The third annual Philly Photo Day is tomorrow (Oct. 26) and everyone in the city is invited to take a photograph. The photo can be of any subject, as long as it’s taken on October 26. Philadelphia Photo Arts Center will print all the pictures and hang them for exhibition in the Crane Arts Building in Kensington. In addition to the main exhibition, PPAC will place select Philly Photo Day pictures on city billboards, Septa buses and trains, creating a public exhibition of the work.

“At its core, Philly Photo Day is about increasing access to the arts for everyone in Philadelphia,” said Sarah Stolfa, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Photo Arts Center.

You can upload your photo from October 26 to October 30 on this page (you can only submit one picture).

This year, PPAC is reaching out to local community centers, providing cameras and artists who will teach photography basics and help participants select their best photos for this event. If you need instruction or a camera to participate, here’s where you can go to in West Philly:

Morning Sites, 9am – 12pm

Action AIDS
3901 Market Street

People’s Emergency Center
325 N. 39th Street

Ronald McDonald House
3925 Chestnut Street

West Philadelphia Senior Community Center
1016 41st Street

Afternoon Sites, 1-4pm

Mariposa Food Co-Op
4824 Baltimore Avenue

People’s Emergency Center
325 N. 39th Street

West Philadelphia Community Center
3512 Haverford Avenue

Reminder: Our 2012 Pumpkin Carving Contest is underway and we are looking forward to receiving snapshots of your jack-o-lanterns. Please email them to: contest@westphillylocal.com. The contest is open through October 29.

Here are more details:

The 2nd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest runs from October 15 through October 29. All ages are welcome to participate. Prizes are supplied by these West Philly businesses: Curio Theatre (2 tickets), Dock Street Brewery (a gift card), Four Worlds Bakery (a gift card), Green Line Cafe (a gift card), Honest Tom’s Taco Shop, Lil’ Pop Shop, Locust Moon Comics (a copy of BATMAN: The Long Halloween), Mariposa Food Co-op (a goodie basket), Penn Museum (two general passes to the Museum + a MAYA 2012 tee + a copy of the latest issue of Expedition Magazine), Sabrina’s Cafe (a gift card), and VIX Emporium (a gift card + tote bag).

Here’s how it works:

Submit a snapshot of your pumpkin by email (contest@westphillylocal.com) that includes your name, address (West Philly residents only please), and age (if you are entering the Kids category). Entries from kids 12 and under will also be entered into the Kids category. Be sure to get a good photo that shows off your pumpkin’s best features.

Winners will be selected in the following categories:

Scariest
Funniest
Kids (12 and under)
Best Philly-Themed
Readers Choice (grand prize)

The entry deadline is 6 p.m. on Monday, October 29.

The winners will be announced on November 1. Voting for the Reader’s Choice will run between October 29 and October 31. Note: One entry per person. We’ll put all photos in a gallery.

Photo by Paul J. Roane.

The folks at 4611 Springfield Avenue are again hosting a Halloween party for neighbors of all ages, an annual tradition in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. On Halloween night, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., make sure to visit the Haunted Garden for treats and tricks. As usual, the garden will feature a dozen spooky sets and treat stations, with thousands of candy bars, fruits, pretzel bags and bite-sized treats. And while waiting in line, enjoy The Philly Thrillers group performing the zombie dance from the “Thriller” video.

Haunted Garden wouldn’t be such a success without all the help from people in the neighborhood. This year, too, the event organizers are looking for volunteers to help decorate the place this Saturday and Sunday, from 1-4, and on Halloween, from 4:30-7:30 to act in costume and distribute treats. If you would like to help, you can contact one of the organizers, Elizabeth, by email: home.in.phila@juno.com.

VIX Emporium has announced that the holiday edition of Go West! Craft Fest will take place in The Rotunda on December 15 and that any artists or craftspeople interested in being a vendor at the event are welcome to apply. Applications are free and available online here. The last day to apply is November 5.

Stay tuned for more details on the upcoming festival. If you missed the fall Craft Fest at The Woodlands, please go here and here to see photos. BTW, the new “West Philly is the Best Philly” hoodie (pictured below) was a hot item at the festival and if you missed it, you can buy it online.

This Saturday, Penn Museum celebrates the National Archaeology Day and invites folks of all ages for an afternoon filled with fun and adventures. A host of adventurous activities honor the fictional explorer-archaeologist Professor Henry Walton Jones (aka Indiana Jones). Here’s what will be happening at the museum tomorrow from 1 to 4 p.m.:

Guests to Indiana Jones Day can join in a What in the World? game show; hear real archaeology adventure stories from a world-traveling National Geographic archaeologist; take part in a hands-on program using archaeology to solve a mystery; and even touch a real ancient mummy (without a curse!). Kids and families can take a literal “run in Indy’s footsteps” in an outdoor obstacle course, make Indy-inspired arts and crafts, follow a scavenger hunt for (not so) hidden treasures, and try movie-inspired cuisine (monkey brains, anyone?).

This is a free event with Penn Museum admission ($12 for adults; $10 for seniors [65+]; $8 for full-time students [with ID] and children [6-17]; and free for children under 6). Visitors wearing an Indiana Jones-style fedora receive $2 off the price of admission!

Indiana Jones Day is cosponsored by The Philadelphia Chapter of the Archaeological Institute of America. For more information about the event, visit this page.

This Saturday (Oct. 20), join your neighbors and friends for the annual late fall Community Cleanup. Residents are encouraged to step outside their homes, offices, or schools and pick up leaves and trash. You can also help clean up your nearby park, or empty lot.

University City District will be organizing a few focused efforts throughout the neighborhood and can assist anyone interested in participating by providing trash bags, brooms, work gloves, and trash pickup.

To sign up for the cleanup, please contact UCD at cleanandsafe@universitycity.org or 215-243-0555.