207 Things to Do in Philly This Week and Weekend

Spooky Philly-themed mini golf continues at Franklin Square this week / Photograph courtesy of Historic Philadelphia

FESTIVALS, FOOD, OTHER FUN STUFF

REGATTA/OUTDOORS
Head of the Schuylkill Regatta
Rowers in a multitude of categories — college crews, high school crews, master rowers, elite rowers and previous world champions — compete in this giant, two-day regatta founded in 1970. Here’s a map to help you pick your vantage point (or a driving route to avoid the regatta entirely).
Free, October 26th & 27th, along the Schuylkill River and Kelly Drive.

CIDER
Philly Cider Week
This nine-day celebration of cider features all manner of tastings, dinners, music, cider cocktails, cider quizzo, cider donuts, and other excuses to hang with beer’s chill little bro. Here’s the complete rundown of events.
Pries vary by event, through October 27th, multiple venues.

FESTIVAL/OUTDOORS
Dilworth Park Maze Days
Let the kids scramble around this low-walled hay maze near the western forepaws of City Hall if it’ll offer you a moment’s peace. Check the schedule for happy hours and story times. On Saturday there will be live music, games, pumpkin painting and more.
Free, through October 27th, Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street.

TOURS/ART
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours
Tour the studios and workspaces of Philadelphia artists in four quadrants over the next couple weeks: Northwest Quadrant, October 26th; Northeast Quadrant, October 27th. I like this quadrant thing and I hope it catches on.
$75, noon-6 p.m., October 26th and 27th, multiple locations.

FOOD
Philly Vegan Restaurant Week
The annual cruelty-free food fest promises prix fixe vegan menus and/or special vegan dishes at lots of restaurants in the area that are either vegan or omni. Here’s a list of the participating eateries and their menus.
Through November 3rd, multiple locations.

CIRCUS/SPOOKY
Haunted Circus
This weekend the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts is presenting three performances with different levels of spookiness. Actually, the Adults Only one isn’t just spooky: “This show is not for the faint of heart or the prudish of mind, but perfect for those who like their fun served with a side of fright and a dash of risqué.” Does this mean clown nipples? You’ll have to go to the show to find out.

• Kids Haunted Circus, October 25th, 6 p.m.
• Family Haunted Circus, October 26th, 2:30 p.m.
• Adults Only Haunted Circus, October 26th, 8 p.m.

$20, October 25th & 26th, Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 6452 Greene Street.

SPOOKY/MAGIC
Dr. Magic’s Halloween Mystery Revue
Kids are welcome at this spooky magic show, featuring mentalism, music, costume contest and more.
$10, October 25th & 26th, 7 p.m., Stagecrafters Theater, 8130 Germantown Avenue.

See Also: Where to Celebrate Halloween With Kids in Philly

BOOKS/TALKS
Cookbooks & Convos
Sisterly Love Collective’s series returns with a full slate of events “celebrating chefs, authors and the Philadelphia food community.” Still on the agenda:

• October 20th: Priya Krishna, author of Indian-Ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family, with Kelsey Bush. $120, Bloomsday, 414 South 2nd Street.
• October 22th: Toni Tipton-Martin, author of Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice: Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks, with Jill Weber. $85, Rex at the Royal, 1524 South Street.

Prices vary by event, Cookbooks & Convos continues through October 22nd, multiple locations.

COMICS
Philly Comics Now: The Art of Graphic Storytelling
This large exhibition at Drexel’s Pearlstein Gallery collects the work of more than 60 Philadelphia-based independent comics artists, and includes large-scale prints, a black-light room, collaborative print projects and more. Participating artists include Charles Burns, Beth Heinly, Box Brown, Dre Grigoropol, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Pat Aulisio, Alli Katz and more. Curated by Tom Marquet and Gina Dawson of Partners and Son in conjunction with Mark Stockton of Pearlstein Gallery.
Free, through December 15th, Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University, 3401 Filbert Street.

SPOOKY
Boo at the Zoo
Kids don up their Halloween best and stroll the zoo collecting candy and confusing the animals.
$19-$24, Saturdays and Sundays, through October 27th, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.

SPOOKY
Morris ArBOOretum & Gardens
Morris Arboretum is all in on the season with attractions like the annual Scarecrow Walk and the Morris Pumpkin Cottage; and events like the Trick-or-Treat Trail. Click here to see what’s going on right this minute.
$10-$30, October 28th, Morris Arboretum, 100 East Northwestern Avenue.

HISTORY/TOUR
Bloodletting & Burials 
Every Saturday in October, the Betsy Ross House hosts these spooky tours featuring reenactors talking about the gross and weird medical stuff that was going on in colonial Philadelphia like smallpox, bloodletting, yellow fever, etc.
$20, October 26th, 6 & 8 p.m., Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street.

WALKS/TOURS
Lantern Tours at Washington Crossing Historic Park
Tour Washington Crossing around the same time of day Washington did his famous crossing, and learn all about that famous day and the battles that followed. Imagine you were there too, murdering your enemies in their sleep on Christmas Day.
$9, Saturdays in October, 6:30 p.m., Washington Crossing Historic Park, 1112 River Road, Washington Crossing.

SPOOKY
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary
As per tradition this time of year, Fairmount’s most photogenic prison has been divided into multiple haunted house attractions (The Crypt, Machine Shop, Psycho Goblin Poop Tornado, etc.), lounges, and s’mores opportunities. A fine mix of good vibes and genuine scares.
$34, through November 9th, Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmount Avenue.

See Also: Halloween for Grownups: Pop-Up Bars, Spooky Soirées and More Philly Haunts

SPOOKY/TOUR
Candlelight Ghost Tours
The historic military installation is calling this “Philly’s most authentic Halloween event,” which is a hell of a claim. They even promise “real ghosts.” Like, can they do that?
$22, 7 p.m., October 24th, 25th, 26th & 27th, Fort Mifflin, 1 Fort Mifflin Road.

SPOOKY/GAMES
Spooky Mini Golf
Throughout October, Franklin Square’s photogenic mini-golf course is decked out in Halloween finery, including fog, strobe lights and skeletons.
$12-$15, through October 31st, 6-9 p.m., Franklin Square, 200 North 6th Street.

SPOOKY
Lincoln Mill Haunted House
This story-driven haunted house attraction in Manayunk utilizes actors, animatronics, fog, strobes and more. There are also daytime no-scare tours and scavenger hunts.
$35, continues through November 2nd, Lincoln Mill Haunted House, 4100 Main Street.

OUTDOORS/TOUR
Adult Trick-or-Treat
Chaddsford Winery hosts this “one-of-a-kind outdoor walking tour” in which guests visit five Halloween-themed stations with wine and snacks. Station five looks pretty sweet: caramel-apple mule wine cocktail, featuring spiced apple, with a ginger caramel truffle from Éclat.
$45.40, through November 3rd, Saturdays & Sundays, noon-7 p.m., Chaddsford Winery, 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford.

