Who said poetry doesn’t go with beer? There’s a chance to try it out this Saturday (April 28) at the West Philly shop of Philly Homebrew Outlet where the Spring 2018 edition of their book reading series will be held. Local authors James Hoch, Rachel Howe, Steven Kleinman and Susan Barr-Toman will read from their work.

Also, enjoy some popcorn, and homebrew beer and wine, of course.

The event, which will be held from 5:30 until about 7:45 p.m., is free and open to the public. You can RSVP here. The shop is located at 1314 S. 47th St.

Also, on Saturday, but a little earlier – from 2-3 p.m. – PHO West will present a Sourdough Bread workshop on the basics of creating and maintaining your own sourdough starter. This event is also free and open to the public. More info can be found here.

Photo via thepennrelays.com.

The Penn Relays, the oldest annual track and field event in the nation, is being held this weekend at Franklin Field (233 S. 33rd Street). The competition goes on through Saturday, April 28, and the event schedule can be found here.

Thousands of athletes and guests visit this event annually, so watch out for increased traffic and delays in the University City area.

Science in the Park was held April 21 at Clark Park (Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Science Festival).

The Philadelphia Science Festival kicked off Friday, April 20 with tons of fun and educational events being held around the city. The goal of this annual event is to “educate, inspire, and engage the region with the science and technology that surrounds our everyday world.”

In West Philadelphia, West Philly Star Party and Science in the Park were held last weekend. This Friday (April 27), West Philly STEM-A-THON will take place at White Rock Baptist Church. More details are below.  Continue Reading

The Woodlands historic grounds is hosting the Spring edition of Go West! Craft Fest this Saturday (April 28), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The popular West Philly festival and craft market will feature handmade items from about 100 local makers, plus live music, food trucks, children’s activities, and acrobatic performances.

This is a great opportunity to spend a nice spring day outdoors and also shop for unique Mother’s Day gifts. There will be a lot to choose from, including artisan jewelry, ceramics, home wares, clothing, cards, candles, soaps, scents, sweets, toys, tinctures, treasures, and works of art! You can check the vendor list before heading out to the Fest here.

Also check out the entertainment schedule:  Continue Reading

Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas

West Philly’s Curio Theatre Company is closing out the season with another production that looks back in time to shed light on our current sociopolitical moment. Curio staged Marie Antoinette, a work that highlights political and personal excess, earlier this year. This week Catch-22, an adaptation of Joseph Heller’s classic novel, opens on the Curio’s stage in the Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 4740 Baltimore Ave.

Set during World War II but aimed as a critique of the Cold War and McCarthyism, Catch-22 follows the travails of American bombardier John Yossarian and other soldiers who are walking the fine line between carrying out their duty while trying to remain sane amid the absurdity and hypocrisy of a stultifying bureaucracy.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: A Dorset/Admiral Court Mass Eviction Rally, hosted by Philadelphia Tenants Union, will take place Monday, April 30, 4-5:30 p.m. at 4710 Locust St. For more information, visit the event Facebook page.

Residents of two apartment buildings, Admiral Court and Dorsett Court, located at 48th and Locust, were told earlier this month to move out by April 30, according to media and neighbor reports. The reason? The owner is reportedly selling the buildings, which include affordable, Section 8 housing.

According to the eviction letter, received by the tenants on April 9, the doors will be locked and utilities will be shut off April 30, so many residents are currently scrambling to find new places to live. About 70 tenants are working with Community Legal Services to determine their rights in this “unlawful” situation, according to a report by Philly.com.

The two four-story buildings include 105 apartments, about 30 percent of which are vacant, according to the report. The prospective buyer hasn’t yet been identified, but demand for market-rate apartments has ballooned in recent years. The buildings are across the street from the newly developed West Lofts (former West Philadelphia High School).  Continue Reading