The 12th annual Peoplehood parade and pageant was today in West Philly. This annual showcase of arts and activism is put on by the Spiral Q Puppet Theater. If you couldn’t make it out, take a minute and check out the slideshow below.
 

Curio Theatre Company is about to start a series of fun interactive performances for children. On selective Saturdays through May 2012 kids and their parents/guardians are invited for a unique theater experience with Kid Curio and the Improv Avengers. Children will have an opportunity not just to watch the show, but also to be part of it.

The show is run by two Curio Theatre company members, Eric Scotolati and Ryan Walter, and is geared toward kids ages 6 – 12. There will be lots of games and laughing, but the show also will help kids learn the basics of improvisation and develop useful public speaking skills.

The first show is this Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. Tickets are only $5. Please go here for more information and to purchase tickets online.

Here’s a full list of Kid Curio show dates:

October 22 & 29
November 5
December 17 & 28
January 7
February 18 & 25
April 28
May 5 & 12

Dear readers,

Put your thinking caps on and sharpen your knives. We are looking for spooky, funny, scary or downright outrageous jack-o-lanterns. Our 2011 Pumpkin Carving Contest is underway and we are looking forward to receiving snapshots of your creations. The contest is open through October 28. And don’t forget that local businesses are giving out prizes to the contest winners! For more information go here.

The International House Philadelphia is hosting a series of events this month dedicated to India and its rich culture. A photography exhibit, the Diwali festival, and the International Vision Award Ceremony are all part of the Incredible India! event series running in October and the beginning of November.

This week the International House invites neighbors to enjoy and learn more about Indian cuisine. This event will take place tomorrow, Oct. 18, at 6:00 p.m. at Tandoor India located at 106 S 40th Street. Tandoor India specializes in exotic North and South Indian cuisine. The restaurant’s host will select the menu and drinks and present a short overview of the food and culture of the region.

We hear that members of Youcie (the University City Young Friends group) will co-host the event, so this is also a great opportunity to meet them and learn more about the group.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. For more Incredible India! and other events at the International House go here.

Most of the 5,000 prisoners incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, will die there. Angola is the largest maximum security prison in the United States. Prisoners there have long sentences, virtually life sentences. West Philly-based photographer Lori Waselchuk released a book this summer documenting the prison’s inmate-run hospice program, which provides dying prisoners some comfort and dignity in their last days. You can talk to her about it this Sunday.

Waselchuk will sign her book, Grace Before Dying, and talk about the project as part of an event hosted by the West Philly-based non-profit Books Through Bars on Sunday, Oct. 16. Running from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the A-Space (4722 Baltimore Ave.), the event will also feature quilts made by Angola inmates that are part of a traveling exhibit (now at Saint Joseph’s University) accompanying the Grace Before Dying project. Local quilters and textile artists will also be on hand to discuss their work.

The event ends with a screening of the documentary In the Land of the Free, which tells the story of Angola inmates Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, also known as the Angola 3, who between them spent almost a century in solitary confinement. Wallace and Woodfox are still in solitary after more than 37 years.

Here is a schedule for the event:

3:30 p.m. – Quilter’s Roundtable. Local quilters and textile artists will present their work.

5 p.m. – Reception

6 p.m. – Lori Waselchuk talk and book signing

7 p.m. – Screening of the In the Land of the Free

Don’t miss the last chance to tour Mariposa Food Co-op‘s new store (4824 Baltimore Ave). It’s six weeks into construction and is on track to open in January. This Sunday, Oct. 16, everyone is welcome to attend the final in a series of open houses that will include visiting the new co-op building, checking in on construction progress, chatting with members and staff, and some seasonal snacks. The open house hours are from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. For more information and RSVP visit this page.

Next Sunday, Oct. 23, Mariposa invites neighbors to celebrate Food Day and enjoy a delicious three-course dinner with seasonal and local ingredients, prepared by La Nena Cooks‘ guest chef. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 and all proceeds will go towards the Mariposa expansion. Space is limited so RSVP here: Food Day Dinner for Mariposa.