Here’s another great event for the whole family happening this weekend in the neighborhood. The University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St) invites friends and neighbors to their 4th annual Chili Bowl event that will be held on Sunday, Apr. 7, from 1 – 5 p.m.

As always, the UCAL staff will fill up bowls made in their pottery studio with different versions of delicious warm chili, veggie and meat, provided by nine local restaurants: Atiya Ola, Distrito, Gold Standard Café, Green Line Café, Guacamole Mex Grill, Harvest, Honest Tom’s, Milk and Honey, and Powelton Pizza. Once again, Greg Salisbury, head of SOOP catering, will be creating meat and vegan chili and Yards Brewing will be supplying beverages.

The annual Chili Bowl event raises funds for the University City Arts League’s Pottery Studio. (Photo courtesy UCAL).

Sounds great, right? All you have to do is to buy a beautiful hand-crafted chili bowl and you can eat all the free chili you want. And if you bring your kids, they all will eat free when their parents purchase a bowl! After you try all the chili you can vote for the best chili-maker in the neighborhood.

“This is a really fun event,” says Noreen Shanfelter, Arts League executive director. “It’s great for the whole family. We’ll have music and face painting for the children to enjoy.”

This event benefits the UCAL Pottery Studio. It will help cover the expenses of a new, third kiln that was recently added to increase capacity at the studio and new lighting.

Pottery is the most popular of all courses at the Arts League and is available for children, aged 5 to 12 after school Monday to Friday, and for adults on the weekends and on several weeknights.

For more information contact the Arts League at 215 382 7811 or visit www.ucartsleague.org.

On Sunday, April 7, Dock Street Brewery (50th and Baltimore) will become a venue for two great events – a fundraiser for Cedar Park Neighbors scholarships and a pop-up shop featuring local artists and merchants.

The 6th Annual Scholarship Fundraiser which supports local youths’ pursuit of higher education will take place from 4-6 p.m. and will include beer and pizza, a silent auction, and live music by local band Big Tusk. Tickets are $40 and are available at the door or online. To buy tickets online click here.

Dock Street’s first pop-up shop will begin at 1 p.m. and go on until 8 p.m., so you if you’re participating in the fundraiser you can definitely check out this event, too. Here’s a list of participants:

Pinups For Pitbulls

Recycled Lovers -Vintage clothing and accessories

El Vivimor -Vintage clothing and accessories

Terra Luna – herbal vinegars

Wicked Apothecary – all natural soaps and skin care products

Adelina Mictlan Jewelry – occult style jewelry

Thrillhaus – tees, painted skulls and prints

Cut & Paste Photo Booth

As the Crow Flies & Co. -re-purposed heirloom jewelry & retro style kids clothes

Bitten Sweets – handmade chocolates, crafted into devilish shapes

For more information on the vendors and the event visit: shopdockstreet.wordpress.com.

There will be a raffle to benefit Pinups For Pitbulls, a non-profit organization comprised of animal lovers, advocates and educators. A few of the vendors and local businesses are donating things to raffle off. Dock Street will have pizza slices and will be serving all six taps and new beer cocktails, such as Dude’s Manhattan, Rye Bloody Maria, Pilsner Brew-driver, and a few more.

Have you been missing those one dollar samosas, mini burgers, pizza slices, craft beer, cupcakes, yoga certificates, theater tickets and other items that Baltimore Avenue Dollar Strolls bring to the neighborhood every summer? We have some good and bad news. Let’s start with good – this hugely popular event is coming back this summer and will again include tons of great $1 deals on Baltimore Avenue from 42nd to 50th Streets, from a growing number of participating local businesses.

The somewhat sad news is that there will be only two strolls this summer, down from four strolls in 2011. We hear that it’s a great effort and expenses to put this event together (the attendance grew to 20,000 visitors in 2012), with little revenue for participants, so the organizers had to make the decision to cut the number of the strolls for this year.

This year, the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Strolls are scheduled for June 13 and September 12, to ring in and close out the summer season. We’ll let you know more later about who will take part in these events and what they will offer.

Spring is finally here and The Porch, once a congested parking lot and now an animated public space adjacent to the second busiest train station in the country, is getting ready to start its 2013 season programming. Beginning this Wednesday, April 3, all are welcome to stop by The Porch between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on most weekdays and enjoy gourmet food trucks, live music, street performers, fitness bootcamps, and a beer garden. Here’s more information on what’s coming up this month.

Lunchtime Accordion Serenade, Mondays & Fridays, Noon – 1 p.m.

Experience the beauty of solo accordion, from Eastern European to South American, Polka to American Jazz.

