Saturdays just got more interesting.
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Artists displayed and sold their various works of art at the Mural Arts Festival on Oct. 6, 2024. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)
South Jersey gets a head start on the weekend Thursday when Scottish pop icon Sheena Easton — of “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” fame — makes a rare stop in the region. That same evening, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee visits the Free Library with his new memoir “A Thousand Ways to Die,” while EgoPo Classic Theater revives two landmark American plays in “Philadelphia Revolutions.” Friday kicks into high gear: Talib Kweli takes the stage at Ardmore Music Hall, Bob Dylan and Sheryl Crow, will headline Willie Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival, alongside the country legend. Breakaway Music Festival makes its two-day debut at Subaru Park and Philly jazz great Christian McBride introduces his new band Ursa Major at City Winery.
Saturday keeps the energy going with Mural Arts Fest at Eakins Oval, offering a sneak peek of October’s Mural Arts Month, and the Philly Black Wine & Spirits Fest highlights Black-owned brands. Sunday brings even more variety. First, the Mexican Independence Day Festival at Independence Blue Cross RiverRink and country-pop star Maren Morris at The Met on the Dreamsicle Tour. Closing out the weekend on a soulful high, the Mann Center hosts Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout, where Charlie Wilson brings along Babyface, El DeBarge and K-Ci for a night of timeless hits.
Delaware | New Jersey | Special Events | Arts & Culture | Wellness | Music
The two-day fair promises a fusion of science, history and imagination that aims to entertain as well as educate. Opportunities for interactive learning for all ages include hands-on galleries where you can explore the cosmos through Copernicus’s body of work, launch projectiles with a medieval catapult and design your own coat of arms. Both days feature Galileo & Lasers physics demos and the dynamic “Renaissance and Robots” exhibit by MOE FTC Robotics, along with unique crafts by local artisans.
Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton rose to global fame in the early ‘80s with hits like “Morning Train (Nine to Five),” earning a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1982. But she’s arguably best known for her collaborations with Prince on their duet “U Got the Look,” which went to number two on the U.S. charts and the sultry “Sugar Walls,” both penned by the Prince of funk. Over the years, she’s collaborated with other industry heavyweights, earning the distinction of being the only artist to score a top-five hit across all five of Billboard’s major charts. In May, Easton released two Cherry Red box-set reissues: “Modern Girl: The Complete EMI Recordings, Vol. 1,” and the forthcoming “Strut – The Complete EMI Recordings, Vol. II, due Oct. 31. She comes to South Jersey in a rare appearance in the area this weekend.
Opera Philadelphia marks a monumental 50-year milestone with a unique gala. Luminaries with deep ties to the company, including mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, countertenor and General Director Anthony Roth Costanzo, soprano Nicole Heaston, baritone Will Liverman and mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack will deliver classic arias and new music, while their voices are transformed into paintings by a live-reactive machine developed in collaboration with Drexel University’s ExCITe Center and creative technologist Daniel Belquer. After the performance, the celebration continues with a fundraising dinner at Reading Terminal, where attendees can also view and purchase the one-of-a-kind artworks created during the show.
Philly AIDS Thrift, founded in 2005 by longtime AIDS activists in what began as a tiny, unheated storefront, has grown into a vital community institution turning secondhand treasures into over $5 million in grants to more than 50 local organizations. To celebrate their 20th anniversary, the organization is hosting a block party packed with live entertainment, including DJ Robert Drake, vocalist Marcus G and glam-rockers Tony & The Kiki. They’ll entertain alongside fire-breathing sword-swallowers, a celebrity dunk tank featuring local personalities, a festive pie-eating contest hosted by CBS 3’s Jim Donovan with pies from MANNA, food trucks, craft beer and over 30 vintage and artisan vendors.
Celebrate Mexican heritage at this free, family-friendly event that’s one of the PECO Multicultural Series of festivals running through October. It features an emotional “El Grito” ceremony conducted by the Mexican consulate, rounds of regional folk dances, live mariachi and dance performances. Of course, there’s food, including tacos, tamales, churros and horchata, alongside vendors showcasing cultural art and other items.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Trymaine Lee presents his powerful new memoir “A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America,” in conversation with WURD host Dr. James Peterson, along with local activists Chantay Love, Pastor Carl Day and Tasnim Sulaiman. Lee, also an MSNBC/NBC correspondent and podcast host, was inspired to write the book after a heart attack at age 38 forced him to reckon with the emotional toll of decades spent reporting on Black death and trauma and his family’s own experience with gun violence.
