The annual celebration of Philly arts and artists, The Fringe Festival, will be held from Sept. 9 through Sept. 24. This year, the festival has expanded its reach and is presenting an array of outstanding contemporary theater, music, dance and other performances at city-wide locations, including many events in West Philadelphia.

Here’s information on some of the performances to be held in West Philly. We also included shows by West Philly’s all-female aerial dance company, Tangle (for more festival events and tickets, visit: fringearts.com).

Shakespeare @ the Bar: The Taming of the Shrew

Sept 11, 7:30 p.m. – City Tap House (3925 Walnut St)

Fire up your Tinder profile (seriously) and get ready for Shakespeare @ the Bar, a no‐holds‐barred experience of Shakespeare like no other in Philadelphia! This lightly rehearsed production of the Bard’s most irreverent romantic comedy exposes one man’s lusty, raucous scheme to “take one for the team” and get filthy rich in the process. FREE. Go here for more details.  Continue Reading

Lamees’s work turned into street art (Photo by West Philly Local).

You may have recently noticed the artwork of Penn Alexander student Lamees Abou-Hatab on the northwest corner of 42nd and Spruce.

Literally on the corner.

Lamees’s art work is a creative reminder that what you dump in the street drains will find its way into rivers and streams. Her work was chosen as part of a student art contest hosted by the Philadelphia Water Department and the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and was turned into street art over the summer. Lamees is heading into 7th grade this year. Congrats to her!  Continue Reading

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change (Facebook page) brought a lot of joy to the field near 40th and Walnut last night as part of the 40th Street Summer Series. Group members Fatu Gayflor, Marie Nyenabo, Tokay Tomah, and Zaye Tete performed traditional songs and called for unity in the Philadelphia community. Some audience members joined them in singing and dancing. (Photos by West Philly Local).

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change! (Image from the Philadelphia Folklore Project).

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change is performing Saturday in the green space near the Walnut West Library at 40th and Walnut in one of the summer’s most anticipated neighborhood events.

Part of the University City District’s 40th Street Summer Series, the free performance begins at 6 p.m. and also includes Modero Dance Company, which were founded to combine traditional and modern Indonesian dance disciplines.

The Liberian Women’s Chorus for Change combines traditional song with a social message to promote strong and safe communities. Made up of accomplished singers, dancers and musicians, the chorus’s focus is awareness and dialogue about domestic violence and other concerns of Philadelphia-area Liberian immigrants.  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) is launching a free seasonal community screening program, Movies on the Block, this Saturday (Aug. 20). This will be the second year of Movies on the Block, an initiative designed to support established community organizations in neighborhoods that have little access to film by providing film programming and facilitating engagement.

PFS has chosen weekly lead partners through a public application process. All partners worked with PFS to develop Movies on the Block events in collaboration with other community leaders, stakeholders and organizations.

The first screening (Ernest & Celestine) will be this Saturday at Kingsessing Playground (51st & Chester), and on Saturday, Sept. 17, Belmont and Mantua community members are invited to a screening of Shake the Dust at Belmont Charter School. Here are more details for each screening:  Continue Reading

Community Unity Music Festival, a free and family-friendly event, returns this Saturday to Clark Park at 43rd and Chester. This year’s festival has a great line up: Papo Vazquez Mighty Pirates & Troubadours, Bobby Zankel & The Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, Killiam Shakespeare Band, The Universal Dance & Drum Ensemble, CiaraFaye Martin (vocalist), Clef Club Ambassador Big Band, Zenia McPherson (vocalist), Suzanne Burgess (vocalist), and other special guests.

The festival is organized with the help of a prominent West Philly musician, a member of The Branford Marsalis Jazz Quartet, Justin Faulkner.

The goal of the festival, which will take place from 12 – 7:30 p.m., is to promote nonviolence and unity in the Philadelphia community.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.