The University City District (UCD) has recently announced the dates for its popular summer events, from the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll to Movies in Clark Park. Each summer, UCD partners with local businesses, restaurants, arts and culture organizations and performers to bring these fun events to community members. So mark your calendar with these dates and stay tuned for more details.

• The Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll will return on Thursday, June 5 and Thursday, Sept. 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. During this unique event, Baltimore Avenue businesses and community vendors offer $1, $3, and $5 bargains between 40th and 51st Streets.

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City officials, community members, and organizations are honoring MOVE bombing victims on the 40th anniversary of the tragic event.

Eleven people, including five children ages 9-14, were killed on May 13, 1985 when the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a military-grade bomb on the residence of the MOVE organization, a Black liberation group, at 6221 Osage Ave. The resulting explosion caused a devastating fire that destroyed dozens of homes in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood – two full city blocks were burned to the ground, destroying 61 houses.

In 2020, the Philadelphia City Council formally apologized for the bombing and passed a resolution to establish the MOVE bombing day, May 13, as an annual day of “observation, reflection and recommitment.” The first Day of Remembrance of the MOVE bombing, which included a march to Malcolm X. Park, was held on May 13, 2021.

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A petting zoo will return to Clark Park on May 10 as part of the Spruce Hill May Fair (archive photo).

A beloved Spruce Hill tradition is returning this Saturday. The 67th Annual Spruce Hill May Fair, hosted by the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA), will take place on May 10, from 12 to 6 p.m. in Clark Park (43rd and Chester Ave). This free, family-friendly celebration is one of West Philadelphia’s longest-running community festivals and a highlight of the spring season.

This year’s May Fair will once again transform Clark Park into a lively hub of local culture, family fun, and community spirit. Attendees can enjoy:

• Live music all day from local performers

• A petting zoo, inflatable slide, face painting, and outdoor games

• A wide variety of food vendors offering tasty local eats

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Pop-Ups at the Portal returns to Trolley Portal Gardens at 40th and Baltimore on Thursday, May 8. University City District (UCD) is teaming up with local performer and curator Gretchen Elise to present five weeks of free, interactive, all-ages entertainment. Pop-ups will run every Thursday from May 8 through June 5, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and are fair-weather only.

“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.

Denise King, an international jazz vocalist and recording artist, launches the series on May 8.

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Piffaro, the Renaissance Band at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral (Photo by Hoffer Photography)

Now is the Month of Maying
May 9 at 7:30 p.m. – Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 19 S 38th St.
Tickets & information at piffaro.org/tix

Piffaro, the Renaissance Band brings spring to West Philly with an all-instrumental program, “Now is the Month of Maying.” The concert takes place on Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. Information about the concert can be found at piffaro.org/tix or by calling 215-235-8469.

“There is so much springtime music from the Renaissance,” says artistic director Priscilla Herreid. “Imagine living through a cold, dark winter in a time before electric lighting or central heating. Now it’s May and you’re emerging into warm sunlight. You want to celebrate being alive and being together again! You want to dance, maybe have a little wine, listen to birds sing, and strike up a tune yourself!”

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Photo by Albert Yee for Fairmount Park Conservancy.

Love Your Park Week, the annual celebration of Philadelphia’s public parks, will be held from May 10-18.

Organized by partners Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Fairmount Park Conservancy, and the Park Friends Network, this year’s Love Your Park Week features more than 100 local park volunteer groups hosting cleanups throughout the city to prepare Philadelphia’s parks for the busy spring and summer seasons.

The public is invited to sign up at the park of their choosing. Love Your Park Week will also feature free and low-cost activities focused on enjoying and exploring Philadelphia’s parks, from family yoga to birding tours.

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