Fringe Festival, Ringo Starr, Wu-Tang and Nas, Feria del Barrio, and more in this week’s ‘Things to Do’

Legendary performers anchor the weekend with Sir Tom Jones and Sir Ringo Starr both coming to the Philadelphia region. On stage, two new plays are being mounted this week and the Fringe Festival kicks off its four-week run. Homegrown artists Carol Riddick and the Disco Biscuits both have shows this week, and the 38th Feria del Barrio, celebrating Latin culture, returns after a pandemic hiatus.

Delaware

The Disco Biscuits

The Disco Biscuit’s latest single “Evolve” is exactly what the band says it’s done after starting at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Drummer Allen Aucoin, bass player/vocalist Marc Brownstein, guitarist/vocalist Jon Gutwillig, and vocalist/keyboardist Aron Magner are best known for popularizing the trance fusion genre where EDM and jam bands meet. Their last album, “Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens,” was released in 2011. In 2023, the Disco Biscuits will perform three shows in Reykjavik, Iceland as part of its TranceAtlantic fan experience.

• What: Concert
• Where: Grand Opera House, 818 N. Market St. Wilmington, Del.
• When: 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sep. 8
• How much: $57 and up

New Jersey

Tom Jones: Surrounded by Time

Sir Tom Jones, for whom the words icon and legendary seem inadequate, kicks off his U.S. tour at the Borgata. The 82-year-old Welsh singer and performer won a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1966. In his  five-decade-plus career, he’s collaborated with artists ranging from Janis Joplin to Wyclef Jean. Jones won a new set of fans during his appearances as a coach on “The Voice UK.” His latest release, “Surrounded by Time,” his fourth album of cover songs, came out in 2021.

• What: Concert
• Where: The Borgata Hotel and Casino, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, N.J.
• When: 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9
• How much: $194 and up

Wu-Tang & Nas: NY State of Mind Tour

When hip-hop legends get together, you need to be there to witness history. Nas and the Wu-Tang Clan, along with Busta Rhymes, are heading to South Jersey for a tour with the combined star power of a full-on music festival. Queens MC Nas is widely considered among the top five rappers of all time, the kinetic rapper Busta Rhymes is one of hip-hop’s most respected hitmakers, and the Wu-Tang Clan needs no introduction. All will take the stage Thursday night except for Method Man (cue the groans from his disappointed fans). The “Power Book II: Ghost”  star explained in a recent video that he couldn’t join the tour because of his other commitments, including a TV show and movie shoot that dovetailed with the tour dates.

• What: Concert
• Where: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd., Camden, N.J.
• When: 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8
• How much: $22 and up

Festivals

2022 Fringe Festival

The Fringe Festival is one of Philadelphia’s most unique events. Over the next two weeks, more than 1,000 performances will take place around the city that are innovative, contemporary, and unexpected, often taking place in non-traditional venues. At the top of the fest is “Food,” an immersive play by Geoff Sobelle that brings people to a dinner party where no food is actually being served. Billed as a play that considers the “ways and whys” of eating, this is the third of a trilogy that started with “The Object Lesson” and “HOME,”

• What: Annual performance event
• Where: Various venues
• When: Thursday, Sept. 8 – Sunday, Oct. 2
• How much: Free and up

Doylestown Arts Festival

Founded in 1991 by art-loving Bucks County residents and business owners, Doylestown Arts Festival brings over 150 multidisciplinary artists to Doylestown. The juried two-day fest includes live performances across five stages as well as artist demonstrations and food vendors. The festival encompasses Sunday’s Bucks County Classic bike race, which includes a kid’s ride.

• What: Juried art competition
• Where: In and around downtown Doylestown, Pa.
• When: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11
• How much:  Free, pay as you go

38th Annual Feria del Barrio

The 38th annual celebration of Latin arts and culture, sponsored by Taller Puertorriqueño, will feature music genres like salsa, samba, merengue, and timba and dance styles like bachata, rumba, and cha cha. Vendors will be on hand to provide information on community services and resources. Local vendors will also showcase Latin foods.

• What: Street festival
• Where: North 5th Street between Huntingdon and Somerset 
• When: Noon – 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11.
• How much: Free, pay as you go

Arts & culture

Arte en las Calles

Opera Philadelphia, through its Opera in the Park series, is behind this community event at the Esperanza Arts Center. The main event is an outdoor screening of the Opera’s production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” starting at 7:30 p.m. Comedian Che Guerrero is hosting and performing. The Angel Luis Gonzalez Ensemble will play live.