KIDS/FISH/FALL
Fintastic Pumpkin Glow
“Super-sized aquatic animals made of pumpkins take over the aquarium.” Plus, underwater pumpkin carvers.
$28-$48, through November 3rd, Adventure Aquarium, 1 Riverside Drive, Camden.

FLOWERS/FOUNTAINS
Festival of Fountains
Flowers and greenery are usually the focus of a trip to Longwood Gardens, but this annual summer show is all about the waterworks. And the lights. And there’s some mood music, too. Timed admission tickets are required, so plan your visit ahead of time.
$32, continues through October 27th, Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square.

WALKS/TOURS
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum
The 50-acre historic estate along the Delaware River is open for self-guided tours of its formal gardens and native woodlands. Picnics encouraged.
$15, through November 8th, Andalusia Historic House & Gardens, 1237 State Road, Andalusia.

WALKS/TOURS
Ghost Tours of Philadelphia
This candlelit tour explores the spookiest nooks and crannies of Old City, Society Hill, and such. Will you see the Dreaded Gauze Lady? I just made that up, but now I’m completely terrified. What does she want? What’s with all the gauze?
$27, through November 30th, every night at 7:30 p.m., departs from Signers’ Garden at 5th and Chestnut streets.

FALL/FESTIVAL
Hellerick’s Adventure Farm Fall Festival
Family fun fest on a farm in Bucks County includes wagon rides, a farm obstacle course, a five-acre corn maze, farm animals, a “tractor tire playground,” pick-your-own sunflowers and more.
$15, through December 1st, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Hellerick’s Adventure Farm, 5500 North Easton Road, Doylestown.

FALL/FESTIVAL
Fall Fest at Shady Brook Farm
This seasonal display includes many interesting sights and activities — a giant light show, barnyard animals, wagon rides, apple and pumpkin and sunflower picking, a Peanuts-themed corn maze and so on — but I’m somehow entranced by the “Cornado Slide.” Is it like a sharknado but with corn?
$12-$30, through October 31st, Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley.

FESTIVAL/FALL
Pumpkinland
Linvilla Orchards’ annual months-long celebration of the pumpkin includes a corn maze, train rides, pony rides, face painting (please don’t paint the pony’s face) and three types of hayrides (depending on when you visit). Fun fact: The pumpkin is the queen of the gourds and all good things are because she makes it so.
Free till you do something that costs money, through November 3rd, Linvilla Orchards, 137 West Knowlton Road, Media.

WALKS/TOURS
Spooky Tours in Chester County
Chester County History Center hosts a number of spooky season history-based guided walking tours with titles like “Plagues and Pestilence” and the lantern-led “Chilling West Chester: Dark History.”
$17.25, throughout October, Chester County History Center, 225 North Street, West Chester.

FOOD/SHOPPING
The Southeast Asian Market
Every weekend, vendors from area Lao, Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian communities sell food and ingredients FDR Park. In addition to the many cuisine options, you can pick up produce, clothing, jewelry, etc. Psst: Get yourself a savory stuffed chicken wing.
Pay as you go; Saturdays & Sundays through October; 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, 1500 Pattison Avenue.

FOOD/DRINK
PHS Pop-Up Gardens
It is still beer garden season, people. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society hosts two pop-up gardens: on South Street and in Manayunk. Still open!
Pay as you go, through late fall; PHS Pop-Up Garden at Manayunk, 106 Jamestown Avenue; PHS Pop-Up Garden at South Street, 1438 South Street.

SHOPPING/ART
Scarecrows in the Village
Every year around this time, Peddler’s Village in New Hope gets decked out in artfully crafted scarecrows and the public gets to vote on the best. There are more than 100 on display, none whom will follow you home due to a handshake agreement.
Free, through October 27th, Peddler’s Village, 2400 Street Road, New Hope.

ON STAGE

MUSIC/FESTIVAL
Philly Music Fest
The annual nonprofit music festival returns with eight nights featuring some of the best bands and artists in town.

• October 21st @ Ardmore Music Hall: Slaughter Beach, Dog, Hurry and Santa Chiara. $35, 7:45 p.m.
• October 22nd @ Ardmore Music Hall: Waxahatchee and @. $55, 8 p.m.
• October 23rd @ Johnny Brenda’s: Sheer Mag with The Out-Sect and Happy Body. $25, 8 p.m.
• October 24th @ World Cafe Live: Cosmic Guilt, Super Infinity and Cadre Noir in the Lounge; and Amos Lee and Anna Shoemaker in the Music Hall. $65, 7 p.m.
• October 25th @ Milkboy: Catbite, Reef The Lost Cauze, Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise and Queasy. $30, 8 p.m.
• October 26th @ Underground Arts: Devon Gilfillia, Mondo Cozmo, The Tisburys and Emily Drinker. $41.20, 8 p.m.
• October 27th @ Solar Myth: Marshall Allen and Angelo Outlaw. $37.08, 8 p.m.

October 21st-27th, multiple locations.

THEATER
Intimate Apparel
“Sewing beautiful lingerie gives Esther Mills, an African American seamstress, an intimate look at the lives of her clientele, but she yearns for a story of her own.” By Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Directed by Barrymore winner Amina Robinson.
$62, October 24th-December 1st, 8 p.m., Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

THEATER
Can I Be Frank?
Morgan Bassichis shines a spotlight Frank Maya — one of the “first out gay comedians on network television” — by recreating the comic/musician/performance artist’s 1987 show, Frank Maya Talks. Includes original material by Maya. Directed by Sam Pinkleton.
$35, October 25th & 26th, Wilma Theater, 265 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Red
Theatre Exile kicks off its season with John Logan’s two-hander about artist Mark Rothko and his assistant locked in a battle of wills over commercialism and the rise of Pop Art in the 1950s. Stars Scott Greer and Zach Valdez. Directed by Matt Pfeiffer.
$40-$45, October 24th-November 10th, Theatre Exile, 1340 South 13th Street.

THEATER
The Thanksgiving Play
Curio Theatre Company presents Larissa Fasthorse’s play about “four well-meaning but culturally insensitive white theater artists who attempt to create a politically correct elementary school play about the first Thanksgiving.”
$25-$30, October 23rd-November 9th, Curio Theatre Company, 4740 Baltimore Avenue.

COMEDY
Jackie Fabulous
The Bronx comic and America’s Got Talent alum plays a bunch of shows at Punch Line this week. Jackie Fabulous as appeared on Flatbush Misdemeanors, Pause with Sam Jay, and more.
$32-$44, October 24th-26th, Punch Line Philly, 33 East Laurel Street.

