99 Things to Do in Philly This Weekend

Spring festivals, the Chef Conference, Philly Theatre Week, dance parties and much more.

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Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies play the Miller Theater on Saturday. / Photograph by Joey Kennedy

MULTIPLE DAYS

THEATER
Hadestown
Written by Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, this sung-through musical — about “a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back” — won eight Tonys during its run on Broadway, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
$26-$169, April 10th-14th, Academy of Music, 240 South Broad Street.

FESTIVAL/CULTURE
Cherry Blossom Festival
The cherry blossoms are bursting right now in Fairmount Park. Celebrate with sake, sushi-making and other events at the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. The centerpiece is Sakura Weekend, April 13th & 14th (which includes the Kickoff party full of art, dance and music, April 12th, 7-10 p.m., The Fallser Club, 3721 Midvale Avenue, $20).
Most events free, April 13th & 14th, Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, Lansdowne & Horticultural drives.

See Also: The Best Spring Festivals to Check Out in Philly

ART
Betsy Z. Casañas: Call & Response
The Fairhill-based artist with more than 70 murals around the world presents this two-part exhibition at Taller Puertorriqueño. One part focuses on her murals in the surrounding neighborhood, and the second focuses on her current work which “explores themes of familial and personal relationships, trauma, violence, anxiety, isolation, and the stages of healing.” Opening reception: April 12th, 6-9 p.m.
Through May 25th, Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 North 5th Street.

SHOPPING
Philly Otaku Fest
Wikipedia says “Otaku is a Japanese word that describes people with consuming interests, particularly in anime, manga, video games, or computers.” Kinda what I thought. This three-day fest at Cherry Street Pier includes vendors, cosplayers (amateurs and pros), free play and tournaments, a cosplay parade and more. Let your interests consume you.
Free till you buy something, like normal, April 12th-14th, Cherry Street Pier, 121 North Columbus Boulevard.

DANCE
Philadanco!
The long-running Philly-based dance troupe performs its “most requested ballets”: George Faison’s Suite Otis, Ronald K. Brown’s, Gate Keepers, Talley Beatty’s Pretty Is Skin Deep, Ugly to the Bone, and Harold Pierson’s Roots & Reflections, which “celebrates 100 years of African American dance history.”
$29-$49, April 12th-14th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Pinocchio
Rebecca Wright directs Arden Children’s Theatre’s production of the famous story about a marionette who wants to be a real boy, and also his nose grows when he lies, which seems like an entirely different story. Stars Anthony Martinez-Briggs, Izzy Sazak, Nathan Alford-Tate and Reese Castaldi.
$20-$45, April 10th-June 2nd, Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

MUSIC
AMLA Concert & Open House
AMLA (a.k.a. Artístas y Músicos Latinoamericanos a.k.a. Artists & Musicians of Latin America) presents this open house which features two nights music by their adult and youth Latin Jazz Ensembles.
Free, April 11th & 12th, 6-8 p.m., AMLA Studios, 4261 North 5th Street.

THEATER/PUPPETS
Bread + Puppets
The long-running, rabble-rousing, thought-provoking political theater troupe presents The Hope Principle Show: Citizens’ Shame and Hope in the Time of Genocide, directed and co-created by founder Peter Schumann.
$20 (no one turned away due to lack of funds), April 12th at 8 p.m. & April 13th at 4 & 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, 2125 Chestnut Street.

MUSIC
Music at the Mansion
Rarefied Airs: early classical chamber music. A trio performs pieces written for viola, flute, and bass. Includes works by Franz Anton Hofmeister, Johannes Sperger, Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf, and Michael Haydn.
$41.80, April 11th & 12th, The Woodlands, 4000 Woodland Avenue.

THE SPORTING LIFE
Home Games This Weekend

  • Phillies vs. Pirates, cross-state baseball rivals!, $29-$155, April 12th-14th, Citizens Bank Park.
  • Sixers vs. Magic, intra-coastal basketball showdown!, $45-$536, April 12th, 7 p.m., Wells Fargo Center.
  • Flyers vs. Devils, I guess put in the Yeti Goalie, why not?, $73-$560, April 13th, 5 p.m., Wells Fargo Center.
  • Sixers vs. Nets, Iverson night, featuring retro A.I. giveaways and other fun stuff!, $46-$572, April 14th, 1 p.m., Wells Fargo Center.

Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way; Wells Fargo Center, 3601 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
The Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads the Orchestra in performing works by Alma Mahler and her husband Gustav Mahler, featuring mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill.
$46-$166, April 11th, 13th, & 14th, Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Sweat
Chestnut Hill’s Stagecrafters Theater presents Lynn Nottage’s play about people whose friendships are endangered during labor disputes at the factory where they work. Directed by Suki.
$27.50, April 12th, 13th, 18th-20th, & 25th-27th, the Stagecrafters Theater, 8130-34 Germantown Avenue

FOOD/CONVENTION
The Chef Conference
A four-day convention for hospitality professionals offers “unrivaled dining experiences in Philly’s best restaurants through collaboration with top chefs from around the world.” Includes several speakers, panel discussions and other events.
Prices vary by event, April 11th-15th, The Chef Conference, 20 South 33rd Street.

SHOPPING
Punk Rock Flea Market
One entrance fee gets you into all three days of this massive shopping op at the 23rd Street Armory promising “200 vendors per day, different vendors per day.” Geez, how many vendors are there in the world? For sale: clothing, records, crafts, art, and “old punk junk.”
$5-$10, April 12th-14th Street Armory, 22 South 23rd Street.

MUSIC
This Weekend @ Scottish Rite
I attended a concert at Collingswood’s storied old Scottish Rite Auditorium and had a lovely time. You ever been? They’ve got a busy weekend coming up; let’s take a look:

Scottish Rite Auditorium, 315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood.

CIRCUS
Flip Circus
This “unique arts-based show” has clowns, jugglers, unicyclists, stunt performers and no animals.
$30-$80, through April 16th, Burlington Coat Factory parking lot Plymouth Meeting Mall, 500 West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting.

BEYONCE/DANCE PARTIES
Renaissance / Act II
There are (at least) two Beyonce-centric parties going on downtown this weekend.

  • Renaissance — Beyonce Night. Riot Nerd presents another memorable dance party at Underground Arts. DJ Kira Bandan spins adjacent artists till 10, then it’s “all Bey until 2 a.m.” Note: I’ll be your shotgun rider. $15, April 12th, 9 p.m., Underground Arts, 200 Callowhill Street.
  • Act II: Cowboy Carter with Vinchelle — Philly drag stars celebrate Bey’s new country record. Appearances by Vinchelle, MZ Peaches, Icon Ebony Fierce, and more. Note: I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with you. $10-$40, April 13th, 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philly, 1009 Canal Street.

See Also: Celebrate Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter With These Philly Events

The Good Person of Setzuan
The Wilma presents Bertolt Brecht’s “classic parable” — translated by Wendy Arons, adapted by Tony Kushner — about three gods who arrive in town looking for one good person. Directed by Justin Jain.
$29-$65, through April 21st, Wilma Theater, 265 South Broad Street.

THEATER
Norbert Leo Butz
That’s a person’s name! Norbert Leo Butz. The Tony-winning actor presents Broadway, My Way: An Evening with Norbert Leo Butz three times this weekend at the Bucks County Playhouse.
$55, April 13th & 14th, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope.

THEATER
Philly Theatre Week
Theatre Philadelphia’s 10-day celebration of local theater returns with events more at multiple venues. It’s like WrestleMania, except it’s scripted. Promising shows include:

Plus a bunch of other shows, including some that have their own listings elsewhere on this page that we didn’t realize were also part of Philly Theatre Week. Pretty sneaky, sis. Here’s the full program.
All shows pay what you can, continues through April 14th, multiple locations.

MUSIC
Decibel Metal & Beer Fest
Every year, Philly’s own world-famous heavy metal magazine, Decibel, hosts “the world’s loudest, heaviest, two-day craft beer institution” at the Fillmore with lots to drink and bang heads to.

  • Biohazard, Crowbar, Jesus Piece, Internal Bleeding, Enforced, Terminal Nation and Witching, April 12th.
  • Deicide, Dying Fetus, Tomb Mold, 200 Stab Wounds, Will Haven, Lamp of Murmuur and Daeva, April 13th.

More info here. (P.S. There’s a “pre-fest” show on April 11th.) $92-$202, for a two-day pass; $53-$109 for individual tickets; April 12th & 13th, Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

HISTORY/TOURS
Battleship New Jersey — Dry Docked
The historic Battleship New Jersey, used in WWII and the Vietnam War, recently made the journey from the Camden Waterfront back to Philly’s Navy Yard where it was built. The ship is 85 years old and needs to have a little work done. It’s a rare treat having the battleship on this side of the river, but also not in the river at all. During this 60-day vacation across state lines, visitors are invited to take guided tours around the exterior hull while learning about the restoration and history of the ship. It’s not cheap, but it’s also not something that will happen again for a long time.
$225 donation per person, Battleship New Jersey, Philadelphia Navy Yard, 5195 South 19th Street.

