Photo via The Food Trust’s Facebook page.

This is Thanksgiving week, so if you’re planning to do last-minute shopping for your feast please note that the mid-week Clark Park Farmers’ Market, which usually takes place on Thursdays, will be set up on Wednesday, Nov. 22 this week. The market, which is located at 43rd and Baltimore, will have special pre-Thanksgiving hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. After tomorrow, the mid-week Farmers’ Market will close until next summer. The Saturday market is open all year round, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Both markets are run by The Food Trust. For more information on the vendors, go here.

Due to rainy weather in August, some movie screenings in Clark Park were postponed, so this Friday (Sept. 22), the “Movies in Clark” series will return for one last time with a rescheduled screening of Hidden Figures. This Oscar-nominated film tells the story of three brilliant African American women working for NASA who served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit during the 1960s.

The film screening will begin at 8 p.m., but all are invited to come early to a presentation of a “Life in Space” program by The Franklin Institute staff (starting at 6:15), plus enjoy food and desserts from some local food trucks, such as Humpty’s Dumplings, Pink’s Cold Treats, and more.  Continue Reading

Twice a year, Clark Park Youth Soccer League invites local kids ages 5-11 to participate in the program held at Clark Park. The Fall season starts Sept. 23rd, and while there is no shortage of kids signing up, this low-cost program is still looking for volunteer coaches.

If you like to play soccer, know a little bit about the game, and enjoy running around and having fun with kids, please consider volunteering for this program.

The Fall season continues through mid-November. It takes place on Saturdays, with kids ages 5 to 7 playing from 10:30 a.m. to Noon, and ages 8 to 11 playing from Noon to 1:30 p.m. Volunteer coaches are asked to commit to being there most of the Saturdays through the season. Three or four coaches will be assigned to each team so that you’ll always have backup. Continue Reading

Parks on Tap, a traveling beer garden concept created last summer by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation in partnership with Fairmount Park Conservancy and FCM Hospitality, is returning to Clark Park tonight and will stay through Sunday, Aug. 27. Then, it will reopen for a second week, from Wednesday, Aug. 30 – Monday, Sept. 4.

Here are the hours of operation for this and next week:

Wednesday & Thursday: 5-10 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 1-11 p.m.
Sunday: 12-10 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 4 (Labor Day): 12-10 p.m.  Continue Reading

Clark Park Farmers Market (archived photo).

Those who shopped at Clark Park Farmers’ Market this past Saturday noticed something different about it – all the vendors were positioned in the middle of 43rd Street instead of the sidewalk, while the street was closed to traffic. Just like you, we wondered if it was just for the day or long-term. The Food Trust, the nonprofit that hosts Clark Park and many other farmers markets around the city, says the new location for Clark Park Farmers Market on Saturdays is here to stay:

“After 20 seasons on the sidewalk, we’re moving our vendors into 43rd Street to enhance the shopping experience,” reads a message on The Food Trust’s Facebook page.

So come check it out on Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Continue Reading

It wasn’t a very good start to the “Love Your Park” week on Saturday, May 13, with some of the events, like the annual Spruce Hill May Fair, being rained out. This week, there will be more chances to celebrate and help clean up your neighborhood park as the “Love Your Park” week, sponsored by Philadelphia Parks & Rec and local community groups, continues. On Friday and Saturday, festivities will be held at at least three West Philly parks – Clark Park, Cedar Park and Malcolm X Park. A couple of park cleanups have also been scheduled, and volunteers are needed. Here are more details:

Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore)

Picnic in Cedar Park: Friday, May 19, 6-8 p.m.

Residents are invited to bring their own picnic or pick up a dinner at one of the neighborhood’s great businesses and enjoy a beautiful spring evening with their friends and neighbors.

Service Workday: Saturday, May 20, 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The service workday in Cedar Park has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 20 due to rain. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Help is needed planting annuals and perennials, pruning, weeding, and doing general clean up. Tools and gloves will be provided. RSVP here.  Continue Reading