere Art Museum

  • In the Eye of the Beholder — an exhibition of works recently donated by a pair of collectors (painter Bill Scott and activist Bob Schoenberg) which “reveal aspects of goodness and/or beauty that the artists have found in the human body, the city, the natural world, and in abstract forms.” Opens March 22nd, continues through May 28th.
  • Geographies of Freedom: The Art of Jim Bloom — The Philadelphia artist creates “fictional geographies… where reality shifts and familiar boundaries fade, capturing experiences that are as hopeful as they are unsettling.” Through July 13th.
  • Strange Narratives | Resilient Bodies — pieces from the Woodmere’s permanent collection which reflect “the strange state of the world in perpetual time.” Through May 11th.

$10, Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue.

Travel Buddy
This “companion show” to the Jawn 8 exhibition at the Philadelphia International Airport features works by comics artists Amze Emmons, Lale Westwind, Steve Teare, Anuj Shrestha and Olivia Frericks. Opening reception April 18th, 6-9 p.m. On view through May 25th.
Free, Partners and Son, 618 South 6th Street.

Now Showing at the Michener

  • Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural
    An exhibition of the “newest, monumental work” by renowned glass artist Judith Schaechter, “an immersive stained glass dome, also titled Super/Natural, that explores the idea of biophilia, the human tendency to connect with nature. Through September 14th.
  • Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real: Collecting Black Art and the Legacy of Lewis Tanner Moore This long-running exhibition “celebrates the legacy of Lewis Tanner Moore (1953-2024), who championed the work of Black artists throughout his life, challenging institutions like the Michener Art Museum to prioritize diversity in their collecting and exhibition practices.” Includes works by Selma Burke, Louis B. Sloan, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Ellen Powell Tiberino and more. Through July 27th.
  • Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show A exhibition of wood-turned flowers the artist initially made for his son’s wedding, using exotic woods. “Sfirri’s flowers dance on twisting brass stems and emerge in lively arrangements from custom-carved and turned bases.” Through May 4th.

$15 museum admission, Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown.

Of Black Wombhood
This exhibition by curator/cultural producer, Tanya Latortue includes of “auditory and visual renderings of 10 personal narratives” exploring “interiority of Black womb-bearing people through stories about culture, health, sexuality, identity, and the politicization of the Black body from the past to the present.” Featuring works by Kara Mshinda and JL Simonson.
Through May 31st, TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image, 1400 North American Street.

In the Soft Light
Photographers T.W. Moore, German Ayala Vazquez and Robert Carter, and sculptor Michael Biello examine the “physical and emotional closeness between men, finding softness and lightness while challenging traditional conceptions of masculinity” in this group show at InLiquid.
Through May 31st, InLiquid Gallery, Crane Arts Building, 1400 North American Street.

Mary Corse
Since 1968, California-based artist Mary Corse has been creating White Light paintings, which are “made of glass microspheres, an industrial material which refracts light and shifts in appearance according to the viewer’s position and environment.” The effect is ethereal, geometric and quietly enthralling. This new exhibition collects recent works in the series.
Free, through May 17th, Locks Gallery, 600 Washington Square South.

Crescendo: How Art Makes Movements (1981-1999)
The Asian Arts Initiative’s Spring exhibition uses audio and visual components to explore the intersection of music and Asian American social movements.
Free, through June 28th, Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street.

Into the Blue: The Pursuit of a Color
This long-running exhibition curated by UPenn undergrads explores the color blue uses 20 objects from across the Penn Museum’s collections, “including select artifacts from the Middle East, China, Africa, ancient Egypt, and Central America.” Continues through Spring 2026.
$18 museum admission, Penn Museum, 3260 South Street.

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as a Visual Artist
Rarely seen marker drawings (and large-scale reproductions) by the great satirical author of Slaughterhouse Five, Cat’s Crade, Breakfast of Champions, etc. Through July 19th.
Free, Drexel University Paul Peck Center Gallery, 3142 Market Street, and on the second floor at Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.

Trusted Messengers: Community, Confidence, and COVID-19
The Mütter Museum — whose Spit Spreads Death exhibition about the 1918 influenza pandemic rang eerily prescient in 2019 — now examines the way information is spread in the modern era. “Marking five years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors can expect to learn about the importance of trusted messengers and community-specific public health initiatives in making messages more accessible, acceptable, and memorable, particularly for historically underserved communities.” Includes photos by Kyle Cassidy, materials used in the development of the mRNA technology at UPenn, and more.
$20, through February 2nd, Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

Heaven Above, The Lake Below
A solo exhibition of drawing and wall sculptures by Alfred Rosenbluth. “Deeply influenced by cosmic perspectives, Japanese dance theater, and avant-garde theatrical concepts, his works reflect an ongoing dialogue between sculptural environments and the figures that inhabit them.”
Free, through May 3rd, Pentimenti Art Gallery, 145 North Second Street.

