Saturdays just got more interesting.
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File - Mother's Day bouquets on display at Holly Rose Wholesale florist in Mount Laurel, N.J. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
While some annual holidays have devolved into mostly commercial enterprises, there is one that’s worth your time and attention. Celebrating mom (and mother figures) is always worth it for the love and support we get in return. That said, instead of the traditional Mother’s Day flowers (they never last) or chocolate, there are events she’d likely love that involve creating memories. You know, moms appreciate that. Depending on her favored musical genre, seeing Grammy-nominated saxophonist Lekecia Benjamin on Friday at the Annenberg is a nice night out. Or, her inner rocker might enjoy Saturday’s MMRBQ concert with headliners Alice in Chains. As Philly has become the musical capital for tribute bands, you can take mom to see Pure Soul pay musical homage to the Gap Band at a City Winery brunch on Saturday or the Fleetwood Mac tribute band at the same venue on Sunday. There are multiple options to spend time together at Germantown’s Second Saturdays series, which kicks off this month. Ballet, gatherings for good causes and a big annual outdoor event are also on the weekend schedule. Happy Mother’s Day!
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In 1859, William J. Wilson, a free Black journalist and educator, penned an essay envisioning a gallery showcasing Black life and culture through various artworks. Now, over 160 years later, guest curator Dr. Jonathan Michael Square has transformed Wilson’s vision into a tangible experience. The exhibition features an array of objects from Winterthur’s collection, including drawings, paintings, sculptures and decorative arts. Starting June 4, Winterthur also offers a virtual, four-module course titled “Envisioning the Afric-American Picture Gallery: A Curatorial Journey,” led by Dr. Square, and on Nov. 14, Winterthur will host a symposium called “Looking Back to the Future: Realizing the Afric-American Picture Gallery.” On Saturday, there’s a special Mother’s Day concert with the Kennett Symphony.
Hosted by 93.3 WMMR, this annual concert has been Philly’s unofficial musical kickoff to summer since 2007. Since it moved to a progressive rock format in 1968, the station has evolved with the genre, and MMRBQ is its way of thanking fans for making it a juggernaut in rock history. This year’s headliners are grunge icons Alice in Chains, alt-metal hitmakers Three Days Grace and Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH. General admission opens the day with acts like Dead Poet Society, Octane, Return to Dust and local favorite Fat Mezz, WMMR’s “Local Shots” artist. Plus, the Preston & Steve Side Stage — named after the station’s beloved morning show — keeps things interactive with live band karaoke and a DJ set from Jacky Bam Bam.
Mother’s Day is upon us, not that we mind the annual celebration that honors our mothers, or mother figures. People wax poetic about mothers for a reason — they are our first, and often staunchest, supporters. Here are some of the events celebrating moms this weekend.
Comcast and 1Philadelphia come together to host the 15th annual conference for all things tech. More than 50 events, panels, parties, workshops and a tech town hall focus on all things technology from coding to robotics to the functions and possibilities of AI. There’s even a conference within the conference as Technical.ly holds a Builders Conference Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, City Councilmember At-Large Isaiah Thomas hosts a town hall bringing public and private sector stakeholders together to discuss the city’s potential as a hub for the gaming and technology industries.
The garden’s famed fountains are the spotlight with a showy combination of light, water and music that has its seasonal kickoff this weekend. During the day, a choreographed display uses 1719 jets to reach heights of up to 175 feet, while at night, the fountains are illuminated for 30-minute shows that include music from Gershwin to Taylor Swift. Six Fireworks & Fountains shows scheduled from July through September include music by Earth, Wind & Fire, and dance music from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
More than 75 coin dealers from around the country will be at the Expo Center to offer their wares at the conference. Coin enthusiasts can buy, sell and trade coins, currency, gold and silver bullion, jewelry and other precious metals, organizers say. Representatives from the American Numismatic Association Certification Service, or ANACS, will be on hand to assess coin quality, and appraisers will be available to provide verbal valuations for free. Kids in attendance will get free coins.
One of the world’s oldest ballets, “La Sylphide”, was originally choreographed by Danish ballet master August Bournonville. The Philadelphia Ballet’s artistic director, Angel Corella, updates the classic with new choreography, infusing his contemporary vision with the soul of the original. “Etudes” is also on the program, billed as a celebration of ballet technique viewed through the lens of increasingly difficult choreography.
The weekend series offers free and low-cost activities across some of Germantown’s most historic sites. Held on the second Saturday of every month from May through October, it features guided house tours, hands-on art and quilting workshops, kid-friendly activities and intimate museum visits — all highlighting the neighborhood’s rich cultural legacy. During this 2025 kickoff weekend, you can choose from tours at Stenton and/or a quilting and embroidery workshop led by Mama Carla, guided and self-guided tours at Concord School House & Upper Burying Ground and a reading festival at Fair Hill.
Who owns your story? That’s the topic being explored on a panel hosted by the Free Library, part of the One Book, One Philadelphia campaign. Jasmine Martin, the co-author of the 2025 selection, “The Upcycled Self,” Roots frontman Tariq Trotter’s memoir, will lead the panel. The discussion will explore how personal and community narratives are created, preserved and shared. It’s a chance to hear directly from people shaping how Philadelphia’s stories are told — whether through books, visuals, or oral history. The event is open to the public and geared toward anyone interested in storytelling, media or local culture.
