Despite the rainy weather, more than 100 people gathered this afternoon at Calvary Center for a planned action and march showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

At Calvary Center as march gets ready. pic.twitter.com/0ayOgeKx5k

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) January 3, 2015

While the action was going on, about 10 police vehicles were parked outside the Calvary.

About 10 police vehicles near Calvary Center as meeting/March gets underway pic.twitter.com/jTI9vQtOre

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) January 3, 2015

After the action at the Calvary the participants poured out on the streets for the West Philly Families Solidarity March to Clark Park. This photo was taken shortly after 4 p.m.:

A new Cedar Park bar, The Bar(n) on Baltimore, is officially opening for business this weekend.

The grand opening will take place on Saturday, Jan. 3, from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m.

As we reported in November, the new bar is coming to the former Third World Lounge space at 4901 Catharine St. The Bar(n) on Baltimore (Facebook page) is a partnership among three restaurateurs, Ross Scofield, Danielle Coulter and Tim Blair who are also running Rx The Farmacy, the brunch and dinner spot at 45th and Spruce, and the building owner Noel Karasanyi.

Read more about The Bar(n) owners and their concept for the spot here.

UPDATE (7:30 p.m.): Due to rain in forecast, the gathering and the first part of tomorrow’s event will be held at the Calvary Church (48th and Baltimore, entrance on 48th St), starting at 3 p.m. There will be a march after that, from the Calvary to Clark Park. See more details here.

Earlier: Local parents and recently formed Philly Anti-Racist Solidarity group are organizing a march this Saturday (Jan. 3) in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and against institutional and interpersonal racism.

Parents, caregivers, children, and the whole West Philly community and beyond are invited to participate in the event, which will kick off at Clark Park. “We stand for Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, Tamir Rice, Rekia Boyd, Renisha McBride, Aiyana Stanley Jones and so many more. We march for racial justice and for our collective humanity,” reads the event announcement on Facebook.

The gathering and a portion of the event will take place at the Clark Park bowl (43rd and Chester), starting at 3 p.m. There will be singing and chanting, and moments of making noise (a “Noise-In”) and silence in remembrance of lost lives. After Clark Park, participants will head to Baltimore Avenue for a peaceful march to Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore).

Participants are asked to bring musical instruments of all kinds and signs. In an effort to create a safe space for all participants, the organizers are asking that Saturday’s action be peaceful and non-violent. The event will take place rain or shine. For more information about the march, please visit this Facebook page.

The West Philly Families Solidarity March is coordinated with the Philly Town Hall meetings. The third in a series of meetings for community members to discuss and respond to racist police brutality as well as policies that contribute to institutional racism will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at the Calvary Church (48th and Baltimore). The first meeting took place on Dec. 2 and gathered more than 400 people, according to the organizers. Approximately 500 people showed up for the second meeting on Dec. 16. More information is available here.

Below is some information and holiday schedules for SEPTA and city services and hours for some local shops, cafes and restaurants. If you want to add your business hours, please do so in the comments below.

Happy New Year everyone!

SEPTA

Dec. 24, 26, 29, 30, 31: City buses and trolleys will operate on a special modified weekday schedule.

Dec. 24: Regional Rail will operate on a special Christmas Eve Midday schedule.

Dec. 25: All SEPTA vehicles will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule. All-night Train service will be available beginning Thursday at 12:01 a.m. Regular Owl Bus Service will resume Friday at 12:01 a.m. Regional Rail will operate on a special schedule.

Jan. 1: All vehicles will operate on a Sunday/Holiday schedule.

Post Offices/Mail Delivery

Post Offices will be open on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31, but will close early (most of them at noon). Mail will be delivered on these days. Post Offices will be closed and there will be no mail delivery on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

Trash/Recycling Collection

There will be no trash and recycling pick-up on Thursday, Dec. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 1, and collections for the rest of the week will be delayed a day. Philadelphia Streets Department is reminding residents to recycle their holiday gift materials and party supplies.

