Two West Philly establishments have received nominations in Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2012 list. The Rotunda was nominated in the Best Indie Music venues category and Fiume (45th & Locust) received a nomination in the Best Bar category.

You can help The Rotunda and Fiume win by casting your votes on this page. You can come back and vote daily until Monday, May 21. The awards will be announced in Philadelphia Magazine’s August issue.

The School Reform Commission last night quietly passed a resolution that adds a fourth kindergarten class at Penn Alexander School. The resolution strikes a deal between The University of Pennsylvania, which will reportedly pay for the additional class, and The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

An additional 18-student kindergarten classroom will be added to take pressure off the demand for kindergarten spots at Penn Alexander. Parents of young children who live in the Penn Alexander catchment area covet admission to the limited kindergarten spots because they usually assure admission to the 1st grade.

Penn Alexander has garnered attention across the city for the long lines for kindergarten registration. In January the line started 24 hours before registration started.

Neither the school nor the SRC has commented on how the school, which has experienced overcrowding in its lower grades, will accommodate the new kindergarten class.

(h/t Amara Rockar, John Myers and West Philly News and Kristen Graham.)

The May Fair Committee invites West Philly-based artisans and crafts people to have a table at Spruce Hill Community Association‘s annual May Fair, which will be held this year on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Clark Park (43rd & Chester). Tables for those who are selling are $35 for the day with SHCA providing the table, table covering and a chair. Additional tables are $15.

Groups and organizations seeking to do community outreach are also welcome. Tables for non-profits not selling goods are $25. E-mail ma.wa@verizon.net for a sign-up sheet or leave a phone message at 215-349-7825. The fair is the day before Mother’s Day and will again have a bounce tent and obstacle course for kids, as well as children’s games, music and much more.

This beautiful photo of a sunny day in West Philly was submitted by Rebecca Hill.

Send us your West Philly photo at: editor@westphillylocal.com. Please include your name and your photo’s title.

This Sunday you could be part of something big and unforgettable. Clark Park is hosting the “Picnic for the Planet” – an Earth Day celebration and an attempt to set a Guinness record for the world’s largest picnic. Clark Park folks will be recording the number of participants and completing required paperwork. This is a nationwide record attempt – simultaneously, picnics like this one will be held in various locations in North America.

Sounds cool, right? So come to Clark Park from Noon until 4 p.m. (record attempt begins at 12:30). Don’t forget to bring your family, blanket and favorite picnic food and enjoy your day in the park. Elevation Burger will provide food for the first 100 participants.

Data Garden, a group of artists that brought The Switched-On Garden, a bio-interactive art and live outdoor musical festival to Bartram’s Garden in October 2011, is working on putting together another outdoor event this year. Over 700 people of all ages and backgrounds got to enjoy The Switched-On Garden, which, according to Data Garden co-founder Joe Patitucci, was a truly transformative day and the biggest event ever to take place at Bartram’s Garden (check out the video here).

For 2012 Data Garden wants to expand the event and increase the ways people can engage with the environment and history of Bartram’s. Same as last year, Data Garden wants the event to be free of charge and accessible to everyone. To get funding to make this event possible for a second year, they launched a Kickstarter fundraising campaign. Additional funds will also allow them to attract and compensate some amazing artists from the US and beyond.

“One thing that we proved last year was that people really enjoy the type of events we produce and find it really refreshing,” Patitucci says. The event was covered by Inhabitat, MTV Brasil, the Philadelphia Inquirer and even Vice Magazine’s music blog among others.

Unfortunately, Data Garden hasn’t reached its funding goal yet and there are only five days left in this campaign. This project will only be funded if at least $7,000 is pledged by Tuesday, April 24 (11:59 p.m.). Click here to donate and help this project.