West Philly community members will have a chance to see legendary female rap and hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa perform at the annual Neighborhood-to-Neighborhood (N2N) Festival. This year’s festival celebrates women in hip-hop and will take place at 50th and Baltimore next Saturday, Sept. 7.

Salt-N-Pepa, who have broken barriers and opened doors that were once closed to women in hip-hop, are set to headline the 2019 N2N Festival, performing their hit songs. MC Lyte, one of hip-hop’s pioneer feminists, and Angie Stone who rose to fame as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence before starting her solo career are also performing. There will also be live performances by local Philadelphia artists.

The free festival will be hosted by legendary radio host Lady B from Classix 107.9 FM, and comedian, Skeet. More than 5,000 people from across the region will enjoy the free festival throughout the day.  Continue Reading

The University City District (UCD) has announced that they will bring back several popular events this summer, including Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, University City Dining Days, and the 40th Street Summer Series. Here’s the UCD sponsored event schedule for Summer 2017 with some more details.

The Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, presented in association with the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA), will be held twice this year – on Thursday, June 15 and Thursday, Sept. 7, both from 5:30-8:30 p.m. As always, neighborhood businesses will present $1 bargains and samples, now between 43rd and 52nd Streets. Stay tuned for more information about each upcoming Dollar Stroll.

University City Dining Days will be held from July 13 through July 23. Now in its 13th year, Dining Days is the “3 courses, 3 prices” promotion at many of the area’s most popular dining destinations. Over 30 restaurants will participate in the event this year, including first-timers CO-OP, Dim Sum House, and Clarkville. A kick-off party for the event will take place at The Porch at 30th on Thursday, July 13. Visit the Dining Days website for updates on restaurants, events, and surprises.  Continue Reading

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change! (Image from the Philadelphia Folklore Project).

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change is performing Saturday in the green space near the Walnut West Library at 40th and Walnut in one of the summer’s most anticipated neighborhood events.

Part of the University City District’s 40th Street Summer Series, the free performance begins at 6 p.m. and also includes Modero Dance Company, which were founded to combine traditional and modern Indonesian dance disciplines.

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change combines traditional song with a social message to promote strong and safe communities. Made up of accomplished singers, dancers and musicians, the chorus’s focus is awareness and dialogue about domestic violence and other concerns of Philadelphia-area Liberian immigrants.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy University City District.

Spring programming began today at The Porch, the popular public space adjacent to the 30th Street Station. Starting today, there will be more food trucks and lunchtime entertainment, including live music, dancing and Free at Noon concerts. Here’s what will be happening at The Porch this month.

Gourmet Food Trucks (11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.)

Mondays: Say Cheese, BrazBQ
Tuesdays: Farm Truck, Sum Pig
Wednesdays: Taco Mondo, Whirly Pig
Thursdays: Spot Burger, Mac Mart (April 2, 9, 23), Phoebe’s BBQ (April 16, 30)
Fridays: Pitruco Pizza, Mucho Bueno

Lunch Entertainment

Tuesdays (12 – 1 p.m.): Accordion player Dan Nosheny.
Wednesdays (12:30 – 1:30 p.m.): David Falcone, fingerstyle acoustic guitarist and vocalist fusing Celtic, traditional and classical sounds.
Thursdays (12 – 1 p.m.): April 2 – Hoop dancing; April 9 – Bujee Magoo, stilt walking performers.  Continue Reading

Photo from West Philadelphia Orchestra’s Facebook page.

This is a reminder that the always entertaining West Philadelphia Orchestra is coming to the Calvary Center at 48th and Baltimore a free concert for kids tonight (Sunday) at 6 p.m. Philly’s Balkan brass band will also have a performance for grown-ups beginning at 7:30 p.m. that will feature Ismail Hakki Fencioğlu and Shtreiml (billed as “Turkish roots and Jewish blues.”) Tickets for this concert range from $5 for Crossroads members to $30 for ticket, which includes donation. The concerts are organized by Crossroads Music; visit their website for more information.

If you want a glimpse of what West Philadelphia Orchestra is about, check out the video below (hint: it’s impossible to sit still when you watch their performances).

Sanhita Nandi
(Photo via CrossroadsConcerts.org)

Crossroads Music, a local concert promoter that invites great musicians from all parts of the world to perform at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th & Baltimore), is presenting free monthly pre-concert events for our little neighbors this fall. These children’s concerts feature many of the same world-class artists as the adult concert series.

The concerts kick off tomorrow (Oct 20) with a performance by Indian musician Sanhita Nandi. Also this fall: Balkan brass with the West Philadelphia orchestra and Argentine tango with Héctor del Curto. All children’s concerts begin at 6 p.m. (adult concerts start at 7:30 p.m.) Visit the Crossroads Music website for more information.

Here are more details on the upcoming free performances:

Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sanhita Nandi
Classical music from Northern India

Sunday, November 10 2013
West Philadelphia Orchestra
Philly’s Balkan village band

Sunday, December 8, 2013
Hector del Curto Trio
Argentine tango