Philly OutFest, South Jersey Pumpkin Show, Bilal at City Winery in this week’s ‘Things To Do’

The Marvel Comics Universe comes alive for its youngest fans, pumpkins for all are a festival focus, Philadelphia celebrates National Coming Out Day, and more in this week’s “Things To Do.”

Comic Con For Kids
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
100 Station Ave.
Oaks, Pa.
Saturday, Oct. 12, Sunday, Oct. 13, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
$14.99 – $199.99
Kids can be superheroes, too. Comic Con For Kids makes it possible for your budding Wonder Women, X-Men or Avengers squad to practice their cosplay, meet some of the YouTube and gaming celebs they admire, interact with exhibits, and enter costume contests — right in the Delaware Valley. Marvel characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Black Panther will be there to meet and take pics with kids as well. (Costumed characters, of course — not the actors who portray them in the movies.) Ticket pricing is tiered, so you have options on how much you want to spend and for which specific experience. The event is geared to the 7-13 crowd, but all ages are welcome.

Bucks County Book Festival
Multiple venues
Doylestown, Pa.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 13, 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Free, with some ticketed events
Over 50 authors in multiple genres are featured in the second annual Bucks County Book Festival. New York Times bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen will make a special appearance as the keynote author. The festival features workshops for writers and illustrators, panel discussions, a festival within the festival specifically for young readers, a “One Book” discussion, and a “Books ‘N Brew” event where you can interact with authors at three local bars.

Art with Purpose
The Mezzanine Gallery on the 2nd floor of the Carvel State Office Building
820 N. French St.
Wilmington, Del.
Through Friday, Oct. 25, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Leah Beach’s exhibition of photographs and paintings are on display through most of October at Delaware’s Mezzanine Gallery. The Dewey Beach resident is the recipient of a 2018 Individual Artist Fellowship from the Delaware Division of the Arts for her photography. The exhibition includes a series of visuals from a Haitian hospital and selected paintings from her “In-Dangered” collection, which is centered on the 17 most endangered species in the world in 2018. The exhibition’s title refers to Beach’s commitment to creating art that also brings awareness to social justice issues.

Philadelphia OutFest
13th and Locust streets, surrounding blocks
Sunday, Oct. 13, noon – 7 p.m.
Free
Since 1990, Philadelphia has hosted one of the biggest National Coming Out Day celebrations in October, which is National LGBT History Month. A vital part of the Gayborhood’s slate of annual community events, Outfest has expanded from a single block to a ten-block radius, with music, vendors, food, and the participation of most area businesses. The festivities include bar crawls, games, drag shows, a high-heel race, and a hula hoop contest. There will also be special appearances by “American Idol” and “The Voice” semifinalist Frenchie Davis, Mr. and Miss Philly Gay Pride, “Good Day Philadelphia” hosts Alex Holley and Mike Jerrick.

Rittenhouse Square Fine Craft Fair
18th and Walnut streets
Friday, Oct. 11, Saturday, October 12, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 13; 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free
Art is back in Rittenhouse Square this weekend. The biannual craft fair, now in its seventh year, attracts both local and national artists who turn the square into an outdoor craft gallery. This is a companion event to the area’s biannual Fine Art shows, which focus on painting and photography. There are 144 fine craft artists expected to showcase their wares. On Saturday, on 18th Street, the Friends of Rittenhouse Square will host an outdoor café in cooperation with the restaurants Rouge, Devon Seafood, and Parc.

Old City Fest
3rd and Arch streets
Sunday, Oct. 13; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Free, food and drink for purchase
One of Philadelphia’s most historic neighborhoods hosts its annual fall festival. You’ll find a fashion show with clothing curated from neighborhood boutiques, live music, a designated family fun zone, and over 100 vendors offering food, crafts, clothing, and jewelry. Just ahead of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo next year, Team USA will be on hand with several of its athletes for an immersive social media experience in their specially outfitted vehicle, which is making tour stops around the country to rally fan support.

Philadelphia Wing Festival
2300 Arena
2300 S. Swanson St.
Saturday, Oct. 12, 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
$12.99 – $54.99, Free for kids 10 and under
You can wing it this weekend at Saturday’s Philadelphia Wing Festival. More than 60 styles of wings from over 20 restaurants and food trucks will be on hand and “wing masters” will be smoking, grilling, and frying throughout the day. You can also enjoy family-friendly activities, including a pumpkin patch, as well as a mega-hot wing eating competition, a French fry eating contest, a Ranch dressing chugging battle, and as you might have expected, an awards ceremony to crown the best eatery in several categories of wings. Tiered pricing gives attendees several experience options, while kids 10 and under are free.

South Jersey Pumpkin Show
Salem County Fairgrounds
735 Harding Highway Rt. 40
Woodstown, N.J.
Saturday, Oct. 12, Sunday, Oct. 13, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free
This time of year, you’ll find pumpkins everywhere from lattes to dog treats. The South Jersey Pumpkin Show aims to show off the pumpkin’s versatility. Although it’s neither a farm or a patch, the Salem County Fairgrounds is transformed into the area’s Pumpkin Central with over 100 craftsmen and -women hawking pumpkin-related wares. There will also be live music performances, New Jersey’s largest baked pumpkin pie, a pumpkin toss, the pumpkin food contest, a family Halloween Costume Contest and Trick or Treat Stroll, among many other activities. The first 200 children each day will receive free pumpkins or gourds and other prizes

Bilal
City Winery
990 Filbert St.
Friday, Oct. 11, 9 p.m.
$34 – $46
R&B singer Bilal, born Bilal Sayeed Oliver, is yet another example of Philadelphia’s wealth of homegrown talent. The Germantown native’s 2001 debut “First Born Second” yielded the single “Soul Sister,” establishing him among the city’s musical elite. He’s collaborated with everyone from Diddy to Beyoncé while becoming an inspiration for today’s sultry soul movement combining elements of R&B, soul, and hip-hop in an eclectic mix. A compelling live performer, Bilal’s most recent project “In Another Life” was released in 2015.

Marcus Roberts and the Modern Jazz Generation
Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center
300 S. Broad St.
Friday, Oct. 11, 8 p.m.
$30 and up
Marcus Roberts lost his sight at the age of 5, but that didn’t stop him from becoming one of jazz’s most acclaimed pianists and composers. Born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, Roberts joined Wynton Marsalis’ band when he was in his 20’s. That fruitful partnership eventually led to Roberts forming his own band, the Marcus Roberts Trio, with Wynton’s drummer brother, Jason Marsalis, and bassist Rodney Jordan. That trio would be incorporated into Roberts’ 12-piece band, the Modern Jazz Generation, in 2013.

The Black Keys
Wells Fargo Center
3601 S. Broad St.
Monday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
$39.50 and up
If not for LeBron James, the duo The Black Keys may have been the most famous people from Akron, Ohio. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were childhood friends in musical families who eventually started playing together. Ultimately, they dropped out of college to form a garage/blues band. Primarily recording in Carney’s basement, they were signed to a smaller label, recording two critically acclaimed albums. Their next projects advanced the evolution of their multi-genre sound, mixing blues-rock with hip-hop and collaborating with producer Danger Mouse. Their sixth release “Brothers” went platinum, turning the band from a cult fave to mainstream success, winning four Grammys along the way. Their ninth album “Let’s Rock” was released earlier this year.