NW Weekender: First Friday, Philadelphia Honey Festival and RittenhouseTown Paper Mill 5k

Looking for something to do in Northwest Philadelphia this weekend?  Here are our top picks. 

First Friday in Manayunk, Main Street and side streets

Once again, it is First Friday in Manayunk! Plenty of great art work will be found in the many shops and galleries. Artist Amy Gardner Sessa’s new exhibit, which features unique mosaics and photographs, opens at the Spiral Bookcase, located at 112 Cotton Street. Local restaurants will feature deals on meals. First Friday is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cris and Lou Concert in Pretzel Park, Cresson St and Roxborough Ave.

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While you’re strolling through Manayunk’s First Friday offerings, take a walk up to Preztel Park. Music group Cris and Lou, who are known for their focus in making music for children, perform in the park this Friday. Their mission is to “influence the lives of children in a positive way.” Their songs focus on good manners, habits, and virtues. The concert is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. with the first half intended for children and the second meant for the adults. Admission is free. 

The Divine Hand Ensemble Concert at Laurel Hill Cemetery, 3822 Ridge Ave.

You might have the notion that funeral music is pretty depressing but the Divine Hand Orchestra might be able to change your mind. They will be performing at Laurel Hill Cemetery this Saturday for a special event as part of the Fringe Festival. It marks the first public performance of funerary music in over 250 years. The orchestra is led by Mano Divina, who uses the Theremin, an instrument that uses frequencies in the air to create sound without the player touching anything, in his music. Halloween may be long ways off but this “Concert Atop the Crypts” will certainly get you in the holiday spirit. Bring blankets and chairs. The performance begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the website

Philadelphia Honey Festival at Wyck Historic House, 6026 Germantown Ave.

The Second Saturday event this month at Wyck is very sweet…literally! The 3rd Annual Philadelphia Honey Festival comes to Wyck Historic House this Saturday. The festival is designed to promote awareness of the importance of bees and their effects on the environment. Local university professors will be talking throughout the day on different buzzworthy topics. The day is also filled with honey extraction demonstrations, live music from the Riverside Bluegrass Band, and, of course, honey tastings (including Honey Gelato from Capo Giro). Free admission. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Photo Walk of Germantown, 4800 Wayne Ave.

Germantown is a very photogenic Philadelphia neighborhood. This event held by the Germantown Artists Roundtable is open to local photographers and locals who love taking photos. The group will walk around Germantown to different sites, including historic places, and capture some of the area’s beautiful charm. The meet-up spot is the Happy Hollow Playground, located at 4800 Wayne Ave. The walk kicks off at 9 a.m. on Saturday. The photo shoot lasts till 11 a.m. A digital camera is needed.

Historic RittenhouseTown Annual 5k Paper Mill Run, Wissahickon Ave. between Walnut Lane and Lincoln Drive

Looking to get some running in this weekend? This Saturday is the 23rd Annual Historic RittenhouseTown 5k Paper Mill Run. The route goes through the Wissahickon Valley and by the historic Paper Mill, the first one in America. The Philllie Phanatic plans to stop by for a bit before 9:30 a.m. Sign-in and day-off registration begins at 9 a.m and the admission is $30. Pre-registration is $25 and available via the website. The run begins at 10 a.m.

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