Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local

Last night, Curio Theatre opened its 2013-2014 season with its free production of Washington Irving’s classic 19th century short story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” at the “Bowl” in Clark Park on 43rd Street and Chester Avenue. A full crowd of mostly families hunkered down on the grass as they listened to the story of Ichabod Crane (played by company member Josh Hitchens, who adapted “Sleepy Hollow” for stage) and his fateful encounter with the headless horseman.

During the 45-minute show, Hitchens and his fellow actors, Rachel Gluck as Crane’s love interest Katrina Van Tassel and Chris Braak as his rival Brom Van Brunt, moved around the simplistic set with quiet intensity as several torches and a small crackling campfire illuminated the scene. Sound effects, provided by Eli Halpern (who played The Musician), filled the atmosphere as Crane’s story unfolded.

Make sure to catch “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” at Clark Park before it closes on September 8. The remaining shows are on Saturday and Sunday, starting at 7:30 p.m.

West Philly is the place to be this weekend (and all week for that matter). Actually it kicks off today. Here’s a little guide we compiled to help you figure out what to do. If you know of more events that your friends and neighbors should know about please post them as a comment below.

Thursday, Sept 5

• Free events and art installations at Clark Park’s Farmers’ Market (43rd & Baltimore), 3-7 p.m. For more information click here.

Friday, Sept 6

• The 2013 Fringe Festival kicks off at various locations around the city. For more information on the festival events in West Philly, check our story here.
• Free performance by Man Man at The Porch at 30th Street Station (30th & Market), noon. Presented by WXPN, this very special outdoor “Free At Noon” concert will feature Philadelphia-based Man Man, who come celebrating the September 10th release of On Oni Pond, a compelling mash-up of Fear Of Music-era Talking Heads, classic soul, psychedelia, hip-hop, and 50’s rock and roll.
• Curio Theatre presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Clark Park “B” (43rd & Chester, in the bowl), 7:30 p.m., Free. Curio brings the unforgettable legend of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman to Clark Park for three nights, beginning Friday. There will be live music, cool sound effects and a real campfire. Bring a lawn chair/blanket/food/wine and prepare to be scared!
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This week, on Thursday (Sept. 5) and Saturday (Sept. 7), The Food Trust’s Farmers’ Market Program will bring some free events, performances, and art installations to a few West Philly farmers’ markets. The events are part of the “Art at Market” series and will be held at the Clark Park market (Thursday and Saturday) and the Overbrook market (Saturday).

Here are more details:

Thursday, Sept. 5, 3 – 7 p.m.

Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen. Photo via artasiapacific.com.

Clark Park (43rd & Baltimore)
Stop by the Philadelphia Art Alliance’s table to hear about “The Way of Chopsticks,” an exhibition by contemporary Beijing based artists Song Dong and Yin Xiuzhen that will open on September 12, 2013. You can hear more about the exhibition, learn about the Chinese tradition of shadow puppetry, and make a colorful shadow puppet of your own using chopsticks.

West Philly’s Spiral Q Puppet Theater invites everyone to their Scrap Table. Kids and adults of all ages will make masks and headgear out of common household materials. You’re welcome to bring your creation to the Peoplehood Parade on Sunday, Oct. 6 (from the Paul Robeson House to Clark Park). Spiral Q will also bring their scrap table to Clark Park on Saturday, Sept. 7.

Saturday, Sept. 7

Clark Park
Hot Chili Pepper Dryer
Part I: 10 a.m. — 2 p.m.
Join Philly-based artist and farmer Meei-Ling Ng as she builds a free-standing, 8-foot tripod structure out of bamboo. Market attendees will be given fresh red, orange, and yellow chili peppers to attach to the structure. The result: a large, patterned, chili pepper teepee that celebrates the inherent beauty, utility, and cultural roots of these spicy dried pods. For Part II, occurring on October 3, participants will return to the market and claim their dried chili peppers to enjoy at home. Meei-Ling will provide demonstrations and additional information about cooking with chili peppers and drying vegetables at home.

Overbrook Farmers’ Market
(In the Overbrook Presbyterian Church Parking Lot; Corner of Lancaster Ave and City Ave)
Believe the HYPE. Healthy You. Positive Energy.
A special HYPE performance by rapper Sterlen Barr and Dance Crew Special EFX will take place from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. HYPE is The Food Trust’s citywide youth leadership program that empowers middle and high school students to be the leaders for healthy change in their schools and communities. This special “Art at Market” event will get everyone up and dancing to set the tone for a healthy and HYPE new school year – with everything from old school classics to new funky favorites. The event will also feature stilt walking, juggling and hula hooping with local circus act Bujee Magoo.

For more information on The Food Trust’s farmers’ markets and the Art at Market series, visit foodtrustmarkets.org

The Woodlands Mansion and Cemetery is partnering with The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University to bring a very cool event to nature lovers of all ages. On Tuesday, Aug. 6 everyone is invited to the Firefly Night  from 7-9 p.m. at the cemetery at 40th and Woodland. Bring your blankets, picnic and flashlights and witness these wonderful glowing bugs that the Woodlands grounds are full of after dark.

Insect experts from the Academy of Natural Sciences will be on hand to share their knowledge and expertise with buggy activities, live insects, and a one-size-fits-all firefly costume for visitors to try on. The Lil’ Pop Shop, a local artisan popsicle shop, will be onsite too with their popsicle truck.

This event coincides with the exhibit Glow: Living Lights, which is currently on display at the Academy of Natural Sciences (until Sept 29, 2013). Glow: Living Lights takes visitors on a journey through land and sea in pursuit of creatures with the incredible ability to produce their own light. Fireflies are some of the few animals lighting up the dark through a mysterious process called bioluminescence. For more information, visit The Woodlands website.

Prospero (Catharine K. Slusar) and daughter Miranda (Hannah Gold). Photo by Annamarya Scaccia / West Philly Local

Last night, Shakespeare in Clark Park (SCP) opened its eighth season with “The Tempest” at the “Bowl” on 43rd Street and Chester Avenue. The packed crowd laughed and reveled in the Bard’s majestic epic, which is directed by Swim Pony Performing Arts Artistic Director Adrienne Mackey and stars Catherine K. Slusar as protagonist (or antagonist, depending on your view) Prospero–a lead role typically cast with a male actor. And, without a doubt, Sean Hoots of local outfit Hoots & Hellmouth exceeded expectations with his ethereal and enchanted music.

Make sure to catch “The Tempest” at Clark Park before it closes on July 28. The remaining shows are on Thursday-Sunday, beginning at 7 p.m.

Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.

Brooklyn Qawwali Party.

40th Street Summer Series, the free family-friendly outdoor concerts on the green space behind the Walnut West Library at 40th and Walnut are coming back again this year, thanks to University City District, Penn, and The Rotunda. This year, the series has expanded to five concerts with the following dates: on May 25, June 29, July 27, Aug 31, and Sept 28. The performers list is great, as always, including Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra, Spaceship Aloha, Millennial Territory Orchestra and more.

This Saturday prepare to dance, shake, sweat and even whirl when Brooklyn Qawwali Party kicks off the series. This 11-piece brass band from NYC performs 700-year-old Pakistani Sufi music in a “thunderous” manner (see video below). “Funky, smart, and loving, BQP captures the joyful spirit of this Pakistani folk music in a unique instrumental blend of jazz and Qawwali. It’s a good time, it’s from the heart, and it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard,” according to the event’s website.

All Summer Series concerts begin at 6 p.m. and also feature Give and Take jugglers, fire artists, face painting, and balloon art that your kids will love.

For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/155368037956719/