Penn Museum’s popular outdoor music concert series, Garden Jams, kicks off Wednesday, July 10, with a live performance from the West Philadelphia Orchestra. Garden Jams at the Penn Museum begin at 5 p.m. every Wednesday in July (except July 3) and feature live music and happy hour with cocktails and food trucks in historic Stoner Courtyard, along with after-hours access to the Museum’s galleries and exhibitions, including Ancient Food & Flavor, until 8 p.m.

Founded in 2006, the West Philadelphia Orchestra (WPO) plays original tunes written by its own band members. Percussionist and WPO Founder Gregg Mervine says the band was inspired by the “fanfares” of Eastern Europe and many other sources.

“Balkan brass bands are the most prominent influence, and we always mix in a few classic tunes from that repertoire,” Mervine explains. “We’ve had a lot of fun in the past—weaving in and out of the gardens and fountains, parading around with kids, and creating a wide-open, free-flowing environment at Garden Jams.”

Other performers in this year’s Garden Jams line-up include:

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The summer 2024 season of Friday Night Jazz at Cedar Park kicks off this week at the park, located at 49th and Baltimore. This is the 25th year of this popular event! The free shows featuring Philadelphia’s finest jazz musicians and bands, will run every Friday from 6-8 p.m. until the end of July (weather permitting). Here is the schedule:

June 14 – Firestorm
June 21 – Ray Wright’s Jazz Lab
June 28 – Yesseh & Friends
July 5 – Bobby Zankel & the Wonderful Sound 6
July 12 – Dr Ketchup
July 19 – Firestorm and Scholarship Award Night
July 26 – Clef Club

Guests are welcome to bring chairs, blankets and picnics!

This annual event is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors with the help from local businesses. This year’s sponsors are PFCU, Mariposa, Penn Live Arts, VIX Emporium and Cleo Bagels.

For more details and updates, visit the event’s Facebook page.

The 2024 West Philly Porchfest map (the full map is available at westphillyporchfest.com)

The annual West Philly Porchfest is scheduled to return Saturday, June 8, from 12-6 p.m. This year, the DIY music festival featuring dozens of free porch and stoop shows in various music genres (including folk, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, rap and hip hop, classical music and more!) will be held from 42nd to 56th Street and from Market St. to Woodland Ave. As always, the shows are divided into three two-hour time slots – from 12-2 p.m. (marked in red on the map), from 2-4 p.m. (marked in pink), and from 4-6 p.m. (marked in light blue).

The Porchfest provides an opportunity for local musicians to play and for West Philly residents and guests to host and enjoy free shows.

The full list of performers and schedule, as well as an interactive map, are available on the West Philly Porchfest website.

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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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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All are welcome to one of West Philadelphia’s oldest community traditions – the Spruce Hill May Fair in Clark Park. It will take place on Saturday, May 11, 12-6 p.m. at 43rd and Chester.

As always, this free, family-friendly frolic features live entertainment, food trucks, children’s games (including the wildly popular petting zoo) and scores of vendors and community service information tables.

The event is organized by the Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA), which is inviting community groups and vendors to take part in the fair. Space is limited and priority will be given to local community organizations and artisans. SHCA will provide a 6-foot table, table covering and chair in a 10-foot space. Vendor fees are set affordably low: $40 or less for the day. No second-hand goods, commercial products or food table sales, please. If you have a truck/cart, please contact Evan Johnstone (evanjay@gmail.com). Prospective vendors should request a table online by Sunday, May 7. Follow this link.

The organizers will work around any threatening showers if at all possible and hold the event as planned. However, in the event of significant rain, SHCA may have to cancel the event on that morning. If you have questions, please email Monica Calkins, Spruce Hill Community Association, mcalkins@upenn.edu.

– Tony West