MUSIC
Philadelphia Orchestra
Riccardo Muti leads the Orchestra in a performance of Verdi’s Requiem, featuring soprano Juliana Grigorian, mezzo-soprano Isabel De Paoli, tenor Giovanni Sala, bass-baritone Maharram Huseynov, and the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir.
$71-$224, October 26th-28th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Venus in Fur
Bristol Riverside Theatre performs David Ives’ “sexy and hilarious” 2010 play about “an uninhibited actress who weasels her way into an audition” with a problematic director.
$15-$45, October 22nd-November 10th, Regency Room, 190 Mifflin Street, Bristol.

THEATER
Cyrano De Bergerac
Quintessence Theatre presents Philadelphia premiere of Martin Crimp’s new adaptation of the classic story of romance and deception. Stars Erica Lynn Bridge, J Hernandez, Daniel Chase Miller and more. Directed by Alexander Burns.
$40, through October 27th, Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Avenue.

THEATER
Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show
Ready for a real Time Warp? This Rocky Horror production at Bucks County Playhouse isn’t the well-known interactive movie experience — this is the musical that inspired that movie. Directed by Hunter Foster, choreographed by Shannon Lewis.
$82, runs through November 3rd, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope.

DANCE
Philadelphia Ballet: Le Corsaire
The city’s prestigious ballet company performs Le Corsaire, a “swashbuckling romance” with choreography by Angel Corella. Based on “an adventure tale in verse” by Lord Byron, with a score by Adolphe Adam.
$28-$238.25, through October 26th, Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street.

THEATER
The Knightly Quest
Known for their daring takes on classical theater, EgoPo presents this drama based on a Tennessee Williams novella you’ve never heard of. The plot? “A gay vampire escapes from an American police state in a getaway spaceship.”
$25, through October 27th, Cockatoo Bar, 208 South 13th Street.

COMEDY
Maria Bamford
The beloved comedian and actress — you know her face from Lady Dynamite and Arrested Development, and her voice from Big Mouth, BoJack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers, etc. — plays a run of shows at Helium this week that start on the early side. Which is nice. P.S. Maria Bamford and Scott Marvel Cassidy will all be at Partners and Son on October 27th, 1 p.m., to sign their graphic novel Hogbook & Lazer Eyes.
$32-$42, October 24th-27th, Helium, 2031 Sansom Street.

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.

THEATER
tick, tick… BOOM!
Theatre Horizon revives crowd favorite tick, tick…BOOM!, “a semi-autobiographical rock musical by Jonathan Larson,” the creator of Rent. Book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson, script consultant David Auburn; and vocal arrangements and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus.
$30-$100, through October 27th, Theatre Horizon, 401 DeKalb Street, Norristown.

THEATER
Shakespeare, Poe, and Fiends
This show includes spoken works by Delaware Shakespeare and music by Delaware Symphony Orchestra. Three performances in three different venues.
Free, October 26th, 5 p.m. @ Lewes Library; $45, October 27th, 3 p.m., @ Read House & Gardens, New Castle; and $45-$65, October 30th, 7:30 p.m. @ Old Town Hall, Wilmington.

THEATER
Nichos
Teatro Esperanza presents the world premiere of “multidisciplinary theater creation that traces the evolution of Mexican culture through 500 years of conquest, colonization, exile, assimilation, and cross-cultural generations,” by Tanaquil Márquez, Ximena Violante and Calo Rosa.
$15, through October 27th, Teatro Esperanza, Esperanza Arts Center, 4261 North 5th Street.

DANCE
FLIP Fabrique
The Canadian cirque group presents the Philly premiere of Slam, which “amplifies the theatrical and exuberant nature of wrestling, taking inspiration from the sport in its many forms from around the world.”
$25-$79, October 25th at 8 p.m. & October 26th at 2 p.m., Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.

THEATER
This Is the Week That Is: The Election Special
1812 Productions’ annual current-events high-wire satire shifts with the headlines, and includes sketches, musical parodies and improv comedy. Usually it’s a holiday thing, but they’re going with an election theme this year. Created and performed by Jennifer Childs, Sean Close, Pax Ressler, Newton Buchanan, Lexi Thammavong and Robyn Unger.
$47, through November 3rd, Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place.

THEATER
Jersey Boys
Walnut Street Theatre presents the musical biography of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice; music By Bob Gaudio; lyrics by Bob Crewe.
$97-$127, through November 3rd, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street.

THEATER/DANCE
Black Wood: Winterborn
Gunnar Montana has been one of the more exciting artists to muscle his way into the Fringe in the last several years, often incorporating danger and eroticism into his immersive visual and physical theatrical productions. This year the Philly choreographer-dancer-multi-hyphenate presents a “bone chilling,” multi-genre sequel-of-sorts to last year’s Black Wood, though you don’t need to have seen that to enjoy this.
$49, through October 30th, The Latvian Society, 531 North 7th Street.

MOVIES

Philadelphia Film Festival
The PFF continues with screenings of features, documentaries and shorts. Here’s a list of all the films in the fest. Here’s the schedule. Opening week highlights include:

• Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird Nicolas Jack Davies’ documentary illustrates the life and music Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of the bands At the Drive-in and The Mars Volta, using footage they shot themselves. October 21st, 8:30 p.m. @ Film Society East
• No One Died: The Wing Bowl Story A documentary of Philadelphia’s notorious wing eating contest. A Q&A with director Pat Taggart and producer Frank Petka will follow each screening. October 22nd, 8:45 p.m. @ Philadelphia Film Center; and October 26th, 10:15 p.m. @ PFS Bourse.
• The Philly Sound… Heard ’Round The World A documentary on Philly’s legendary Sigma Sound Studio, featuring Patti LaBell, Teddy Pendergrass, David Bowie, etc. A Q&A with director Bill Nicoletti and editor Dexter Gresh will follow each screening. October 23rd, 1:15 p.m. @ PFS Bourse; October 25th, 9 p.m. @ Philadelphia Film Center.
• The Last Showgirl Pamela Anderson, Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis and Kiernan Shipka star in Gia Coppola’s story of glitz, heartache and drama in Las Vegas. October 24th, 6:15 p.m. @ Philadelphia Film Center.
• The Quiet Ones A washed up Danish boxer turns to crime in Frederik Louis Hviid’s thriller. October 25th, 2:30 p.m. @ PFS Bourse.
• The Count of Monte Cristo “Pierre Niney gives a commanding performance as Edmond Dantès in this sweeping retelling of the cherished, iconic novel by Alexandre Dumas.” Directed by Alexandre De La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte. October 26th, 1:15 p.m., @ Philadelphia Film Center.
• Alpha “Perfectly tuned performances coupled with the strikingly captured vast landscapes build an icy atmosphere for this tense study of familial egos.” Directed by Jan-Willem van Ewijk. October 26th, 4:45 p.m., @ Philadelphia Film Center; October 27, 3:15 p.m. @PFS Bourse.
• On Becoming a Guinea Fowl “A searing drama that takes aim at patriarchal structures, exposing the devastation left behind from gender-based violence and challenging the very notion of family ties.” Directed by Rungano Nyoni. October 27th, 8:30 p.m. @ PFS Bourse.

