Pop-Ups at the Portal returns to Trolley Portal Gardens at 40th and Baltimore on Thursday, May 8. University City District (UCD) is teaming up with local performer and curator Gretchen Elise to present five weeks of free, interactive, all-ages entertainment. Pop-ups will run every Thursday from May 8 through June 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and are fair-weather only.

“Our goal with Trolley Portal Gardens is to bring programming for the neighbors, parents, and commuters who use the space every day,” said Margaret Starke, UCD’s Senior Manager of Events and Community Partnerships.

Denise King, an international jazz vocalist and recording artist, launches the series on May 8.

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West Philly Bizarre, a non-profit vendor market organizer known for its Clark Park People’s Market, has opened a pop-up shop in an empty storefront 0n the 40th Street commercial corridor.

The store, located at 22 S. 40th Street (between Market and Chestnut Streets), had its soft opening today and will be open Thursdays-Saturdays 12-8 p.m. and Sundays 12-6 p.m. during the month of May. The programming will include a regularly changing roster of West Philly Bizarre curated vendors.

The space is provided by University City District (UCD) and was activated by Meantime, a Philadelphia-based non-profit working to turn empty, street-facing spaces into opportunities for creativity, connection, and local economic growth.

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Piffaro, the Renaissance Band at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (Photo by Hoffer Photography)

Now is the Month of Maying
May 9 at 7:30 p.m. – Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 19 S 38th St.
Tickets & information at piffaro.org/tix

Piffaro, the Renaissance Band brings spring to West Philly with an all-instrumental program, “Now is the Month of Maying.” The concert takes place on Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. Information about the concert can be found at piffaro.org/tix or by calling 215-235-8469.

“There is so much springtime music from the Renaissance,” says artistic director Priscilla Herreid. “Imagine living through a cold, dark winter in a time before electric lighting or central heating. Now it’s May and you’re emerging into warm sunlight. You want to celebrate being alive and being together again! You want to dance, maybe have a little wine, listen to birds sing, and strike up a tune yourself!”

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Photo by Albert Yee for Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Love Your Park Week, the annual celebration of Philadelphia’s public parks, will be held from May 10-18.

Organized by partners Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy, and the Park Friends Network, this year’s Love Your Park Week features more than 100 local park volunteer groups hosting cleanups throughout the city to prepare Philadelphia’s parks for the busy spring and summer seasons.

The public is invited to sign up at the park of their choosing. Love Your Park Week will also feature free and low-cost activities focused on enjoying and exploring Philadelphia’s parks, from family yoga to birding tours.

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Photo by Berri Wilmore for UCD

On Monday, local stakeholders, elected officials, and neighbors gathered at 47th and Sansom to celebrate an official groundbreaking for improvements coming to the Walnut Hill Playground.

The improvements are the result of a collaborative effort between University City District’s Green City Works landscaping team, the Walnut Hill Community Association, and local non-profit Do Moore Good to secure a $75,000 investment from the Target Foundation.

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Schmear Bagel Parlor is now open at 44th and Spruce. (Schmear Instagram photo)

The wait is over. Spruce Hill-based bagel lovers can finally get their daily fix of fresh bagels and schmears at a newly opened Schmear Bagel Parlor at 265 S. 44th Street.

The shop owners, Penn alumni Dave Fine and Brett Weinheimer, announced their plans to take over the space, formerly occupied by Lil Pop Shop, last spring. They also announced a cooperation with Lil Pop Shop which continued selling popsicles at that location through the fall. After being closed for renovation since December, the store has reopened this week as Schmear Bagel Parlor.

Philadelphia’s first Schmear Bagel Parlor location will have a brand-new menu, plus “you can enjoy Lil Pop Shop popsicles, Weckerly’s Ice Cream sandwiches, and Rival Bros. coffee all day,” according to Schmear’s Instagram post. Initial hours of operation will be Monday and Tuesday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and Wednesday-Sunday 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

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