Philadelphia Folk Fest, bugs, crabs, and dragon boats — 18 events to do around Philly this week
The 2013 "Bug Fest" focuses on insects that hide in plain sight using camouflage or mimic other creatures.
Looking for something to do this week? WHYY’s Robin Bloom has some recommendations on what’s happening in the Philadelphia region. Here are her picks:
Bug Fest at Academy of Natural Sciences
In its sixth year, “Bug Fest” crawls into the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11, 10am-5pm, focusing this year on bugs that use mimicry and camouflage to hide in plain sight or act like other insects. These masters of deception are the subject of activities and seminars all day, from bug tasting sessions to the Masquerade Bug Ball to bug walks with Academy entomologists. Also, crafts for kids, insect tastings, live music and more, included with regular admission, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. Bug Fest grew out of the Academy’s entomology research and education programs and its collection of 4 million preserved insects!
Southeast Asian Dragon Boat Festival The Southeast Asian Dragon Boat Festival races back for another year to Penn’s Landing, promoting the understanding and appreciation of the rich, cultural heritage of the people of Southeast Asia, with contemporary and traditional dancing and singing, food, and of course, dragon boat races, Saturday, August 10, 12-7pm, Columbus Boulevard between Walnut and Dock Streets, Philadelphia. Free, part of the PECO Multicultural Series.
Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”
Mauckingbird Theater Company, known for reflecting on classic works through a gay lens, presents a gender-bent interpretation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” directed by Peter Reynolds and starring Nancy Boykin, Chancellor Dean, James Ijames, David Hutchinson, Brent Knobloch, Lindsay Mauck, Sarah Doherty, Mitchell Bloom, and Darryl Gene Daughtry, Jr. through August 25, Off-Broad Street Theater at First Baptist Church, 1636 Sansom Street, Philadelphia.
Victory Day celebration on the Battleship New Jersey Celebrate WWII Victory Day on the Battleship New Jersey, Saturday, August 10, 6pm, with a dinner/dance BBQ including war re-enactors, an Andrews Sisters performance by the Romano Sisters, swing music, tours, and more on the Camden, NJ waterfront.
Absolutely Abstract at Philadelphia Sketch Club
Opening this weekend at the Philadelphia Sketch Club is “Absolutely Abstract 2013,” presenting a variety of visual sensations through non-representational and suggestive subject matter in various two dimensional mediums, through August 24. An Artists’ reception is Sunday, August 11, 2pm-4pm, 235 S. Camac Street, between 12th and 13th and Locust and Spruce Streets. PSC is American’s oldest artists club, founded in 1860. Pictured, “Clearing,” by Gary Bolton, 2012 Best in Show.
Cape May Craft Beer & Crab Festival The 2nd annual Cape May Craft Beer & Crab Festival returns Saturday, August 10, 11am-8pm, with live music all day on an outdoor stage featuring The Quixote Project, New Pony, David Landry, The Herb Moore Trio and more, plus crafts, children’s activities, art, and beer and crabs, at the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ. Admission is free with charges for some activities and food. Free parking available with shuttle service.
Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest The Philadelphia Rock ‘N’ Blues Fest is Wednesday August 14, 7:30pm, featuring legendary Woodstock band Ten Years After (pictured), child prodigy turned musical pioneer Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer, Canned Heat and Pat Travers at the Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA.
Philadelphia Folk Festival The Philadelphia Folk Festival is back for the 52nd year August 15-18 at the Old Pool Farm near Schwenksville, PA. Featured performers include Todd Rundgren, Asleep at the Wheel, Jake Shimabukuro, David Bromberg, David Amram, John Flynn, Amy Helm, and many more, hosted by Gene Shay, with lots to do for families, including crafts, puppeteers, jugglers, storytellers, kid-oriented musicians, food and more.
Equifunk Equifunk, the annual music festival in the Poconos, is August 16-18 with three full days of live music at camps Equinunk and Blue Ridge in Equinunk, PA. Performers include Soulive with special guest Maceo Parker (legendary sax man with James Brown), the New Mastersounds, JJ Grey and Mofro, Pork Tornado (Phish drummer Jon Fishman’s side project), Anders Osborne (pictured) with John Medeski, Keller Williams, London Souls and many more. The all-inclusive festival creates an environment resembling a summer camp for adults with daily meals, unlimited beer, camping, a pool, water slide, sports facilities and lakeside view. New this year, a full extra day of live music on Sunday.
