Saturdays just got more interesting.
Sign upYour browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
Porches in West Philadelphia are an excellent framing device for holiday decor. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Halloween is here, and with it, an array of options that appeal to folks of all ages. Whether you enjoy a good jump scare or holiday-themed drinks, you can get your spooky on at some of the area’s perennial holiday pop-ups. Delco’s “Valley of Fear” or “The Nightmare Before Christmas” at Craftsman Row Saloon are options, but both end this weekend; Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights goes a little longer. Bartram’s Garden hosts a family-friendly “Boo Bash,” while Franklin Square’s spooky mini golf plays its final rounds.
The Toast of Philadelphia celebrates the city’s food and beverage industry Saturday at Cherry Street Pier. In the arts, “Hamilton” is back for another round at the Academy of Music. Rapper and flutist André 3000 comes to the Met and ascending indie artist Clairo is at Franklin Music Hall.
Philly Halloween | New Jersey Halloween | Delaware | New Jersey | Arts & Culture | Outdoors | Kids | Food & Drink | Music
Halloween is a “holiday” some dismiss, while others eagerly await its annual arrival. For adults in the latter category, there are several events geared specifically toward you.
The pop-up bar dubbed “The Nightmare Before Tinsel” is open through Thursday, then it will convert to “Tinsel,” its Christmas-themed incarnation. Uptown Beer Garden in Center City hosts a Halloween celebration with specialty drinks and on-theme decorations. The Craftsman Row Saloon turns into “The Nightmare Before Christmas” pop-up this week, with the requisite decor and themed food and beverages. If you’re looking for an adult trick or treat, try Chaddsford Winery, which promises wine, refreshments and the chance to win their first-ever costume contest.
Haunted house attractions include the ever-popular Bates Motel and the Valley of Fear in the burbs. In the city, Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights include five themed rooms or head out to Manayunk for the Lincoln Mill Haunted House or Fright Factory. For the kids, there’s Boo Bash at Bartram’s Garden on Thursday, the Spooky Mini Golf at Franklin Square, or the Fintastic Pumpkin Glow at Adventure Aquarium.
On Halloween night, take an adults-only guided tour of the famous battleship. This themed event focuses on what organizers say is the history of “death and injury” aboard the USS New Jersey. The ticket includes a post-tour drink, so 21 and over only.
Bluesman Robert Cray says his destiny was set once he saw The Beatles on television. It worked out for him, he and his band are celebrating their 50th year on the road. Cray comes to Wilmington this week to play the music that’s kept him there.
Robert Louis Stevenson likely never imagined his book on good and evil as played out through the dueling personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde would ever be set to music. But here we are. The stage version of the classic story is in South Jersey for a three-week run.
Alexander Hamilton’s relatively short life was already well documented given that he was a Founding Father. But 2015’s “Hamilton” turned the traditional biographical portrait on its head with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original take on the story of his life. It became a cultural phenomenon, winning 11 Tonys, and the devotion of audiences who’ve flocked to see it during its Broadway run and on tour. If you want to join them, get your tickets now as most shows are close to selling out.
Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel set the tone for the horror movies we see today. But nothing hits like the original, so the Halloween night show is already sold out. The Center City Stage production is described as a more immersive staging of the play than you may be used to, so it is recommended for more mature audiences.
“We Have Gone as Far as We Can Go Together” is “an expansive sonic conversation inspired by the sonic and spiritual resonance of artists like Alice Coltrane and Sun Ra,” among other influences, organizers say. It encourages but doesn’t mandate audience participation. Its creators Helga Davis, Charlotte Brathwaite, Sunder Ganglani and Cauleen Smith, along with musicians Alexis Marcelo, Anaïs Maviel, Tarus Mateen and Jade Hicks, say its themes of loss, developed during COVID, continue to resonate now.
Author and activist James Baldwin would have been 100 years old this year. At Swarthmore, the James Baldwin for Our Times Centennial Celebration brings scholars together in his honor. On Friday, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. holds a discussion, and on Saturday, a daylong symposium includes panels on social justice and abolition. Both days are available to watch virtually via live stream.
Noted art-in-wood artist and educator Mark Sfirri’s new exhibit was inspired by his family who arrived at Ellis Island in 1900, ultimately settling in Chester. His autobiographical sculptures and installations — a nod to that family history — are displayed with the works of 45 collaborators asked to consider how they define “immigrant.” He’ll be at the First Friday opening night event from 5–8 p.m. and back on Saturday for a gallery talk from 11 a.m. to noon.
During Native American Heritage Month, the center provides special educational programming about the various tribes that traditionally populated the area. It includes a history of Thanksgiving, a corn husk doll-making workshop and a daily language activity that reflects the Lenape language of the tribe that once lived in the Delaware Valley.
Elfreth’s Alley hosts a free street fair disguised as a marketplace. Well, that’s our interpretation. The Maker’s Market brings local craftsmen and women, artisans and makers to the alley who will offer their goods to the public, for a fee, of course. It’s a nod to the historic street’s original residents who were purveyors of similar items.
The Hindu celebration of Diwali is featured as part of the museum’s Art Kids program series. Workshops on rangolis and flower garlands happen throughout the day, and there’s also a Bollywood-inspired performance from Philly Dance Fitness.
Philly is finally getting some respect for its stellar food and drink culture, and that’s what the Toast of Philadelphia is highlighting. Local breweries and eateries come together to provide samples of their offerings, educational workshops and immersive experiences. In addition, there’s a vendor marketplace, live performances and a DJ.
Bacon’s been around for thousands of years, and it’s understandable as there’s just something about the savory, greasy, traditional breakfast staple. At the PA Bacon Fest, you’ll find all things bacon and the myriad ways it can be utilized, along with family-friendly fun including a bacon-eating contest, a hog-calling contest and a costume contest.
After exercising his creative dominance as half of the groundbreaking, Grammy-winning Southern hip-hop duo Outkast, André 3000 took a lengthy break from the music business. Last year, he returned with an unexpected project, “New Blue Sun,” an instrumental album where he plays the flute. (Can’t say we saw that coming.) But André will be in Philly on Friday for the project.
Claire Cottrill was just 19, recording songs in her bedroom and posting them online when she caught the attention of the record label Fader. As Clairo, she made an EP, then an album. By 2021, Jack Antonoff (of Taylor Swift fame) was producing her second full-length album, “Sling.” Now, she’s on her third, “Charm,” (we see what she did there), making a stop in Philly to support it for two shows.
Rapper/entrepreneur/man-about-town Chill Moody brings a new group of musical discoveries to City Winery in the latest phase of his Klubbhouse series. Backed by Hiruy Tirfe, the showcase features Aquil Dawud, Jamicka Bass, Sovei, Meat Spady, Neptune XXI and a performance by Chill himself.
At 21, New York native Emily King was signed by J Records under the tutelage of Clive Davis. After earning her first Grammy nod, she left the label and moved on to an indie career, earning three more Grammy nominations. She’ll be onstage in Ardmore promoting her latest project, “Special Occasion.”
Saturdays just got more interesting.
Sign up