I Belonged to the Blank Generation
This new exhibition the Space Art Gallery collects “the evocative and raw silver gelatin photography of Jay Schwartz, chronicling the electric punk and new wave scene in Philadelphia from 1977 to 1980.” He’s is also a DJ and the founder of The Secret Cinema film series. (Related: On April 25th, Schwartz and Lightbox Film Center are joining forces to host I Belonged to the Blank Generation: Philly’s Punk/New Wave Scene on Screen, which includes several archival screenings include “a previously unseen 25-minute documentary shot at Philly’s Artemis nightclub.”)
Free, through May 31st, the Space Art Gallery, 749 South 8th Street.

Talking Heads at Plastic Fantastic record shop, Bryn Mawr, 1977. / Silver Gelatin Print by Jay Schwartz

Shifting Realities: 12 Artists Finding Place in Uncertain Times at Taller Puertorriqueño
Inspired by Gabriel García Márquez’s belief that “reality exists at the intersection of the external world and our perception of it,” 12 Philadelphia-based artists — including Kukuli Velarde, Henry Bermudez, Silvana Cardel, Hagudeza Rullán-Fantauzzi and more — explore “what defines shared reality in an era of shifting historical narratives, eroding facts, and silenced identities.”
Free, through May 17th, Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 North 5th Street.

Now Showing @ the Art Museum

$14-$23 admission, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Greet the Light
The James Turrell’s serene Skyspace installation at Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting House invites visitors to sit in its dreamy, open air space as the “slow pace of the light sequence inspires meditative reflection.”
$10, Reserve your spot ahead of time, Sundays in fair weather, Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting House, 20 East Mermaid Lane.

The Intermission: Part 2
The Colored Girls Museum in Germantown celebrates its 10th anniversary with this group exhibition featuring “new and inaugural” artists.
$10-$20, Saturdays and Sundays through May 29th, the Colored Girls Museum, 4613 Newhall Street.

Cardboard Genius: The Architectural Marvels of Kambel Smith
This exhibition collects 11 works by Germantown-based artist Kambel Smith, who calls autism his superpower and uses found materials to recreate of architectural landmarks.
Free, noon-4 p.m., Thursdays-Saturdays through June 29th, Historic Germantown, 5501 Germantown Avenue.

Cecily Brown: Themes and Variations
This exhibition celebrates three decades of work by the contemporary (living) British painter “that showcase Brown’s subversion of gendered tropes in art history and popular culture.” There are several events related to the show, including tours and talks.
Included in $30 museum admission, through May 25th, Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Now Showing @ the Academy of Natural Sciences

  • Ice Dinosaurs This major exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences uses animatronic dinosaurs, fossils and skeletons to illustrate a time and a place that rarely get attention: the Late Cretaceous period in the Arctic Circle. Beware the Troodons. Through May 4th.
  • The Ecology of Fashion, The Academy of Natural Sciences teams up with Drexel’s Westphal College for this exhibition which “invites visitors to explore both the fascinating and fraught ways in which flora, fauna, fungi and fossil fuels are fundamental to our clothing.” Through August 31st.

$27 museum admission, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Lunchtime: The History of Science on the School Food Tray
Old City’s Science History Institute unveils its new longterm exhibition offering “a novel historical perspective on efforts to feed children in U.S. schools.” Through January.
Free, Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street.

Strange Woodcraft: Weird and Eerie Sculpture from the Museum for Art in Wood’s permanent Collection. Through April 20th.
Free admission, Museum for Art in Wood, 141 North 3rd Street.

Soft/Cover
This group exhibition of garments, furniture, shelters, etc. “surveys the many surprising ways artists have used fabric and screen-printing to create objects that relate to the body.” Through August 17th.
$5 suggested donation, Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street.

Free, As One: Black Worldmaking in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Pennsylvania Abolition Society, this exhibition is a collaboration of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and 1838 Black Metropolis. Through May 23rd.
Free, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street.

Marian Anderson Museum Reopening
Dedicated to the beloved, Philly-born opera singer and civil rights icon, the Marian Anderson Museum reopens after a long hiatus. The opening exhibition of “sacred collections” includes artifacts, gowns, photos, letters and more. Continues through November 30th.
Donations welcome, appointments encouraged, Marian Anderson Museum and Historical Society, 762 South Martin Street.