• What: Cultural event
• Where: Esperanza Arts Center, 4261 N. 5th St.
• When: 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10
• How much: Free, registration recommended

Food & drink

Philadelphia Honey Festival

The 13th annual Philadelphia Honey Festival will take place in three locations around the city over three non-consecutive days. At Philadelphia’s Glen Foerd, visitors can tour the estate, see a bee “hotel,” watch a bee extraction, and learn how to make a garden attractive to pollinators. At Wyck Historic House, there’s a workshop on honey’s medicinal benefits and a talk by FarmerJawn’s Christa Barfield, as well as exhibitions and vendors. Bartram’s Garden features storytellers Stacey Woodson and Aisha Toombs as well as a honey extraction demo. At each location, visits can expect to see Don Shump of the Philadelphia Bee Company showcase his “bee beard” as he shares fun facts about bees and likely warns kids not to try similar moves at home.

• What: Food festival
• Where: Glen Foerd, Wyck Historic House, Bartram’s Garden
• When: Thursday, Sept. 8 – Sunday, Sept. 11
• How much: Free

Pumpkinland

It’s September, which means social media feeds, home stores, and coffee shops are inundated with pumpkin-related content. Enter Linvilla Orchards, which hosts its annual Pumpkinland event through November. While pumpkins aren’t for picking, visitors can purchase from the array available. Admission to the mazes, train rides, and hayrides is ticketed.

• What: Themed event
• Where: Linvilla Orchards, 137 W. Knowlton Rd., Media, Pa.
• When: Saturday, Sept. 10 – Sunday, Nov. 6
• How much: Free admission

Theater

Tom Stoppard’s Travesties

Four-time Tony winner Tom Stoppard wrote “Travesties” in 1974, basing the play around the real-life figure of Henry Carr, a British diplomat whose play appearance resulted in a petty dispute with Irish author James Joyce. From the play’s website: “Zürich, 1917. In Tom Stoppard’s Tony Award-winning comic masterpiece, obscure British diplomat Henry Carr and Dadaist Tristan Tzara are in love with Cecily and Gwendolen, who are both in love with someone named Jack. Carr stages a production of The Importance of Being Earnest with James Joyce, and the action gets heated when Vladimir Lenin bursts onto the scene.” First produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company, “Travesties” won two Tonys in its initial Broadway run in 1976.

• What: Play
• Where: Lantern Theater, 923 Ludlow St.
• When: Thursday, Sept. 8 – Sunday, Oct. 9
• How much:  $25 and up

The Brothers Size

Tarell Alvin McCraney, along with “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins, took home an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film based on his play. He’s also the recipient of a McArthur Fellowship, the so-called “genius grant.” But his brother/sister trilogy of plays, written while McCraney was still at Yale, are among his most significant works. “The Brothers Size,” like all three plays, takes place in Louisiana and references Yoruba culture. In it, Oshoosi and Ogun Size are brothers whose relationship is challenged by someone from the past.

• What: Play
• Where: The Waterfront South Theater, 400 Jasper St.
• When: Friday, Sept. 9 – Sunday, Sept. 25
• How much: $5 – $20

Music

Kid Cudi: To the Moon World Tour

Rapper Kid Cudi has permanently changed the hypermasculine ethos of hip-hop through his open struggles with mental health, addiction, and refusal to confine himself to one style. He won a Grammy for his work on Kanye West’s smash hit “All of the Lights” while also amassing a body of TV and film credits. His tenth studio album “Entergalactic” comes out on Sept. 30. Cudi will also debut an animated Netflix show of the same title that is both an inventive promotional video for his album and a standalone project. Timothée Chalamet, Jessica Williams, Jaden Smith, McCaulay Culkin, Vanessa Hudgens, and Keith David are among the voice actors.

• What: Concert
• Where: Wells Fargo Arena, 3601 S. Broad St.
• When: 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9
• How much: $25.50 and up

Carol Riddick

Local chanteuse Carol Riddick has sustained a decades-long career without a splashy project or huge social media presence because she has the basics of entertaining down — she’s just superb. Riddick can be heard on Anthony Hamilton’s “Float,” and on 2022 Grammy nominee Eric Bellinger’s “Shine On the Moon,” among other collaborations. Her live performances have earned her a place among the pantheon of Philly-based greats that include Patti Labelle, Jazmine Sullivan, and Tammi Terrell.

• What: Concert
• Where: South Jazz Kitchen, 600 N. Broad St. 
• When: 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10
• How much: $30 and up

Ringo Starr

Though legends are much more easily designated in this era, some of them have earned their stripes by remaining relevant across multiple decades. Sir Ringo Starr is certainly one of them. The Beatles drummer enjoyed success with the Fab Four and on his own as both an in-demand session drummer. “Photograph” and “It Don’t Come Easy” are among his hit songs, stemming from 20 solo albums. His latest release, “What’s My Name” came out in 2019.

• What: Concert
• Where: The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St.
• When: 8 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11
• How much: $120 and up