Mural Arts Philadelphia’s annual fundraising event, Wall Ball 2025, kicks off with a (sold-out) VIP dinner at 6:30 p.m., followed by general admission at 8:30 p.m., which includes an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, live music, surprise performances, interactive art experiences and even VIP bowling. This year’s honorees include the Philadelphia Eagles, City Council president Kenyatta Johnson and artist King Saladeen. Proceeds from Wall Ball directly fund Mural Arts Philadelphia’s programs, including public art and civic engagement, art education, and restorative justice.
If you’re a vinyl enthusiast or lover of all things vintage, Philly’s largest vinyl record fair brings together over 70 dealers from across the region and beyond. You’ll find a large selection of LPs, 45s, cassettes, CDs, and music memorabilia, spanning genres from classic rock and jazz to hip-hop and punk. Beyond crate digging, enjoy live DJ sets spinning all-vinyl tunes throughout the day, grab a bite from local food trucks, and enjoy your favorite adult beverage at the full bar inside the venue.
Opening this week, the exhibition showcases an array of wearables, including jewelry, headdresses and textiles, from African and Asian cultures. The collection delves into how materials and craftsmanship convey notions of value, status and identity, highlighting the influence of trade and cultural exchange on artistic expression. Curated by Imani Roach, director of the Brind Center for African and African Diasporic Art, and Hiromi Kinoshita, the Hannah L. and J. Welles Henderson curator of Chinese art, their choices explore the cultural significance of wearable art.
This is the second and final weekend of the offbeat comedy festival that provides humor on the quirkier side. Put on by the InterAct Theatre Company, the festival features a lineup of unique and unconventional comedy performances. Some of the highlights include “One Tan Show,” where comedian Tan Hoang keeps getting interrupted during her one-woman show, “Two Letters,” where a duo creates an entire story based on an audience interview, playing every character themselves, and “Yes and the City” a wholly improvised production inspired by the classic HBO series “Sex and The City.”
Established in 2012 by Chef Jose Garces and his wife, Dr. Beatriz Garces, the Garces Foundation is hosting its annual benefit. This year’s Night Market theme, honoring the food contributions of the immigrant population, brings over 30 restaurants and their best dishes together. Along with live and silent auctions, handmade crafts from immigrant artisans will be available for sale, and De Tierra Caliente is scheduled to perform. Proceeds from the benefit directly support the Foundation’s initiatives, including English language classes tailored to the restaurant industry and community health days offering free medical and dental care.
This year, golf-obsessed fans in the area get to see a premier PGA Tour event in their own backyard. The Truist Championship is only here because Charlotte’s Quail Hollow Club, its usual course, is hosting the PGA Championship next week, but no one’s complaining. We’ll get to see Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Ludvig Åberg among other top golf pros. Though Scottie Scheffler, the world’s reigning #1, will be swinging his practice clubs elsewhere, prepping for the PGA, McIlroy, the reigning Master’s champ, will be seeking his fifth Truist win.
Love Your Park Week returns for its spring event, the perfect time to show love to the vast array of Philly parks. Organized by Fairmount Park Conservancy and Parks & Rec, this nine-day event in May and November brings together volunteers and neighbors to clean, green, and celebrate over 100 parks across the city. They might plant flowers, mulch trees, or pick up litter, but the week also features a variety of free and low-cost events, including yoga in the park, guided hikes, birding workshops, movie nights, and a clothing swap. To find a volunteer event or activity near you, check out the full schedule and sign up.
After raising the roof at the 2022 Coltrane Festival, Benjamin is back at Penn Live Arts by popular demand. The alto saxophonist gained accolades from the jazz world after the release of her 2023 album “Phoenix,” which also earned the New York native three Grammy nods. Her multigenre mix of jazz, funk, R&B and Latin music will be on display at her concert. Expect selections from “Phoenix” and a preview of upcoming new music. Afterward, stay for a post-show chat with Benjamin and Guthrie Ramsey, the Edmund J. and Louise W. Kahn Term professor of music at UPenn.
Though there’s no way that an icon like Freddie Mercury can ever be duplicated, Almost Queen is one of the most acclaimed Queen tribute bands in the U.S. Known for their meticulous attention to detail, their high-energy performances captures the essence of Queen’s legendary live shows, from the elaborate costumes to the intricate harmonies. Almost Queen features Joseph Russo as Freddie Mercury, Steve Leonard as Brian May, Randy Gregg as John Deacon, and John Cappadona as Roger Taylor. Over the last two decades, they’ve gained their own devoted following, and they’ll be at the Keswick on Saturday night celebrating their 20th anniversary.
Grab your mom and your favorite auntie and head to this Gap Band tribute brunch. Trust us, if they love R&B, funk and soul, this is the Mother’s Day gift they will truly appreciate. Formed by brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the band rose to fame in the late ‘70s and ‘80s with hits like “Outstanding,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” and “Early in the Morning.” Charlie, the band’s charismatic frontman, later embarked on a successful solo career, earning multiple Grammy nominations. (FYI, he’s in Atlantic City on Saturday night if you want to venture beyond Philly.) At this tribute brunch, attendees can expect to hear faithful renditions of The Gap Band’s classics and Charlie Wilson’s solo hits, performed by PureSoul Philadelphia.
If mom is a reformed hippie (or maybe she’s never reformed) this ode to Fleetwood Mac should bring her fondly back to her glory days. What else can be said about the seminal ’70s band, they even had a TV show based on them (“Daisy Jones & the Six” on Prime Video) that Stevie Nicks said hit a little too close to home. The Seven Wonders do their best to make it seem like the music never stopped. They’re at City Winery on Mother’s Day, gather up your fringed dress and lace-up books and channel your inner Stevie.
Saturdays just got more interesting.
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