FOOD
Restaurant Weeks
It’s always restaurant week somewhere. You know the drill: Local eateries are offering specials and prix fixe meals for a limited time. Here’s what’s what.

  • Dine Latino Restaurant Week — Buy two dinner entrees and receive a free appetizer or dessert at participating area restaurants. The list includes Geronimo’s, Las Fridas, Mole Poblano, Space Smash, Alta Cocina and more. Pay as you go, April 7th-13th, multiple locations.
  • Media Restaurant Week — Three-course price fixe meals at most participating restaurants, including Fellini Café of Media, La Belle Epoque Wine Bistro, Ariano, Iron Hill Brewery and more. April 7th-13th, multiple locations in Media.

HISTORY
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum
The 50-acre historic estate along the Delaware River reopens for self-guided tours of its formal gardens and native woodlands. Picnics encouraged.
$15, through November 8th, Andalusia Historic House & Gardens, 1237 State Road, Andalusia.

THEATER
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical
Walnut Street Theatre presents the crowd-pleasing biographical musical about the rise of rock/pop legend Carole King, who sang “I Feel The Earth Move,” “One Fine Day,” and tons more hits. Stars Sara Sheperd. Directed and choreographed by Richard Stafford.
$25-$97, through May 5th, Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut Street.

BEER GARDENS
PHS Pop-Up Gardens
Is it beer garden season, people. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society hosts two Pop-Up Gardens: on South Street and in Manayunk.
Pay as you go, ongoing through late fall; PHS Pop-Up Garden at Manayunk, 106 Jamestown Avenue; PHS Pop-Up Garden at South Street, 1438 South Street.

FLOWERS
Spring Blooms
Longwood Gardens cranks its flowers up to maximum splendor for their annual Spring Blooms displays featuring tulips, trees, and geophytes out the wing-wang. While you’re there, check out the redesigned Idea Garden.
$22-$25, through May 5th, Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square.

MUSIC
This Weekend @ the Living Room
Ardmore’s intimate little music room has just a couple weeks lift on the schedule before shutting its doors for good. Here’s what’s good this weekend:

The Living Room & Cricket Cafe, 104 Cricket Avenue, Ardmore.

THEATER
Big: The Musical
Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the musical based on the favorite movie about a kid who wished to be an adult but then he finds out being an adult is weird and confusing and you have to jump around on a big piano all day. Book by John Weidman, music by David Shire, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr. Directed by Ken Kaissar.
$45-$65, through April 14th, Bristol Riverside Theatre, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol.

ART
Imprint: Dox Thrash
Subtitled “Black Life, and American Culture,” this new exhibition at the African American Museum in Philadelphia invites visitors to “explore the life and artistic legacy” of Dox Thrash, who was a Buffalo Soldier and Black Vaudeville performer before he became a trailblazing Philly printmaker.
$10-$14, through August 4th, African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street.

ART
Now Happening at Peddler’s Village

  • Peeps in the Village — The peeps dioramas and displays officially turn stale on Sunday. Then the birds will eat them. Through April 14th.
  • Best of the Nest: Birdhouse Competition & Display — To hell with the peeps. It’s birdhouse time now. Peddler’s Village will be lousy with birdhouses — funny ones, cute ones, weird ones, ones god-fearing bird would set foot in — starting Sunday. April 13th-May 19th.

Free till you buy something, Peddler’s Village, 2400 Street Road, New Hope.

THEATER
Macbeth
Quintessence Theater presents the Bard’s famous story of blood, witches and wickedness. Stars Daniel Miller, Scott Parkinson, Lee Thomas Cortopassi and more. Directed by Alex Burns.
$15-$60, extended through April 28th, Sedgwick Theatre, 7137 Germantown Avenue.

ART
Gina Siepel: To Understand a Tree
A new exhibition by designer/woodworker Gina Siepel. “A multi-disciplinary project that focuses on the dignity of a living tree, its network of eco-systemic relationships, and the ubiquity of the material of wood in design and daily life.”
Free admission, through July 21st, Museum for Art in Wood, 141 North Third Street.

THEATER
The Lehman Trilogy
The Arden Theatre presents the Tony-winning play that traces two centuries of a family’s history from its humble beginnings to its wild financial successes to “the failure of the financial institution that would bring the global economy to its knees.” Yeah, it’s those Lehmans. Written by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power. Directed by Terrence J. Nolen.
$30-$60, extended through April 14h, Arden Theatre, 40 North 2nd Street.