Secretary to the People: Sheryl Oring Uses a Typewriter to Activate Democracy with Art on the Streets of Philly and Beyond
The artist famously dressed in 1960s secretary attire and toured the country, conducting interviews and “typing up people’s hopes, fears, and expectations of the nation’s future.” Oring will display “two decades of messages collected across 30 states, offering visitors a poignant reflection on the evolving hopes, fears, and expectations of the nation.” Through April 30th.
Free, Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.


MONDAY, APRIL 21st

MUSIC
The Linda Lindas
The indie/punk band is known for:

$27.50-$32.50, 8 p.m., with Pinkshift, Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

BOOKS
Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves
Author/biology professor Jaap de Roode discusses his new book about “the medical wonders of the animal world.”
$5, 7 p.m., Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.

MUSIC
Ron Gallo (solo)
The Philly garage rocker just released 7AM Songs of Resistance For The Internet (Part 1) on Kill Rock Stars, a stripped-down, politically charged barrage of short songs ripped from the headlines, with titles like “If Only Zelenskyy Had A Nice Suit, “ICE At Jersey Kebab,” “Trump Went To Epstein’s Island Seven Times,” etc.
$18, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

More Monday Stuff

  • WINE: Pascaline Lepeltier, the sommelier, winemaker and author will discuss his book One Thousand Vines: A New Way to Understand Wine, in conversation with Nathan Kendall and Mike Madrigale. $40-$80, 6-8 p.m., High Street, 101 South 9th Street.
  • BOOKS/KIDS: Read, Color, and Comb Storytime, Tanisha Thompson and daughters Veriteady and Klere Kado Thompson read from their children’s book It’s Time to Comb Your Hair. Free, 4 p.m., Wadsworth Library, 1500 Wadsworth Avenue.
  • MUSIC: Ben Kweller, with Ryman. $26, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
  • MOVIES: Philadelphia Psychotronic Film Society, watch “cult/weirdo/trash films” on the first and third Mondays of every month. $5, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street. 

TUESDAY, APRIL 22nd

MUSIC
Brother Ali
For more than 25 years, Brother Ali has been one of the most persistent voices in conscious rap, dropping smart-as-hell rhymes about slavery, money, drugs but also love, justice and Islam. It’s been 17 years since he first delivered the chilling chorus to “Uncle Sam G*ddamn”: “Welcome to the United Snakes / Land of the thief, home of the slave /The grand imperial guard where the dollar is sacred, and power is God.” Brother Ali’s latest, Satisfied Soul, dropped on Valentine’s Day.
$22, 8 p.m., with DJ Abilities and Jabee, MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut Street.

MUSIC
Zoh Amba Sun Ensemble
Informed by Hindu philosophy and a love for free-jazz sax icons like Albert Ayler, Frank Lowe, etc., Zoh Amba is considered a rising star in NYC’s avant-garde and improvisational music scene. The New York Times said this in 2022: “In the first few minutes of a recent concert at the Stone in Manhattan… she erupted with low-register blasts, then worked her way up to the altissimo range of her tenor sax, her cheeks puffing as she summoned harsh multiphonic squeals.”
$30.90, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: The Super Live
This “2.5D musical” brings to life the popular manga/cartoon series about a little girl with unsettlingly large eyes who uses magic, music and a pro-friendship message to fight evil.
$39-$128.50, 8 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Goldie Boutilier
The Nova Scotia-born/L.A.-based singer-songwriter (and model-DJ) dropped The Actress in September, it’s sassy and confident, but fairly down to earth compared to the pop-dance works she’d previously released as My Name Is Kay. “I feel like a lot of my past music was somewhat of a cry for help,” Goldie Boutilier told Words and Music. “And now I’m stepping into my power, and it feels like I’ve conquered my demons. I’m much more confident than I was before.” With Sedona.
$20, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

More Tuesday Stuff

  • BOOKS: Emma Copley Eisenberg, author of House Mates. Hosted by Michelle Taransky. Free, 6 p.m., Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk.
  • DRINKS: Happy Hour in the Dark. Pay as you go, 4-6 p.m., Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square, 120 South 17th Street.
  • THEATER/MOVIES: Dr. Strangelove, Steve Coogan stars in this stage adaptation of the Stanley Kubrick movie. $19, 7 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler. 
  • COMEDY: Charleston White, comedian and motivational speaker. $32-$42, 7:30 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
  • MUSIC: Steven Page (formerly of Barenaked Ladies), with Menno Versteeg. $25-$48, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
  • MUSIC: Paul Giess Trio, presented by ArtSmart and Artsi. $40, 7:30 p.m., Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Square.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23rd

