The Friends of Clark Park will hold a membership meeting tonight to elect new board members and update the community on future plans and events at the park. The meeting will be held at Griffith Hall at the University of the Sciences (near the intersection of 43rd Street and Woodland Avenue) at 7 p.m.

The 12th annual Peoplehood parade and pageant was today in West Philly. This annual showcase of arts and activism is put on by the Spiral Q Puppet Theater. If you couldn’t make it out, take a minute and check out the slideshow below.
 

UPDATE: House minority leader Eric Cantor has canceled the speech on income inequality after his office learned that it would be open to the public, several news outlets are reporting. The Wharton School confirmed that the speech has been canceled. Cantor’s office has told reporters that they thought the speech would only be open to the media and members of the Penn community. A Cantor spokesperson told Philadelphia Daily News reporter Chris Brennan by email that “The Office of the Majority Leader was informed last night by Capitol Police that the University of Pennsylvania was unable to ensure that the attendance policy previously agreed to could be met.” Wharton reportedly planned to allow 300 members of the general public into the speech.

For the last couple of weeks many West Philadelphians have been going to Occupy Philly. Now Occupy Philly is coming to West Philadelphia.

According to the announcement on their Facebook page, the Occupy Philly movement is going to make it to West Philly Friday for a major protest outside the Wharton School (3730 Walnut St.) at the University of Pennsylvania, where Republican Eric Cantor, the House minority leader, will speak about income inequality from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The protest is part of a march dubbed “Occupy Eric Cantor,” that will begin at 3 p.m. at the movement’s base camp near City Hall.

A reader found an approximately one-year-old female tabby cat (calico because of white paws) at 33rd and Walnut St. She is missing an eye.

If anyone knows whom this cat may belong to please email Erin at: ebuckle2 [at] gmail.com

Curio Theatre Company is about to start a series of fun interactive performances for children. On selective Saturdays through May 2012 kids and their parents/guardians are invited for a unique theater experience with Kid Curio and the Improv Avengers. Children will have an opportunity not just to watch the show, but also to be part of it.

The show is run by two Curio Theatre company members, Eric Scotolati and Ryan Walter, and is geared toward kids ages 6 – 12. There will be lots of games and laughing, but the show also will help kids learn the basics of improvisation and develop useful public speaking skills.

The first show is this Saturday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. Tickets are only $5. Please go here for more information and to purchase tickets online.

Here’s a full list of Kid Curio show dates:

October 22 & 29
November 5
December 17 & 28
January 7
February 18 & 25
April 28
May 5 & 12

West Philly is well-represented in Philadelphia Weekly‘s “Better than Best” issue, a sort of edgier version of the “Best of Philly” awards that businesses across the city covet so much. We must say that we are quite flattered to be named “Best Community News Blog” (that’s a testament to you all and your engagement with your community) and we’re proud to be named alongside many of our favorite West Philly spots.

Here’s the rundown:

• Best Coffeeshop to Find Your Next Collective Housemate – Satellite Coffee, 701 S. 50th St.

• Best Prototype Neighborhood – Garden Court

• Best Place to See Who (spent the night with) Whom in West Philly on Friday Night – Clark Park Farmer’s Market

• Best Bookstore – Penn Book Center (130 S. 34th St.)

• Venue With Most Squalor – Rathaus, 31st and Spring Garden

• Best Place to Ask Stupid Questions About Power Tools Without Being Judged – West Philly Tool Library (1314 S. 47th St.)

• Best Mechanic Who Will Treat You Like Family – Wayne’s Garage (4521 Springfield Ave.)

• Funniest Medical Research Team – Penn’s HIV/AIDS Research Prevention Division (3535 Market St.)

• Best Place to Eat Falafel in West Philly During Ramadan – Manakeesh Cafe and Bakery (4420 Chestnut St.)

• Best Southern Food in this Yankee Shithole – Roost (4529 Springfield Ave.)

• Best Place to Get a Hangover Destroying Gyro at 2 a.m. in West Philly – New York Gyro Place (4407 Chestnut St.)

• Best Place Place to Drink Good Whiskey and Not Go F**king Broke – Fiume (45th and Locust)

• Best Dance Party in a Cramped Room – Gojjo (4540 Baltimore Ave.)

• Best Community News Blog – West Philly Local

Blurbs about all of the above are available here.