The Pandemic Pantry/Third Wheel Cheese farmstand (Instagram photo).

Here are some new options where you can buy fresh, locally grown produce in West Philly.

Pandemic Pantry Farm Stand

The Pandemic Pantry in association with Third Wheel Cheese are operating a retail farmstand at 705 S. 50th St. Produce is sourced directly from local farms and farmer cooperatives and includes plenty of certified organic options. The farmstand is open on Fridays from 3-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May through November. Follow the Pandemic Pantry on Instagram for more info and updates.

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The annual SEPTA Trolley maintenance project, Trolley Tunnel Blitz, is scheduled to begin this Friday, July 7.

While trolleys will be on diversion to 40th and Market via 42nd Street, SEPTA crews will be working in the tunnel and at the 40th Street Trolley Portal near 40th and Woodland. A portion of Woodland Avenue immediately west of the gated entrance to The Woodlands cemetery will be closed to vehicular traffic from July 8 to July 24 to accommodate SEPTA crews working on trolley track replacement (see map). Vehicles can only enter the cemetery by traveling west on Woodland Avenue.

In other Woodland Avenue news, it has been revealed that Phase 1 of the Woodland Avenue Complete Streets project, which includes installation of traffic signals and marked pedestrian crosswalks at the intersections of Woodland Avenue with Chester Avenue and near the Woodland Cemetery gates/40th St. Trolley Portal, has been postponed until next year. Design plans and construction contract to be used for this work are currently being finalized.

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The Penn Museum’s outdoor summer concert series that shines the spotlight on local bands, like the West Philadelphia Orchestra, returns as “Garden Jams” on Wednesday, July 5.

Every Wednesday evening in July, guests can enjoy cocktails in a hidden garden oasis (just off of South St.), live bands, food trucks, and exclusive after-hours access to the Penn Museum galleries, including a new exhibition, Ancient Food & Flavor. Each event begins at 5 p.m. (Note: Concerts are held indoors during inclement weather).

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The annual Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival promises to be the best one yet, as it returns to Saunders Park Greene (39th & Powelton) on Saturday, July 15 from Noon to 7 p.m. The Festival celebrates West Philadelphia and jazz musicians with spectacular live performances, local vendors, fun children’s activities, and delectable treats from food trucks.

The all-day event is free and open to the public, organized by HopePHL (formerly People’s Emergency Center and Youth Service, Inc.), The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, and a committee of community members, with technical assistance from Nu Millennium Media Productions. The Festival is a “rain or shine” event.

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Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (right) had her hand traced on a mural by camper, Syrena McCoy, 8, during a celebration of the first week of camp at Caring People Alliance West Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club’s new camp.

Caring People Alliance West Philadelphia Boys & Girls Club (5843-55 Catherine St.), in Cobbs Creek, announced the opening of its new, 10-week summer camp, offering a wide range of engaging activities and educational experiences for children in the community ages 2-18.

The Caring People Alliance celebrated the first week of camp with a community-wide block party last Thursday. Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier joined campers and staff, as a mural made by the campers was unveiled to commemorate the occasion. The mural showcased the handprints of all the children already enrolled in the camp and contained each camper’s aspirations for the summer. Councilwoman Gauthier added her handprint to the mural.

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While gun violence and other incidents involving youth remain a serious problem in Philadelphia, the nonprofit Philly Truce is bringing back its Peace Patrol to city neighborhoods, including West Philly. Beginning at 2 p.m. this Thursday, Philly Truce will deploy its first patrol of the season from Charles Durham Library at the corner 34th & Haverford Avenue in Mantua. The launch coincides with the 84th birthday of the late Herman Wrice, a community organizer who resided and worked for decades in the same section of West Philly.

Philly Truce and partner Life Outside the Streets have unveiled its community outreach and visible deterrence schedule for what they are calling Safe City Summer. It’s robust. Beginning on Thursday the group will tour 10 neighborhoods using Free Library branches as bases. Three days per week they will hold space for communities across the city to be trained and join a peace patrol on the spot.

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