MUSIC
Chris Thile: Attention!
The “genre-defying musical genius” from Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers presents “a narrative song cycle for extroverted mandolinist and orchestra.” Featuring the Philadelphia Orchestra, vocalist Alex Sopp, violinist Juliette Kang, and members of the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, along with conductor Eric Jacobsen and directors Claire Coffee and Paul Rardin.
$35-$108, 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

BOOKS
Suleika Jaouad
The author of the popular memoir Between Two Kingdoms will discuss her new book The Book of Alchemy. Hosted by Grammy- and Oscar-winning jazz musician Jon Batiste.
$55-$95 (includes book), 7 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.

COMEDY
Adam McIntyre
The Northern Irish-born YouTuber — known for dishing gossip and pop-culture talk on the regular for the last half decade — recently announced that he is leaving America due to work visa issues. He’s on his Chronically Online Tour, and this show at Underground Arts sounds like his last show around here for a while.
$44.99, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

BOOKS
Shakespeare’s Tragic Art
Author Rhodri Lewis discusses his new book described as “a powerfully original reassessment of tragedy as Shakespeare wrote it.” In conversation with Emily Wilson.
$5, 7 p.m., Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.

More Wednesday Stuff

  • BURLESQUE/DRAG: Forking Shirtballs: Tribute to The Good Place, with Dimestore Bobby, Zza St James, Paula Deen-White, Renaissance Noir and Violet Volatile. $20, 8:30-11:30 p.m., Silk City, 435 Spring Garden Street.
  • ARCHITECTURE/TALK: The Reimagining of the Oldest Building on Broad Street, walk by Lindsey Scannapieco. Free, 5:30 p.m., Center for DesignPhiladelphia, 1218 Arch Street.
  • MUSIC: Iris Music Showcase, “celebrating femme voices” every third Wednesday, with Stephanie Cole, Max Davey and Angel Concepcion, hosted by Taylor Kelly. $10, 6:30 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street.
  • MUSIC: Pale Shade, with Capillary, the Dreamtoday and Slide. $15-$20, 8 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.
  • COMEDY: Mario Adrion, German comedian/YouTuber. $25-$35, 8 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

  • MUSIC: Magnolia Park, with Hot Milk, Savage Hands and South Arcade. $25-$29, 7 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.
  • MUSIC: Joey McIntyre (of New Kids on the Block). $37-$65, 8 p.m., TLA, 334 South Street.
  • MUSIC: FLO, with Chxrry22. $41-$109, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
  • MUSIC: Josephine Foster, with Terra Cotta. $15, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

THURSDAY, APRIL 24th

MUSIC
Live
You know Live right? Maybe you know them as +LIVE+? They were the unofficial Christian rockers from Pennsylvania, by sickly serious singer-guitarist Ed Kowalczyk, who somehow snuck on to alt-rock radio with virulent earworms “I Alone,” “All Over You,” “Lightning Crashes,” etc. Well they’re playing Parx Casino this week, so let’s play Two Truths and a Lie.

  • A college roommate played Throwing Copper nonstop. Last I heard he’d joined a very strict and enthusiastic, you know, church group.
  • “I Alone” kinda rocks. I want to hate it because of the video — look at that rat tail, those faces, that ’90s-mandated Scary Tree — but it’s a catchy, cathartic little rock number.
  • Ed Kowalczyk is Moby’s innie.

$50-$95, 8 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.

BOOKS
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf: A Rare Book Collector’s Quest to Find the Women Writers Who Shaped a Legend
Author/rare book dealer Rebecca Romney comes to the Free Library to discuss her new nonfiction book about “the disappearance of Austen’s heroes — women writers who were erased from the Western canon.” In conversation with Curator of Special Collections Allie Alvis.
$5, 7 p.m., Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.

MUSIC
Attack Dog
Naming your brand-new debut record Remastered 2009 is a special kind of pointless mischief. Props to Philly band Attack Dog. It’s a fun record, too. Punky, with blazing guitars. With Power Over Ethernet, Bristol Tooth and Heavy Metal Chess Club.
$15-$20, 8 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

BOOKS
Ken Kalfus
To me, few things are more exciting in the Philly lit scene than the publishing of a new novel by Ken Kalfus, an author whose sneaky wit and pitch-perfect storytelling have kept me hooked whether he’s writing a dystopia about post-American refugees or a Victorian sci-fi period piece about communicating with Mars via fire. His latest, A Hole in the Story — a dark satire of D.C. journalism set in the #MeToo times — will make you smile, think, and hate the world even more than you already do.
Free, 7 p.m., Pen & Pencil Club, 1522 Latimer Street.

