Juneteenth, Caribbean culture and Father’s Day

Raiders of the Lost Ark In Concert with Reading Symphony Orchestra
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
6201 Parkside – Fairmount Park
Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, June 15; 8 p.m.
$25 – $65
There are myriad outdoor film screenings in the region this summer but the one at the Mann has an added benefit – music. Fans of the 1981 Steven Spielberg classic “Raiders of the Lost Ark” likely also remember the score by Oscar and Grammy-winning composer John Williams. The movie, shown on three screens will be accompanied by the Reading Symphony Orchestra playing the score live, in synch with the picture.

10th Annual Daddy Daughter Dance
SugarHouse Event Center – 2nd Floor
1001 N. Delaware Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, June 15; 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
$65
Father’s Day is Sunday and while dads don’t always get the accolades they deserve, they do often have a special connection to their daughters. Daddy University Inc. assists fathers in improving their parenting skills and supporting them as dads via several annual events including the National Fatherhood Conference. They’re hosting the 10th annual Daddy/Daughter Dance at SugarHouse. The event is not limited to little girls and their dads; it’s open to fathers and daughters of all ages who want to celebrate their bond just in time for Father’s Day. NOTE: Tickets are transferable but nonrefundable.

We Celebrate Fathers
African American Museum in Philadelphia
Sunday, June 16th; 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
$7 individuals – $20 family groups
Father’s Day can be challenging for African American fathers who often see themselves represented in the most negative ways. Social media has helped provide a more balanced picture of black fatherhood through several accounts that show them as present, committed, caring dads. A viral video of a black father chatting with his son is one recent example. The African American Museum hosts a day for all ages to celebrate Father’s Day with family-friendly activities, food, art and music.

Village Wine Stroll: South of the Equator
Starts at Cock n’ Bull
Peddler’s Village
Routes 202 and 263
Lahaska, Pa.
Saturday, June 15th; 12 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
$49
Host Michael Conti of Village Imports takes attendees on a walking tour of red and white wines from South Africa, South American and Australia, all while staying in Bucks County. These regions, among the newest winemakers in the contemporary wine industry, are characterized by their unique blends. Featured vineyards include Stellenbosch, Schlid and Cuna del Sol.

Eddie Bruce Sings The Music of Michel LeGrand & A Special Tribute to Nancy Wilson
Dino’s Backstage
297 N. Keswick Ave
Glenside, Pa.
Friday, June 14th, Saturday, June 15; 8:30 p.m.
$35, ($20 food and beverage minimum)
The Eddie Bruce Orchestra is such a popular wedding band around town that Bruce offers wedding advice on venues, music and wedding planning on his website. But his band also plays music on its own. Along with singer Jeannie Brooks and the Dean Schneider Trio, Bruce will pay homage to the late singers Michel LeGrand who died earlier this year, and Nancy Wilson, who died in 2018.

Dave Matthews Band
BB & T Pavilion
1 Harbour Blvd.
Camden, N.J.
Friday, June 14, Saturday June 15th: 8 p.m.
$45.50 and up
The Dave Matthews Band has established itself as one of the nation’s most beloved, longstanding groups. While not quite in the elder statesman category of bands established in the 70’s, the Matthews Band has been around since 1991. For the aughts, as the period that lasted from 2000-2010 is commonly referred to as, the band was more commercially successful than any other band in the U.S and Canada. Matthews has South African roots, but is most closely associated with Charlottesville, Virginia where he formed his namesake band while acting and playing guitar. Success followed with multiple hits including “Crash Into Me” “Stay (Wasting Time)” “What Would You Say” and more. Matthews has also enjoyed accolades from his expansion into solo music projects, TV and film acting and activism. “Come Tomorrow” the band’s latest release, came out in 2018.

Stripes and Stars Festival
Independence Mall, National Constitution Center and other venues in Philadelphia
Friday, June 14; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Most events are free
The Declaration of Independence was drafted in Philadelphia so it’s no surprise that the city hosts a number of patriotic celebrations. Both the American flag and the U.S. Army are celebrating birthdays and the Stripes and Stars Festival honors both. The flag turns 242, while the Army turns 244. Parades, a skydiving show, U.S. Army exhibits, a swearing-in ceremony for new recruits, a naturalization ceremony and more will all happen on Friday at venues including the Christ Church Burial Ground, The National Constitution Center and the Betsy Ross House.

Philly Caribbean Carnival and Parade
Chamounix Drive Fairmount Park
Saturday, June 15th; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
After Festival Concert – Major Events 8 p.m. – 2 a.m.
5075 Lancaster Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Get ready to showcase your best carnival wear and party in the park as the annual Caribbean Carnival is here. (Not to be confused with the Caribbean Festival which happens in August.) You can expect music whether it’s reggae, soca, dancehall, ska, big drum and steel pan, meringue, timba, calypso and more. You can expect delicious food from multiple Caribbean nations and most of all, you can expect the elaborate pageantry and costumes that define Caribbean celebrations around the diaspora. The United Caribbean Association of Philadelphia has been putting on the parade and carnival since the 1990’s.

