The fifth annual West Philly Porchfest will take place on Saturday, June 5, from 12-6 p.m.

The DIY music festival was cancelled last summer because of COVID but this year it’s returning with a bang! This year’s event features more than 125 porches hosting over 260 acts including groups playing R&B, funk, rock, jazz, disco, bluegrass, rap, folk, classical, emo, EDM, and metal. International music fans will be treated with sounds from Brazilian samba to Jamaican reggae to Korean drumming to Bulgarian folk songs, and more.

An online map of porch shows (see image below) and the list of performers are available at westphillyporchfest.com. It should be noted that the festival has been gradually expanding its boundaries west and southwest outside of the University City area. Continue Reading

Rendering of the 76-unit apartment building approved Wednesday for the corner of 48th and Chester.

The city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) yesterday unanimously approved a 76-unit apartment building proposed for the corner of 48th and Chester that has been debated for months.

The owner of the nearby Renaissance Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is combining several parcels it owns along 48th Street and asked to change the zoning designation to accommodate the building, which includes 34 parking spots and a small courtyard. The two-tiered design includes three stories on edges of the project and four stories in the center. A members-only dog park formerly occupied the land. Continue Reading

Kingsessing Library and Recreation Center have been selected as sites eligible for improvements as part of the City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild program.

Rebuild coordinators are currently in the process of learning about these two sites and are asking community members to provide feedback by completing an online survey.

The survey asks community members to identify areas for improvement (outdoor and indoor) at each site among other questions. Continue Reading

The first Day of Remembrance of the MOVE bombing, including a march to Malcolm X. Park, will be held on Thursday, May 13. The march marks the 36th anniversary of the bombing, which killed 11 people, including five children, and burned dozens of homes in West Philadelphia.

The MOVE house at 6221 Osage Ave. was the target of the city-sanctioned bombing in 1985. Surviving members and relatives will participate in a MOVE bombing victims commemoration event, which will begin at 5 p.m. at Osage Ave. and Cobbs Creek Parkway. Community members are invited (see the flyer below for more details). Continue Reading

The 63rd Annual Spruce Hill May Fair is taking place virtually this year due to COVID restrictions. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun! The Spruce Hill Community Association volunteers have built a simulation of Clark Park (where the physical event usually takes place), which you can check out right away on GatherSpace. The real-time interactive portion of the event will take place on Saturday, May 8, 4-8 p.m. when you can chat, play and shop with your neighbors!

A large number of neighborhood artisans, vendors, and organizations have signed up to participate in the Virtual Fair, and new family friendly games and other features are being added every day. Continue Reading

Just in time for the spring and summer season when many folks may need to purchase home and garden tools, the West Philadelphia Tool Library is holding a Spring Tool Sale. The event will take place on Saturday, May 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tool Library’s location at 1314 S. 47th St.

The sale will feature some great deals, plus this is a great opportunity to support a 14-year-old local non-profit. The sale is open to everyone (you don’t need to be a member).

The West Philly Tool Library was founded in 2007 with a goal to lend tools to community members. Since its founding, the organization has expanded its inventory to over 4,000 tools and has welcomed over 2,600 members. To learn more about membership at the West Philly Tool Library, go here. Continue Reading