WXPN Philly Local Wednesdays, Wednesdays, Noon

Live music every Wednesday from Philly’s rising stars.
April 3 – Dante Bucci
April 10 – The Fleeting Ends
April 17 – Christie Lenée
April 24 – The Splashing Pearls

Gourmet Food Trucks

Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Cow and the Curd
Cupcake Carnival
Lucky Old Souls
The Sunflower Truck Stop

Fridays, 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.
Just Jackie’s Food Truck
Say Cheese
Spot Burger
Sweetbox Cupcakes

Bodyrock Fitness, Thursdays, 6 p.m.

Put your lunch break to work for you with fitness programming from University City’s BodyRock Bootcamp.

April 4 – Bootcamp
April 11 – Bokwa
April 18 – Zumba
April 25 – Bootcamp

Give And Take street performers and The Little Circus

The Give and Take Jugglers and Little Circus shows feature juggling, comedy, vaudeville, circus arts and theater.

Wednesday, April 3, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Street Performers

Friday, April 12, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Little Circus

Backpack Gallery, Friday, April 5, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Combining contemporary visual art and performance, the Backpack Gallery brings the art to you.

The Porch Beer Garden, Thursday, April 18, 3-8 p.m.; Friday, April 19, 3-8 p.m.

Experience the Outdoor Beer Garden at The Porch at 30th Street Station. Bridgewater’s Pub will offer German and craft beers. Enjoy the fresh air and live music.

For more information about events at The Porch at 30th Street Station visit http://universitycity.org/porch-events

As always, we are publishing information on upcoming Easter egg hunts in West and Southwest Philadelphia. If you know of any other Easter egg hunts, please drop us a line at: editor@westphillylocal.com or post in the comments below.

Saturday, March 30

Easter Egg Hunt and Crafts & Fun in Clark Park

Where: Next to the toddler playground (43rd and Chester)

When: 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (rain or shine!)

Who: Age 1 – 8

The event is being hosted by the Renewal Presbyterian Church (47th and Cedar). Participants should sign up for the egg hunt at the beginning of the event. Contact information:  e-mail: office@renewalchurch.org, phone: 267-564-5105.

Spring Egg Hunts at Walnut Street West Library

Where: 40th & Walnut

When: 10:30 a.m.

Who: Preschool age kids

When: 1 p.m.

Who: School age kids

The Spring Egg Hunts are sponsored by the Friends of the Walnut West Library. Contact information: Phone: 215-685-7671.
 
Eastwick Library’s Spring Egg Hunt

Where: Free Library of Philadelphia Eastwick Branch, 2851 Island Avenue

When: 1 p.m.

Join the Friends of Eastwick Library for a Spring Egg Hunt inside the library. Contact information: Phone: 215-685-4170.

Woodland Presbyterian Spring Fling and Egg Hunt

Where: Woodland Presbyterian Church, 42nd and Pine

When: 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Come out this Saturday to the Easter Spring Fling at Woodland Presbyterian at 42nd and Pine. Hot Dogs, lemonade, basket making, egg decorating, balloon animals, face painting, egg hunt and more! The Egg Hunt begins at 1 p.m. Enter a raffle to win some delicious honey bunny bread. Make a Easter Egg Race Car with the Build-It-Bus.

Sunday, March 31

The Great St. Mary’s Easter Egg Hunt

Where: St. Mary’s Church, 3916 Locust Walk

When: after Easter Sunday service, approximately at 1 p.m.

All children and their families are welcome. BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket).

Dr. Wan Yanhai.

Dr. Wan Yanhai, a prominent Chinese AIDS activist, will be in West Philly this Friday to tell his story of fleeing his country in 2010 and discuss human rights in China. Dr. Wan will join West Philly AIDS activist Kate Krauss in the discussion. A portion of the film “The Central Plains” will also be screened.

Dr. Wan organized China’s first HIV/AIDS telephone hotline and was instrumental in advocating for the rights of tens of thousands of families who became infected with HIV/AIDS in Henan Province due to illegal blood selling practices. He later expanded his work to advocate for the health of injection drug users, sex workers, and other marginalized groups affected by AIDS.

Dr. Wan is also a co-founder of the Beijing LGBT Center, the first gay community center in China. He has won numerous human rights awards and is currently the director of the country’s foremost AIDS-awareness group, the Aizhixing Institute of Health Education. He has been detained by the authorities three times in the past 12 years, including a month-long detention in 2002 that made international headlines.

On May 10, 2010, Wan Yanhai together with his family fled China and moved into the home of Ms. Krauss in West Philadelphia, where they stayed for several months before continuing on to various academic appointments. Dr. Wan currently lives with his family in New Haven, Connecticut.

Katie Krauss.

Katie Krauss is Executive Director and Founder of the AIDS Policy Project and has worked on a wide range of AIDS issues, from AIDS vaccines to Medicaid and housing for people with AIDS in Philly.

The event will be held at the A-Space gallery (4722 Baltimore Ave) beginning at 7 p.m. Snacks will be available. A $5 donation is suggested. To RSVP please email: info@AIDSPolicyProject.org.