Giant puppets will again bring joy and civic awareness to the neighborhood as Peoplehood Parade returns on Saturday, Oct. 29, thanks to West Philly-based Spiral Q Puppet Theater. Everyone is welcome to join in this annual event celebrating diversity, communities’ creativity and unity. This year’s theme is about collective power and be(com)ing GIANT together.

The parade will kick off at the Paul Robeson House (50th and Walnut) at 1 p.m. (line-up starts at Noon) and will end at Clark Park at 45th and Chester (see map below). The parade will be followed by a participatory group art-making activity in Clark Park at around 2 p.m.  Continue Reading

The annual “Love Your Park” Fall Service Day is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 12, and Philadelphia Parks and Rec is now recruiting volunteers who can help clean, green and celebrate Philly’s parks. Overall, 2,000 volunteers are needed to help plant trees, collect leaves for compost, clean up trash and litter, and more.

There are many beautiful parks in West Philly, and volunteers can sign up to participate in the fall service day in their neighborhood park. Kids, families and large groups are welcome.

Go to loveyourpark.org or call (215) 683-3689 for participating parks and to register.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, neighbors have a chance to make a difference in the life of a child and a public school community. An adults-only party — with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction — in support of Samuel Powel Elementary, a high-performing public school in Powelton Village, will be held at the Indigo Bleu Design & Culture Center (3870 Lancaster Ave), from 6 – 10 p.m.

Proceeds from the party will help fund essential programs at Powel including Playworks, a recess-based, community-building program that benefits 300 students at the school.

You can help (and have fun, too!) by attending or sponsoring this fantastic event. Tickets are $35 online in advance. The Guest Emcee list includes Councilwoman Helen Gym, State Rep. James Roebuck, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Sheriff Jewell Williams.  Continue Reading

Pasqually’s, the pizza and beer spot on 43rd Street near Walnut, was burglarized early Sunday morning.

Police responded to a burglary alarm at the restaurant at 4:20 a.m. and found signs of forced entry and a crow bar on the counter. Cash, cigarettes and lottery tickets were taken, according to police.

Police say their was no surveillance video at the rear of the building where the break-in occurred and that inside cameras were turned off.

West Philly Runners, who frequently end their neighborhood runs at Pasqually’s, are holding a fundraiser to help recoup some of the money lost in the burglary. They are hosting what they are calling the “pizza mile” after their weekly Wednesday run. Eat a slice, run around the block and repeat. The pizza run starts at 7 p.m. at Pasqually’s.

“The pizza mile is a fun attraction, but the main goal is to get people from the community out to support by being there to buy beer and food,” said Alon Abramson of West Philly Runners.

More info is available on the event’s Facebook page.

Here’s a chance to visit a few beautiful homes of Garden Court, get to know your neighbors, and dine on gourmet meals prepared by talented neighborhood chefs. The Progressive Dinner, the annual fundraising event for Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) will be held on Saturday (Sept. 24) and will supporting the Cheryl Roebuck Scholarship fund, neighborhood projects, and a summer camp

The Progressive Dinner starts at a home near 46th and Cedar for check-in and appetizers, then moves on to another for the main course, and ends with dessert and dancing at Take The Lead Studios at 47th and Pine.

After purchasing a ticket ($45/$40 for GCCA members) choose one style of cuisine from a selection that includes:

• Italian
• Mexican
• Tunisian
• Caribbean
• Fish/ Vegetarian
• Belgian

Note: Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to attend this event.  Continue Reading

Neighborhood Bike Works, the West Philly youth bike education program, is turning 20 years old and will hold a birthday party and a bike drive on Saturday, Sept. 10.

The celebration will be held from 3 – 7 p.m. at NBW’s location at 3939 Lancaster Ave. As for birthday gifts, the organization is in need of more used bikes, parts, and accessories and will be ready to take bike donations at the party to benefit their youth bike education programming.

The party will include cool free raffles (extra tickets for donating a bike!); cake, Weckerly’s ice cream sandwiches and snacks from Trader Joe’s; and Goldsprints (head-to-head stationary bike racing) provided by the Philly Bike Messenger Association.

Check out the event’s Facebook page for more info. (Photos courtesy of Neighborhood Bike Works)