cinéSPEAK, a local independent cinema that celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, is returning next week with its outdoor film screening series, Under the Stars at Clark Park.

The popular event kicks off Friday, May 24 in the park’s “Bowl” located near 43rd and Chester. The weekly program, which runs every Friday through June 14, features independent films from around the world, local DJs, food trucks and more. All events are free and open to the public.

At the opening night on May 24, cinéSPEAK and community partner, Free Library of Philadelphia, will present screening of Butterfly in the Sky (2022) and The ABCs of Book Banning (2023). The evening will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a Drag Storytime, followed by DJ Mariyama⁠ at 7 p.m. Film screenings begin at 9 p.m.

Rain dates for this year’s series are on Saturdays – May 25, June 1, June 8 and June 15.

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Two popular outdoor “do-it-yourself” music festivals are returning to Philadelphia next month. Both of these events are free and give a chance to local musicians to showcase their talent.

The 2024 West Philly Porchfest will be Saturday, June 8 from 12-6 p.m. Dozens of porch owners have already signed up to host solo artists and groups/bands performing in various genres, including folk, jazz, rock, rap, R&B and even opera music. Shows are usually divided into three groups depending on their location – from 12-2 p.m., 2-4 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. All shows are free and anyone can host or play a show. For more details, go to: https://westphillyporchfest.com.

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The annual Spruce Hill May Fair, organized by Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA), returns this Saturday (May 11) to Clark Park from 12-6 p.m. The popular community event features children’s games, including the popular petting zoo, scores of vendors and community service information tables, food trucks, and more.

There will also be a full day of music and entertainment from some local musicians, including:

• Paulette Branson & Mixed People
• Willy Wonka presented by Penn Alexander Musical Cast
• Kelvin Cochrane and the South Philly All Stars
• Steady State

Also, the University City Garden Club will hold an outdoor plant sale at the Fair. It will offer a variety of veggies, herbs, and annual and perennial flowers and flower baskets.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, SHCA have some amazing raffle items to give away this year. Stop by the Spruce Hill booth this Saturday to purchase your tickets. Tickets are $5 for a book of six tickets, or $1 per ticket.

Gretchen Elise performing at a Pop-up at the Portal (Photo courtesy UCD).

Free, all-ages music performances, Pop-Ups at the Portal, are returning to Trolley Portal Gardens at 40th St. and Baltimore Ave. For five weeks starting May 9, University City District (UCD) in partnership with local musician Gretchen Elise will present inclusive musical performances featuring local talent every Thursday evening (from 5 – 7 p.m.)

“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. “Gretchen has deep connections with the neighborhood and other local musicians and made a great fit to collaborate with again as both a presenter and a curator.”

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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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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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