Stores, restaurants, coffee shops

Cafe Renata (43rd and Locust)

Dec. 23: Open until 4 p.m.
Dec. 24 & 25: Closed
Dec. 31, Jan. 1: Open regular hours

Coffee Market (45th and Pine)

Dec. 24: 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Dec. 25: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Dec. 31: Open until 2 p.m.
Jan. 1: Open until 3 p.m.

CVS Pharmacy (43rd and Locust)

Dec. 25: Store: Open 24 hours; Pharmacy: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Honest Tom’s Taco Shop (261 S. 44th St)

Dec. 24, 25, 26: Closed
Dec. 31, Jan. 1, Jan. 2: Closed

Mariposa Food Co-op (4824 Baltimore Ave)

Dec. 24: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Dec. 25: Closed
Dec. 26, 30, Jan. 1: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Milk and Honey Market (45th and Baltimore)

Dec. 24: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Dec. 25: Closed
Dec. 26: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Dec. 31: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Jan. 1 : Closed

PA Wine and Spirits Shops

Dec. 24: Open until 6 p.m.
Dec. 25: Closed
Dec. 31: Open until 8 p.m.
Jan. 1: Closed

Supreme Food Market (43rd and Walnut)

Dec. 24: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Dec. 25: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Dec. 31: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Jan. 1: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

The Fresh Grocer

Open 24 hours

VIX Emporium (50th and Baltimore)

Dec. 24: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dec. 25, 26: Closed
Jan. 1: Closed

If you’re looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day check out the events below happening in West Philly and elsewhere in the city. For more events, check our Events Calendar. Please note that subway trains will run all night for party-goers on New Year’s Eve.

Happy New Year, West Philly!

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Bach Christmas Oratorio
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 13 S. 38 Street
4 – 8 p.m.
Choral Arts Philadelphia and the Bach Collegium present Johann Sebastian Bach’s Christmas Oratorio in its entirety on New Year’s Eve. Some Choral Arts members and artistic director, Matt Glandorf, are West Philly residents. Tickets ($45 general admission; $15 students; $30 seniors) can be purchased online or at the door.

New Year’s Eve with Philly Bloco
World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St
10:30 p.m.
Philly Bloco’s 20+ members return with their raucous mash-up of Samba, Funk and Reggae for a very special New Year’s Eve dance party at World Café Live. Get ready to dance! Doors open at 9:30 p.m. 21+. Tickets ($35) and more information are available here.

West Philadelphia Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve Blowout + Balkan Feast
Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St
9 p.m. – 4 a.m.
Four bands and a DJ will be performing on the main stage and at the black box theater: West Philadelphia Orchestra, Johnny Showcase & The Mystic Ticket, Mercury Radio Theater, You Do You, and Late Night DJ Set from DJ Lebeet. $30 general admission; $40 VIP. 21+. VIP tickets include Balkan Buffet prepared by WPO! Food will be served at 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Underground Arts box office.  Continue Reading

If you’re planning to recycle your Christmas tree, here’s some useful information on how and where you can do it.

There will be some additional Christmas tree recycling opportunities next month. As always, the Philadelphia Streets Department will be accepting trees at its Sanitation Convenience Centers. The annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program will run from Monday, Jan. 5 through Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015. Please note that the closest Sanitation Convenience Center is in Southwest Philly (3033 South 63rd St). It’s open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

In addition to the sanitation centers, there will be other drop-off locations throughout the city where you can bring your tree for recycling on Saturdays (Jan. 10 and Jan. 17), from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The following drop-off locations will be open in West and Southwest Philadelphia (click here for more locations):

• 54th and Woodbine
• 66th and Haverford
• 43rd and Powelton
• 72nd and Buist

Finally, UC Green and University City District will be hosting a tree recycling event at Clark Park (43rd and Chester) on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll post more information about this event when it becomes available.

Before recycling your tree please make sure it’s free of all decorations and ornaments and untied.

Trees left curbside will be picked up as trash and will not be recycled.

No recycling for this tree.