Spring’s Craft Fest was a big hit.

The fall installment of GO WEST! Craft Fest is coming to the historic Woodlands cemetery this Saturday (Sept. 29), bringing over 50 super crafty vendors and their work. You can find all kinds of handmade stuff at the festival – artworks, cards, prints, clothing, ceramics, jewelry, natural bath & body products, toys, edibles and more. With holidays coming up, the Woodlands this Saturday is the place to be (don’t forget your holiday shopping list). You can check out the vendor list here or visit the event’s pinterest board.

Besides the vendors, there will be live entertainment and fun for the whole family. Here’s the schedule:

Noon: Perseverance Jazz Band, swinging NOLA-style standards
1 p.m.: The Citywide Specials, an authentic bluegrass band
2 p.m.: Jay Sand of All Around This World, engaging world music for kids and their families
3 p.m.: Tinycircus, aerial flights of fancy presented by Tangle Movement Arts

So come support local small, independent businesses this Saturday (rain date – Sunday, Sept. 30).

Neighbors are invited to join a walk against gun violence and vigil for gun murder victims tonight, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cedar Park section of West Philly. There will be two walk starting points – at gun homicide sites at 1100 S. Ruby Street and at the intersection of S. 52nd and Warrington Streets. The two walks will join together at Cedar Park (50th and Baltimore) in the vigil where luminaries for all gun murders to this date in Philadelphia will be lighted. There have been over 250 murders in the city this year.

The event is organized by Heeding God’s Call, a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence, and by Neighborhood Partners to End Gun Violence as part of Peace Day Philly. For more information email: info@heedinggodscall.org or call 856-371-3038.

Pit Bulls get a bad rap. Just last week on our site there were some negative comments about them after we published a post about a young Pit Bull looking for adoption. This Sunday (Sept. 23) there is an event that will try to dispel some of these myths and discuss how to help the breed. The “Punish the Deed, not the Breed” forum, organized by PACT for Animals, will be held on the University of Pennsylvania campus from noon to 7 p.m.

The forum will include screenings of the film “Beyond the Myth” at the International House (3701 Chestnut St) at approximately 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There will also be seminars and symposiums held at Golkin Hall in the Fitts Auditorium (entrance is on Sansom Street between 34th & 36th Streets), beginning at 12:15 p.m. and continuing until 7 p.m. Tickets are available online ($25) or at the door ($35).

For more information about the forum and the event schedule, please follow this link.

Don’t miss the final 2012 Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this Thursday, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. As always, there will be tons of $1 deals from local businesses and live entertainment. Check out the map below for details.

Click to enlarge.

Related Posts:

• Photos of the Dollar Stroll
• Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll returns this Thursday
• Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll dates released

For neighbors celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – here’s information from Kol Tzedek, a Reconstructionist synagogue located at 48th and Baltimore, about its upcoming holiday services:

September 16, 6:30 PM – Erev Rosh Hashanah

September 17, 9 AM – Rosh Hashanah

September 18, 9:30 AM – Rosh Hashanah

September 25, 6:15 – Erev Yom Kippur

September 26, 9:30 – Yom Kippur

Please send your questions to: religiouslife@kol-tzedek.org
 

Two events this week in West Philly are designed to help folks navigate the new (and controversial) voter ID law.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams will host a “Voter ID Education and Action Rally” on Thursday at the Kingsessing Recreation Center (50th and Kingsessing) at 5 p.m. The rally will be held on the day that Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices will hear an appeal on the implementation of the law for the Nov. 6 election.

Williams is among the many lawmakers who argue that the law unfairly restricts access to the polls.

“While we continue to fight this confusing, unnecessary and utterly disgraceful new law, it’s crucial that voters are made aware of their rights so that they are ready for Election Day,” Williams said.

Members of various civic groups will be on hand to talk to voters about the law. The rally is also a good chance to sign up to volunteer for voter outreach efforts.

The Voter ID law will also be a key topic of conversation on Wednesday during the “Civics 101” program at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library (125 S. 52nd St), beginning at 6 p.m. Everett Butcher, Executive Director of the Chester County Minority Caucus, will discuss the law and be available to answer questions.