If you want to learn the basics of riding your bike in the city, come to The Coffee Ride this Saturday, June 23. The event is hosted by Keswick Cycle and Green Line Cafe and will start at 10:15 a.m. at Keswick Cycle (4040 Locust) with a skills clinic. You will learn everything from hand signals to how to properly lock a bike and everything in between. After the skills clinic you will go on a short ride (about 6 miles) through the city to practice the skills you went over in the clinic. The ride will end at Green Line Cafe at 43rd and Baltimore with a relaxing cup of coffee and sweet treats.

Here’s the event’s flyer.

West Philly’s newest bike shop, a branch of the Glenside-based Keswick Cycle, opened this weekend just in time for the return of students to the area. The shop occupies about half of the first floor in the building that formerly housed the Strikes Bowling Lounge at 4040 Locust St. Workers were still moving in bikes and other merchandise Saturday afternoon, but customers were invited in to have a look around.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is holding a party and fundraiser at Keswick Cycles (4040 Locust Street) on Friday, March 23, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. At this event you can hear about the state and future of bicycling in the region, meet Bicycle Coalition staff and members, talk to fellow bicyclists and enjoy beer and snacks. This is also a great opportunity to become the coalition member or renew your membership.

The Bicycle Coalition is a non-profit, membership organization working to make our region a better place to ride a bike. For more information, email: nicholas [at] bicyclecoalition.org or call (215) 242-9253 ext. 311.
 

This week has been rainy and gloomy in Philadelphia, but sunny weather is in the forecast for Saturday (May 7), just in time for the Spruce Hill May Fair, the annual community celebration.

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. at Clark Park (43rd and Chester) and will feature attractions for everyone. For children, the fair will once again have a petting zoo, pony rides, a bounce tent and a 40-foot obstacle course, all at family-friendly prices.

Book lovers will find one of the best assortments of $1 used books the fair has ever offered, and raffle players can shoot for an Apple watch offered by University Family Fun Center. Drawings will be held throughout the day for many gift certificates for dinner and services from local merchants, including Aksum, Renata’s Kitchen, Dock Street Brewery, Philly Homebrew Outlet, Dottie’s Donuts, City Food Tours, Pattaya Grill, VIX Emporium, Jinxed, Baltimore Pet Shoppe, Keswick Cycle, Studio 34 and many more!

Raffle tickets are just $1 a piece or 6 for $5 and will be available at the Fair, or you can stop by the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St) on Thursday, May 5 (6-9 p.m.). For the full list of the participating merchants, go here.  Continue Reading

Parklet at 45th and Walnut.

Three more parklets, public seating platforms that replace parking spots, are coming to the University City area this week. A new parklet was installed near Manakeesh Cafe on Walnut Street near 45th on Tuesday. Two parklets, with new design developed by Philadelphia’s Shift Space Design, are returning to their last year’s locations today and Thursday – on 44th Street near Spruce, across from Honest Tom’s and Lil’ Pop Shop, and on Locust Street near 40th, across from Ramen Bar and Keswick Cycle.

Don’t miss the annual Clark Park May Fair this Saturday, May 12, from 10am – 4pm. There will be lots of vendors, food trucks, games and activities for children, a raffle and a plant sale.

May Fair Raffle grand prizes this year are an iPad3, and a new Schwinn SID 3-speed City bike. University Pinball has donated the iPad, along with 10 vouchers for 100 tokens each at its Family Fun Center. The bike is being donated by Keswick Cycle. In addition to the grand prizes, many local merchants have donated prizes for drinks, dinners and services (see details here). Raffle tickets will be on sale at the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) booth: $5 for six chances. There will be a special drawing on the day of the fair for the Schwinn bike, with a value of $470 – one chance for $5.

As always, the fair will offer up tasty food from selected vendor trucks, music from groups that play the Green Line, and lots of arts and crafts by West Philadelphia artisans. There will be a bounce tent and obstacle course ($5) for kids, along with free games and face painting.

Finally, the University City Garden Club will be holding its plant sale at the fair. Their booth will be located on the south side of Chester Avenue near 43rd street. NOTE: You can also shop for their plants on Friday, May 11 at 517 Woodland Terrace from 10am to dark.

If you have questions, please call the May Fair Committee at 215-349-7825 or visit www.sprucehillca.org.