Apart from tonight’s Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, another big semi-annual event is happening this week in West Philly – Go West! Craft Fest at The Woodlands (40th and Woodland). More than 70 artists and crafters are expected to participate in the Fall edition of this popular event happening on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event also features live music, children’s activities, acrobatic performances by tinycircus, and food by local eateries. Go West! Craft Fest is open to the public and free to attend.

Festival guests can find unique treasures by local makers, including jewelry, ceramics, art, prints, stationery, home wares, children’s items, bags, candles, soaps, and more. Follow @gowestcraftfest on Instagram for sneak peeks of all the Festive finds. Also, visit the Go West! Craft Fest website for more information and performance schedule.

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Some nice events will be happening this weekend and next weekend, and we want to highlight a few of them. Also, stay tuned for more information on the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (Sept. 17), and the fall edition of the Go West! Craft Fest (Sept. 19). For more events or if you want to submit an event, please visit our Events page.

Second Fridays on Lancaster Avenue

Second Fridays will be held on Sept. 11, beginning at 5 p.m., and here’s what’s in store for this Friday: Vendors Village, Neighborhood Time Exchange Open House, paintings and drawing exhibit by Doina Botez, open mic night, a screening of “Song of the South” and more, all on Lancaster Avenue, from 35th to 39th. For more information, visit the Lancaster Avenue Philly website.

Honey Festival at Bartram’s Garden

The beautiful Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh Blvd.) is hosting the 6th annual Honey Festival this Sunday (Sept. 13). Events will include open hive demonstration, tastings, and even a live “bee-bearding” with Don Shump from The Philadelphia Bee Company. Also beer brewing, beekeeping workshops, kids’ activities, a cooking contest, free yoga sessions, and more! The festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Check out this page for more details.

Fringe Arts Festival

The annual Fringe Festival kicked off on Sept. 3, with many wonderful performances and art installations taking place in the city. West Philly is also hosting a few Fringe events this and next week, so here are some more details:

• “Body of Water” dance show by Antonia and Artists – Sept 11, 12, 8 p.m.
CEC Meeting House Theatre, 3500 Lancaster Avenue

Our bodies are 75% water. What would happen if we moved like the liquid we are? Antonia & Artists is a dance company made up of talented humans and led by choreographer Antonia Z Brown. Watch as they journey through the depths within to harness the fluidity, agility, and transformative strength of the most powerful element. For more info and tickets ($18), click here. Continue Reading

International House Philadelphia will present a couple of free films in celebration of the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia. Both films are on the life of Pope Francis’ namesake, St. Francis of Assisi.

Roberto Rossellini’s 1950 classic, The Flowers of St. Francis will be shown on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:00 p.m., and Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a 1972 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, will be presented on Thursday, Sept. 24, also at 7:00 p.m. Both films will be screened at International House’s Ibrahim Theater, 3701 Chestnut Street.

Guest speakers will introduce each film. On Sept. 19, Professor Stefania Benini will present The Flowers of St. Francis, a timeless and moving portrait of the search for spiritual enlightenment. Benini was Lauro De Bosis Fellow at Harvard University (2014-2015), after having been Assistant Professor of Italian at the University of Pennsylvania (2007-2014). Her research focus in Italian Studies involves the sacred, from literature to cinema and theatre.  Continue Reading

Check out these two cool and free events happening in the neighborhood this weekend, in addition to the movies at Clark Park (Friday, 7 p.m.), 40th Street Summer Series concert (Saturday, 6 p.m.), and Back 2 School Extravaganza at Malcolm X Park (Sunday, 2-6 p.m.). For more events, or to submit an event please visit our Events Calendar.

Philadelphia Obon Festival at Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)

Sunday, 2-5 p.m.

Here’s a great chance to learn more about Japan and its culture at the third annual Philadelphia Obon Festival taking place in Clark Park this Sunday. The festival is presented by the Japanese House and Gardens. Activities include a participatory Bon Odori circle dance, a Japanese tea ceremony, Japanese music, including taiko drumming, and more. Guests can also enjoy delicious Japanese/Hawaiian street food on sale from Poi Dog Philly food truck. This is a free and fun event for both adults and children.

Philly Zine Fest at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut)

Sunday, noon-7 p.m.

Also on Sunday, The Rotunda is hosting the annual festival celebrating independent publishing – the Philly Zine Fest. Nearly 40 exhibitors will present their publications, from radical to informative to humorous. West Philly’s independent publishing center, The Soapbox, will also participate in the event. Check out an article by Philly.com with some more details about the fest. Here‘s the event’s Facebook page. Free admission.

The Nehemiah Davis Foundation presents its 7th annual Back 2 School Extravaganza on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2-6 p.m., at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine). Kids and families are invited to enjoy some fun activities at the park, such as moon bounces, games, pony rides, live music and more. The organizers are also planning to provide 1,000 book bags to the kids who will attend (300 backpacks will go to those kids who were first to pre-register for the event). The event is free and includes free food. For more information, visit: www.nehemiahdavisfoundation.org.

Free outdoor movies, from classics to more recent critically-acclaimed films, will be shown in Clark Park (43rd and Chester) every Friday from Aug. 21 to Sept. 18. The program is presented by the University City District, the City of Philadelphia and Friends of Clark Park.

This Friday, families are invited to watch the Pixar animated classic The Incredibles. There will also be prizes for kids dressed in super hero costumes, children’s activities, raffle, and food trucks. The programming starts at 7 p.m., and the movie starts at dusk.

Here’s what’s showing over the next four weeks:

Aug. 28 – Casablanca
Sept. 4 – Little Shop of Horrors
Sept. 11 – Selma
Sept. 18 – Best in Show

More details can be found here.