International House Philadelphia (IHP), which has been serving scholars and the Philadelphia community for more than 100 years, is holding a couple of special events this month.

IHP’s Open House will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 3 – 7 p.m. Community members are invited to tour the House, including its residential facilities, conference center and theater, and learn more about the services and programming offered there. You can also meet staff and some of the current residents from all over the world. You can explore IHP’s history by attending a historical exhibit on Tuesday. Last but no least, learn more about language courses offered at IHP, meet the teachers, and even sign up for some classes. Admission is free, but if you’re planning to attend this event, please RSVP. You can read more about the Open House and RSVP here.

On Friday, Oct. 31, IHP is throwing a Night of the Philly Dead: Brews and Brains party. It is a new, annual event and IHP staff hope that you will join them at their inaugural celebration of the undead’s favorite day of the year. There will be a zombie themed dance-party paying homage to the cult-classic movies, scary-good catering provided by TV Chef Barbie Marshall, craft beer, and themed cocktails, all included in your cost of admission ($50). Costumes are encouraged and there will be a competition. 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. For more information and tickets, go to this page.

There will be many more fantastic events this Fall at IHP, including some great film screenings, exhibits, and cultural events. For more info, click here.

Photo courtesy UC Green.

West Philly is home to a number of great non-profit organizations that do many important things in the area. One of them is UC Green, a group of dedicated members and volunteers who make this area greener by planting and taking care of trees. On Thursday, Oct. 9, UC Green is celebrating its 16th anniversary and hosting its second Harvest Moon Social. This is a fundraising event supporting UC Green’s community tree planting and greening initiatives throughout West Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Community members are invited to join UC Green staff and volunteers at the event and enjoy a buffet and cocktail party. There will also be a raffle with some great local items, including gift baskets and certificates from the Four Worlds Bakery, Milk and Honey and Local 44.

Each year, the organization manages close to 2,000 volunteers who plant and tend hundreds of street trees and enhance public green spaces contributing thousands of hours in service to the neighborhoods. Harvest Moon Social is one of the events that helps UC Green to continue doing their work.

“I rely on the folks at UC Green as the go- to people when it comes to all things having to do with trees. They have given not only material support but moral support in helping us address many challenges we face as community gardeners working in vulnerable areas where efforts are sometimes undermined by many factors of the urban environment. Thanks to their hard work over many years, a greener, calmer and healthier landscape is unfolding in our neighborhood,” says Maureen Tate, a Cedar Park resident and block captain.

Harvest Moon Social will take place from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the recently opened Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships (3509 Spring Garden St). Tickets are $85/person, two for $150. Please call: 215-573-4684 or email: suemacqueen@ucgreen.org for more information and to reserve your ticket.

UPDATE (5/16/14): The spring picnic in Cedar Park has been cancelled due to rain.

The “Love Your Park” week is coming to an end, but there are a couple of events left that we think you might love. Two great traditions started last year at Cedar Park and Clark Park. This weekend, both events are back and organizers are inviting community members to spend some quality time with their neighbors and friends, enjoy live music and try some food and drinks from local restaurants and breweries.

Friday, May 16

Spring Picnic in Cedar Park (49th & Baltimore)

The 2nd annual Picnic in Cedar Park will take place this Friday, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., so come out and say hello to your neighbors. BYO blanket and picnic or pick up a “picnic special” from one of participating local businesses: Gold Standard Café, Dock Street, Mariposa, Hibiscus Café, Taco Angeleno, and more! The event is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more information.

Saturday, May 17

Party in Clark Park (43rd & Baltimore)

Also in its second year is the Party in Clark Park, which includes food trucks, live music, $1,000 in raffle prizes from local businesses, games for all ages and a Dock Street beer garden.  The party runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and admission is free. The food trucks on hand will include Foolish Waffles and Dapper Dog and the entertainment will include Disco Hootenanny (about 6 p.m.), Flat Mary Road, and Nicole Gauthier’s Temple University Dancers.

New and renewing members of the Friends of Clark Park get a free beer at the beer garden. The party will go down rain or shine, organizers say.

If you like the idea of the huge warehouse located at 3848 Lancaster Ave turning into a multi-use neighborhood event space for flea markets, food vendors, craft fairs, musical showcases, farmers markets, town fairs, expos, extravaganzas, contests, championships, food events, community events, karate demos, etc., you can show your support at tonight’s party at the space. The party called Lanxgiving will include performances by four bands – Pattern is Movement, Pile, Hound, and Amanda X. And hot food from Poi Dog and Ranch Road Tacos will be served with free cold drinks.

Entrance is from the rear of the building on Warren St. The event begins at 7 p.m. and here‘s its Facebook page.

Don’t feel like venturing too far from home on New Year’s Eve? Here’s a sampling of things going on to send out 2010 in West Philly. This list will be continually updated so if you know of something that should be on the list, send the details to editor – at – westphillylocal.com.

Here’s information on the fireworks at Penn’s Landing. There’s an early show for the kiddos. And if you are planning on venturing out of the hood, here’s info on SEPTA’s schedule.

By the way, we had to chuckle a little at this warning we found on a prominent Philadelphia tourism website about heading to West Philly for New Year’s Eve:

“That having been said, this neighborhood is very dicey, and is on the outer fringes of University City, in fact. And it may be particularly dangerous, on New Year’s Eve – it’s not like being in Old City, or on the Avenue of the Arts.

Accordingly, if you decide to venture that far west of Broad Street on New Year’s Eve, have a heightened sense of awareness to any potential safety issues (especially if you’ve been drinking).”

The place they were talking about is at 39th and Chestnut. Our italic, their bold.

Well, we can agree with one thing: It is definitely not like being in Old City.

Anyway, here’s what we have so far:

• Gojjo • 4540 Baltimore Ave. • No cover

Free champagne toast at midnight and a DJ.

• Forrest Yoga Ceremony • Studio 34 • 4522 Baltimore Ave. • Suggested donation: $5 to $20 or books from selected list

Say farewell to the old year and hello to the new with an extended Forrest Yoga Ceremony led by Studio 34′s Morgan Andrews. Through silent and guided meditation, pranayama and asana, this will be an opportunity for you to go deeper into the playful side of your practice. All are welcome to attend, whether you’re new to yoga or ready to work with more advanced poses. Proceeds go toward building up Studio 34′s Yoga|Healing|Arts Library as a resource for students and teachers of yoga. You can contribute through a monetary donation, or by providing books from this list.

• New Year’s Eve with DJ Jazzy Jeff • The Blockley • 38th and Chestnut • Tickets: $85

Includes a 6-hour “top shelf” open bar and a buffet from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

• Slainte Pub • 3000 Market St. • No cover

Free midnight champagne toast and drink specials and a DJ from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

• New Year’s Eve with Slo-Mo and Steph Hayes and the Good Problems • World Cafe Live • 3025 Walnut St. • Tickets: $25 in advance  and $28 day of the show

Slo-Mo is the brainchild of Philadelphia steel guitarist Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner. Brenner has spent time on the road and in the studio playing steel guitar with such bands as Marah, Magnolia Electric Company and Badly Drawn Boy, but Slo-Mo featuring Mic Wrecka is something totally different.