Do you like Square Dance and want to have some fun tonight? Then read on. The newly-reborn West Philly Square Dance (Facebook page) has been going strong for a few months, according to organizers, and tonight all are invited to St. Mary’s Church on Locust Walk (near 40th and Locust) for the “Last Friday” Dance.

People of all ages are welcome and no experience is needed as all dances will be taught. Admission is $5-$10 sliding scale. Also, please bring a vessel/bottle/cup etc. to use for water because square dancing is exercise!  Continue Reading

PIC’s Spring Plant Sale will be held at St. Andrews Chapel (42nd and Spruce) this Friday and Saturday (Photo courtesy of PIC).

The annual Parent Infant Center’s (PIC) fundraising plant sale kicks off today at 4 p.m. at St. Andrews Chapel (42nd and Spruce). The two-day sale is an opportunity not only to purchase annuals, perennials, fruits, veggies, herbs and houseplants locally, but also to support PIC’s Tuition Assistance Fund and to visit the beautiful St. Andrews Chapel at 42nd and Spruce, which is usually closed to visitors.

The sale hours are:

Friday, April 29 – 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 30 – 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

New items will be brought in especially for sale days on Friday and Saturday, so customers who stop in to pick up advance online orders will want to take a moment to browse the weekend inventory.  Continue Reading

The Spring edition of Go West! Craft Fest is returning on Saturday, April 30 to the green space of the historic Woodlands cemetery grounds (40th and Woodland), and it looks like it’s going to be a great show.

Over 100 vendors will present their beautiful handmade items, so it’s a great opportunity to shop for something unique. At the fest, you can find locally made jewelry, pottery, stationery, prints and original artwork, clothing, bags, candles, bath & body products, children’s items, and much more (check out the event’s Pinterest board).

And here’s the schedule for free live music and entertainment for the whole family:

11 a.m. – Sing along with Ann from the Green Tambourine, Baltimore Avenue’s children’s music studio
11:45 a.m. – The Daisy Pickers, folksy, rootsy, joyful Americana
12:30 p.m. – Philadelphia Women’s Slavic Ensemble will present choral music from eastern Europe
1 p.m. – Jay Sand of All Around This World, a musical exploration of world cultures for children
1:45 p.m. – River Bones, Philly-style bluegrass (with Sean Dorn on bass)
2:30 p.m. – Evan Cory Levine makes great-grandpa’s jazz sound brand new
3:15 p.m. – Tinycircus, aerial flights of fancy by Tangle Movement Arts
4:15 p.m. – Shakey Lyman, blues legend  Continue Reading

Two important community meetings are scheduled for tomorrow in the Mantua neighborhood – on re-zoning and gentrification issues. Residents are encouraged to attend.

Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell has scheduled a Mantua community re-zoning meeting for Thursday, April 28 after hundreds of Mantua residents participated in a mass letter-writing campaign to her office. The meeting will take place at Grace Lutheran Church (3529 Haverford Ave.), from 6-7:30 p.m.

At this meeting, residents can share their voice about how development occurs in their community and finalize re-zoning based on priorities that:

1. Promote and protect single family homeownership
2. Focus commercial zoning along highly trafficked corridors
3. Correct zoning for parks, recreation centers, and public-use spaces

The meeting is hosted by the Mantua Civic Association and Mt. Vernon Manor CDC.  Continue Reading

Photo via www.thepennrelays.com

The oldest annual track and field event in the nation, The Penn Relays, kicks off this week at Franklin Field (233 S. 33rd Street), and that means there will be a lot of additional traffic on the east end of Penn’s campus.

The 122nd edition of The Penn Relays starts Thursday and runs through Saturday. If you have the scratch, the events are worth attending (information on tickets is here). Some 15,000 athletes participate, some of whom you will likely see at this summer’s Olympic Games in Brazil.

Otherwise, it’s a part of town to avoid for a couple of days if you’re trying to get somewhere else. Expect heavy delays around the stadium all day Thursday through Saturday. On Saturday, 33rd Street from South Street to Walnut Street will be closed from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

If you make the trip to Franklin Field, here’s some info on what you can take in with you.

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will hold rallies in the city, the day before the Pennsylvania primary election on Tuesday, April 26.

Sanders will hold a rally on Monday with actors Susan Sarandon and Kendrick Sampson at the Daskalakis Athletic Center at Drexel University, 3301 Market St. Doors open at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and no tickets are required, but RSVPS are strongly encouraged since admission is first come, first served.

Clinton’s rally will take place at the City Hall Courtyard, 1401 John F Kennedy Blvd. Doors open at 5:15 p.m., and RSVP is also recommended.

The Republican frontrunner Donald Trump will be at West Chester University, 700 S High Street West Chester, PA, for a 4 p.m. rally on Monday. Doors open at 1 p.m. and tickets are available here.