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Children in grades K-6 are invited to be Curious Scientific Investigators at the 2nd Community Science Festival being held this Saturday, Aug. 9, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., at the White Rock Baptist Church (5240 Chestnut St). Children will assist Penn graduate students, Arcadia University students and Post-doctoral fellows with scientific experiments. The festival is organized by the Science Education Academy, a community partnership between the White Rock Baptist Church and the Ernest E Just Biomedical Society at the University of Pennsylvania.

This is an exciting event for both children and parents. Children will learn about microbes, how to make batteries with potatoes, how planes fly and how to solve mysteries using chemistry! For parents, there will be a workshop on how to help your children with science fair projects as well as research presentations from Penn graduate students. The event is free and open to the public.

The weather is perfect for the last outdoor concert in the 2014 Cedar Park Summer Jazz series, which taking place tonight, from 6 – 8 p.m. Rich Tucker (Facebook page) and the Universal Koncept will entertain the crowd at 49th and Baltimore for the last time this year, as we’re saying goodbye to the series until the next summer. As usual, bring your blanket, or chair and a picnic, or enjoy a takeout from your favorite neighborhood restaurant.

Here’s a great opportunity for local boys in grades 7-12. On Friday, Aug 8, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit presenter of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, and the Philadelphia Writing Project are offering a free writing workshop at Penn Museum. This interactive workshop is a part of a writing workshop series, START.WRITE.NOW, taking place at various locations around the city. Friday’s workshop is the only Start.Write.Now workshop offered in West Philadelphia.

Start.Write.Now is a national initiative to encourage students to share their voice and engage with their creative peers over the summer. Local workshop facilitators will help boys in attendance to discover new, fun outlets of artistic expression, from poetry, sports articles, and digital stories to comics,  rap lyrics, video and card games.

The space is limited to 20 participants, so hurry up to register for the workshop.

Friday, Aug 8, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., University of Pennsylvania Museum (The Kress Entrance), 3260 South St

TO REGISTER: Register online at: http://tiny.cc/hgl0hx

The other day, when walking along Baltimore Ave we lamented that there was only one Dollar Stroll this year. It took place June 19 – seems like a long time ago. Today University City District (UCD) announced that due to popular demand, a second Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this season is coming on Thursday, Sept 18! That’s great news for Dollar Stroll fans.

A record number of visitors flocked to the area for the last stroll, so UCD together with the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA) are excited to bring the season’s second Dollar Stroll to Baltimore Avenue, between 43rd and 51st Streets.

As always, the event will start at 5:30 p.m. and go on until 8:30 and all are welcome to sample $1 items from local vendors during these three hours. There’s something for everyone – from $1 pours of craft beers to various bites for a buck to special memberships and ticket offers. In addition, there will be live entertainment at the 46th Street Triangle, including music from Y-Not radio, jugglers and fire artists.

The event (Facebook page) will happen rain or shine, according to the organizers. More information about participating businesses and their $1 specials is coming soon. Stay tuned.

West Philly is lucky to host the BlackStar Film Festival again this year. We sketched out the weekend line-up below. One of the highlights is the debut of They Die By Dawn, featuring Erykah Badu and Michael K. Williams (“Omar” from The Wire). The two main venues are the International House (3701 Chestnut) and Penn’s Annenberg School of Communications (3620 Walnut St.).

Click on the links for descriptions and trailers.

Many events are free. Where noted, tickets cost $10 for the general public, $7 for seniors and students and $5 for International House members.

Saturday, Aug. 2

• Forever Young: Coming of Age Shorts • 11:30 a.m. • International House Philadelphia (IHP) • $10/$7/$5

• Troop 491: The Adventures of the Muddy Lions • 1 p.m. • Penn’s Annenberg School of Communications (ASC) • Free

• Planet Rock: Hip Hop Shorts • 1:40 p.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5

• Youth Program Screening • 3 p.m. • ASC • Free

• Book signing – Dismantle: An Anthology of Writing from the VONA/Voices Writing Workshop • Marissa Johnson-Valenzuela and Andrea Wall • Immediately after Youth Program Screening • ASC

• Little White Lie w/Window Dressing Fail • 3:10 p.m. • IHP • Free

• Book signing: (1)ne Drop: Shifting the Lens on Race • Immediately after Little White Lie • IHP

• Panel – The Crossover Between Film and Music • 5 p.m. • IHP • Free

• Culture Strike: Social Justice Shorts • 5:15 p.m. • ASC • Free

• They Die By Dawn • 6:50 p.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5

• Half a Yellow Sun • 8:30 p.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5

Sunday, Aug. 3

• Creative Class: Makers Shorts • 11:30 a.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5

• Evolution of a Criminal • 12:45 p.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5 (Q and A with Darius Clark Monroe follows)

• Panel – Composing for Film • 3 p.m. • IHP • Free

• Time is Illmatic • 5 p.m. • IHP • $10/$7/$5

Due to rain, tonight’s Henry IV show, which was supposed to take place in Clark Park, will be held at the Penn Ice Rink at 3130 Walnut Street. The show still starts at 7 p.m. Follow Shakespeare in Clark Park on Twitter (@shakespeareincp) for updates.