As part of the Philadelphia Fringe Festival, known for showcasing over 330 boundary-pushing performances across the city, “Philadelphia Revolutions” marks a historical moment in local theater by reviving two seminal American plays. Presented by EgoPo Classic Theater, this event features a reading of “Prince of Parthia” (1767), the first American play both published and staged in the U.S. and the abolitionist-era drama “Gladiator” (1831) by Robert Montgomery Bird. These readings mark the opening of EgoPo’s 2025–26 season, celebrating 250 years of Philadelphia playwrights.
Shikeith, the Philadelphia-born, Pittsburgh-based multidisciplinary artist, marks his first solo exhibition in his hometown, channeling hauntology and African diasporic spiritual traditions to confront generational trauma and injustice. Drawing its title from a line in Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” the artist, who holds an Master of Fine Arts from Yale’s School of Art and whose work is included in major collections like the Hammer Museum and Carnegie Museum of Art, disrupts norms around Black masculinity through photos that blend magical realism with otherworldly imagery. He’ll be in attendance at the exhibit’s opening reception Thursday, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Germantown Arts District was created to reframe Germantown as a thriving arts and culture destination through community-centered programming. To that end, the festival encourages creativity with opportunities to paint, write poetry, choreograph or snap photos. But if you just want to relax and enjoy the artistic vibes, local artists including Chill Moody, Suzanne Christine, Amir Ali, Aquil Dawud and Jamicka Bass are scheduled to perform. Food and vendors will also be part of the daylong neighborhood celebration.
Mural Arts Fest: Voices of Philly is more than a free creative celebration. It’s a preview of Mural Arts Month in October, bringing public storytelling to life through music, art and community. Rooted in the visionary Anti-Graffiti Network of the 1980s and championed by founder Jane Golden, Mural Arts transformed the city by empowering artists, from former graffiti writers to neighborhood collaborators, to create thousands of public murals. At this year’s fest, attendees can enjoy live DJ sets and performances by Interna$hional Bounce, Plantain Party, Tameartz, ThursdayNightGroove and more, along with interactive art-making, an artist’s gallery and various kid-friendly activities.
A beloved seasonal kickoff hosted by Ensemble Arts Philly, the free fest previews the new arts season, incorporating music, dance, Broadway and community engagement. Now in its fifth year, there are more than 20 live performances, from Broadway previews like “Kimberly Akimbo” and “The Sound of Music” to showcases by The Philly Pops, Opera Philadelphia, Philadelphia Ballet, PHILADANCO!, Esperanza Arts Center and Project 440. Attendees can also explore instrument “petting zoos,” tour performance spaces, feel the vibrations of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, pose beside the “Back to the Future” DeLorean, craft friendship bracelets and glimpse the “Suffs” gender justice exhibit.
Fall comes with its fair share of festivals and outdoor events of all kinds. Here are some fun and family-friendly fests and activities, some free, some ticketed.
Devon Fall Classic: Activities for the horsey set at the seasonal, smaller version of the long-running horse show.
Punk Rock Flea Market: A three-day sale of vintage goods with onsite food trucks.
Fall Fest at Shady Brook Farm: The annual pumpkin, apple and sunflower picking event, with other family-friendly attractions.
Philly Fall Nature Festival: Live animals, photo contest, birding and more at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.
Aki Matsuri Fall Festival: Japanese fall harvest festival with music and dance.
Family Fun Day at Andulasia: The historic estate opens its doors for yoga, storytelling and a guided hike.
Battle at Chadds Ford: An interactive, two-day event reenacting the Battle of Brandywine with a new for 2025 evening celebration.
Manayunk Restaurant Week brings together a range of independent eateries to offer prix-fixe, multi-course menus that make fine dining temporarily accessible and support local chefs. After a five-year pause, it returns with 21 participating restaurants offering two- and three-course meals priced between $15 and $45 for lunch and dinner — ranging from Tubby Robot’s six-scoop ice cream flight for $15, to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society Pop-Up Garden’s $25 outdoor barbecue chicken dinner, to Jake’s and Coopers three-course dinner special. Read more on Billy Penn.
Now in its third year under the auspices of Kabila Events, this “Rosé Renaissance” themed experience gives attendees the choice of two sessions: early afternoon and early evening. Each offers a curated array of wine and spirits tastings from Black-owned and local brands, live DJ sets and performances, interactive art and photo installations and a pop-up marketplace featuring food vendors and merch tables spotlighting emerging entrepreneurs. VIP tickets include early access to a private lounge, exclusive private tasting stations and elevated performances, but it appears those tickets are no longer available.
Derived from event organizer Forbidden Fruit’s commitment to nurturing creative wellness, the Root 2 Fruit Festival has blossomed into a free, one-day experience that plants “transformative seeds” for mind, body and community. The all-ages event takes place at Circa Green’s serene rooftop in University City, offering yoga, Pilates, Reiki and traditional and movement meditation interspersed with live music, dance and painting performances. There are also complimentary massages, kava tastings, immersive art installations and opportunities to connect with holistic practitioners. Post-event, attendees can join a three-part workshop series designed to sustain the health and healing energy long after the event’s over.