COMEDY
Jeff Arcuri
The affable “joke machine” plays the Met. This bit makes me laugh every time.
$62-$122, 7 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.

MUSIC
The Connie Club
Adam Weiner (Low Cut Connie) hosts a live music showcase at Ardmore Music Hall, to record segments for his WXPN radio show. This edition features Tammy Faye Starlite, Wesley Stace and, why not, ’90s Phillies favorite Tommy Greene.
$33, 8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.

FOOD
Dining Out For Life
Now in its 34th year. Eat out while raising money for orgs that serve people with HIV. Here’s the list of participating restaurants.
Pay as you go, make a reservation, multiple locations.

MUSIC
Cheekface / Pacing
L.A.’s Cheekface just released Middle Spoon, and it’s exactly as catchy and as you want from these survivors of the Indie Rock Dork Purge. But if you don’t mind, I’d like to draw your attention to opening act Pacing, who really grabbed me with this off-kilter and sneakily heartbreaking single.
$31, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

More Thursday Stuff

  • BOOKS/POETRY: Overflowing Poetry, with Jenn Soong, Ryan Skrabalak and Ted Rees. Free, 7-9 p.m., Iffy Books, 404 South 20th Street.
  • MUSIC: ALO (a.k.a. Animal Liberation Orchestra), with Madeline Hawthorne. $25-$45, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
  • MUSIC: James Schoenlank. Free, 6-8 p.m., King of Prussia Town Center, 155 Village Drive , King of Prussia.
  • PARTY: Sip City TRANScend spring mixer and book swap. Free, 6-10 p.m., Tattooed Mom, 530 South Street.
  • MUSIC: Magic Sword, with StarBenders and Mega Ran. $25, 8:30 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
  • MUSIC: Chiodos (20 years of All’s Well That Ends Well), with Hawthorne Heights, Emmure and The Callous Daoboys. $65-$150, 7 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
  • COMEDY: Zach Noe Towers. $25-$36, 7:30 p.m., Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25th

MUSIC
Takuya Kuroda
Japanese-born/Brooklyn-based trumpeter’s sound takes jazz into funk, prog, soul and hip-hop territory. The result is sometimes moody or atmospheric, but it’s usually thrilling and moving.
$25, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

BOOKS/FOOD
Revolutionary Peace: How Philadelphia Launched the U.S. Vegetarian and Vegan Movement
Local author Vance Lehmkuhl celebrates the release of his new history book about Philly’s role in “the birth of a vegetarian movement in the United States.”
Free, 6 p.m., American Vegan Center, 17 North 2nd Street.

BOOKS
An Evening with Yepoka Yeebo
Author Yepoka Yeebo celebrates the paperback release of Anansi’s Gold: The Man Who Swindled the World — her gripping, entertaining nonfiction book of a charismatic conman who came to Philly from Ghana. Interviewed by our very own Bradford Pearson, editor of Philadelphia magazine.
$5, 6:30 p.m., Head House Books, 619 South 2nd Street.

SCIENCE/PARTY
Science After Hours
The Franklin Institute hosts this “electric fusion of flowers and flames” featuring cocktails, food, demonstrations, music and activities. “Dress to impress in your brightest florals, boldest sparkles, and most colorful fits.”
$35-$40, 7:30-11:30 p.m., Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

MUSIC
Orla Gartland
The Irish singer-songwriter doesn’t sound like Courtney Barnett, Katie Gavins or Laurie Anderson but maybe she scratches that same itch? Those same itches? I don’t know. She rocks in a smart, gutty kinda way. Check out Everybody Needs A Hero, released late last year. And check out “Now What?” below.
$25,8 p.m., with Fightmaster, Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

BOOKS
Marie-Helene Bertino
The Northeast Philly-born author of the spellbinding novel Beautyland — included in several best books of the year lists — is back with a new collection of stories, Exit Zero. Bertino will discuss her work with Piyali Bhattacharya.
Free, 6 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1708 Chestnut Street.

PARTY/CASINO
Spring Awakening
Kick off rooftop bar season with casino games, open bar, and live entertainment at Stratus Rooftop Lounge.
$25-$100, 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m., Stratus Rooftop Lounge, 433 Chestnut Street.

