This week, on Thursday (Sept. 5) and Saturday (Sept. 7), The Food Trust’s Farmers’ Market Program will bring some free events, performances, and art installations to a few West Philly farmers’ markets. The events are part of the “Art at Market” series and will be held at the Clark Park market (Thursday and Saturday) and the Overbrook market (Saturday).

Here are more details:

Thursday, Sept. 5, 3 – 7 p.m.

Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen. Photo via artasiapacific.com.

Clark Park (43rd & Baltimore)
Stop by the Philadelphia Art Alliance’s table to hear about “The Way of Chopsticks,” an exhibition by contemporary Beijing based artists Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen that will open on September 12, 2013. You can hear more about the exhibition, learn about the Chinese tradition of shadow puppetry, and make a colorful shadow puppet of your own using chopsticks.

West Philly’s Spiral Q Puppet Theater invites everyone to their Scrap Table. Kids and adults of all ages will make masks and headgear out of common household materials. You’re welcome to bring your creation to the Peoplehood Parade on Sunday, Oct. 6 (from the Paul Robeson House to Clark Park). Spiral Q will also bring their scrap table to Clark Park on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Saturday, Sept. 7

Clark Park
Hot Chili Pepper Dryer
Part I: 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.
Join Philly-based artist and farmer Meei-Ling Ng as she builds a free-standing, 8-foot tripod structure out of bamboo. Market attendees will be given fresh red, orange, and yellow chili peppers to attach to the structure. The result: a large, patterned, chili pepper teepee that celebrates the inherent beauty, utility, and cultural roots of these spicy dried pods. For Part II, occurring on October 3, participants will return to the market and claim their dried chili peppers to enjoy at home. Meei-Ling will provide demonstrations and additional information about cooking with chili peppers and drying vegetables at home.

Overbrook Farmers’ Market
(In the Overbrook Presbyterian Church Parking Lot; Corner of Lancaster Ave and City Ave)
Believe the HYPE. Healthy You. Positive Energy.
A special HYPE performance by rapper Sterlen Barr and Dance Crew Special EFX will take place from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. HYPE is The Food Trust’s citywide youth leadership program that empowers middle and high school students to be the leaders for healthy change in their schools and communities. This special “Art at Market” event will get everyone up and dancing to set the tone for a healthy and HYPE new school year – with everything from old school classics to new funky favorites. The event will also feature stilt walking, juggling and hula hooping with local circus act Bujee Magoo.

For more information on The Food Trust’s farmers’ markets and the Art at Market series, visit foodtrustmarkets.org