Brooklyn-born rap veteran Talib Kweli Greene emerged on the underground rap scene in the late ‘90s as one-half of the critically acclaimed duo Black Star with Mos Def. Their collaboration helped define conscious hip-hop and elevate alternative rap into the mainstream. From there, Kweli built a solo career with top producers like Kanye West, Just Blaze and Pharrell Williams. But he remains collaborative, releasing joint albums including “Gotham” with Diamond D (2021), “No Fear of Time” as Black Star with Mos Def (2022), “Liberation 2” with Madlib (2023), and his latest, “The Confidence of Knowing” with J. Rawls, released in early 2025. See him live in Ardmore, where he’s making a rare Philly-area stop.
This year’s milestone tour celebrated its 10th anniversary with a memorable stop in Hershey last month, showcasing Willie Nelson & Family, Bob Dylan, Turnpike Troubadours, The Red Clay Strays and Waylon Payne. Now, the festival shifts to Camden, N.J., where fans will be treated to a legendary lineup including Willie Nelson & Family, the enduring country icon and festival founder; Bob Dylan, the iconic singer/songwriter recently immortalized in the biopic “A Complete Unknown,” Sheryl Crow, the multi-Grammy-winner who’s moved fluidly between pop, rock, folk and country, Waxahatchee, the indie-folk artist known for her emotionally connective songwriting; and rising country star Madeline Edwards.
Making its long-awaited debut in the City of Brotherly Love, Breakaway is the nation’s fastest-growing touring music festival. Hosted by DJ Bobby Hendrickson, the festival brings together EDM headliners like dubstep titan Excision, Grammy-winning DJ/producer Zedd and Two Friends, delivering an exclusive bass set crafted especially for this tour stop. Other performers include Cloonee, deep-bass artist Of The Trees, Disco Lines, Hedex, Dombresky, ACRAZE, and local deejays Freq, Redline District and Siroch. The festival also offers silent disco lounges, curated experiences at The Launch Pad and national brand activations.
Jazz titan and Philadelphia native Christian McBride brings his new ensemble, Ursa Major, to City Winery. Best known for playing the double bass, McBride continues to expand his legacy as a nine-time Grammy Award winner, composer, bandleader, educator and artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival. With Ursa Major, featuring a stellar lineup of ascending musicians including pianist Mike King, guitarist Ely Perlman, tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover and drummer Savannah Harris, McBride ushers in the latest incarnation of his “all-in” themed band concept that sees him as the senior statesman mentoring a group of talented young players. The concert is part of a tour supporting the band’s debut single, “More Is,” composed by Harris.
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times, for his roles in the Yardbirds (1992), Cream (1993) and as a solo artist — Eric Clapton has earned a multitude of honors over the years, including multiple Grammys, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award and entries in the Grammy Hall of Fame. His collaborations across genres, including with B.B. King, George Harrison, Phil Collins, Chaka Khan and J.J. Cale, underscore his versatility and enduring influence. In recent years, Clapton returned with new music, including 2024’s “Meanwhile,” his first nonholiday studio album since 2016. This fall, he’ll release “Journeyman: Deluxe Edition,” a remastered version of his pivotal 1989 recording expanded with previously unreleased tracks and the new single “Forever.” He’ll play that and more at his Philly tour stop.
She’s considered a country artist, but Maren Morris has been pretty fearless in her musical choices. A Grammy winner, who also has five Academy of Country Music Awards and five Country Music Association Awards, she’s collaborated across genres several times, from her EDM megahit “The Middle” with Zedd and Grey, to joining supergroup The Highwomen alongside Brandi Carlile, Amanda Shires and Natalie Hemby, to duets with Taylor Swift, Hozier, Sheryl Crow and Alicia Keys. She comes to The Met in support of her latest album, “Dreamsicle,” a blend of country and pop reflecting on healing after divorce.
Here’s your invite to the cookout courtesy of the legendary Charlie Wilson, the Gap Band co-founder affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie,” whose latest single “Keep Me In Love” dropped this summer. He’s bringing Babyface, the songwriter-producer behind countless R&B classics, who released the single “Yesterday (feat. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)” earlier this year and K-Ci Hailey, the soulful vocalist who led both Jodeci and K-Ci & JoJo. El DeBarge, whose silky falsetto defined the seminal ‘80s family band DeBarge, is coming, too. It’s going to be a memorable gathering, so get your drinks and your plate and prepare for the show.
Saturdays just got more interesting.
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