Most screenings are $19, through October 27th, Philadelphia Film Center, PFS Bourse Theater, and PFS East. 

The Shining
Honestly, writers’ retreats always go like this. Tagline: “Iconic terror from the No. 1 bestselling writer.”
$13, October 22nd & 24th, 7 p.m., Hiway Theater, 212 Old York Road, Jenkintown.

Yokai Movie Week
Shofuso Japanese House hosts four days of Japanese Horror movies.

• October 22nd, Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, 1964)
• October 23rd, Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindô, 1968)
• October 24th, Kairo (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, 2002)
• October 25th, Ju-on: The Grudge (Takashi Shimizu, 2002)

$25, October 22nd-25th, 6:30 p.m., Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, Lansdowne Drive & Horticultural Drive.

Universal Monster Mash VIII
The beloved Mahoning Drive-In’s last weekend includes two nights of classic horror flicks starring Bela Lugosi, Claude Rains, Lon Chaney Jr., Boris Karloff and more.

• Friday: Dracula (directed by Tod Browning and Karl Freund 1931), The Wolf Man (Curt Siodmak, 1941) and Calling Dr. Death (Edward Dein, 1943).
• Saturday: Frankenstein (James Whale, 1931), Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1935), and Night Monster (Ford Beebe, 1942).

$12-$22, October 25th and 26th, 6-11:30 p.m., the Mahoning Drive-In Theater, 635 Seneca Road, Lehighton.

Haunted Halloween Drive-In Movie Experience
This Bucks County drive-in theater offers spooky movies in a spooky setting while “terrifying characters surround you and bring the story to life.” Tickets sell out quick; here’s what’s coming up:

• October 21st: Halloween (1978)
• October 22nd: Paranormal Activity (2007)
• October 23rd: Saw (2004)
• October 24th: Trick ‘R Treat (2007)
• October 25th: A Nightmare on Elm Steet (1984)
• October 26th: Insidious (2010)
• October 27th: Hocus Pocus (1993)
• October 28th: Scream (1996)
• October 29th: Friday the 13th (1980)
• October 30th: Halloween (1978)
• October 31st: Halloween (1978)

$55 per car, movies start at sunset, continues through October 31st, Snipes Farm, 890 West Bridge Street, Morrisville.

Now Showing @ the Art Museum

• Take a Seat: Understanding the Modern Chair — modern chairs from the permanent collection. Ongoing.
• Expanded Painting in the 1960s and 1970s — radical innovations in painting by Alma Thomas, Sam Gilliam and more. Ongoing.
• Collecting Japanese Art in Philadelphia — Drawn from the works highlighted in the new publication Art of Japan: Highlights from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Ongoing.
• Mythical Creatures: China and the World, explores diversity by comparing mythical creatures in different cultures. Through June 1st, 2025.
• Seeing with Empathy: The Female Gaze in American Modernism, ongoing.
• Mysteries, Copies and Forgeries. Through November 18th.

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

Now Showing @ Michener Art Museum

• George R. Anthonisen: Meditations on the Human Condition The Michener hosts a career-spanning exhibition of works by the accomplished sculptor, including 40 bronze sculptures, maquettes, and frescoes, inside and outside the museum. Through October 14th.
• Monuments and Myths Subtitled The America of Sculptors Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French, this new exhibition at Michener explores the artists’ “intersecting biographies and examines the affinities that made both of them leaders in their field.” Through January 5th. 

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

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.”
Free, exhibition continues through January 2026, Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street.

Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent
This exhibition will “bring to life the stories of individuals from all walks of life who saved Washington’s tent from being lost over the generations and who ultimately fashioned this relic into a symbol of the fragile American republic.” Includes art, artifacts, rare documents and the tent itself.
Included in museum admission of $13-$22, through January 5th, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 South 3rd Street.

The Poetry Gumball Machine Project
Poet and “multiform artist” LindoYes, the project is more or less what it sounds like, a mechanized sculpture that dispenses poetry stuffed inside little walnut shell capsules. The PGMP will be on display at the Museum for Art in Wood through the rest of the year. Through December 31st.
Free admission, Museum for Art in Wood, 141 North 3rd Street.

Entryways: Nontsikelelo Mutiti 
The Zimbabwean-born visual artist and educator was invited to reimagine the windows on the ICA’s facade.
Free, through December 31st. Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 South 36th Street.

The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution
The Mercer Museum’s immersive exhibition tells the story of Revolutionary War-era loyalists. “Learn how these local outlaws plotted, schemed, and plundered their way through a divided world in the earliest days of a budding American nation, and why their deep loyalty to British rule in the colonies made them enemies of the Founding Fathers.”
$15, through December 31st, Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown. 

The Art of the Brick
This exhibition of “inspiring artwork” — bricked-up versions of Starry Night, Mona Lisa, etc., made by LEGO master Nathan Sawaya — will never end. There’s also a 9,000-square-foot brick play space.
$20-$43, through November 17th Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21st

MOVIES/MUSIC
Marc Ribot / Aelita, Queen of Mars
The veteran guitarist and composer performs a live solo score to Aelita, Queen of Mars, a Soviet silent sci-fi movie from 1924, directed by Yakov Protazanov. Aelita is believed to be the first science-fiction film ever made.
$30, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

MUSIC
Philadelphia Orchestra Musicians
The Mütter Museum hosts this chamber music concert with a program that includes Mendelssohn’s Viola Quintet and Dvorak Quintet. Followed by a light reception.
$50, 6:30-9 p.m., Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

THEATER
I Put On Pants For This
1812 Productions interrupts its regularly scheduled This Is The Week That Is: The Election Special to present this live show on the “the history of political humor from Will Rogers to John Oliver,” plus clips from previous This Is The Week That Is productions.
$25-$30, 7 p.m., Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place.

WRESTLING
WWE Monday Night Raw
The evening’s competitors include Gunther, Seth Rollins, Damian Priest, Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso, Sami Zayn, Rhea Ripley, The New Day and Liv Morgan. Remember when wrestlers had cool names. Now so many of them just have regular people names. Damien Priest’s kind of a badass name, but I just looked him up. Is he evil or does he just wear weird vests?
$40-$705, 7:30 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad Street.

