Artwork by Allison Rich

Shakespeare in Clark Park is set to return this week with The Taming!, a “raucous comedy” presented in two “very different” acts. The new production pairs Shakespeare’s problematic masterpiece, The Taming of the Shrew, with a community-created adaptation of John Fletcher’s Elizabethan revenge play, The Tamer Tamed.

The Taming of the Shrew is directed by Kathryn MacMillan while The Tamer Tamed has been adapted by Charlotte Northeast and is directed by Ang Bey.

The creative team of The Taming! is exploring themes of love, patriarchy, and domestic violence, and will contextualize Shakespeare’s original text from a modern viewpoint and from multiple perspectives. The community members who make up the Active Conscious Chorus in the adaptation of The Tamer Tamed will respond to the text. Continue Reading

Several Philadelphia’s cultural institutions and agencies, including the Academy of Natural Sciences, The Barnes Foundation and WHYY, are offering free summer learning opportunities for children ages 5 and under and their families.

A number of activities and programs have been scheduled at various locations in West Philadelphia through mid-August (for more locations, check out the Summer Pod Brochure 2022):

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Discover, Play, Share: Summer Family Fun

When: July 23 and August 6, 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Where: Mt. Vernon Park, 37th and Mt. Vernon St.

What: Outdoor storytimes, puppet shows, STEAM experiments, music, and movement. Take-home learn-and-play kits and snacks. Continue Reading

The Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival is returning Saturday, July 16 live and in-person! The 2022 Festival will be held at Saunders Park Greene (39th & Powelton) from Noon-7 p.m. and promises to be the best one yet.

The all-day event, which celebrates West Philadelphia and jazz musicians, is free and open to the public. It is organized by People’s Emergency Center (PEC), The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and a committee of community members, with technical assistance from Nu Millennium Media Productions.

The headliner this year is the Orrin Evans Quartet, performing from the TD Bank Main Stage. The Quartet is led by none other than pianist, composer, and independent recording artist Orrin Evans, gracing the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival stage for the first time. Continue Reading

Shakespeare in Clark Park

Friends of Clark Park (FCP), the non-profit organization that manages one of West Philly’s most popular public spaces, is already planning for the next year and currently seeking community input. FCP wants to know how and how often you use the park and whether you attend any events there among other things. Does the park need changes or improvements?

Clark Park hosts numerous events and sports activities throughout the year, such as Saturday Farmers Market, Uhuru Flea Market, Spruce Hill May Fair, Shakespeare in Clark Park, Youth Soccer League, Movies in Clark Park, Party in the Park, Woodland Avenue Reunion, and more. In recent years, even more events have launched at the park, such as cinéSPEAK’s outdoor independent film festival, Under the Stars at Clark Park.

Community members are invited to complete a short online survey (click here). The results of the survey will help the Friends of Clark Park to plan how to best utilize the park the space in the upcoming year.

Drexel Square

This summer, Drexel Square, a 1.3-acre community park that opened near 30th Street Station in 2019 as part of the Schuylkill Yards development project, is hosting a wide variety of free activities, open to the community. “Summer at the Square” series events range from free fitness classes, live music, meditation, art classes, food trucks and pop-ups, and more.

See the full list of happenings at Drexel Square here: https://schuylkillyards.com/whats-happening.

Schuylkill Yards is a $3.5 billion project, a partnership between Drexel University and Brandywine Trust, which will include eight high rises connected by green public spaces and retail when completed. More info is available here.

Some major Juneteenth celebrations will be held in West Philly this Sunday. The Philadelphia Juneteenth Parade & Festival is returning after the pandemic-related hiatus. The 2022 Juneteenth Parade participants will march along 52nd Street – from Jefferson to Pine. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. and will conclude at Malcolm X Park where the festival will take place (from 12-8 p.m.).

The Juneteenth Parade will include non-profit organizations, youth groups and schools, local politicians, as well as dance and music groups. The festival at Malcolm X Park will feature music and dance performances, local merchants, food vendors, and more. Residents can also get tested and vaccinated against COVID. Continue Reading