Two popular annual community events are happening this Saturday and Sunday in West and Southwest Philly. Details are below. Please check our Events Calendar for more events.

West Park Arts Fest – Saturday, June 13

Kyo Daiko performs at West Park Arts Fest (photo courtesy of West Park Arts).

West Park Arts Fest, a fun day of free performances and activities for the whole family, will take place on Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., on the School of the Future grounds (4021 Parkside Ave). The festival celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Philadelphia. Outdoor Mainstage performers include: Gretchen Elise, Kyo Daiko, Gegisom MLK Choir, Ceo Black, and more. Universal Dance and Drum Ensemble, Kun-Yang Lin, Lady Hoofers, and other artists will perform on the Dance stage. Children’s Pavilion activities include: a drawing workshop, Treehouse Books giveaway, reading out loud and bookmark making, activities with Franklin Institute and Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia Zoo animals and artifacts, storytelling with Kala Jojo, and more! Also, there will be many wonderful vendors and free historic trolley tours of Fairmount Park Centennial District at 12:00, 1:00 and 2:00 p.m. (sign up here). More information about the fest is available here.

River Fest & Tidal Schuylkill Boat Parade – Sunday, June 14  

On Sunday, June 14, families are invited to spend the day at the beautiful Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh). The annual River Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include tons of great stuff: free boat, pony and hay rides, Youth Bicycle Rodeo, Philly’s oldest tugboat, free food (hot dogs, pretzels and snacks), Ice Cream on the River (free ice cream for those who paddle out to the floating ice cream parlor), a petting zoo, live music performances, and more. Plus, the Tidal Schuylkill Boat Parade, which starts at noon. Check out the Bartram’s Garden website for more information.

Asali Solomon (Photo from haverford.edu)

West Philly native and Haverford College professor Asali Solomon will read from her highly-acclaimed novel “Disgruntled” and sign copies at two local venues this Thursday (June 11).

First, Solomon will be at Bindlestiff Books at 4530 Baltimore Ave. for a signing from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Copies of “Disgruntled” have been available in the store for a few weeks now, and will be available at the event.

Then, starting at 7 p.m., Solomon will be reading from her novel at Little Earthquakes, as part of the “Still Untitled” series. Little Earthquakes is a group house at 4710 Warrington Avenue that hosts many events.

In addition to Solomon, New York City poet Ely Shipley will be a guest at Thursday’s salon at Little Earthquakes. Shipley’s first book, “Boy with Flowers,” won the Barrow Street Press book prize, the Thom Gunn Award, and was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. His chapbook, “On Beards: A Memoir of Passing,” is forthcoming from speCt! books. The event is free and open to the public. Please email littleearthquakesphilly@gmail.com for more information.

As a reminder, “Disgruntled” is a coming-of-age novel set in West Philadelphia. Solomon invites readers into the journey of protagonist Kenya Curtis, an African immigrant, as she navigates childhood in West Philly. We meet Kenya as a fourth grader at Henry C. Lea School where she tries to fit in but is confronted with her and her family’s Afrocentric identity. The novel is partly autobiographical. Here is a great review of “Disgruntled” in the Los Angeles Times. By the way, Solomon still lives in West Philly.

Award-winning filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe will screen and discuss the autobiographical account of his change from an honors student to a 16-year-old convicted bank robber tonight at International House Philadelphia (3701 Chestnut St.).

Evolution of a Criminal, which was featured on PBS earlier this year, recounts the story of a bank robbery by a group of Texas high school students, including Monroe himself. The film takes the audience back to his neighborhood and includes interviews that present the crime and its consequences from multiple aspects and raises profound questions about crime, the criminal justice system and redemption. Spike Lee is the film’s executive producer. A Q&A with Monroe will follow the film.

Tonight’s program is part of Scribe Video Center’s Producers’ Forum series. It also includes a screening of Stolen Dreams II:Breaking the Cycle of Youth Trauma, Violence & Imprisonment, a short film examining the transfer of juveniles into the adult system as a response to youth crime. The film grew out of the Youth Art and Self Empowerment Project (YASP).

The program starts at 7 p.m. and tickets ($10/$7 for students and seniors) are available online or at the IHP Box Office.

Here’s the trailer for Evolution of a Criminal:

This weekend, two cool events are happening in the area: one is for beer and music fans and the other one is a family-friendly ice cream tasting event. More details are below and please check our Events Calendar for more upcoming events.

Photo courtesy of Dock Street Brewery.

Dock Street Brewery is hosting its 7th annual Beer Week Music Fest on Sunday, June 7, from 3:30 – 8 p.m. The event is a celebration of local beer, food and music and includes a free outdoor concert and a scavenger run. The run, where you can put to use your knowledge of the City of Brotherly Love, kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Participation is $25 and gets you a beer ticket, a t-shirt and the chance to win beer prizes for the hunters with the fastest times. Click here to sign up for the run or email Sasha at: dockstreetfunrun@gmail.com

The concert starts at 4 p.m., and here’s the lineup:

4 p.m. – Flightschool
5 p.m. – Honey Radar
5:45 p.m. – Pushin’ It 2 the Limit
6:30 p.m. – The Women’s Revolutionary Vagime
7 p.m. – Rosemary Fiki

Photo from ucartsleague.org.

Also on Sunday, from 1 – 4 p.m., University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St), is holding a delicious fundraiser, Ice Cream Bowl, where you can enjoy ice cream from the following local makers and businesses: Bassett’s, Little Baby’s, Shake Shack, Lil’ Pop Shop, More Than Just Ice Cream, Milk and Honey, and even Mister Softee! Just like UCAL’s popular Chili Bowl fundraiser held every winter or early spring, this summertime event supports their pottery studio. For only $10 you get a beautiful hand-made ceramic bowl filled with all the ice cream you can eat. There will also be some fun activities for families: face painting, music, and a raffle. Check the UCAL website for more information.

Here’s a great chance to see the first and longest performing feminist chorus in the nation. This Saturday and Sunday, the Anna Crusis Women’s Choir will perform at International House Philadelphia (37th and Chestnut). The series of concerts, titled “Reclaiming the ‘F’ word,” is part of the choir’s 40th anniversary celebration. The choir, which includes both lesbian and straight women, was founded in 1975 in Philadelphia by Catherine Roma. It is the first women’s choir to become a member of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA).

The chorus consists of over 60 singers, plus a sign language interpreter for the deaf and hearing-impaired. The choir celebrates the diversity of women’s lives and culture, and strives to “build a bridge between the world we live in and the world we hope for.”

The songs performed by the choir are about and for women, from a variety of composers, including historical pieces from women composers.

The performances are on Saturday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, June 7, at 4 p.m. Tickets ($25) can be purchased online or through the International House box office. For more information about the chorus, visit annacrusis.com.

A great annual tradition that helps bring the community together returns this week to Cedar Park. Live Jazz Fridays, a free and fun outdoor event for the whole family, kicks off at 6 p.m. on June 5 with a performance by Progressive Movement. The event, organized by Cedar Park Neighbors and supported by many local businesses and organizations, is held every Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m., through July 31 (see the performance schedule below). And don’t forget to bring your blanket or chair.

June 5 – Progressive Movement
June 12 – Rich Tucker and the Universal Experience
June 19 – Brent White Group
June 26 – Glenn Bryan and Friends
July 3 – Clef Club Youth Ensemble
July 10 – Gretchen Elise and Friends
July 17 – Dahi Divine and Friends
July 24 – Broke and Blue Band
July 31 – Side by Soul