DANCE
¡BAILAR en FDR!
This series offers salsa instruction followed by a social dance select Fridays through October in FDR Park’s pretty, open-air Boathouse overlooking the lakes. First a lesson, then we dance! Hosted by Fairmount Park Conservancy, DJ Valentin Flores, and Dance Philly.
Free, donations appreciated, dance lesson 7 p.m., social dance 8-11 p.m., through October, FDR Boathouse, Pattison Avenue & 20th Street.

More Friday Stuff

  • MAGIC: Smokus Pocus — The World’s Dopest Magic Show. $36-$130, 7 p.m., Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place.
  • FOOD: A Night With Kyle Timpson, presented by Midnight Pasta. Dinner with the Hell’s Kitchen season 23 winner. $155, 6-9 p.m., BLDG39 at the Arsenal, 5401 Tacony Street.
  • CLEAN UP: National Historic Marker Day, Clean a historic marker in your neighborhood. Free, all day, everywhere.
  • MUSEUMS/PARTY: Dinos After Dark, Eat, drink and mingle among the bones. Pay what you wish ($10 recommended donation), 5-8 p.m., Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
  • MUSIC: twentythreenineteen, celebrating the release of Save It, with Bike Routes, Sleep In and Have a Good Season. $15, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.
  • MUSIC: Cold Court, with Destructos, and Andy Loebs, $21.42, 7 p.m., Hidden Fortress, 1535 North Stillman Street.

  • MUSIC: Lucid Express, with Punchlove. $15, 7:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
  • MUSIC: Restless Road, with Kelsey Hart. $20, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.
  • MUSIC: Myles Smith, with TORS. $76-$249, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
  • MUSIC: Victims Family with Nasalrod, Stinking Lizaveta and Be Nothing. $20 7:30 p.m., Century, 1350 South 29th Street.
  • ART: Art Battle Philadelphia, a 12-round live painting competition. $20-$30, 6-10 p.m., SPIN Philadelphia, 211 South 15th Street.
  • POETRY: Emily Hunt, author of Stranger. Free, 5-6:30 p.m., Anna & Bel, 1401 East Susquehanna Avenue.
  • HISTORY/TREES: Benjamin Franklin Trees, tree planting. Free, 10 a.m., Carpenters’ Hall, 320 Chestnut Street.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26th

MUSIC
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds released the gorgeous and moody Wild God last summer, and fans are anxious to hear them play these songs live. Tall, dark and charming, Nick Cave has always moved to his own rhythms, and there’s nothing quite like being in the same cathedral with hat black velvety voice, so glacial and imposing and, in its own way, jubilant. Word is you’ll also hear lots of old favorites at the Met on Saturday, from “Skeleton Tree” to “Red Right Hand.”
$108-$472, 8 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.

BOOKS
Independent Bookstore Day
It’s kind of a nationwide thing, but all book sales are local. Why not check out an indie shop in the area? Here’s a map that may help. More ideas here and here. May I recommend Ken Kalfus’s A Hole in the Story, Jon McGoran’s The Price of Everything, Molly Russkoff’s Red Tape, and Beth Kephart’s Tomorrow Will Bring Sunday’s News: A Philadelphia Story.
Prices and locations vary.

ANIMALS/CULTURE
Festival of Colors
Philadelphia Zoo and the Council of Indian Organizations present its annual Indian Festival of Colors with dancing, food, performances and, of course, color throwing, in celebration of Holi, the Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of spring.
Free with Zoo admission, $19-$29, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.

MUSIC
Fabiana Palladino
The London singer-songwriter writes such lush, lovely, breathy, horny R&B that if I don’t hear it playing in a Wawa someday it’ll be because they closed all the good Wawas.
$22, 8 p.m., with Yves Jarvis, St. John’s Wort, Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin wields the baton at this CSO concert featuring pianist Yuja Wang, conductor Mariana Corichi Gómez, and soprano Judy Zhuo. The program includes works by Einojuhani Rautavaara, Lili Boulanger, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.
$44-$149, 3 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

GAMES/LGBTQ+
GayBINGO
AIDS Fund’s popular, campy GayBINGO promises music, prizes and “drag queen antics” while raising emergency funds for people living with HIV in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Hosted by the Bingo Verifying Divas (BVDs). This Saturday: Mad Hatter Tea Party GayBINGO, plus the back to school drive.
$40, 6 p.m., Rodeph Shalom, 615 North Broad Street.