ART/MUSEUMS
Now Happening at the Weitzman

  • Freedom Seder: Revisited — People of all backgrounds are welcome to this Passover celebration featuring food by CookNSolo, storytelling by Vanessa Hidary aka “The Hebrew Mamita,” and live music by Snacktime. $25-$36, April 14th, 6 p.m.
  • Their Portraits: Philadelphia Artists Honor October 7 Hostages — This group exhibition includes works by eight local artists —Nancy Gordon, Deborah Morris Zakheim, Judy Rohtbart, and more — honoring Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. Through April 14th.

Museum admission is free, Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 South Independence Mall East.

ART
Now Happening @ the Barnes

Museum admission is $23-$30, Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

ART
Risa Puno: Group Hug
This interactive installation by Brooklyn sculptor and installation artist uses the “language of games” to explore “the complex social relationships inherent in receiving and providing care.” More info here. Through July 21st.
Free (suggested donation $5), Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1214 Arch Street.

ART/HISTORY
Philadelphia Black History: The People’s Stories
This exhibit in features the work of 44 local artists paying tribute to deceased Black Philadelphians throughout history with written and visual tributes on the floors of City Hall. Participating artists include Aaron Beatty, Rodney Jones, Diaja, Kuo-Pin Lin, Melanie Levin, Rebecca Hoenig, and more. Here’s a site map PDF.
Free, through April 12th, Philadelphia City Hall, Broad & Market streets, 2nd, 4th & 5th floors, northeast corner.

TOUR/SHOPPING
Sisterhood Sit-In Trolley Tour
The Sisterhood Sit-In Trolley returns with a “Sitting Pretty” theme and guided by StarFire. Participating businesses include Trunc, Amazulu Collections, Modest Transitions, Yowie Hotel & Shop and more. Early tickets sold out quick, so reserve your seat ASAP.
$50, Sundays through April 27th, starting and ending at Harriett’s Bookshop, 258 East Girard Avenue.

ART
Now Showing @ the Brandywine Museum

  • Every Leaf & Twig: Andrew Wyeth’s Botanical Imagination — The Brandywine Museum hosts this Andrew Wyeth exhibition focusing on “the fragile rhythms and intimate dramas of plant life,” and includes 40 watercolors and drawings, many of which have never been exhibited before. Through September 15th.
  • Jamie Wyeth: Unsettled — And now for a completely different Wyeth. This exhibition focuses on Jamie Wyeth’s “darker and more troubling imagery,” a departure from his better-known paintings of people and landscapes. Through June 9th.

$18-$20, Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford.

ART
Now Happening @ Brandywine Museum

  • Henry Bermudez in Philadelphia
    This new exhibition at Woodmere Art Museum makes space of a wide array of works by Philadelphia-based, Venezuela-born multimedia artist Henry Bermudez, who “incorporates painting with cut paper in large-scale works that display a density of intertwined, three-dimensional forms, rainbow-like color, patterning, and sparkling textures.” Through May 19th,
  • Celebrating Tito Puente — Edgardo Cintron and his Latin Jazz Band pay tribute to the beloved bandleader. $25, April 12th, 6-7 p.m.

Museum admission is $10, Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Avenue.

SCIENCE/MUSEUMS
Now Happening @ the Academy of Natural Sciences

  • Under the Canopy: Animals of the Rainforest — This new special exhibit includes “interactive discovery stations, dynamic displays and engaging programming” surrounding the importance of rainforests and the plants and animals that live there. Through September 2nd.
  • Life Onto Land: The Devonian — An exhibition on the life and ecosystems of the Devonian period, the geological era during which creatures wriggled up on dry land, which everybody agrees was a solid move with a lot of potential. Through September 29th.

Included with museum admission of $21-$25, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

HISTORY/MUSEUMS
Witness to Revolution: The Unlikely Travels of Washington’s Tent
This new exhibition centered around the famous artifact will “bring to life the stories of individuals from all walks of life who saved Washington’s tent from being lost over the generations and who ultimately fashioned this relic into a symbol of the fragile American republic.” Includes art, artifacts, rare documents and the tent itself.
Included in museum admission of $13-$22, through January 5th, Museum of the American Revolution, 101 South 3rd Street.