National Marbles Tournament
Ringer Stadium
Wildwood Ave. Beach
Wildwood, N.J.
June 17 – 20; 8 a.m. – 12 noon
Free for spectators
If you’re headed down the Shore this weekend, you’ll have a chance to watch the National Marbles Tournament, a competition that’s been going on since 1922. Yes, your childhood pastime is also a competitive sport that crowns a “King” and “Queen” of marbles. The 8 – 14-year-old “mibsters” or male and female marble competitors who win local competitions around the country are invited to compete for cash, scholarships and of course, bragging rights. You can catch one of the 1,200 games of marbles being played on Wildwood beach over the three-day festival. As is tradition, the male winner will plant a kiss on the cheek of the winning female, hopefully only if she’s OK with that.

Philadelphia Juneteenth Festival
Johnson House Historic House
6300 block Of Germantown
Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, June 15; 12 noon – 7 p.m.
Free
Though President Abraham Lincoln signed The Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, the United States was in a the midst of the Civil War and it could not be enforced everywhere. Nor was it a document that expressly ended slavery – it would take the 13th Amendment to do that. Juneteenth is the celebration of the official day word of the proclamation arrived in Texas on June 19, 1865. The free festival includes vendors, reenactments, a beer/cider garden, a children’s village, a panel on decreasing incarceration rates for women in the region, as well as two performances of “The Slave Narratives: 400 Years Of Resistance” by the Grounded Theater Company. Registration is required for the performances.

Wild Child: A Tribute To The Doors
The Queen
500 Market Street
Wilmington, Del.
Saturday, June 15; 8 p.m.
$17
The Doors, the classic rock band were fronted by the mercurial Jim Morrison, who died mysteriously in 1971. Fortunately, by then he and the Doors had made enough music to become the soundtrack of what is now viewed as a golden age of creativity, music and lifestyle in Los Angeles history. Songs like “Light My Fire” “Riders on the Storm” and “L.A. Woman,” are now considered classics of the California rock genre. Morrison’s rebellious, artistic persona has endeared him to new fans decades after his untimely death. Wild Child considers their show to be an accurate representation of the Doors look, sound and live performance without some of the gimmicky excesses of many tribute bands. You be the judge.

Oscar Visits Walt
Cabaret Vérité at Giovanni’s Room Bookstore
345 S. 12th Street
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sunday, June 16th; 2 p.m. reception, 3 p.m. show
$40
Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday on May 31st is being celebrated throughout the year in a series of events in Philadelphia, where Whitman spent a lot of time in the last two decades of his illustrious life. Giovanni’s Room presents a unique performance in his honor. “Oscar Visits Walt” is a reimagining of the visits the writer Oscar Wilde had with Whitman in January and May of 1882. The musical play reveals what transpired between the two poets when Wilde, then 27, met the 62-year-old literary master.

Bloomsday 2019
The Rosenbach
2008-2010 Delancey Place
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sunday, June 16; 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Free
Fictional characters often occupy a special place in our imagination long after the book has been read. That’s the case for Leopold Bloom in James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” Bloom is being celebrated in the Bloomsbury 2019 event which is a day-long reading of his adventures from the classic tome. Music and readings by professors, artists, writers and other public figures including WHYY host Jim Cotter, should make for a lively rendition of Bloom’s activities in Dublin. A beer garden, local food trucks and free admission to the Rosenbach should only add to the collective literary experience. And since it takes place on Father’s Day, what better gift for a literary dad?

Pizzadelphia Pizza Festival
The Navy Yard – S. Broad Street and Intrepid Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, June 15; 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
$40 (VIP $100, Kids 6-12, $22)
Fathers can rejoice as this event may be the best way to make dads happy on Father’s Day, unless of course your dad has dietary restrictions that don’t include flour, cheese or sausage. However, with selections from more than 30 pizzerias, there’s likely to be even vegan and gluten-free pies. Pizza chefs will be on hand to answer your pie-making questions and there will be music and family friendly activities galore. Best of all, parking is free and pizza is all you can eat for the price of admission.

PopUp Play
Spruce Street Harbor Park
Columbus Blvd and Spruce Street
Sundays through September 29; 11:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m.
Free
Kids are great, but they ain’t cheap. So finding things to do with them during the summer that aren’t costly is something any parent can appreciate. Spruce Street Harbor Park offers free PopUp Play events every Sunday through September 29th. These themed play events allow children to use their imagination while parents have the chance to save a little money for the costly summer events their kids will inevitably attend. The June 16th theme is building bamboo forts; upcoming themes include hat-making, cardboard mini-golf and kite flying. Leashed dogs are welcome, too.