NATURE
Naturepalooza
The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education celebrates its 60th anniversary (and Earth Day) with lots of outdoor activities including nature hikes, goats, beetles, a Bioblitz hike with Philadelphia Mycology Club, crafts, food trucks, music, dance and more.
Free, 11 a.m., Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy’s Mill Road

MUSIC
10,000 Maniacs
The alt-rock radio darlings responsible for dreamy, poignant ’90s hits like “These Are Days,” “Because the Night,” “Candy Everybody Wants,” etc. are celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Wishing Chair, their major label debut but still pretty much from their pre-fame/cult favorite era. Of course, “they” isn’t exactly right, as singer Natalie Merchant went solo years ago, but 10,000 Maniacs still play ’em like they used to with Mary Ramsey at the mic.
$49-$150, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

PARTY
Marie Curie’s Radiant Ball
The Mütter Museum celebrates the first woman to win the Nobel prize with this science-themed dance party featuring “rarely-seen archival items,” a silent auction, and music by Drew Nugent & the Midnight Society. Attendees are encourages to dress glam.
$60, 7-10 p.m., Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

TRUCKS
Monster Jam
Beloved monster trucks go fast and jump and battle on the unfrozen tundra of Lincoln Financial Field. Participating vehicles include Grave Digger, El Toro Loco, Sparkle Smash, Caillou Crush, PJ Maximum Destruction and Thomas the Tank. I made some of those up. Does it matter? No! You want to see huge trucks do crazy things, that’s what you’ll see.
$23-$132, 5 p.m., Lincoln Financial Field, 1 Lincoln Financial Field Way.

DANCE PARTY
Making Time
Dave P.’s latest transcendental dance party features a “futuristic visual experience” by Klip Collective, and music by Marie Davidson, Anthony Naples, Ayesha, Budino, Nabihah Iqbal and Yōsuke DJ.
$28.55-$40, 9 p.m.-3 p.m., Warehouse on Watts, 923 North Watts Street.

FOOD
Fall Food Truck Frenzy
A convoy of food trucks arrives at Linvilla Orchards on Saturday, including Munchy Machine, Tricycle Café, Gotta Lotta Gelato, Fiesta Churro and more. And then there’s the train rides, hay rides, pony rides, barnyard animals, music, etc.
Free till you buy something, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Linvilla Orchards, 137 West Knowlton Road, Media.

DANCE/MUSIC
Peru Negro
Esperanza Arts Center hosts this evening of entertainment paying homage to Afro-Peruvian music and dance featuring pianists Priscila Navarro and Yi-Yang Chen, and percussionists Arx Duo. Featuring the music of composers Jimmy López and Tania León.
$20, 3 p.m., Teatro Esperanza, Esperanza Arts Center, 4261 North 5th Street.

FESTIVAL
Northern Liberties Farmers Market Block Party
A big outdoor party in Northern Liberties featuring live music, free mini fitness classes, vendors, wine, food, and more.
Free till you spend money, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Piazza Alta Courtyard, 1099 Germantown Avenue.

More Saturday Stuff

  • DRAG/BRUNCH: Big Wig Brunch: The Ultimate Drag Experience. $25-$31, noon, Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.
  • MUSIC: Ben Vaughn Quintet, with Palmyra Delran and the Doppel Gang. Sold out, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
  • DRINKS/CRAWLS: Philly Margarita March, as in march from bar to bar drinking margs, tipping bartenders, and beating back adulthood. $29-$130, 1-9 p.m., check in at Wicked Wolf, 1214-1216 Chestnut Street.
  • WRESTLING/ART: AWFUL Wrestling: MocaMania 5. Sold out, 8 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.
  • FESTIVAL: Spring Family Fest @ the Navy Yard, with live music, kid stuff, food trucks, vendors. Pay as you go, noon-5 p.m., Navy Yard, 4747 South Broad Street.
  • CONCERT/CABARET: Glitz, Glam, and Gays: A Variety Spectacular benefiting the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus, featuring drag queens, singers, dancers and comedians. $40-$100, 7 p.m., 254, 254 South 12th Street.
  • SHOPPING: Riot Nerd Spring Pop-Up Market, vendors, food trucks, beer, DJs. Free, 1 p.m., Philadelphia Brewing Company, 2440 Frankford Avenue.
  • MUSIC: Magdalena Bay, with Sam Austins. $50-$199, 8 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
  • DANCE PARTY: Emo Nite. $18, 9 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
  • MUSIC: Beach Bunny, with Pool Kids and Jayla Kai. $41-$82, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