BOOKS/CRIME
Philly’s Irish Mob: The Mythic K & A Gang
Allen Hornblum — author of Confessions of a Second Story Man: Junior Kripplebauer and the K & A Gang — will discuss “the history of the city’s colorful Irish Mob.” Bonus: “Former members of the gang will be there to recount their experiences.”
Free, 5 p.m., Holmesburg Library, 7810 Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
Jeffrey Siegel
The beloved pianist performs a concert entitled Beethoven: Love & Defiance as part of the Keyboard Conversations series, which includes introductory remarks and a Q&A.
$38-$50, 7:30 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

More Monday Stuff

• MUSIC: Molly Nilsson, with Air Waves and Apostille. $20, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
• MUSIC: Elyanna, with Zeemuffin & MC Abdul. $40, 8 p.m., TLA, 334 South Street.
• MUSIC: Rival Schools, with Webbed Wing, Hollow Suns and Twowayradio. $40, 7:30 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street.
• MUSIC: Vince Staples, with Baby Rose. $34.50, 8 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
• MUSIC: John Douglas (of Trashcan Sinatras), with Lauren Calve. $20, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MOVIES: Philadelphia Psychotronic Film Society, “cult/weirdo/trash films.” $5, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22nd

MUSIC
Larry David
Mistrial stinger notwithstanding, the Curb finale was a satisfying coin flip on the Seinfeld finale 26 years earlier. Why shouldn’t Larry David (the character) be locked up for a singular act of kindness in a lifetime of intolerance and selfishness? Back in the day, Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer ended up as martyrs for their right to not give a shit in a society that claimed to value compassion. Now here’s Larry, on trial for showing kindness — an aberration, for sure — in a society that values spiteful rules over common sense. Larry David is precisely the type of the hero our modern dystopia should create: an asshole of tremendous courage.
$145-$354,7:30 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.

BOOKS
Debut Authors in Horror, Romance, Historical Fiction, & Nonfiction
Kelly Writers House hosts this afternoon program featuring hosted by Kitsi Watterson, and featuring authors Ashton Lattimore, Laura Piper Lee, Karen Tang and Nicole M. Wolverton.
Free, noon, Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk.

MUSIC
Trace Mountain
While his old band LVL UP was lo-fi and kinda grunge, David Benton has in more recent years embraced an earthier, more rustic sound. Trace Mountains’ newest, Into The Burning Blue, is a slab of pretty, gritty folk-pop, and a great spot to get on board with the veteran indie songwriter. With Long Beard and Carmen Perry.
$17, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

More Tuesday Stuff

• BOOKS/TALK: Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture, with editor and founder Eric Nakamura. Free, 6:30-8 p.m., Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street.
• MOVIES: Jennifer’s Body Horror Movie Bingo, hosted by Miss Mary-Leigh. Free, 7 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Hulder, with About One Of Nine and Black Medieval Sorrow. $25, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• MOVIES/THEATER: Frankenstein (Danny Boyle, 2011), stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. $19, 1 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.
• MUSIC: Wave To Earth, with Milena. $61-$227, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.
• MUSIC: Loboko. Free, 8 p.m., The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street.
• CIVICS: Yay or Nay? Does Voting Matter (WHYY Bridging Blocks). Free, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Philadelphia City Institute Library, 1905 Locust Street.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23rd

MUSIC
Joan Osborne
The veteran singer-songwriter released her 13th record, the optimistic but politically charged Nobody Owns You, just about a year ago. If you didn’t know, Joan Osborne’s got some Philly connections, thanks to her collaborations with Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian of the Hooters. Here’s a cool piece from the Guardian looking back on the origins of her hit song, “One of Us.”
$45, 8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.

SCIENCE/BOOKS
Shopping All the Way to the Woods
Rachel Gross — historian and author of Shopping All the Way to the Woods: How the Outdoor Industry Sold Nature to America will lecture on “Gore-Tex and Do-It-Yourself Kits: How Synthetic Fibers Transformed the Outdoor Industry.” Reception to follow.
Free, 6-8 p.m., Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street.

CIVICS/TALK
Export Controls, Sanctions, and Anti-boycott Rules: A Hot Topic
The World Affairs Council hosts this “comprehensive overview of export compliance best practices, latest trends and latest enforcement actions taken by the U.S. government,” featuring speakers Daniel B. Pickard and Milton I. Koch.
$40, 11:30 p.m., Racquet Club of Philadelphia, 215 South 16th Street.

MOVIES/DISCUSSION
Attack the Block
Joe Cornish’s smart, stylish 2011 alien invasion film stars John Boyega, Leeon Jones and Jodie Whittaker. Tagline: “Inner City vs. Outer Space.” Preceded by the short film Jolly Butcher and followed by a talkback with Vincent Williams and Len Webb of The Micheaux Mission podcast and Stephanye Watts of the Be Reel Black Cinema Club.
$15, 7 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.

MUSIC
Naima Bock
Lotta Sub Pop artists in town this week, and none of ’em sound alike. British singer-songwriter Bock makes folky, pastoral, nearly churchy indie rock with thumbed guitar strings and long wavering notes. She just dropped her second record Below a Massive Dark Land about a month ago. Adeline Hotel opens show.
$18, 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, Side Chapel, 2125 Chestnut Street.

MUSIC/VOTE
Skilla Baby / Teel Grizzly
Sign up to vote, get a free concert ticket.
Free with registration, 7 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

FOOD/BOOKS
Edible Books Party
Kelly Writers House’s annual Edible Books party is always a buffets of good eat and dubious puns, with volunteers offering fine foodstuffs with names like The Warmth of Buttered Buns, Wolf Challah, Cheddar Let Meat Go, Two Game Hen in Little America, Long Bright Liver, and Hateship, Friendship, Cornchip, Sunchip, and so on. I just made those up. I know!
Free, 5:30 p.m., Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk.

More Wednesday Stuff

• MUSIC: Gipsy Kings, featuring Jules Olsen. $48-$128, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
• MOVIES: Exhumed Films presents Horror-Thon Post-Mortem Double Feature, movies never TBA. $18.66, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.
• MOVIES: The Driller Killer (Abel Ferrara, 1979). $5, 8 p.m., Cartesian Brewing, 1326 East Passyunk Avenue. 
• MUSIC: PawPaw Rod, with Topaz Jones. $20, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• MUSIC: Pigeon Pit, with Paper Bee and Ezra Cohen. $14.28, 7:30 p.m., Foto Club, 3743 Frankford Avenue.
• MUSIC: Julie, with Frost Children and Her New Knife. $37-$70, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.
• MUSIC: Torri Weidinger, with Victoryland & Julian. $15-$20, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
• MOVIES: A Hard Day’s Night (Richard Lester, 1964), starring the Beatles. $13, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.
• MOVIES: Ganja & Hess (Bill Gunn, 1973). “After being stabbed with an ancient, germ-infested knife, a doctor’s assistant finds himself with an insatiable desire for blood.” $12, 7 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24th

MUSIC
MJ Lenderman & the Wind
Prolific indie rocker MJ Lenderman was all set to tour behind Manning Fireworks, his fifth record in six years, when one of those once-in-a-century storms hit his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. I’m sure you saw the images of the flooded streets and heard the heartbreaking stories. If you haven’t given money yet, or want to give some more, consider buying Cardinals At The Window, an insanely massive compilation download featuring 136 tracks by the likes of Lenderman, The Mountain Goats, The Hold Steady, Phish, Mary Lattimore, Eric Slick, Wye Oak, Superchunk and so many freakin’ more.
$30-$35, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

MUSIC
TLC
T-Boz and Chilli have been celebrating their smash hit second record, 1994’s CrazySexyCool — the one with “Creep,” “Red Light Special” and, of course, “Waterfalls.”
$59-99, 8 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.

