Philly Family Weekend Picks

Ready? Here’s the story..

DOWNTOWN FAMILY FUN:

PNC Arts Alive is proud to support the first-ever PNC Arts Alive Story Day, a fun, festive day of stories, food, and performances for the whole family. Explore how “All Roads Lead to Philadelphia” with a full day of programs revealing some of the personal stories and diverse histories, including your own, that make up our city. 

PNC Arts Alive is a five-year, $5 million investment from The PNC Foundation that supports visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement.  At the event, you can:

Buy or barter for a true story at the First Person Arts Story Market.

Put together the pieces of your past at Heritage Workshops.

Transform your kids into storytellers with workshops from StoryUP!, where storyteller Martha Cooney teaches kids of all ages how to write and tell their stories.

Curl up with a good story as popular First Person Arts storytellers read from their favorite children’s storybooks at the Children’s Reading Nook.

Dig into delicious food from popular local food trucks.

At 2 p.m., watch the world premiere of We Rise. The stories of North Philly teens and young Karen refugees from Burma now living in South Philadelphia come together in We Rise, a multidisciplinary performance. Both groups of young people speak of resiliency, overcoming obstacles, and the importance of community in the face of challenges. Expect a powerful performance amplifying the voices of Philadelphia’s unheard youth as they tell their stories of finding home and hope. We Rise is the product of writing workshops held in partnership with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the Philadelphia Refugee Mental Health Collaborative, and People to People, Inc., sponsored by the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services.

At 4 p.m., dance at a Juerga, a participatory Flamenco jam session, led by Pasion y Arte, Philly’s all-female Flamenco dance company. All levels of participation are welcome, from diving in with the dancers to clapping on the sidelines.

All workshops and performances are on a first come, first served basis with limited space in workshops:

11 a.m. – Kickoff11 a.m. -5 p.m. Story Market11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m. – Readings at the Children’s Reading Nook12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.- StoryUP! workshops12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Heritage Workshops4 p.m.- Juerga

Saturday, Nov. 1711 a.m.- 5 p.m.Christ Church Neighborhood House (20 N. American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106)Cost: $10 ($8 for First Person Arts members and free for children under the age of 12). Although tickets are free for children under the age of 12, you must pre-register. The Story Market is free to enter with stories priced individually.

NORTHWEST FAMILY FUN:

Or for those budding naturalists… Saturdays at SCEE, 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Count on us every Saturday morning. Every second and fourth Saturday we gather in the gift shop at the the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education for story times and games. On the first and third Saturdays of the month we meet in the Discovery Center for a naturalist-led exploration of artifacts and an outdoor walk. We’ll explore different nature themes each week. Free.

A Magical Craft Bazaar!  The Waldorf School of Philadelphia, Friday from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Enjoy holiday shopping from creative and talented crafters and artisans from Philadelphia and the surrounding region. Dip candles, make your own jump rope, drink some hot or cold apple cider that you can press yourself, and a children-only shopping room where children get to buy unique gifts on their own for family members and friends.$5 per adult (children under 14 free) includes shopping, food, and many hands-on, creative activities. 

Northwest Philly Parents is a partnership between Newsworks and Germantown Avenue Parents.