Don’t, don’t, don’t forget the Go West! Craft Fest this Saturday at Cedar Park.

Go West! will run from noon to 5 p.m. and will feature a massive variety of handmade items, from sweet jewelry made from records or real fruit to West Philly inspired prints and painting. Profiles of selected vendors are available here.

The festival will also feature a kids program beginning at 3:30 p.m. with Jay Sands of All Around this World fame. Firehouse Bikes will sell used bikes all day long. Stop by the VIX Emporium afterward from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Clark Park bowl will go to the dogs this Sunday with the second annual Lug-Nuts Weight Pull and a day of protective pooch maintenance.

Low-cost vaccines and microchipping ($20-25) will be available at the park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event, sponsored by P.A.W.S. Philadelphia and the Penn Vet Animal Welfare Society, will also include advice and deals on spay and neutering.

The highlight of the day is the weight pull, which kicks off at 1 p.m. No prior training is required to enter. No registration is required either. Just a willingness to strap on a harness. Everything from poodles to pit bulls to pomeranians are welcome to give the pull a try. Entrants receive free dog food. Free dog training and gifts will also be available.

Click to enlarge.

A Protect Public Education rally is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning at City Hall. The rally is being organized to protest state cuts to education funding. The rally will take place on the Dilworth Plaza (west side) of City Hall and is scheduled to last until about 9:45 a.m.

A forum on education is also being held tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at WHYY headquarters at 150 N. 6th St. The event will feature more than 40 local, regional and national speakers on education issues. The forum will include informational presentations on the state of education in Philadelphia and a reception for the launch of the education edition of the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal.

The Journal and Young Involved Philadelphia are hosting the event. RSVP here.

A slew of local political candidates will be in West Philly tomorrow evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. The meet and greet will take place at the University of the Sciences’ Rosenberger Hall (600 S. 43rd St.). The 27th Democratic Ward is sponsoring the event.

Candidates scheduled to be on hand include:

City Council – At-Large

Sherrie Cohen
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown
Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.
Councilman Bill Green
Councilman William Greenlee
Councilman Jim Kenney
Isaiah Thomas

City commissioner

City Commissioner Anthony Clark

Sheriff

John Kromer
State Rep. Jewell Williams

Young artists still have a couple of days to enter work in the Manga Art Show and reception at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library (125 S. 52nd Street).

Young artists ages 10-18 interested in displaying their work in the show must submit pieces to the library by Friday, April 8.

The after school show and reception will be held Tuesday, April 12 at the library from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Manga (Japanese comics) have swept the nation (just ask any 10-year-old) and this show will celebrate those who read them and also draw them. Japanese refreshments will be served.

For more information call the library at 215-685-7433.

UC Green is teaming up with the Philadelphia Orchard Project to raise money to plant fruit and nut trees along the streets of West and Southwest Philadelphia. They hope to raise enough money to plant about 100 trees by the fall. The fruit and nuts from the trees would be available to everyone. But don’t worry they are not going to choose trees that will leave a big mess on the streets and sidewalks.

The project has a page on the fundraising site Kickstarter.com. Here is the link. Donations start at just $1.

Here is their video pitch…