Photo courtesy of WPCS.

The West Philadelphia Cooperative School (WPCS) is hosting a Night Out for parents and neighbors on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 6 – 9 p.m. to support diversity at the school. The event will be held at the University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St) and all proceeds will benefit the school’s 2016 Diversity Scholarship.

Community members are invited to join WPCS staff, parents and teachers in support of this great cause. This is an opportunity to mingle, enjoy local wine and beer, small bites from Harvest Seasonal Grill, student art, and fantastic raffles and door prizes. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online (go to: www.wpcsnightout.eventbrite.com). If you can’t make it to the Night Out but would like to contribute to the WPCS Scholarship, please make a donation here.

WPCS began in 2005 as a group of parents providing education in their own homes. The coop was founded on the idea that families from all backgrounds and walks of life deserve access to quality, affordable childcare. WPCS provides a learning environment that is inclusive and welcoming of difference. WPCS preschool now offers full-time care for ages 2-5 at their 4625 Baltimore Ave. location.

For more information, visit: http://www.westphillycoopschool.com/

Herban Quality Eats, a fast-casual restaurant that recently opened at 36th and Market, is kicking off its dinner service on Tuesday, Jan. 12 with a Pay-What-You-Want dinner. All the proceeds from the event will go directly to Morton McMichael School, a K-8 school located in West Philadelphia’s Mantua neighborhood. Dinner will be served from 5 – 9 p.m.

Herban, which is run by two Wharton grads, specializes in homestyle plates with a wholesome twist. The team’s mission is to “make nutritious taste delicious.”

The restaurant is currently open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Starting Wednesday, January 13 Herban Quality Eats will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.herbanqualityeats.com.

Photos courtesy of Calvary Church.

The annual festive evening of Swing, Jazz, Salsa, Gospel and Christmas music returns on Sunday, Dec. 20 to the Calvary United Methodist Church (48th and Baltimore). The concert will feature original compositions and traditional favorites performed by Calvary UMC’s very own Greg Scott and his big band, Big Push, along with Philadelphia-area choirs.

Also featuring in the concert are vocalists Russell Thompkins of The Stylistics, Tony Perez, Mike Upshaw, Zara Simms and more! Tickets/suggested donations are $10 at the door, $5 for children. All proceeds from the concert will benefit the Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Basket Drive in addition to other local hunger initiatives. Individual or institutional sponsors are also needed to help underwrite the concert, which always draws a huge crowd.

If you would like to help out, please go to the Donate page on the Calvary website (please indicate “Christmas Concert 2015” in the Comments/Questions section) or mail/deliver a check (payable to “Calvary UMC” – please indicate “Christmas Concert 2015” on the memo line) to the Calvary office at 801 S. 48th Street, 19143. There is no minimum amount to sponsor; all gifts are appreciated.

The concert starts at 7 p.m.

There are tons of festive events happening in the area this weekend, including one of the biggest local shopping events of the year, a new restaurant grand opening party, a craft show opening, a big FREE holiday family event, a dance party supporting a local non-profit, and more. More information about these and other upcoming events is below. If you want to buy a Christmas tree or holiday wreaths, greens and decorations this weekend, check out this post. For local gift ideas and more holiday shopping opportunities, visit our “Buy Local for the Holidays” page.

Friday, Dec. 4

• University City Arts League Holiday Craft Show Opening Reception, 6 – 8 p.m., 4226 Spruce St.

Thirty local artists will present their wares—just in time for the holidays! This is a great opportunity to shop for hand-made gifts for you and the whole family, such as cards, pottery, soaps, t-shirts, and more! Complimentary drinks and eats will be offered while you shop during the opening reception this Friday. The Craft Show is open daily Dec. 4-20. Monday-Friday, 5-8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Closing reception will take place on Dec. 20, 4-6 p.m. The list of 2015 vendors is available here.

• Clarkville Grand Opening Party, 5 p.m., 43rd and Baltimore

New Baltimore Avenue bar and restaurant, Clarkville, is opening this Friday. The grand opening party kicks off at 5 p.m.

• West Philly jeweler Amy Neukrug presents her holiday collection at Hello World, 5 – 9 p.m., 3610 Sansom St.

• The Bald Soprano opens at Curio Theatre, 8 p.m., 48th and Baltimore  Continue Reading

Here’s a great and delicious way to celebrate the end of the growing season and help a neighborhood farm. Mill Creek Farm board members, staff and volunteers are inviting West Philly neighbors to their 10th annual “Grow Strong” Benefit Party on Saturday, Dec. 5, 5-8 p.m.

The party, which will be held at the new Penn State Philadelphia Center (675 Sansom St.), will feature live music, local eats and brews, a silent auction and a raffle. Tickets ($25) can be purchased online or at the door.

Donations can also be made online to benefit Mill Creek Farm’s education and food access programming in 2016 and beyond: www.millcreekurbanfarm.org/donate.

Over $15,000 has been raised at previous benefits, the proceeds of which support free educational field trips and after-school programs for local public schools, a Philadelphia Youth Network high school internship, an apprenticeship program and a host of community workshops. Each year, over 5,000 lbs. of chemical­ free produce are harvested from the farm and sold at affordable prices at market stands within two miles of the farm. Over 1,000 lbs, of produce are donated annually to neighborhood food cupboards.  Continue Reading

The Soapbox has been operating in this row house since 2011 (photo from phillysoapbox.org)

There are some exciting developments at The Soapbox, West Philly’s own community print shop and zine library. The studio, which has been operating in a row house on the 700 block of S. 51st Street (pictured right) since 2011, will be moving soon to a new, 4,500-square-foot space in the newly renovated Frank Furness-designed church at 4700 Kingsessing.

As you may know, the old church building was saved from demolition last year and was being converted into commercial space, which will also house schools (more information about this is coming soon).

A lease was signed for the basement of the Parish House, a high-ceilinged space with four-foot windows at ceiling level, according to The Soapbox president and co-founder Mary Tasillo. The new studio will be fully equipped with historic and contemporary printing equipment, the city’s largest independent zine library, and expanded community programming.

“The Soapbox team is incredibly excited by the potential presented in this move… Our vision for The Soapbox can fully come to fruition in the new, larger space: The Soapbox Community Print Shop and Zine Library will be a space where many people can feel a sense of ownership and investment,” Tasillo says. “Above all, we are excited about this move because this enables The Soapbox to continue our mission-driven work by offering a more accessible and more usable space to our community.”  Continue Reading