SCIENCE
The Art of the Brick
The Franklin Institute presents this new long-running exhibition featuring a collection of “inspiring artwork” — bricked-up versions of Starry Night, Mona Lisa, etc. — made by LEGO master Nathan Sawaya. Plus a 9,000-square-foot brick play space.
Ongoing, included in museum admission of $21-$25. Franklin Institute, 222 North 20th Street.

MOVIES
SpringFest @ Film Society
This weekend the Philadelphia Film Society presents the local premieres of several enticing features and documentaries.

  • Thelma (2024) June Squibb stars as a “93-year-old grandmother determined to hunt down a scammer.” Followed by Q&A with writer-director Josh Margolin and producer Zoë Worth. April 12th, 7 p.m.
  • In a Violent Nature (2024) Chris Nash directed this “self-reflexive and innovatively brutal slasher.” Stars Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love and Reece Presley. April 12th, 9:30 p.m.
  • The Idea of You (2024) Rom-com aficionado Michael Showalter (of The Big Sick, plus The State, Wet Hot American Summer, etc.) directs his “effervescent comedy” starring Anne Hathaway as a single mom “swept up in a whirlwind romance with the lead singer of the world’s biggest boy band.” April 13th, noon.
  • Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story (2024) Charlie Hamilton James directs this documentary about a Scottish man’s relationship with an orphaned otter. April 13th, 2:30 p.m.
  • Ghostlight (2024) “Unable to process his grief, a construction worker discovers an outlet for his emotions when he unexpectedly finds himself cast in a scrappy community theater production of Romeo and Juliet in this intimate and hilarious dramedy.” Directly by Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson. Stars Keith Kupferer, Dolly De Leon, Katherine Mallen Kupferer and Tara Mallen. April 13th, 4:30 p.m.
  • Sing Sing (2023) Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Paul Raci, Sean San José and more star in Greg Kwedar drama about “men finding meaning and creative release through a prison theater workshop.” April 13th, 7:15 p.m.
  • Oddity (2024) “A blind medium resorts to desperate measures in an effort to find out the truth behind what happened to her sister in this mystical, terrifying thriller that will burn its lasting, nightmarish imagery into your brain.” Directed by Damian McCarthy. April 13th, 10 p.m.
  • We Grown Now (2023) Minhal Baig directs this “poignant meditation on boyhood and community” about two boys growing up in a Chicago housing project in the ’90s. April 14th, 2 p.m.
  • Good One (2024) In India Donaldson’s debut feature, “A 17-year-old girl is caught up in the tumultuous relationship between her father and his best friend on a tension-filled Catskills camping trip.” April 14th, 4:15 p.m.
  • I Saw the TV Glow (2024) Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Ian Foreman and Helena Howard star in Jane Schoenbrun’s “mind-bending genre riff” about two teens whose “senses of reality are altered by their obsession with a mysterious late-night TV show.” April 14th, 6:30 p.m.

$17, April 12th-14th, Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street.

ART
Now Showing @ the ICA

  • Dominique White and Alberta Whittle: Sargasso Sea — This major exhibition at the ICA “takes its name from the only body of water that is defined solely by oceanic currents rather than shorelines” and includes works by two artists which “invoke futures that upend this world with counter images of shipwreck, salvage, reciprocity and Black feminist led-revolution.” Through June 2nd.
  • Student Week: After Dark — Under the Stars: A party aimed at undergrads from Penn and neighboring universities (“and the public”) that includes stargazing, art, tarot card readings, and more. Dress in ’90s prom attire. Free, April 12th, 6-9 p.m.
  • Tomashi Jackson: Across the Universe — This solo exhibition collects the artist’s works “moving paintings,” and presents examples of “videos in dialogue with paintings and sculpture, and articulates how Jackson’s approach to color and conceptual layering translates across these mediums.” Through June 2nd.
  • Entryways: Nontsikelelo Mutiti — The Zimbabwean-born visual artist and educator was invited to reimagine the windows on the ICA’s facade. Through December 31st.

Free, Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 South 36th Street.

ART/TROLLS
Trolls: Save the Humans
The zoo is, at this very moment, home to six very large wooden trolls created by recycle artist/storyteller Thomas Dambo. But wait, there’s more! If trolls aren’t whimsical enough for you, the zoo has just installed 12 unique fairy doors, on what they are calling the Fairy Trail. “Some are hidden low to the ground, some are higher among tall plants, others are near water or attached to buildings,” they warn. (Though if you get impatient, there is a map.) Last weekend, trolls.
$19-$25, through April 15th, Philadelphia Zoo, 3400 West Girard Avenue.

