A great West Philly tradition, the Peoplehood Parade & Pageant, is returning on Saturday, Nov. 9. The family-friendly event, featuring giant puppets created by Spiral Q as well as drumlines and banners, will kick off at 1 p.m. at the Paul Robeson House (4951 Walnut St). The line-up begins at 12 p.m.

The parade will proceed to Clark Park at 45th and Kingsessing, where performances will take place, starting approximately at 2:15 p.m.

The annual event, which has been held since the 1990s, promotes diversity, civic engagement and creativity. The longtime organizer is the West Philly-based arts organization, Spiral Q, which works with artists, activists and community members and groups to create the giant puppets and banners for the event.

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Curio Theatre Company is kicking off their 20th anniversary season with the Philadelphia premiere of Larissa FastHorse’s satirical comedy and Broadway hit, The Thanksgiving Play. The play has been one of the most produced plays in the country. Curio Theatre Co-Founder Tim Martin is directing the staging, which runs October 23-November 9.

“Our playwright was tired of hearing many theatres say that they couldn’t produce plays with Native characters because there weren’t enough Native actors,” said Martin “This play is her response. Four well-meaning theatre artists come together to create a play for an elementary school, all the while struggling with the need for Native representation. Watch and laugh as they sort through cultural myths of our nation’s favorite family-focused turkey feast, by America’s premiere Lakota playwright.”

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The Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) this fall. Several West Philly artists and art organizations are inviting visitors to their studios this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 19-20), from 12-6 p.m. The list of artists and organizations who will welcome visitors this weekend includes:

• The Arts League (4226 Spruce St)

• Painted Bride (5212 Market St)

• Caroline Santa, Colleen McCubbin Stepanic, Douglas Witmer, Mary Henderson, and Phillip Adams (Green Line Workspace, 4218 Lancaster Ave)

• The Soapbox (47th and Kingsessing)

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The Table Sessions, Sattriya Dance Company, May 2024. (Photo by Shannon Sophy)

After 20 years, a West Philadelphia visionary arts group which has staged more than 100 productions, including an ambitious (and sold-out) undertaking supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, is changing its name and evolving. Journey Arts is the new name and branding of Intercultural Journeys, a gem in Philadelphia’s performing arts world.

Journey Arts plans to increase its offerings, including more ambitious and complex shows, seeking new and additional funding, and offer artists more production/development time of projects. And another large-scale production is already underway this coming season.

“Journeys are for seekers – when we create, perform, and witness together, the journey is that much richer and more nuanced,” Carly Rapaport-Stein, Executive Director of Journey Arts said. “Wayfinding together is our artistic beating heart. We seek connection and we are on this journey together. Today, our new name and visual identity match our ethos of artist-forward work and belonging for all.”

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Piffaro, the Philadelphia-based and internationally renowned Renaissance wind band, New York City’s TENET Vocal Artists, and projection artist Camilla Tassi are collaborating to transform Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral. Artwork and poetry will be projected on the interior architecture of the historic building while the sounds of 16th century Italy will fill the sanctuary. The concert takes place at the Cathedral, located at 38th and Market, on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and the band is offering West Philly Local readers a special 50 percent discount off regular ticket prices with code WPL.

The occasion of the concert is the 650th anniversary of Francesco Petrarch’s death. The most influential poet of the Italian Renaissance, he wrote hundreds of poems grappling with his thwarted love for the lady we only know as Laura, who died young of the plague. Love, Chastity, Death, Fame, Time, and Eternity all make appearances, embodied by the superlative singers of TENET. The music will run the gamut of 16th century Italian musical styles, from Carnival songs to sacred hymns to yearning madrigals.

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Here’s a unique opportunity to visit and learn more about some of the most interesting but often forgotten historic and cultural places along 52nd Street, aka “The Strip.” A walking tour titled West Philly’s Main Street: A Walk Through Time, will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, and is organized by All That Philly Jazz, a public project exploring the history of jazz in Philadelphia. The 52nd Street stroll and talk, led by All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson, will uncover the Strip’s hidden past as an entertainment destination for African Americans.

The 52nd Street Stroll dives deep into the Strip’s social and cultural heritage. Uncovering hidden landmarks, it will revisit forgotten stories and remember the iconic figures who shaped the historic corridor.

Here are some of the stops during the stroll:

• Nightclub frequented by celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Cab Calloway, Joe Frazier, Teddy Pendergrass and Stevie Wonder.
• First-ever Walk of Fame memorializing African American artists of stage, screen and television.
• Oldest Black-owned bookstore on the East Coast.
• Sites featured in the 1972 Blaxploitation film “Trick Baby.”
• Restaurant where President Bill Clinton ordered soul food.

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