  • DANCE PARTY: Hot To Go: The Chappell Roan Party. $17-$29, 10 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.
  • CIVICS/DISCUSSION: Justice 101: Reentry Simulation, “step into the shoes of a person being released from incarceration.” Included in admission, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Avenue.
  • MUSIC: Lowertown, with Sweet93, Computerwife, and Lovelock. $17.85, 7:30 p.m., Ukie Club, 847 North Franklin Street.
  • MUSIC: Laura Mann, with Jim Boggia and Ben Arnold. $35, 8-10 p.m., Masonic Hall, 35 Ardmore Avenue, Ardmore.
  • OUTDOORS: Volunteer Day at Bartram’s Garden, help out with plantings, harvesting, weeding, invasive species removal, etc. Free, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard.
  • FOOD/DRINKS: Lederhosen Lagerpalooza, prizes and music by DJ Sweater in observance of National Pretzel Day. Pay as you go, 6 p.m., Frankford Hall, 1210 Frankford Avenue.

SUNDAY, APRIL 27th

COMEDY
Sandra Bernhard
The veteran comedian and actress — you know her from a million shows and movies, most recently American Horror Story, Roseanne, The L Word, Severance — plays the Keswick on Sunday.
$35-$84, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

OUTDOORS
Open Streets: West Walnut
Several blocks in the neighborhood of 18th and Walnut streets are keeping it car-free (a.k.a. “temporarily pedestrianized”) on Sundays in April. Some restaurants will offer expanded outdoor seating, and the Center City District promises family-friendly activities, entertainment and strolling.
Free till you spend money, Sundays in April, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 18th Street from Locust to Chestnut streets and Walnut Street from 15th to 19th streets.

FOOD/SHOPPING
Manayunk StrEAT Food Festival
A fleet of food trucks will assemble on the streets of Manayunk this Sunday in hopes of selling you bacon on a stick, cheesesteak spring rolls, jerky, pierogies, cookies, caramels and more. Also: live music by Close Drive, Blank Pages, Other Brothers, Pepperwine and more.
Free till you buy something, 11 a.m-5 p.m., Main Street in Manayunk.

FESTIVAL/FOOD
Flavors On the Avenue
This gigantic annual street festival on Passyunk Avenue offers lots of shopping, food, drink, live music (on four stages), kid stuff and more.
Free till you buy something, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., East, Passyunk Avenue from Broad to Dickinson Street.

More Sunday Stuff

  • MUSIC: Patty Griffin. $39-$79, 7 p.m., Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.
  • COMEDY: Elizabeth Brunot. $27-$32, 7 p.m., Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.
  • MUSIC: Lake, with Karl Blau and Seth Baird. $15, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
  • MUSIC: Suuns, with Activity. $17, 7:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
  • MUSIC: Bartees Strange, with Ekko Astral. $31, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
  • MUSIC/BOOKS: Elijah Wald, the author of Dylan Goes Electric! discusses his book, answers questions and plays music. $15, 7 p.m., Molly’s Books & Records, 1010 South 9th Street.

  • MUSIC: Whirr, with Nothing, Swervedriver, the Pains of Being Pure At Heart and DJ Scott Cortez. $199, 7 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
  • COMEDY: Lawrence Killebrew. $20-$36, 7 p.m., Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.
  • RUN/WALK/ANIMALS: Run Wild for the Zoo, 5K and 1 mile fun runs. $25-$45, 8-9:30 p.m., Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.
  • ZINES: Zine Swap, share, buy and make zines. Free, 5-8 p.m., Manzanita Vintage Boutique & Gift Shop, 4206 Baltimore Avenue.
  • NATURE/TOUR: Beautiful Blooms: Spring Arbor Tour, led by board certified master arborist and arboretum manager Aaron Greenberg. $17, 1-3 p.m., Laurel Hill West, 225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd.
  • WORKSHOP: Flower Pounding Workshop, learn hapa zome, a unique botanical dye technique. $60, 1-3 p.m., Tuft the World, Bok Building, 1901 South 9th Street. 
  • PLANTS: BAPS: Big Ass Plant Sale, plus demos, vendors, etc. Free, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 3952 Lancaster Avenue.
  • BEER: Yards 2025 Real Ale Invitational, sample 40-plus cask-conditioned ales from area breweries. $20-$50, noon-4 p.m., Yards Brewing Company, 500 Spring Garden Street.
  • MUSIC: Melanie Fiona. $44-$62, 8 p.m., TLA, 334 South Street.