See Also: Giant Trolls Are Taking Over the Philadelphia Zoo

ART
Ritual of Self: Isaiah Zagar’s Self-Portraits in Paper
The city’s favorite public mosaicist takes center stage at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (again!) with this exhibition of previously unseen mixed-media artworks. “Treated as a diary, the pieces incorporate found objects, photography, handwritten text, folk art, stamps, textiles, and painting materials.”
$12-$15 museum admission, through May 12th, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South Street.

ART
(re)FOCUS 2024
This “multi-generational group exhibit” at the Art Alliance is subtitled “Philadelphia Focuses on Women in the Visual Arts.” Includes works by Mary Carlson, Karen Kilimnik, June Leaf, Ellen Lesperance and more.
Free, through April 20th, Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 South 18th Street.

MUSEUMS
Unhoused: Personal Stories and Public Health
This new long-term exhibition at the Mütter Museum features black and white photos by Toronto-based photographer Leah den Bok, and art by Dallas-based artist Willie Baronet, “whose installation is composed of hundreds of cardboard signs the artist has purchased over the past thirty years from unhoused and unsheltered people in cities around the nation.”
$15-$20, through August 5th, Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

SCIENCE/ART
Now Showing @ Science History Institute

  • Superheroes, Science, and the Environment — This ongoing exhibition at Old City’s Science History Institute “highlights the unexpected connections between the pages of comic books and real-life environmental issues.” Through April 27th.
  • BOLD: Color from Test Tube to Textile — This new exhibition at Old City’s Science History Institute explores the complicated history and science of natural and synthetic dye-making “drawing on dye sample books, vivid clothing, and scientific instruments.” Through August.

Free admission, Science History Institute, 315 Chestnut Street.

ART
Now Showing @ PAFA

  • Artists as Cultivators — Includes drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture and more from PAFA’s permanent collection, that “reveal how American artists have cultivated discourse, care, critique, and change by way of engagement with nature.” (Related: Ruth Fine and Allan L. Edmunds in Conversation, a gallery talk and discussion, April 14th, 2 p.m.) Through July 7th.
  • Determined To Be: The Sculpture of John Rhoden — “The first comprehensive retrospective of African American sculptor John Rhoden,” a prolific and award-winning artist who worked in bronze, wood, and stone. Through April 7th.
  • Passport Dance — Related to the Rhoden exhibition, the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society presents this Peking Opera program which includes “dance elements of the art form, such as the Sword Dance, Ribbon Dance, Water Sleeve and Fan Dance.” Included in price of admission.

$18 museum admission, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 128 North Broad Street.

MUSEUMS/ART
Now Showing @ the Art Museum

$14-$23 admission, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12th

MUSIC
Yo-Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott
The acclaimed cellist and pianist join forces for a duet performance featuring works by Fauré, Dvořák, Assad and many more. Stage seating is available.
$129-$399, 8 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

PARTY/SPORTS
L3GENDARY hosted by Allen Iverson
The Sixers great — who will be honored with a statue along the Legends Walk near the team’s practice facility in Camden — hosts this late-starting party at NOTO night club. With DJ Aktive and DJ Caution.
$20, 10 p.m., NOTO, 1209 Vine Street.

THEATER/COMEDY
Dare Night: National Treasure
Offbeat troupe Theatre Contra brings another one of its fan-favorite movie-script readings to life. This time, it’s “Nicolas Cage’s magnum Philly opus, National Treasure.” So why is it called “Dare Night?” As they explain, “You’re in control! The cast will accept audience dares throughout the show. You get to determine how the story unfolds for our hero, Benjamin Franklin Gates …for better or worse.”
$25, 7 p.m., CSz Philadelphia, 2030 Sansom Street.

MUSIC
Orquesta Akokán
Featuring musicians from Cuba and NYC, the Orquesta Akokán incorporates Latin jazz, mambo and big band swing on their upbeat on their groovy, hip-shaking records for Daptone.
$69, 8 p.m., Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.

PARTY
Marie Curie’s Radiant Ball
The Mütter Museum celebrates the first woman to win the Nobel prize with this science-themed dance party featuring “ rarely-seen collection items” and music by Drew Nugent & the Midnight Society. Attendees are encourages to wear their “most luminous cocktail attire.”
$50, 7-10 p.m., Mütter Museum, 19 South 22nd Street.

