Saunders Park Greene (39th and Powelton) is the place to be this Saturday (July 19) where the Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival, a free one-day celebration of the rich history of jazz and the arts in Philadelphia, will be held. One of the most exciting community jazz events of the summer will feature a wide variety of both international and local jazz performers, as well as mobile food trucks, vendors, and family friendly activities.

The lineup of the musicians participating in the festival includes jazz saxophonist Azar Lawrence, headlining the event, Glenn Bryan & Friends, Charlene Holloway Band, kids orchestra Play On, Philly!, and more.

Complimentary free parking for guests will be available at Penn Presbyterian’s lot at Powelton Ave. and State St.

The event, hosted by People’s Emergency Center, will start at noon and end at 7 p.m. For more information and a full list of performers, visit www.lancasteravejazzfest.com.

Lancaster Avenue Jazz Festival map / Courtesy of Lancaster Ave Jazz.

The 2014 edition of 30th Street Craft Market, a great local tradition that began last year, will take place tomorrow (Friday, July 11) on The Porch, the outdoor public space located at 30th Street Station. The event was rescheduled from June 13 due to rain.

As always, the organizers – the University City District and VIX Emporium – have lined up some of Philly’s finest artists and artisans, who will present unique handmade items: jewelry, ceramics, prints, stationery, clothing, home accents, bath & body products, children’s gifts and more. The craft market will feature over 30 artisans working in different media. The VIX Emporium website features some of the amazing artists and their work made from recycled materials, including wood, bicycle tires, leather scraps, silver and hardware and more.

Apart from the arts and crafts, tomorrow’s 30th Street Craft Market will feature food vendors, including Hot Diggity, Say Cheese, Sum Pig, and live entertainment. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more details and the full vendor list.

The craft market runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Penn Museum.

There’s a cool free event tomorrow at the Penn Museum and also check out other museum offerings this summer.

Firstly, in July and August, the Penn Museum (3260 South St) is offering admission for a third off the regular price. Adults, seniors, and children get in for one cool price: $10. As always, Penn Museum members, children under 6, PennCard holders and active military enjoy free admission. And through Labor Day weekend, active military families also get in for free.

And here’s a reminder of special summer activities community members are invited to enjoy during the summer months.

• Summer Nights Wednesday evening concert series. A diverse line up of music, a laid back outdoor vibe, as the Museum stays open. Optional gallery tours between sets! 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., through September 3.
• Summer Wonder Family Programs. International, interactive, and fun. Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. in July. (air-conditioned)
• Unearthed in the Archives. Fridays at 2 p.m. Join archivist Alessandro Pezzati and staff as they pull out a gem from the Museum’s archives—and bring Museum stories to life. (air-conditioned)
• Award-winning outdoor gardens. Penn Museum’s lush urban gardens feature sculptures and fountains by Alexander Stirling Calder, places to sit or eat, even a reflective koi pool.
• In the Artifact Lab: Conserving Egyptian Mummies. Conservators at work open their windows twice a day to chat with visitors. (air-conditioned gallery and workspace)
• Free bottled water at the admission desks, while supplies last.

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Henry IV cast members: Marla Burkholder, Brian Ratcliffe, Brian Anthony Wilson and Jennifer Kidwell. (Photo by Jen Cleary/Shakespeare in Clark Park Facebook page)

The awesome people who bring Shakespeare plays to Clark Park every summer have prepared something of epic proportions this year. Shakespeare in Clark Park (SCP) is teaming up with Team Sunshine Performance Corporation (TSPC) for an unprecedented collaboration featuring a five-night production of Shakespeare’s HENRY IV, intimate pre-show events at the Gojjo and a nightly conversation station in the park.

The play, titled HENRY IV: YOUR PRINCE AND MINE, combines aspects of both Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and features a community army of over 100 soldiers, selected during a multi-month open call. The army encompasses a diverse array of folks, ranging in age from 13-59, and representing 36 neighborhoods. The production also stars leading performers of stage and film including Brian Anthony Wilson, Charlie DelMarcelle, and Brian Ratcliffe, and is directed by TSPC’s Co-Founder and Resident Director, Alex Torra.

The shows are scheduled for July 30 – August 3, beginning at 7 p.m. Continue Reading

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The Friends of Malcolm X Park and local resident, historian and educator Rhone Fraser are teaming up to bring dramatic readings of seven historical plays to the park located at 51st and Pine Streets. The focus is on dramas dealing with important figures and events in African American history. The series, titled “Readings At The X,” will kick off July 8 and will be presented every Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m., until August 26 (see the flier for more details).

Currently, the organizers are raising funds for this community theater project. $3,000 is being raised to pay the venue, actors (some are coming from New York and Washington, DC), and videographer who will record the readings (not for commercial purposes). A portion of the raised funds will go to the Friends of Malcolm X Park for future events.

If you would like to support this project or want to learn more about it, please visit this Indiegogo page. There is only one week left to help the project with your donation.

Former West Philly resident, musician and teacher Joshua Marcus and his friend, West Philly artist and filmmaker Nate Johnson, have teamed up to produce this beautiful Appalachian-inflected tour of West Philly – including The Woodlands Cemetery and 30th Street Station – as kind of a send-off for Joshua, who is moving on. Some of Joshua’s friends also join him for some porch jamming to some of his latest songs, available here.