UPDATE (4/30/2024): The sign-up form for the 1st Annual West Philly Community Yard Sale Event has been closed. “After an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response,” the event will include 150 yard/porch/garage sales around the neighborhood, according to organizer Max Lovitz-Wolfson.

To see the map of sale locations and other details, click here. And here is the full list of sales in a spreadsheet. You can search the list using keywords for things you’re interested in, like “kids”,  “video games”,  “free”, etc. Most sales kick off at 10 a.m.

4/24/2024: Here’s some great news for folks who want to get rid of unwanted items or are looking to buy something at a bargain price. The first ever West Philly Community-Wide Yard Sale will be held on Saturday, May 4 (rain date is May 5), and more than 120 participants have already signed up! The event is organized by a West Philly resident, Max Lovitz-Wolfson, the founder of the West Philly VIRTUAL Yard Sale Facebook group. He says that he has been amazed at how big the event is getting – he expects it to be close to 150 or so sales by the end of the sign-up period.

If you would like to sign up, please fill out this form. It is absolutely free to sign up. There is no firm deadline for sign-up, but it would be great if you can do it by Monday, April 29.

We asked Max how he came up with this great idea. Here’s what he wrote us in an email:

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In recognition of International Jazz Day, celebrated on April 30th, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has introduced a resolution honoring and recognizing legendary Philadelphian jazz musician Edward “Lee” Morgan (1938-1972).

The Library of Congress recently announced that it was adding Lee Morgan’s The Sidewinder to the National Recording Registry (read more details here). On Tuesday, April 30, Lee Morgan will also be memorialized with a historical marker outside of the former Aqua Lounge at 52nd and Chancellor, the jazz club where he last performed in Philadelphia in 1971 before his tragic death at age 33 (see more details about this event below).

Morgan was born on July 10, 1938, grew up in the Tioga neighborhood, and began playing the trumpet at the age of 14. His musical development was nurtured by the Philadelphia jazz community, and his early interaction with professional musicians at the Heritage House Jazz Workshop and Music City Swing Club.

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West Philadelphia’s Curio Theatre Company invites everyone to the Philadelphia premiere of Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story, a unique theater/music hybrid inspired by the true tale of two Jewish Romanian refugees finding love after arriving on the shores of Canada in 1908. This hilarious and edgy story is interwoven with a high-energy Klezmer concert.

The play is written by Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch and features songs by Ben Caplan and Christian Barry. At Curio, Old Stock will be directed by Rachel Gluck with sound and music direction by Damien Figueras. Artistic Director Paul Kuhn will bring his set design talents to the stage, using his well-known ability to create detailed worlds using repurposed materials (read more about Curio’s recycling efforts here). In addition to Gluck, Kuhn, and Figueras, Aetna Gallagher joins the crew as Costume and Prop Designer.

The show features themes of hope and of learning to love after being broken by the horrors of war.

“As a Jewish woman, I feel as though Old Stock could be about my ancestors who came to the New World looking for refuge from anti-Semitism at the beginning of the 20th century,” says Gluck. “Old Stock is a raucous, deeply moving punk-Klezmer musical that challenges us all to see ourselves as a part of a larger narrative that continues to this day. It’s the story of refugees banging on the door, begging to be let into a place where they hope that they might finally be safe.”

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The spring edition of West Craft Fest is set to return to The Woodlands on Saturday, April 27 after a two-year break. (Rain date is Sunday, April 28). Over 100 local artists and makers will showcase their unique, handmade wares: jewelry, ceramics, home wares, accessories, original art, prints, stationery, clothing, candles, soaps, stickers, and much more! Check out the vendors list here.

The popular event also features live music and entertainment, food from local vendors, craft activities (make & take crafts), and acrobatic performances by Tangle Movement Arts. It is free and open to the public.

The Fest hours are: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here’s the performance schedule:

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The Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, returns this week to Franklin Field (200 S. 33rd Street), with events being held from April 23-27. The University of Pennsylvania Division of Public Safety has issued an advisory that traffic and transit use will be heavy throughout the area on these dates.

The Penn Relays Carnival will take place on Tuesday, April 23, with the CYO Relays scheduled from 4:30-10 p.m. Motorists should expect congestion in the area of 200 S. 33rd Street during their evening commute on that day.

The competition continues Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Motorists should expect heavy traffic volume and delays around Franklin Field and the immediate surrounding area all day on these days.

Also, 33rd Street from South Street to Walnut Street will be closed for approximately one hour, on Saturday, April 27, from 6 to 7 p.m.

For more information about The Penn Relays, which has been held annually since April 21, 1895, go to: pennrelays.com.

The University City District (UCD) has released its annual State of University City report, which highlights different areas of development in the area in the past year, including real estate, employment, demographics, education, healthcare, transportation and more. During the presentation of the report on Thursday, UCD shared the stories of three innovative neighborhood businesses: Renata’s Kitchen, Two Locals Brewing, and Grant BLVD (check out this video).

Here are some most interesting stats from the 2024 State of University City report:

• University City has 55,953 residents, whose median age is 27.6;

• 84 percent of neighborhood residents work in University City, and 72 percent of jobs pay over $40,000 per year;

• 63 percent of residents ages 25+ have a bachelor’s degree or higher;

• The median single family home sale price is $537,000;

• 4,210 units of multi-family housing (apartments) are expected to be developed in the next three years;

• 929 new units of multi-family housing were developed in the past year;

• The number of new construction permits has decreased from 50 to a little over 10 since 2018.

• 57 percent of neighborhood residents do not use cars to commute;

• 24 percent of households’ primary language is not English.

To download the new report, click here. Read about some previous reports in our archives here.