MUSIC
Caroline Rose
The Long Island singer-songwriter earned a Grammy nom for the packaging of their fifth record The Art of Forgetting, released just about a year ago. That’s, cool. But the music, indie-folk laced with personal lyrics and some Courtney Barnett-style rock urgency, is powerful and memorable too. La Force opens the show.
$29.50-$33, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

MUSIC
Anthony Rodia
The Italian-American comedian, and cohost of the Little Bit of Laughs podcast, is on his Totally Relatable Tour. Let’s go to the clip.
$35-$45, 8 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.

MUSIC
Bernice
Robin Dann and her dreamy Toronto band specializes in idiosyncratic indie pop songs that soothe and grooves. Bernice released their second record Cruisin’ just about a year ago. Reminds me of bygone indie lovelies Ida sometimes. With Ruth Garbus Trio.
$15, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
The Ben Vaughn Quintet
A fixture on the local singer-songwriter scene for a good long while, Ben Vaughn specializes in folk, blues and rock with wit, charm and memorable lyrics. He also host the The Many Moods of Ben Vaughn radio show and podcast. Philly mainstays Palmyra Delran and the Doppel Gang open this show.
$22-$35, 8 p.m., World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street.

MUSIC
Small Crush
Jangly, spangly, peppy indie-pop from Oakland. Small Crush released Penelope in February, and it’s just whipsmart and cute as a button. With Strawberry Launch and goshupon.
$15, 8 p.m., Foto Club, 3743 Frankford Avenue.

PANEL DISCUSSION/DRINKS
Women in Spirits
Sisterly Love Collective presents this celebration of women in the beverage industry, featuring Becky Paskin of OurWhisky Foundation, Heaven Hill national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist Lynn House, and more.
$35, 6:30 p.m., Twisted Tail, South 2nd Street.

DANCE PARTY/MUSIC
The Purple Tour
Daybreaker presents an early morning dance party at Dilworth Plaza on Friday, with music by Radha Agrawa, Elliott Larue, Alexandra Holmes, DJ Menace and Darrell Thorne. Quoth the press release: “It’s one of the first stops of Daybreaker’s year-long effort to bring Democrats and Republicans together and infuse the electoral process with joy and unity during a time typically marked by divisiveness.” You know what? You’re right. Instead of concentrating on the issues that divide us — women’s rights, queer rights, climate science, environmental protection, whether or not we’re okay with Nazism and fascism — let’s just like dance like these are just silly little differences of opinion. Sheesh.
Free, 6-9 p.m., Dilworth Plaza, 15th and Markets Streets.

SATURDAY, APRIL 13th

DANCE
Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies
The “ground-breaking, all-female tap dance experience” — Beyoncé-approved — “weave their inspiring personal stories with intricate footwork, feminine prowess, and sparkling energy.”
$35-$75, 7:30 p.m., Miller Theater, 250 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Rosali
The cover of Rosali’s latest release, Bite Down, disturbs me to my core. It’s an excellent record, full of acoustic folk/pop strumming, moody grooves and pretty/mysterious lyrics. But the cover. It triggers some primal anxiety in me. Verity Den opens this show at Johnny Brenda’s on Saturday.
$16, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

MUSIC
Swans
Led by Michael Gira, the time-tested but always shifting NYC rock/experimentalists released their 16th record, The Beggar, last summer. The Guardian gave it four stars and described it as “dark and unsettling, purifying and beautiful.” Sounds right. Swans frequently sends critics down astrophysical k-holes like that. Kristof Hahn opens the show.
$32-$38, 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street.

MUSIC
Jazz Impressions for Glen Foerd’s Pipe Organ
Dr. Jay Fluellen plays the historic mansion’s 1902 Haskell pipe organ. The program for this free concert includes “the sacred music of Duke Ellington with interludes inspired by the music history of Glen Foerd.”
Free, 6:30 p.m., Glen Foerd, 5001 Grant Avenue.

MUSIC
Qwanqwa
This Addis Ababa-based improvisatory band is “dedicated to furthering Ethiopia’s unique musical traditions.” Qwanqwa’s sound is psychedelic, experimental and rockin’ in ways we don’t often hear around here.
$30.90, 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Elle Varner
The R&B singer-songwriter, known for “Only Wanna Give It to You,” is doing it all unplugged on her current tour.
$38-$50, 6 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street.

MUSIC
Xuân Tình — Spring of Love
Billed as a “special spring Vietnamese concert,” this event at Parx Casino features performances by Le Quyen, Bach Cong Khanh, Bao Linh, Kieu Oanh, Hoang Nhat, Mc Thanh Tung, and The Night Band Xuân TìNh.
$78, 10:30 p.m., Xcite Center at Parx Casino, 2999 Street Road, Bensalem.

