The Porch, the lively public space near 30th Street Station, reopened today after being closed for a few weeks for renovations and upgrades, which include new landscaping design and seating. Also, some cool new features were introduced and a more permanent food concept, The Rotisserie, in addition to gourmet food trucks that have been offering food, drinks and desserts at The Porch since its inception in 2011.

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

The 2014 edition of 30th Street Craft Market, a great local tradition that began last year, will take place tomorrow (Friday, July 11) on The Porch, the outdoor public space located at 30th Street Station. The event was rescheduled from June 13 due to rain.

As always, the organizers – the University City District and VIX Emporium – have lined up some of Philly’s finest artists and artisans, who will present unique handmade items: jewelry, ceramics, prints, stationery, clothing, home accents, bath & body products, children’s gifts and more. The craft market will feature over 30 artisans working in different media. The VIX Emporium website features some of the amazing artists and their work made from recycled materials, including wood, bicycle tires, leather scraps, silver and hardware and more.

Apart from the arts and crafts, tomorrow’s 30th Street Craft Market will feature food vendors, including Hot Diggity, Say Cheese, Sum Pig, and live entertainment. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more details and the full vendor list.

The craft market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy University City District.

The spring has officially begun today and the University City District has announced an exciting spring program for The Porch, a cool public space near 30th Street Station. The spring programming will begin April 1 and will include a variety of FREE events and activities, featuring music, food, fitness, and fun. Here are some more details on what to expect at The Porch next month.

FOOD

Gourmet Food Trucks – Mon, Wed, Fri (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.); Tue & Thu  (7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.)

MUSIC

WXPN Local Wednesdays
Noon on the first Wednesday of the month
Live music from Philly’s rising stars.

Ginger Coyle: April 2

You hear Ginger Coyle’s vintage vocals grace your ears, you undoubtedly feel as if you’ve encountered an old soul. The South Jersey singer-songwriter-pianist-guitarist first caught XPN’s attention with the bluesy “Silver Lining” from her 2012 EP Homeward Bound and is currently working on her full length to be released in 2014.

Lunchtime Accordion Serenade

Tuesdays, Noon – 1 p.m.

Enjoy live accordion music while you relax and have lunch or take a break from the daily grind.

FITNESS 

Put your lunch break to work for you with fitness programming from BodyRock Boot Camp.

Thursdays, 6 p.m.

Zumba: April 3 & 24

Bokwa: April 10

Bootcamp: April 17  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy UCD.

Spring is not that far away and the University City District has started thinking about what mobile food vendors they should invite for their Spring-Summer food truck/vending program at The Porch, a popular public space by the 30th Street Station. As West Philly Local recently reported, some of the city’s best mobile vendors have been serving food on The Porch, including this winter (check the January-March 2014 food truck schedule here). And now, there is a possibility for new vendors to offer their gourmet food or desserts to The Porch visitors.

The Spring program starts in April and here’s some information from the UCD website:

University City District is issuing this request to secure mobile food vendors that provide unique, high-quality and sustainable food options that fit the highly mobile and urban environment of The Porch. Selected vendors will be asked to vend once a week for one month. For spring 2014 (beginning April 1), we are expanding our vending days to include lunch service (11:30am to 2:30pm) Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and breakfast service (7:30am to 2pm) Tuesdays and Thursdays…

Application deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31. For forms and more information, click here.

Photo courtesy of University City District.

Here’s some great news for West Philly mobile gourmet food lovers: the University City District has announced that there will be no winter break in mobile food service at the Porch at 30th Street Station while other Porch events and happenings will resume in April 2014. The city’s most buzzed-about food trucks will be on site every Monday and Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. and every Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Here’s the Porch food truck schedule through the holidays. We’ll post the early 2014 schedule soon.

Monday

Undrgrnd Donuts

Tuesday

Schmear It

Wednesday (No vending on December 25)

Cow and the Curd
Spot Burger (Facebook page)
Street Food (Twitter)
Sum Pig

Friday

Mac Mart
Mama’s Meatballs (Facebook page)
Milk + Sugar (Facebook page)
The Tot Cart (Facebook page)