The annual Spruce Hill May Fair will be held on Saturday, May 7 in Clark Park. In addition to live music, food, book and plant sales, a raffle, and activities for kids, local artisans and craftspeople will showcase their creations and offer the public an opportunity to purchase their unique handcrafted wares. There will also be booths set up with information about local groups and causes seeking public support.

The Spruce Hill Community Association is hosting the event and is offering vending spots for interested individuals or organizations. Especially welcome are artists and crafters from West Philadelphia who would like to offer their works for sale, as well as any group or organization wanting to promote itself or a cause, event, or activity.  Continue Reading

The community association for one of the city’s most dynamic neighborhoods is looking for new members and leadership. Cedar Park Neighbors will hold its annual meeting on April 18, and all are invited to the Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 48th and Baltimore to hear a report of what CPN has done over the year. There will also be a special event at the meeting that will be announced soon.

The meeting will also include elections for next year’s officers and board members. But only CPN members as of April 1, 2016 can vote. Annual memberships run from January to December each year, and if you would like to join or renew your membership you can do it on the MemberPlanet website. CPN memberships start at just $7/year (for seniors, students, and the unemployed.)

If you have questions, please email: contact@cedarparkneighbors.org or call 267-225-8283.

Former Alexander Wilson School building at 46th and Woodland.

It’s been a while since local community members received any updates on the University of the Sciences’ (USciences) plans regarding the re-development of the former Alexander Wilson School building at 46th and Woodland. This Wednesday (March 30), residents are invited to get the latest scoop about this project at a community meeting on the university’s campus.

The meeting will feature an update on the Campus Master Plan, including the Alexander Wilson School site, remarks from University leadership, an open forum for questions, and a chance to interact with University representatives and partners. Light refreshments will be served.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m., and here’s the agenda:

7:00-7:45 p.m. – Introductions and Remarks
7:45-8:00 p.m. – Open Forum for Community Questions
8:00-8:30 p.m. – Refreshments and Meet & Greet  Continue Reading

Here’s some information on Easter egg hunts happening in the area this weekend. If you know of more egg hunts, please post information about them in the comments below.

Saturday, March 26

Easter Egg Hunt at Clark Park (43rd and Chester)

Easter Egg Hunt at Clark Park will take place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Kids up to age 8 are invited. Along with the hunt, there will be some crafts and raffle prizes at the end. This year’s raffle prizes include: gift cards to Renata’s Kitchen, The Nesting House, Clarkville, VIX Emporium, and West Philly Foods. Be sure to get to the park (by the toddler playground) to register for the egg hunt. Registration will begin at 10:45 a.m. and will close promptly at 11:15 a.m. This annual event is organized by Renewal Presbyterian Church.

Spring Egg Hunt at Walnut Street West Library (40th and Walnut)

There will be two egg hunts: 10:30-11:30 a.m. for ages up to 6 and 12-1:30 p.m. for ages 7-12. Join the Friends of Walnut St West Library for snacks, stories, games and books to take home!  Continue Reading

On Saturday, March 19, parents and caregivers of preschool-age children are invited to meet representatives of about a dozen local early childhood education programs and learn more about available preschool and daycare options in the area. All at the same time and place! The West Philly Early Childhood Info Day is organized by a recently formed West Philly Early Childhood Consortium, and the following centers will participate in tomorrow’s event:

• Children’s Community School (1212 South 47th)
• The Little Green School House (219 South Melville)
• Little Learners (4630 Woodland)
• Dreamscape
• Past Your Bedtime Child Care (4946 Parkside, 2009 North 63rd)
• Little Pearls (1247 North 52nd)
• TIES Tots (4431 Walnut)
• Saint Mary’s Nursery School (3916 Locust Walk)
• Parent Infant Center (4205 Spruce)
• West Philadelphia Cooperative School (4625 Baltimore)

At this free event you can learn about local programs, ask questions one-on-one, and get info on choosing the right program for you. Also, feel free to bring your kids to this event – it will include a children’s book sale and free activities for your little ones.  Continue Reading

Prisoner’s Song, a powerful performance created by composer Gelsey Bell and visual artist Erik Ruin about the prison experience will be presented at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) on Friday, March 18, 8-10 p.m.. The presentation is a fusion of art and activism and will give the audience the chance to speak to formerly incarcerated men who lent their stories to beautiful music and huge wall projections.

Performance photo by Michael Yu.

Using shadow puppets and projections alongside a variety of musical idioms, the piece draws on historic ballads, poetry, audio interviews with people who have spent time in prison, and other primary sources to create a fragmentary encounter with the states of mind and heart prison engenders.

The event is working with Reconstruction, Inc., whose mission is to effect social change by forging individuals that were formerly incarcerated into an organized community of leaders working together to transform the criminal justice system, their communities and themselves.

The performance will be followed by a brief talk-back with the artists and various contributors to the project, including Hakim Ali and William Goldsby of Reconstruction, Inc., LuQman Abdullah and Emily Abendroth.

Admission is free, but an optional donation will be accepted at the door for Reconstruction, Inc.