GAMES/LGBTQ+
GayBINGO: DivaPalooza
AIDS Fund’s popular, campy GayBINGO promises music, prizes and “drag queen antics” while raising emergency funds for people living with HIV in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Hosted by the Bingo Verifying Divas (BVDs). This Saturday they encourage you to “unleash your festival fairy.”
$40-$50, 6 p.m., Rodeph Shalom, 615 North Broad Street.

MUSIC
Yachtley Crew
Dressed in “nautical attire,” this L.A. band specializes in covers of ’70s and ’80s soft rock acts like the Beegees, Toto, the Eagles and more, with a few originals added to the mix as well.
$32.50-$54, 8 p.m., Keswick Theatre, 291 North Keswick Avenue, Glenside.

SHOPPING
East Passyunk Community Center Craft Fair
Assembled vendors sell their wares, including art, jewelry, pottery, etc., plus concessions, face painting, massages, tarot readings. More info here.
$30-$40, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., 1025 Mifflin Street.

MUSIC/DANCE PARTY
Arabian Eid Party
Celebrate Eid el Fitr with food, dancing and performances by Muath Edriss, violinist Slim, Maetro Dali, Meesha and Tablah Amjad.
$25-$35, 8:30 p.m., Alamodak Restaurant, 161 Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

SUNDAY, APRIL 14th

MOVIES
Nights of Cabiria
Bryn Mawr Film Institute presents a 4K restoration screening of Federico Fellini’s 1957 drama starring Giulietta Masina, who won best actress for her performance.
$13.50, 4 p.m., Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.

DANCE/CULTURE
Cultural Collision: A House and Ball Event
“This unique experience will celebrate the art of voguing, beauty, and runway, and offer you the chance to meet the stars, statements, legends and icons of the Ensemble Arts Runway.” Held in the Kimmel Center’s Commonwealth Plaza. Reception to follow.
Free, 5 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

SHOPPING
Ready, Set, Bloom: Now & Then Marketplace
This indoor/outdoor shopping opportunity includes vendors like Angie’s Vietnamese Cuisine, Harbingers Vintage, Jonah’s Wood’n Stuff and more. Live music at the late session.
Free, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. & 5-9 p.m., Star|Bolt, 1936 North Front Street.

FESTIVAL
Furry Friends of Frankford Pet Festival
Whether you want to spoil your pets or want to find your fur-ever friend, this is the festival for you. Olde Kensington Boutique and Philadelphia Brewing Company are partnering with the PSPCA for a day of pet-themed games, pet vendors, a pet parade through the neighborhood (at 4 p.m.), and adoptable pets. There will also be a performance by the band Kitty Rotten in the courtyard — they wear cat masks; it’s a delight.
Free, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Philadelphia Brewing Company, 2440 Frankford Avenue.

THEATER
Acting Without Boundaries Theater Showcase
AWB’s cast of actors with physical disabilities performs Time Frame, a collection of “scenes, songs and conversations on the theme of Time.” Discussion to follow.
Pay what you can, 2 p.m., Kimmel Center, 300 South Broad Street.

MUSIC
Benson Boone
The TikToker-turned-IRL-singing-sensation — check out “Beautiful Things,” “Slow It Down,” etc. — is on his Fireworks and Rollerblades World Tour. That’s the name of his just-released debut record. It’s not likely Boone will be lighting fires and/or rollerblading around the Fillmore on Sunday. I mean. No. Everybody just be safe, okay?
$215-$707, 8 p.m., Fillmore Philly, 29 East Allen Street.

COMEDY
Dukes
Brooklyn comedians Liva Pierce and Jane Wickline do sketches and songs and such. More on the Dukes here. With Anne Lim & Jo Sunday.
$15, 7 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 North Frankford Avenue.

SHOPPING
Clover Market
Wander round Chestnut Hill, shopping and eating and listening to music. Here’s a full list of vendors.
Free till you buys something, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown Chestnut Hill.

MUSIC
Gregorian
The long-running German band — billed as the world’s most successful choir — is on its Pure Chants tour, promising traditional and contemporary classical compositions, with guest performers Amelia Brightman and Narcis. More on Gregorian here.
$29.50-$49.50, 7:30 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville.

MUSIC
Alarm Will Sound
The New York-based, 20-strong chamber orchestra has two decades under its cummerbund playing new music. For this performance at the Annenberg Center, Alarm Will Sound will focus on the music of Steve Reich, with a little Radiohead in the mix.
$44-$59, 7 p.m., Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street.

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