Starting Wednesday, July 9, the Penn Museum (3260 South St) will be hosting Garden Jams, its popular summer outdoor concert series. Every Wednesday evening in July guests can enjoy live music by local Philadelphia bands, food trucks, and cocktails in historic Stoner Courtyard, a hidden garden oasis just off of South St. Each event begins at 5 p.m.

Feel free to BYO blanket and picnic essentials, excluding alcohol. The garden bar is fully stocked with wine, beer, and non-alcoholic refreshments. Please note that concerts are held indoors during inclement weather.

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Experience the Best in Philly Jazz at the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival

The 2025 Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival promises to be the best one yet, as it returns to Saunders Park Greene (39th and Powelton) on Saturday, July 19 from Noon to 7 p.m. The festival celebrates West Philadelphia and jazz musicians with spectacular live performances, local vendors, fun children’s activities, and delectable treats from food trucks. The event is rain or shine, free, live and family-friendly.

The all-day event is open to the public, organized by HopePHL (formerly People’s Emergency Center and Youth Service, Inc.), The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, a committee of community members and the Office of PA Senator Vincent Hughes, with technical assistance from Nu Millennium Media Productions.

“We are very excited about this year’s Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival,” said Bernadine Hawes, HopePHL Community Development Corporation Acting Board Chair, “it’s guaranteed to be an enjoyable day out for anyone in or near West Philadelphia on July 19.”

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West Philly jazz music lovers have many opportunities to enjoy live outdoor jazz every summer. Cedar Park Jazz nights kicked off last month at 49th and Baltimore with performances held every Friday night through the end of July. And here’s another great West Philly summer tradition: Jazz Heritage Series is held at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine) every other Thursday from May through September.

The series, presented by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and co-hosted by the Friends of Malcolm X Park and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, features free live performances by some of the best local musicians. Showtime is 7 p.m. (weather permitting). Please bring your own chairs!

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A beloved summer neighborhood tradition lives on! Cedar Park Friday Night Jazz, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, is returning this week. The free shows run at 49th and Baltimore every Friday, from 6-8 p.m., in June and July (in fair weather only) and feature Philadelphia’s finest jazz musicians and bands.

The popular jazz series kicks off this Friday with a performance by a well-known West Philly musician, Gretchen Elise.

Please see the attached flyer for the full 2025 schedule.

Guests are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and picnics.

The event is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors with the help from neighborhood businesses. This year’s sponsors are PFCU, Mariposa, VIX, Hellcat Studio, Carbon Copy, and Cleo’s Bagels. If you’d like to support Cedar Park Jazz, please go here.

For updates, visit CPN’s Facebook page.

West Philly Porchfest, the annual DIY music festival, is returning this Saturday, May 31. Dozens of free shows featuring a variety of music genres will take place from Noon-6 p.m. The festival keeps growing and adding new porches every year since it started in 2016.

You can check out the interactive map and list of the performers here and follow @westphillyporchfest on Instagram for updates.

Film still from Rashaad Newsome’s Assembly, the Closing Night feature film of Under the Stars 2025. Courtesy of The Film Collaborative.

UPDATE: The opening night has been postponed to Saturday, May 24 and changed location. It will take place indoors at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (801 S. 48th St), beginning at 6:30 p.m. Follow cinéSPEAK on Instagram for updates.

The 5th annual independent film festival, Under the Stars at Clark Park, is returning to 43rd and Chester this Friday, May 23. Every Friday through June 13, cinéSPEAK will present city premieres of independent films from around the world, live music from local artists, viral food pop-ups (including Manna Bakery and Darnel’s Cakes), and more.

This year’s program includes six Philadelphia premieres and a special repertory screening of legendary Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman’s It Must Be Heaven, which makes one of its first U.S. appearances since its festival tour in 2019, and live musical performances in honor of West Philly Porchfest 2025. This year’s themes include Palestinian cultural preservation, Indigeneity and environmental stewardship, and Black and queer liberatory futures.

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