Photo courtesy of IHP

International House Philadelphia (37th and Chestnut) will host a free screening of an inspiring documentary film about two best friends and world-class acrobats from remote corners of the globe who share the same dream of bringing hope and change to their struggling communities through circus. Circus Without Borders follows performers Guillaume Saladin and Yamoussa Bangoura whose dream unfolds in the Canadian Arctic and Guinea, West Africa, where they help Inuit and Guinean youth achieve unimaginable success while confronting suicide, poverty and despair.

Seven years in the making, this tale of two circuses — Artcirq and Kalabante — is an inspiring story of resilience and joy. Both troupes use art and the power of dreams to transform themselves and their communities. Circus Without Borders was the opening film for the 2015 Margaret Mead Film Festival in New York City.

Saladin and Bangoura will attend the screening and treat the audiences to a special performance following the film. They will also participate in a Q&A session with director Susan Gray.

The screening begins at 7 p.m. Visit this page for more information and to RSVP.

There are tons of festive events happening in the area this weekend, including one of the biggest local shopping events of the year, a new restaurant grand opening party, a craft show opening, a big FREE holiday family event, a dance party supporting a local non-profit, and more. More information about these and other upcoming events is below. If you want to buy a Christmas tree or holiday wreaths, greens and decorations this weekend, check out this post. For local gift ideas and more holiday shopping opportunities, visit our “Buy Local for the Holidays” page.

Friday, Dec. 4

• University City Arts League Holiday Craft Show Opening Reception, 6 – 8 p.m., 4226 Spruce St.

Thirty local artists will present their wares—just in time for the holidays! This is a great opportunity to shop for hand-made gifts for you and the whole family, such as cards, pottery, soaps, t-shirts, and more! Complimentary drinks and eats will be offered while you shop during the opening reception this Friday. The Craft Show is open daily Dec. 4-20. Monday-Friday, 5-8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 12-6 p.m. Closing reception will take place on Dec. 20, 4-6 p.m. The list of 2015 vendors is available here.

• Clarkville Grand Opening Party, 5 p.m., 43rd and Baltimore

New Baltimore Avenue bar and restaurant, Clarkville, is opening this Friday. The grand opening party kicks off at 5 p.m.

• West Philly jeweler Amy Neukrug presents her holiday collection at Hello World, 5 – 9 p.m., 3610 Sansom St.

• The Bald Soprano opens at Curio Theatre, 8 p.m., 48th and Baltimore  Continue Reading

From back row left to right: Aetna Gallagher, Ken Opdenaker, Maria Konstantinidis, Brandon Pierce, Rachel Gluck and CJ Keller (Photo by JR Blackwell)

The Curio Theatre Company will stage a play opening this Friday that should resonate deeply in our ever-connected, hyper-talkative social media saturated world, a place where everyone talks but few communicate.

The Bald Soprano, the first work by Romanian playwright Eugène Ionesco, makes us laugh at all of this absurd small talk run amok. Originally set in the London home of the fictional couple The Smiths, who are having their friends, The Martins, over for dinner, the play has been updated to include – through clever screen projections –  all of that online gibberish that we all know too well. The play’s script stays true to the original set in the 1950s, but works in modern takes on the non-sequitur.

“Every day we are trapped in the web (pardon the pun) and we argue, sell, cajole, entertain and most of all, cross our wires on the internet,” said director Charlotte Northeast. “This show has pieces of that layered in to illustrate that whether we are speaking in the 1950’s or today, we haven’t mastered this whole talking and REALLY communicating thing.”  Continue Reading

Here’s a chance to participate in an important neighborhood planning process. Residents are invited to an open house on Wednesday, Dec. 2 to provide feedback on the draft Action Plan for the West Philadelphia Promise Zone. The open house will be held at People’s Emergency Center Community Room (325 North 39th Street). Participants are welcome to come anytime between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to review key aspects of the Action Plan, and provide feedback.

At the open house, you can learn about:

• Strategies to help residents in economic development, education, health and wellness, housing, and public safety.
• The planning process that helped develop the Promise Zone Action Plan.
• Opportunities for ongoing public involvement.

Your feedback can help guide important work in the neighborhoods, designated by President Barack Obama as the Promise Zone, and in some adjacent areas, including Belmont, East Parkside, Mantua, Mill Creek, Powelton Village, Saunders Park, Spruce Hill and Walnut Hill.

You can register for the meeting here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/promise-zone-community-meeting-tickets-19431205258

Every year, the Cedar Park Neighbors community association packs and distributes holiday food baskets for neighborhood families in need. The annual event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 19, and Cedar Park Neighbors needs your help. The baskets will be packed between 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. at Renewal Presbyterian Church, located on the corner of 47th and Cedar Ave. A few strong hands are also needed to assist with unloading the poultry truck at 7:30 a.m. Please email Michelle Lewis at mlewis1071-at-gmail.com if you are available to help out.

To donate to the food drive, click here or send payment to: Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Baskets, Calvary Community Center, 4740 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143. Please make checks payable to “Cedar Park Neighbors.” A suggested donation of $36.00 will help feed two families.

If you are interested in donating bulk items or if you have questions, please also contact Michelle Lewis (mlewis1071-at-gmail.com).  Continue Reading

Here’s a chance for neighborhood residents to learn more about the University of the Sciences‘ plans in the area, meet the administration, and ask questions. USciences is inviting all interested individuals to their December community meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7-8:30 p.m. The meeting will feature remarks from university leadership, an update on the university’s Campus Master Plan, an open forum for questions, and a chance to interact with various University departments and partner representatives. Light refreshments will be served during the Meet & Greet part of the meeting, from 7:45-8:30 p.m.

The meeting will take place at McNeil Science and Technology Center, 45th and Woodland (#20 on map).

As a reminder, some of USciences’ plans in the area include converting the former Alexander Wilson Elementary School building (pictured) into student housing and student-focused retail. USciences purchased the 1.03-acre parcel at 46th and Woodland last fall.