This Sunday, hundreds of people are expected to participate in the 9th annual May Day March, Rally and Festival in West Philadelphia.

The event, which is organized by May Day USA Education Committee (Facebook page) and co-sponsored by PhilaPOSH and the Pennsylvania Labor History Society, will begin at 1 p.m. in front of the McDonald’s at 40th and Walnut Streets, where the participants will gather for the march. The march will proceed to Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore, and the rally will start at 2 p.m., followed by a festival, featuring food, music and entertainment.

This year’s rally will focus on the fight for a $15/hour minimum wage and feature Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris Hedges, Black Lives Matter author Dr. Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, District 1199C President Henry Nicholas, and City Councilwoman Helen Gym.

The May Day rally is an annual event to honor the history of May Day and the many workers who died in the struggle for the eight-hour day in the 1880s.

More information can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

It’s hard to imagine West Philly’s Clark Park without Uhuru Flea Markets. After a six-month break the popular event is returning on Sunday, April 24 (postponed from Saturday, Apr 23 due to rain). The Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market will kick off the 2016 Flea Market season, with the powerful theme of Black Health Matters. The festival will feature local health practitioners, fitness workshops, free health screenings, live entertainment, and two important keynote speakers: APEDF President Ona Zene Yeshitela, and John Thomas, Manager of the Tyron Lewis Community Gym.

The Uhuru Health Festival & Flea Market is an economic development project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF). As a national non-profit organization, APEDF is dedicated to raising resources and developing programming to overturn the grave disparities in health, education, and economic development within the African community. The Health Festival is only one part of the important work to carry out APEDF’s mission of developing self-determination for Africans and all oppressed peoples.

Little Marrakesh Bazaar will be there, too! (Facebook photo)

The festival will also feature free health resources and information from a large number of local health and wellness organizations, including Philadelphia FIGHT, Refugee Health Partners, music by Coco Sol & the Chillettes, and much more.

The festival will be held from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 43rd and Chester.

This year, Uhuru Flea Markets are scheduled for April 23 (Facebook page), May 21, June 18, Aug. 20, Sept. 24 (Book Fair), and Oct. 22. Visit uhuruhealthfest.blogspot.com for more information.

Philadelphia Science Festival at Clark Park (Photo via  www.philasciencefestival.org)

The annual Philadelphia Science Festival returns on April 22 – 30. A lot of cool and FREE events will be happening in West and Southwest Philadelphia, from Astronomy Night for families to a discussion of the brewing process and beer sampling for adults. Here are some of them (for more events, visit: www.philasciencefestival.org):

Saturday, April 23

Astronomy Night (rescheduled from Friday, Apr. 22)

7:30 – 10:30 p.m.

Join local astronomers for some stargazing and participate in other cool projects. Several locations will be hosting this event, so pick one: Drexel University’s Dornsife Center (3509 Spring Garden St.), The African Episcopal Church of Saint Thomas (6361 Lancaster Ave), CHOP Karabots Pediatric Care Center (4865 Market St.), Schuylkill Banks (Schuylkill Banks Trail at Walnut St.), USFWS John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum (8601 Lindbergh Blvd.).  Continue Reading

This Monday, three important community meetings are scheduled in West Philadelphia, and residents are encouraged to participate.

Cedar Park Neighbors Annual Meeting – 7 p.m – Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore). Read more about the meeting’s agenda here.

UPDATE: POSTPONED UNTIL MON, APR 25: Friends of Clark Park General Membership Meeting – 7 p.m. – University of the Sciences, Griffith Hall (Lecture Hall A), 43rd and Woodland (see map here). Bring your questions and concerns, and find out what’s happening in the park.

Powelton Village Civic Association Monthly Meeting – 7:30 p.m. – 3500 Baring Street. On the agenda are two Dornsife / Drexel lawyers talking about deed restrictions and ways to sell one’s house to a single family.

Here’s some information on Easter egg hunts happening in the area this weekend. If you know of more egg hunts, please post information about them in the comments below.

Saturday, March 26

Easter Egg Hunt at Clark Park (43rd and Chester)

Easter Egg Hunt at Clark Park will take place from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Kids up to age 8 are invited. Along with the hunt, there will be some crafts and raffle prizes at the end. This year’s raffle prizes include: gift cards to Renata’s Kitchen, The Nesting House, Clarkville, VIX Emporium, and West Philly Foods. Be sure to get to the park (by the toddler playground) to register for the egg hunt. Registration will begin at 10:45 a.m. and will close promptly at 11:15 a.m. This annual event is organized by Renewal Presbyterian Church.

Spring Egg Hunt at Walnut Street West Library (40th and Walnut)

There will be two egg hunts: 10:30-11:30 a.m. for ages up to 6 and 12-1:30 p.m. for ages 7-12. Join the Friends of Walnut St West Library for snacks, stories, games and books to take home!  Continue Reading

Clark Park Youth Soccer coach Jean-Marie with one of his students, October 2015. (Photo courtesy of CPYSL)

A great and affordable local outdoor youth soccer program, Clark Park Youth Soccer League (CPYSL), will be back next month for its Spring 2016 season and is currently recruiting kids and volunteer coaches.

The spring season will start on Saturday, April 2 and end on May 21.

The program provides soccer instruction and intramural games for children ages 5-11 on Saturdays each spring and fall at Clark Park and emphasizes enjoying the game of soccer while learning soccer skills. Each 90-minute session includes both skills training and a game.

Children are assigned to teams by age:

– Mornings (10:30-Noon): ages 5 to 6.5 and ages 6.5 to 7
– Afternoons (Noon-1:30 pm): ages 8 to 9 and ages 10 to 11

Families can fill out an online application and submit their payment online at this link; register and pay by mail (download registration form here and mail it to CPYSL by March 28); or register in person at walk-in registration on April 2.

The all-volunteer-run program is also currently seeking volunteer coaches. If you like soccer and enjoy working with kids, email clarkparksoccer@yahoo.com  Continue Reading