Honey, mushrooms, and blues: Weekend festivals — and the Eagles! — are back in season in this week’s ‘Things To Do’

Weekend festivals — including some dedicated to honey and blues music — and the Eagles are back in season in this week’s “Things To Do.”

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(Honey Festival/Sara Plonksi)

(Honey Festival/Sara Plonksi)

Weekend festivals — including some dedicated to honey and blues music — and the Eagles are back in season in this week’s “Things To Do.”

Philadelphia Honey Festival
Glen Foerd on the Delaware, Grant Ave. and Milnor, Philadelphia
Friday, Sept. 6; 5 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Wyck Historic House, 6026 Germantown Avenue Saturday, Sept. 7; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.
Sunday, Sept. 8; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Free to attend

The 10th annual Honey Festival is a three-day, three-venue event that showcases the importance of honey and its many varieties. In partnership with the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild, the Honey Festival will offer tastings, local beekeeper presentations, a bee-bearding demonstration, free boating, a Bee-Happy Hour, live music, a Honey Home Brew challenge, a children’s Bee parade, and more. Events vary by venue, so check the schedule for the venue or activity that works best for you.

Brandywine Festival of the Arts
Brandywine Park, 1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington, Del.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 8; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$5 admission, children under 12 are free

The Brandywine Festival of the Arts is billed as one of the nation’s top 100 arts festivals featuring 250 local and national artists in multiple disciplines, including leather crafting, metal work, pottery, photography, furniture design, and more. Though it’s had a slight name change, the festival has taken place since 1961 during the first weekend after Labor Day after many folks have made their final trip to the shore. Expect food and live entertainment in an open-air music space and the Music Meadow, with kid’s activities and more. A shuttle will take you to and from nearby parking and the $5 fee provides entry for both days and comes with $1 admission to the Brandywine Zoo. Eric Zippe, a University of Delaware graduate who specializes in visual art, photography and wood prints, is the festival’s 2019 featured artist.

Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
GPS Address: 101 South Union Street, Kennett Square, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$3 admission, children under 12 are free; No pets allowed

Kennett Square is the mushroom capital of the world, which obviously means there must be a festival to celebrate. Since 1986, the community has come together for the annual event which, has expanded to two days and over one mile of activities. There are more than 250 food and crafts vendors and exhibits, cooking demonstrations, and kid-friendly activities featuring the mighty mushroom. Proceeds from the festival go to community organizations. In 2017, the event raised $114,000, which was donated to local nonprofits.

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Phoenixville Blues Festival
Reeves Park
401 Main Street, Phoenixville, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Free to attend

The blues come to the ‘burbs during a free, day-long festival in Phoenixville. Sponsored by the Steel City Blues Society, a nonprofit created to preserve blues music, the 10th annual festival brings nine bands to Reeves Park, plus food and crafts vendors. Performers include Lancaster County’s Benjamin Vo Blues Band and headliner Samantha Fish, whose sixth album “Kill Or Be Kind” comes out in late September.

Haverford Music Festival
Eagle and Darby Roads, Havertown, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Free to attend

Thirty international and locally formed bands will perform on four stages at the 9th annual Haverford Music Festival, a fundraiser for Haverford Township that has brought in more than $100,000 for local organizations. Headliners include the “first couple of Americana music,” Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams, once members of Levon Helm’s band; and Villanova graduate Ryan Montbleau. For a more intimate set, check out the indoor “coffeehouse” stage.

College Fest 2019
Dilworth Park
1 S. 15th Street, Philadelphia
Saturday, Sept. 7; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Free to attend

College Fest, an annual celebration for new and returning college students takes place Saturday in Dilworth Plaza. Food, games, prizes, product demos, presentations, and more are part of the outdoor festival geared specifically to students attending college in the greater Philadelphia area. Free admission to 11 local museums and free rides on the Philly PHLASH downtown loop are included. Advance registration is recommended, but not required.

2019 Fringe Festival
Various Venues, including Fringe Arts and Cherry Street Pier
Sept. 5 – 22
Opening Night Reception sold out, but waitlist is available
Various prices

The Fringe Festival is back! It runs for 17 days with over 1,000 eclectic theater, music, and dance presentations in multiple genres from more than 200 artists — both local and international. Eleven shows are curated specifically by the festival organizers including “Úumbal: Nomadic Choreography for Inhabitants” from Mexican choreographer Mariana Arteaga, which crowd-sourced its choreography, and the tongue-in-cheek opera “Let Me Die,” a collaboration with Opera Philadelphia’s Festival O19. Though the performances are spread throughout the city, the hub for the entire festival is the Fringe Arts venue on the waterfront at Columbus Boulevard and Race Street, where artists and attendees can gather after the shows for food and drinks. A mobile app, available for both Apple and Android phones, provides a guide to all the performances and events.