BOOKS
Malcolm Gladwell
The famed author and podcaster returns to some familiar territory in his new book, Revenge of the Tipping Point. Gladwell will discuss his work with Michelle Miller. (This is a Free Library event, but note the off-site venue.)
$50, 7:30 p.m., Congregation Rodeph Shalom 615 North Broad Street.

MOVIES
Film Safari Ghana
Gonzo filmmaker Andrew Leavold presents the Philly premiere of his new documentary which “mixes film clips, interviews, and cinema-verité footage to create a vivid, vibrant and violent postcard from one of cinema’s final frontiers.” Also on the bill: Flying Baptists Over Nollywood.
$14.93, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

MUSIC
Sunset Rubdown
If you’re willing to follow Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade to a second location, check out his sometimes side project Sunset Rubdown, who just released their first record since 2009 called Always Happy to Explode. With Sister Ray.
$25, 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street.

KIDS/SPOOKY
Autumn on the Avenue in Mount Airy
Bring kids in costume for a pre-Halloween trick-or-treat at Mount Airy businesses from the 6600 through 6900 blocks of Germantown Avenue. Fun activities include crafts with ARTrageous.
Free,, 3:30-6 p.m., Germantown Avenue in Mount Airy.

MUSIC
Christina Ward
Dreamy, spacey, shoegazey, wavery, quavery, Doylestown rocker Christina Ward celebrates the release of Neon, her second EP of the year by my count. Give this a listen. Also on the bill: Geology (a.k.a. Greg Jehanian of mewithoutYou.) and Fullscreen.
$12, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
Elmiene
With a voice that’s varies from hard as candy and sweet and delicate as crème brûlée, British singer Elmiene sings soothing, grooving soulful, sexy R&B. Nia Smith opens the show.
$130, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

More Thursday Stuff

• MUSIC: Lee Brice, with Carson Wallace. $41-$153, 8 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.
• MUSIC: Descartes A Kant. $15, 8 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
• MUSIC: Robyn Hitchcock, with Imogen Clark. $30-$50, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Glenn Miller Orchestra. $45-$65, 7 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.
• MOVIES/PODCASTS: I Saw the TV Glow (2024), followed by Q&A with Ghouls Next Door podcasters. $5-$10, 7:30 p.m., The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street.

• DANCE PARTY: Chappell Roan & Charli XCX Dance Party. $15, 9 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
• BOOKS: Anna Marie Tendler, signs Men Have Called Her Crazy. Free, 5 p.m., Barnes and Noble, 1708 Chestnut Street.
• MOVIES: Jennifer’s Body (Karyn Kusama, 2009) A low-key great high school horror movie about murder and friendship. $13, 7 p.m., Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler.
• MOVIES: Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 1999). Taglines: “Ever wanted to be someone else? Now you can.” $20, 1 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25th

COMEDY
Joe Pera
You know, it can be a drag writing about all ignorant belly-rubbing bro comics coming to town week after week, so it does my heart good to say that Joe Pera — the best off-speed comedian in the biz — is doing two shows at Franklin Music Hall.
$35, 6 & 9:15 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.

PARTY/SPOOKY
Dracula’s Ball
Dancing Ferret’s annual Halloween party returns, with Seraphim Shock, Panic Lift and Red Lokust. Costumes encouraged.
$25, 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

MUSIC
Hinds
Madrid garage-rockers/BFFs Carlotta Cosials and Ana García Perrote, a.k.a. Hinds, just released their fourth record Viva Hinds last month, and you know what I’ll never have the kind of super casual, touchy-feely, draped-all-over-each-other friendship they have. Look at their new album cover. Look at just about every press photo. They’ve never been more than an inch from each other their whole adult lives. It’s sweet. We should hug more. Also on the bill: The Happy Return and Echo Kid.
$26, 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut Street.

MUSIC
Die Antwoord
I bet Chappie lets it go to voicemail when Ninja calls.
$50-$55, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

THEATER
Chazz Palminteri: A Bronx Tale
Actor/writer/director Chazz Palminteri revives his “Machiavellian fable” about growing up on the tough streets of the Bronx and such. You may know the movie but A Bronx Tale started out as this acclaimed one-man show.
$49.50-$85, 8 p.m., Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

SPOOKY/PARTY/SHOPPING
Halloween Art Market
Art in the Age and HAUNT Halloween Pop-up Bar team up for a “bone-chilling evening of drinks, dancing, and Halloween revelry. My bones are so cold now! More on this here.
Pay as you go, 6-10 p.m., the Divine Lorraine, 699 North Broad Street.

COMEDY
Adam Ray Is Dr. Phil Live
Comedian/actor Adam Ray — you may recognize him from Curb Your Enthusiasm, Barbie, MadTV, Hacks, etc. — satirizes Oprah’s favorite doctor, often with celebrity guests and characters.
$39.75-$159.75, 7 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.

DANCE
¡BAILAR en FDR!
This is it, the last salsa party of the year in FDR Park’s pretty, open-air Boathouse. First a lesson, then we dance.
Free, donations appreciated, dance lesson 7:30-8:30 p.m., social dance 8:30-10:30 p.m., through October 25th, FDR Boathouse, Pattison Avenue & 20th Street.

DANCE/GALA
Philadelphia Ballet
The company celebrates its 60th anniversary — not to mention Angel Corella’s 10th anniversary as artistic director — with “a glittering selection of ballet excerpts from 60 years of the Company’s best loved performances.”
$10-$160, 6:30 p.m., Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Powerhouse ’24
Power 99’s annual concert is a revered Philly institution with that reliably presents well-known hip-hop and R&B artists alongside rising stars. This year’s lineup includes A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Gunna, Sexyy Red, BossMan Dlow, Jordan Adetunji, Lay Bankz and 2Rare. Plus DJ Diamond Kuts & Friends.
$29-$239, 6 p.m., Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad Street.

