The Henry Lea School playground at 47th and Spruce a few of years ago (left) and an artist’s rendering of the Greening Lea plan (right).

It’s not too late to support a neighborhood public school and at the same time beautify the neighborhood. The Greening Lea Naming Campaign, the grassroots effort to turn the vast tarmac playground at The Henry Lea School (47th and Spruce) into an inviting space, has been extended to June 15.

You can buy a brick (also, here is an order form), paver or a cluster of bricks with your name, your business’s name or a name in memory of a loved one online that will be used for the project. The brick and paver campaign is part of a multi-year effort to transform the physical surrounding of the Lea School led by the West Philly Coalition of Neighborhood Schools, a grassroots organization started in 2010. Details on the Greening Lea project are here.

This weekend’s events list includes an outdoor music concert (free and family-friendly), a tool sale, a flea market, and more awesome events. Our roundup is below.

This Friday, local indie band The Chairman Dances (Facebook page) is inviting folks to a release show for their new record, Samantha Says. The show will be held at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut), from 8 to 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.). Tickets at the door are $10. Click here for more information.

This Friday and Saturday are the last two days when you can see Curio Theatre‘s comedy Noises Off before the theater closes its 2014-2015 season. Shows begin at 8 p.m. For more information and tickets ($25) go here.

University City District’s 40th Street Summer Series returns this Saturday, at 6 p.m., with a free outdoor concert by Philadelphia’s experimental cabaret group The Bearded Ladies. In addition, local group Tapestry Tribal will present Middle Eastern music and belly dancing. The popular concert series takes place on the last Saturday of every month, from May to September, on the green space behind Walnut Street West Library at 40th and Walnut and also includes family-friendly activities: balloon art, face painting, jugglers and more. This Saturday, you can also enjoy free ice cream served by Ben & Jerry’s.

Also on Saturday, West Philly Tool Library invites neighbors to their Spring Tool Sale. The sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will include a wide selection of hand and power tools at affordable prices, as well as West Philly Tool Library T-Shirts, bibs, and carpenter’s pencils. Tax-deductible donations are also encouraged. Coffee Market (AKA Earth Cup) will be serving their delicious cold brew coffee. West Philly Tool Library is located at 1314 S. 47th St. (between Woodland and Grays Ferry). For more information, visit: www.westphillytools.org.

On Saturday at 7 p.m., FloByFaith Productions and local Boy Scout troop 152 will present The Soul of a Woman, a musical that tackles various issues such as homelessness, mental health and self worth. Proceeds will benefit the troop’s scholarship fund, helping create young leaders from West Philadelphia. Tickets: $35 in advance and $40 at the door (St. Francis de Sales Auditorium, 917 S. 47th St.).

For more upcoming events, including West Philly Flea Market, Women’s Day of Wellness, and film screenings at International House Philadelphia, visit our Events Calendar.

The Porch, the lively public space near 30th Street Station, reopened today after being closed for a few weeks for renovations and upgrades, which include new landscaping design and seating. Also, some cool new features were introduced and a more permanent food concept, The Rotisserie, in addition to gourmet food trucks that have been offering food, drinks and desserts at The Porch since its inception in 2011.

Here are a couple of nice opportunities for local artists and artisans, businesses and non-profit organizations. Vendors are sought for the upcoming West Philly Flea Market (May 30) and West Park Arts Festival (June 13).

Here is more information from the organizers:

Philadelphia vendors are invited to sell at West Philly Flea Market, held outdoors in the parking lot of West Catholic Prep High School at 46th and Chestnut Streets on May 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spaces may be rented for $15 for a single space (16.5’ x 14’) or $25 for a double space (33’ X 14’). Vendors must supply their own tables and displays. To reserve a space, go to http://www.citychurchphilly.com/fleamarket. Vendor registration deadline is May 27. Walk-ins taken as space allows.

Vendors are invited for West Park Arts Festival to be held on Saturday, June 13, 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in Fairmount Park at 4021 Parkside Avenue (on the campus of the School of The Future). Arts & Craft vendor spaces are $40, direct sellers and non handmade items – $60.00, corporate vendors – $200 per space, food vendors – $100 per space (food spaces are limited). The festival organizers are looking for culturally diverse food (Chinese, Thai, Mexican, etc.), as well as vegetarian and sweets. For more information or to apply please visit www.westparkcultural.org/westparkartsfest. If you need further assistance, feel free to email info@westparkcultural.org

It was standing room only last night at the Community Education Center as residents and business owners discussed the future of the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, one of the signature blocks in the Powelton Village neighborhood (photo by West Philly Local).

Residents and business owners met in the Powelton Village neighborhood last night and vowed to take a stand against the possible demolition of the 3600 block of Lancaster Ave., a historic commercial block that stands in the shadows of glassy high rises encroaching on the neighborhood.

Known as the Lancaster Mews and built in the 1870s, the block of ground floor commercial and upstairs apartments on the south side of Lancaster Ave. is the latest neighborhood symbol of angst over rapidly increasing development in the neighborhood. The Powelton Village Civic Association (PVCA) has tried to stave off the rumored demolition of the block by having it added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places.

The PVCA filed the application after it became known that AP Construction, which owns the block, reportedly began interviewing demolition firms.

“The threat of demolition was imminent,” Powelton Village Civic Association zoning chair George Poulin told the standing-room-only crowd of more than 100 people gathered at the Community Education Center last night. “We feel really really threatened by what we are seeing in the neighborhood.”  Continue Reading

Lancaster Mews (photo from Lancastermewsapts.com).

Neighbors and all interested parties are invited this evening to learn more about the proposed demolition of Lancaster Mews, the redbrick apartment buildings and storefronts on the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, and discuss the future development of the block. This is a great opportunity to share your concerns about the proposed development. The meeting is hosted by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and will take place starting at 6 p.m. at Community Education Center’s Meeting House Theatre (3500 Lancaster Ave).

In addition to apartments, Lancaster Mews also houses several businesses and a day care center. According to an article by The Philadelphia Inquirer published earlier this month, the block-long row of houses built in the late 1870’s may be demolished and replaced by apartment buildings aimed mostly at students.