The Royalty Tour: Nas and Mary J. Blige
The Liacouras Center
1776 North Broad Street, Philadelphia
Saturday, Sept. 7; 8 p.m.
$86 – $176

Rap icon Nas and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, Mary J. Blige, combine forces for this year’s Royalty Tour. The beloved duo will perform songs from both of their vast catalogues, including Nas’s acclaimed 1994 debut “Illmatic,” and Mary J. Blige’s 2001 platinum release “No More Drama.” Nas just released a compilation album “Lost Tapes 2” earlier this year, and Blige’s latest is 2017’s “Strength of A Woman,” which chronicled her messy divorce. They combined on the propulsive track “Thriving,” released in May.

Brandi Carlile with Mavis Staples
Mann Music Center
5201 Parkside Ave., Philadelphia
Friday, Sept. 6; 8 p.m.
$30.50 – $140.50

Washington native Brandi Carlile has earned three Grammy Awards for her potent mix of blues, R&B, folk, and country that centers her among the more mainstream Americana music artists. Her sixth studio album, 2018’s “By The Way I Forgive You,” recorded in Nashville, won a Grammy Award this year for Best Americana Album. Former President Barack Obama included its powerful lead single “The Joke” among his playlist favorites. Carlile brings Mavis Staples, herself a progenitor of classic American music, to the Mann as her opening act. From her work with her family group, The Staple Singers, to collaborations with Prince and Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy, Staples has been an integral part of American musical culture for the last six decades.

Feria del Barrio
2721 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia (between Huntington and Somerset)
Sunday, Sept. 8; 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Free to attend

Celebrating Latin-American culture is at the forefront of the annual Feria del Barrio, a street festival that’s been centered in North Philadelphia since 1979. The event represents the combined efforts of five organizations central to Philly’s Latin-American community: Taller Puertorriqueño, Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas, HACE, Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha, and Congreso de Latinos Unidos. La Feria del Barrio brings economic activity directly to the neighborhood by showcasing Latin musicians, artists, and cultural and community vendors. The all-ages event includes kids activities, live music, and dance, as well as Latin food specialties for purchase.

Market of the Macabre
Laurel Hill Cemetery
3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
$5 admission, cash only

If you enjoy a quirkier weekend, the Laurel Hill Cemetery has you covered. The Market of the Macabre is a collection of interesting antiques, artwork, and other oddities on the grounds of the 183-year-old cemetery. Steampunk, Victorian, goth, and other unique wardrobe choices are welcomed, and food and drink is available for purchase. Public transportation is recommended, as nearby parking is limited.

29th Annual Wings and Wheels
Wings Field
1501 Narcissa Road, Bluebell, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 7; 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
$10 admission for adults, $5 for kids

Angel Flight East is a nonprofit organization that provides both disaster relief and free flights to people seeking distant medical treatment. Every year, it hosts “Wings N Wheels” to raise money for its essential services. Vintage cars and aircraft will be on display, in addition to flight demonstrations and airplane rides. There will also be live music, a kid’s zone and arts, crafts, food, and drink for purchase.

Bird Crawl Pre-Season Pep Rally Bar Crawl
Starts at The Gaslight
120 Market Street, Philadelphia
Saturday, Sept. 7; 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
$20 admission

Eagles fans get ready! The new season is here and it’s time for the Birds to take back their rightful place as NFL champions. The 21+ pep rally bar crawl debuted in February and demand was so high, they’re doing another one to kick off this season. More than 20 bars are participating, and the first 500 folks to show up will get a free T-shirt. The admission fee covers admission to the crawl. Beer, food and cocktail specials are offered by selected participating bars along with deejays and entertainment.

 

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Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins
Lincoln Financial Field
1 Lincoln Financial Field Way, Philadelphia
Sunday, Sept. 8; 1 p.m.
$185 and up

The Eagles head into the 2019-2020 season hoping to repeat the success of the Super Bowl-winning season that handed them the Lombardi trophy in 2018. This year, led by QB Carson Wentz (fingers crossed), they are among the elite Super Bowl contenders. If you want to be there to cheer them on, the season kicks off on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the rival Washington Redskins. Now that one-time Redskin DeSean Jackson has returned to the Eagles fold, expect him to be especially motivated for a breakout performance against his former team.

South Jersey Gay Pride
Cooper River Park – Victims of Terrorism Site
GPS Address: 7001 N. Park Drive, Cherry Hill, N.J.
Sunday, Sept. 8; 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Free to attend

South Jersey’s LGBTQ community can celebrate at the all-ages, family-friendly South Jersey Gay Pride event at Cooper River Park this weekend. Bring blankets, chairs, and tables so you can get a comfortable spot. Food and drink is available for purchase at this inclusive event that features speakers, deejays, and a performance by singer Frenchie Davis of “American Idol” and “The Voice” fame.

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