MOVIES/SPOOKY
The Secret Cinema: Fright @ Night
The Secret Cinema — finders of lost and rare media — returns to the Franklin Institute with a 90-minute program of spooky shorts. This is part of the Franklin Institute’s larger Science After Hours event which includes food, drink, stargazing and more.
$35-$40, 7:30 p.m., The Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

KIDS
Barely Scarely Halloween Spooktacular at Smith Memorial Playground
Come in costume for an evening of fun at the 6.5-acre playground. The party includes arts and crafts, a costume parade, trick-or-treating, pony rides, giveaways and more. RSVP online.
Free, 4-6:30 p.m., Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, 3500 Reservoir Drive.

MUSEUMS/PARTY
Dinos After Dark
Eat, drink and mingle among the bones of prehistoric creatures who would surely have done the same to you given the opportunity.
Pay what you wish ($10 recommended donation), 5-8 p.m., Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

THEATER
Wedding Crashers’ Ball
This interactive performance includes dinner, dancing, comedy and drama by Philly’s women-led inFLUX Theatre Collective. Also: silent auction, black tie/festive attire and an afterparty in the venue’s vintage rathskeller. Proceeds benefit Glen Foerd Mansion.
$1250, 7 p.m., Glen Foerd Mansion, 5001 Grant Avenue.

More Friday Stuff

• DANCE PARTY: San Junipero, ’80s pop & new wave dance party. $7-$10, 10 p.m., The 700, 700 North 2nd Street.
• MUSIC/PARTY: Glossoween: Carnival of Cringe, with Gloss, Avatareden, UgLi, drag, balloon animals, etc. $22.40, 8 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.
• MUSIC: We Are One X-Perience, celebrating the life and legacy of Frankie Beverly. $35-$55, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• COMEDY: Charlie Berens. $29-$94, 7 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

• MUSIC: French Police, with Wisteria and Johnny Dynamite and The Bloodsuckers. $18, 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
• COSTUME PARTY: Emo Night Philly, with DJ Deejay. $12, 10 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
• COMEDY: Michael Blaustein. $25-$65,8 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.
• MUSIC: Sarah McLachlan. $90-$200, 8 p.m., Borgata Hotel, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City.
• MOVIES: Halloween 4 (Dwight H. Little) $17, 9:45 p.m., Hiway Theater, 212 Old York Road, Jenkintown.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26th

COMEDY
Matt Mathews
The comedian/YouTuber is on his Boujee On A Budget tour.
$41-$82, 8 p.m., The Met, 858 North Broad Street.

MOVIES
The Films of Mtume Gant: Black Cinema on the Margins
Watch short films by Mtume Gant including Spit (2015), White Face (2017) and Mold Malachi (2022), followed by a Q&A with the award-winning NYC-based director and a preview of his forthcoming feature The Hand that Feeds.
$0-$25 donation, 5:30-7:15 p.m., Making Worlds Bookstore & Social Center, 210 South 45th Street.

MUSIC
OSees
The San Francisco garage band FKA Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, The Ohsees, etc. released their, holy crap, 28th record in August. That’s … is that too many? Godcaster opens the show.
$26-$28, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

HISTORY/TOUR
Bloodletting & Burials
Every Saturday in October, the Betsy Ross House hosts these tours featuring reenactors talking about the gross and weird medical stuff going on in colonial Philadelphia like smallpox, bloodletting, yellow fever, etc.
$20, 6 & 8 p.m., Betsy Ross House, 239 Arch Street.

MUSIC
Nina Ryser
The off-kilter Philly synth-rocker celebrates the release of the powerful new Water Giants at JBs on Saturday. It’s an engaging and thoughtfully made record that expands on Ryser’s established freaky, pulsing bedroom sound that sometimes bounds bravely into catchier, more fetching territory. It is, in its own weird and deliberate way, lovely.
$15, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
World of Percussion: Bridge Session for Families
Bring the kids to this interactive educational show that includes demonstrations of traditional percussion instruments. Also: arts & crafts, food and more.
Free, 11:30 a.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.

SPOOKY
Twisted Tail’s Beetlejuice Bash
The Twisted Tail’s annual Halloween soirée includes live entertainment, a costume contest with prizes, and a Beetlejuice-themed photo booth. Plus every 15 minutes from 11 p.m. to midnight (“Witching Hour”) there’ll be a new spooky drink special to try. The party is free to attend; drinks are pay-as-you-go.
Pay-as-you-go, 8 p.m.-midnight, Twisted Tail, 509 South 2nd Street.

DANCE PARTY
“Bride of Trestlestein” Halloween Dance Party at the Trestle Inn
Head to a spooky, vinyl-only dance party featuring scary movie clips, go-go dancers, a “Kiss the Bride” cocktail special, and a “Killer Disco” DJ set.
$25, 9 p.m.-2 a.m., the Trestle Inn, 339 North 11th Street.

SHOPPING/MUSIC
The South Street Vinyl Block Party
Repo Records and Record Riots hosts this big old outdoor shopping op promising more than “40 tables of LPs, CDs, 45s, vintage clothes, crystals,” etc.
Pay as you go, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., South Street, between 5th and 6th streets.

RUN/WALK
End Childhood Cancer 5K Walk/Run
The 2024 Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation hosts this event to raise money for childhood cancer research. Costumes encouraged.
$30-$65, 8-11 a.m., Philadelphia Navy Yard, Marine Parade Grounds, 4747 S Broad Street.

MUSIC
Asa-Chang & Junray
Asian Arts presents an evening of avant garde music that combines percussion, sax, violin and more while also exploring “the transference of human to machine sounds using a processing device Junray Tronics.” Watch this video.
$20, 8-10 p.m., Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street.

SPOOKY
Haunted Helicopters
Chester’s Helicopter Museum decks out its vehicles with spiders, skeletons and trick or treat stations.
$15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., American Helicopter Museum & Education Center, 1220 American Boulevard, West Chester.

FESTIVAL
Fall Fest and Spooky Saturday on East Passyunk Avenue
East Passyunk’s annual Halloween celebration takes over the Avenue with live performances, pumpkin-carving, and trick-or-treating at local businesses. Adults, meanwhile, will enjoy vendors selling crafts, food specials, and even festive cocktails.
Free, pay-as-you-go, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., East Passyunk Avenue.

MOVIES
Bye Bye Tiberias
Actress Hiam Abbass (Succession) she “returns to her Palestinian village with her daughter after years of pursuing her acting career in France. The film explores the powerful legacy of separation across four generations of Palestinian women.” Followed by a discussion with director Lina Soualem and Egyptian film critic Joseph Fahim.
Pay what you wish, 2-3 p.m., Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, 310 West Master Street.