“Boeing, Boeing” at Cape May Stage Cape May Stage presents the farce “Boeing, Boeing,” winner of the 2008 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, through September 13 at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse, corner of Bank and Lafayette Streets. Also onstage Monday, August 12, 8pm, Broadway Star and jazz and blues singer Sandra Reaves-Phillips, performing her one-woman show “Me, Myself and You.”
Additional events happening in the Philadelphia region:
Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival The Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival gets underway Friday, August 9 through Saturday, August 10, celebrating the culture and history of the African American/African Diaspora community with culturally enriched dance including the SANKOFA African Dance and Drum Company, live music with Zion Reggae Band, children’s activities, food and other vendors, at the Seaford Sports Complex in Seaford, DE. Rehoboth Art League’s 40th Annual Outdoor Fine Art & Fine Craft Show The Rehoboth Art League’s 40th Annual Outdoor Fine Art & Fine Craft Show is Saturday, August 10, 10am-5pm, and Sunday, August 11, 10am-4pm, rain or shine, with over 100 selected artists from the Mid-Atlantic region displaying and selling their creations in a wide variety of media. Additional activities include live music, food, children’s activities and more on the 3.5 acre campus, 12 Dodds Lane in Henlopen Acres, Rehoboth Beach, DE. Free parking and shuttle service provided. The Fine Art & Fine Craft Show continues the following weekend, August 17-18. Tomato and Wine Festival There’s nothing like a Jersey tomato! Celebrate the red fruit at the Tomato and Wine Festival, Saturday, August 10, 4pm-8pm, featuring tomato-related dishes from some of the area’s popular eateries, children’s activities, live music, a wine-tasting competition, Little Miss and Mister Cherry Tomato Pageant Parade and more, on the 600 block of Landis Avenue in downtown Vineland, NJ. Rain date Sunday, August 11. Starfest at Hopewell Furnace The Chesmont Astronomical Society hosts their annual Starfest, Saturday, August 10, 7pm, featuring speakers on astronomy related topics, door prizes and the opportunity to view the night sky through a variety of telescopes at Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site, 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA. Rain date August 11. 11th Annual Jazz Jamboree The 11th Annual Jazz Jamboree with Ralph Penn and Friends returns to the West Philadelphia Senior Center with musical performances for Jazz lovers of all ages, on Sunday August 11, 4-7pm. Presented by The West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Paul Robeson House, the musical celebration features vocalist Juanita Holiday, special guest tenor saxophonist Bootsie Barnes, Sadayah Galloway on drums and John Holton on keyboard, 1016-26 N. 41st Street, Philadelphia. Free entertainment in Philly’s parks John F. Collins Park hosts concerts every Tuesday and Thursday from noon-1:30pm. Catch Umar Rahim on saxophone, August 13, and Yoomi Kwan on cello, August 15, 1707 Chestnut Street, Center City, Philadelphia.Philadelphia Weekly’s free Concerts in the Park series returns to Rittenhouse Square Park for the 23rd year on Wednesdays with Doc Gibbs, August 14, 8pm, Lady Alma, August 21, and Cee Knowledge and the Cosmic Funk Orchestra, August 28.B. Someday Productions presents an outdoor Family Theatre Series Thursday, August 15, 6pm as Hannah T. MacLeod and Matt Shell IV perform “Goldilocks,” “Frog & Toad,” and more children’s stories at Penn Treaty Park, Beach Street, near Delaware Avenue, Philadelphia, in Fishtown. Free and geared toward children ages 2-7 who are encouraged to join in! And, catch Kenn Kweder in a “Fantastic Friday Concert,” Friday, August 16, 6:30pm. Night Market South Street Night Market South Street is Thursday, August 15, a street food festival spotlighting more than 80 of the city’s best ethnic and regional restaurants and food trucks, plus music and more, 5th and South Streets. Presented by the Food Trust.“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” at Playcrafters The Stephen Sondheim musical thriller “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” takes to the stage at Playcrafters of Skippack. The production, which re-imagines the narrative as occurring in the minds of the inmates of an asylum, is directed by David Deratzian and is onstage through August 24 in their historic, converted barn, 2011 Store Road, Skippack, PA.
Ilana Levinson contributed reporting to this week’s guide.
To submit an event to be considered for the Weekly Entertainment Guide email Robin Bloom at artscalendar@whyy.org.
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