A great West Philly tradition, the Peoplehood Parade & Pageant, is returning on Saturday, Nov. 9. The family-friendly event, featuring giant puppets created by Spiral Q as well as drumlines and banners, will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Paul Robeson House (4951 Walnut St). The line-up begins at 12 p.m.

The parade will proceed to Clark Park at 45th and Kingsessing, where performances will take place, starting approximately at 2:15 p.m.

The annual event, which has been held since the 1990s, promotes diversity, civic engagement and creativity. The longtime organizer is the West Philly-based arts organization, Spiral Q, which works with artists, activists and community members and groups to create the giant puppets and banners for the event.

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Clean & Green Philly, a local organization that helps community groups clean and green vacant properties to reduce gun violence, is offering a new workshop in partnership with the West Philadelphia non-profit Hope PHL. The workshop will help explore hands-on strategies for activating vacant spaces.

Session 1 of the workshop will be held at Wonderspring – Powelton Village (3939 Warren St.) on Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 6 p.m. To RSVP, please click here or scan the QR code in the flyer below. Seats are limited.

Clean & Green Philly’s research shows that greening and cleaning vacant properties is one of the most effective interventions available to reduce gun violence in a neighborhood. Philadelphia has nearly 40,000 vacant properties. Continue Reading

West Philly residents are invited to The Lawn at uCity Square (37th and Filbert) on Saturday, Oct. 19 for a day filled with live music, fitness activities, and community engagement. The Open Sweat Jam West Philly Community Music & Fitness Festival, which will be held from 12-7 p.m., promotes wellness and civic responsibility.

The festival will feature Live Beats Fitness, an innovative fusion of live music and fitness led by internationally renowned drummer Jeremy Boyd, also known as “Wheat Bread,” and Nate McIntyre, owner of BodyRock Boot Camp, a West Philadelphia-based gym that gained national attention after its appearance on Netflix’s hit show “Queer Eye.” Also performing is Boogiemandela, a Philadelphia-based rap artist, producer, and sound engineer. Known for his Open Vibe pop-up open mic events, Boogiemandela will curate a live music experience that reflects the city’s vibrant and diverse underground music scene.

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The Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) is resuming community meetings that would help determine new traffic safety features for South 47th Street from Chestnut Street to Kingsessing Avenue. Blocks along 47th Street from Chestnut Street to Paschall Avenue is on the City’s Vision Zero High Injury Network (HIN) and the 47th Street Traffic Safety project aims to improve traffic safety for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists along the corridor.

This project, along with the 48th Street Safety project was first introduced to residents in 2023, but the redesign and repaving of the street were put on hold earlier this year as more public input was needed. The initial plan included such changes as the conversion of a portion of the street, between Paschall and Market, to one-way vehicle traffic.

The new series of community meetings include three focus groups and one general public meeting, co-hosted by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District).

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Market Street near 40th will be closed this Saturday, Oct. 12 due to a large voter registration/encouragement block party organized by “When We All Vote” and Welcome America. The Celebrate Philadelphia – When We All Vote Block Party will be held from 1 – 5 p.m. at 4029 Market Street outside the Satellite Election Office of the 3rd Council District. Market Street will be closed between 40th and Preston Streets from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

During the event, guests will be encouraged to take civic action – including checking their voter registration, registering to vote, or making a plan to vote.

The event will also include:

• A program/open dialogue by A Seat at the Table: The Power of Influence: How Digital Platforms and Influencers Impact Elections/Future Generations: Young Voters and Their Role in Shaping Tomorrow, featuring several notable panelists.

• Rodeo-themed games and pop ups like a mechanical bull, line dancing, corn hole, sack racing, and more.

• Food giveaways, including pizza courtesy of Pizza to the Polls and OnePhillyConnect, and other treats courtesy of Herr’s and Tony’s Chocolonely.

• Cowboy hat giveaways courtesy of When We All Vote.

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West Philadelphia Alliance for Children (WePAC), the non-profit that promotes literacy programs to local schoolchildren in grades K-4, will lead hundreds of kids and their families on a fun literacy journey at the first-ever West Philly Literacy Village Reading Promise Festival.

This family-focused event, in partnership with Reading Promise (a Read by 4th initiative), will take place on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 12-3 p.m., at Saunders Park (39th and Powelton).

The event’s goal is to promote a love of reading, books, and literacy. Folks will enjoy free kids books and giveaways as well as free food, games and crafts. Guest authors and entertainers, including Monica Allison, Thembi Palmer, Tony Cruz, and Charlotte Blake Alston, will present on the main stage.

Each child will receive a passport upon entry and will be encouraged to visit at least four literacy program partner tables for activities. Children will receive a special prize for their “travels” on the literacy journey. Also, the WePAC partner school (see the list here) with the most student attendees will receive a water ice party!

WePAC promotes childhood literacy by engaging volunteers in Philadelphia public schools through re-opening and operating libraries. WePAC has partnered with A Book a Day, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Free Library of Philadelphia, HopePHL, Lift Every Voice Philly, Penn Libraries Community Engagement, and other local organizations to present this event.