More Saturday Stuff

• FESTIVAL/CULTURE: Taste of the Philippines. Free to enter, 1-5 p.m., Cherry Street Pier, 121 North Columbus Boulevard.
• OPERA/SPOOKY: Opera On Tap: Ghosts in the Hood. $35-$60, 5 p.m., Hood Cemetery, 4901 Germantown Avenue.
• MUSIC: Lily Rose, with Michael Warren. $22, 7:15 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Avenue.
• CONFERENCE: Girls Exploring Tomorrow’s Technology Expo. Free, noon-5 p.m., Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Avenue, Oaks.
• MUSIC/TRIBUTE: Unloveable (The Smiths), with Strange Attraction (The Cure) and Myriad Lights (Siouxsie and the Banshees). $15-$20, 6:30 p.m., Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 North Front Street.
• MUSIC: Rise Against, with L.S. Dunes and Spiritual Cramp. Sold out, 7:30 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 North Seventh Street.
• MUSIC: Duran Duran. $326-$2248, 8 p.m., Borgata Hotel, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City.

• MOVIES/KIDS: Inside Out (Pete Docter, Ronnie Del Carmen, 2015), Tagline: Meet the little voices inside your head. $7.50, 11 a.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
• DANCE PARTY: Bollywood Night, a Diwali Celebration with TwoSisterrz. $16-$31, 10 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.
• MUSIC: Pokey LaFarge, with The Tailspins. $25-$38, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
• MUSIC: John Byrne Band, with Dave Cope. $20-$22, 8:30 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.
• COMEDY/PODCAST: Girls Gotta Eat. $42-$109, 8 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.
• CULTURE: Lenape Cultural Program. Free, 1-4 p.m., Pennsbury Manor, 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville.
• RUN: Gritty 5K, Benefiting Flyers Charities. 7:30-10:30 a.m., Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad Street.

• SPOOKY/SHOPPING: Haunted Haddon Market. Pay as you go, 4-8 p.m., Haddon Square 51 Haddon Ave., Haddon Township.
• COMEDY: Tommy Tiernan. $66, 8 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street. 
• FESTIVAL/BEER: Spooky Sips: A Halloween Candy Inspired Beer Festival. $15, noon-5 p.m., Evil Genius Beer Company, 1727 North Front Street.
• MUSIC: Renaissance, classic renaissance songs. $49.50-$89.50, Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.
• MOVIES/OPERA: Carmen performed by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum (directed by Calixto Bieito). Starring Justina Gringyte, Eric Cutler, Eleanor Dennis, Leigh Melrose. $20, 1 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
• KIDS/HALLOWEEN: Rittenhouse Row BOOtiful Brunch and Trick-or-Treat

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27th

MUSIC
Drug Church
I guess I assumed Albany-born post-hardcore band Drug Church named their first record Paul Walker in tribute to the Fast and the Furious actor following his untimely death. Then I found out the record preceded the incident by four months. Just one of those things. Drug Church released their fifth record Prude a couple weeks ago. Modern Color, Soul Blind and Pony open this show.
$26-$30, 7:30 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

MOVIES/SPOOKY
Queering Fear
Fat Lady Brewing in Manayunk hosts a screening of a horror film, a drag performance, and panel discussion of related topics like the Final Girl concept, mental health and trauma, and humor and camp. Vendors and costume party, too.
$13-$55, 2:30-7 p.m., Fat Lady Brewing, 4323 Main Street.

MUSIC
Curtis Symphony Orchestra
Featuring Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä and Philly’s famed Time for Three trio. The program includes Jean Sibelius, Jennifer Higdon and Sergei Prokofiev.
$24-$59, 3 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

MOVIES/MUSIC
Scream of My Blood: A Gogol Bordello Story Tour
Watch a new documentary about Eugene Hütz of Gogol Bordello, including “his defiant return to Ukraine after the Russian invasion.” Followed by a Q&A and a live performance by Hütz and his bandmate Sergey Ryabtsev.
$30, 7:30 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.

MOVIES/MUSIC
Nosferatu
Organist Wayne Zimmerman provides the score while you watch F.W. Murnau’s classic horror picture 1922. Stars Max Schreck as Count Orlok.
$12, 2 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.

KIDS/SPOOKY
Halloween on the Hill
Chestnut Hill goes all out on Sunday, with businesses handing out treats and goodies. Here’s the full rundown.

• Trick or Treating on the Hill @ 1-3 p.m.
• Halloween Scavenger Hunt @ noon-4 p.m.
• Halloween Pet Parade @ 12:30-1 p.m.

Free unless you spend money, Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike in Chestnut Hill.

KIDS/SPOOKY/DRAG
Drag Queen Monster Bash
Kids ages four to eight are to Music Theatre Philly for a drag performance, a Descendants-themed musical theater dance class, arts and crafts, and trick-or-treating. Parents can drop-off or stay for the fun.
$50, 12:30-2:30 p.m., Music Theatre Philly, 1301 Locust Street.

KIDS/SPOOKY
PopUpPlay’s Halloween Party at Cherry Street Pier
Come for a Halloween parade, a kids’ dance party, a scavenger hunt, lots of craft activities, and more at Cherry Street Pier.
Free, 2-5 p.m., 121 North Columbus Boulevard.

CABARET
Karen Akers
An intimate performance full of music and storytelling by the Tony-nominated actress and singer.
$95 (plus $25 minimum beverage purchase), 7:30 p.m., Bucks County Playhouse Barn, 70 South Main Street, New Hope.

MUSIC
Sweet Honey in the Rock
The world-famous a cappella ensemble known for their soulful gospel/R&B/jazz sound celebrates 50 years in the biz.
$46-$109, 7 p.m., Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.

MOVIES
Black Eyed Susan
Director Scooter McCrae will be on hand for the Philadelphia premiere of his new horror film about a dude hired to test out a robot built to be… let’s just leave it at that. Sounds intense. Followed by a Q&A with McCrae, moderated by Joseph A. Gervasi.
$14.93, 7:30 p.m., PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street.

More Sunday Stuff

• MUSIC: Karl Blau, with Carly Brand and Koof. $20, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.
• BRUNCH: Mamma Mia! — an ABBA Fabulous Brunch, with the Neon Queen. $20-$25, noon, City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Breakwater. $25-$40, 7:30 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.
• MUSIC: Avlis Sotnas Anasus & Jordan Glenn duo, and The Early. $10-$20, 8 p.m., Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Avenue.
• MOVIES: Fright Night (Tom Holland, 1985), with actors William Ragsdale and Stephen Geoffreys in attendance, plus a bonfire. $20, 5-11:30 p.m., The Mahoning Drive-In Theater, 635 Seneca Road, Lehighton.
• MUSIC: Shadow Knell, “An Evening of Fantasy & Dungeon Synthesizer.” $15, 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, Side Chapel, 2125 Chestnut Street.
• SPOOKY/KIDS: Tricks & Treats @ Pennsbury Manor. Free, 1-4 p.m., Pennsbury Manor, 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville.
• MOVIES: Phantom of the Paradise Brian De Palma’s 1974 campy rock opera starring Paul Williams, William Finley and Jessica Harper. Tagline: “The music made him do it!” $12, 7 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.

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