Weekly Entertainment Guide – ‘Art Splash,’ ‘French Twist,’ and Independence Day celebrations
Looking for something to do this week? WHYY’s Robin Bloom has some recommendations on what’s happening in the Philadelphia region. Here are her picks:
“Art Splash” at Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building is transformed into a summertime spot for families with “Art Splash,” offering interactive art and play zones, Pay What You Wish family festivals, family programs, and five family-friendly exhibitions, June 28 through September 2. Exhibits include “Family Portrait,” examining the many ways photographers depict families, “CandyCoated Wonderland,” celebrating children’s fancy dress costumes in a colorful storybook installation created by Philadelphia-based artist Candy Coated, “Design for the Modern Child,” contemporary objects designed for children, including furniture, toys, and more, “All Dressed Up: Fashions for Children and Their Families,” comparing adults’ garments with children’s smaller fashions, and “Witness: The Art of Jerry Pinkney,” more than 100 images highlighting the career of Philadelphia-born artist and children’s book illustrator Jerry Pinkney, renowned for his explorations of folktales and African American stories. “Make a Splash,” opening weekend events, June 28-30, Perelman Building, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.
Wawa Welcome America! Festival
The Wawa Welcome America! Festival celebrates our nation’s independence with special activities: the Super Scooper All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival, Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30, noon-6pm, ($7 admission), Penn’s Landing; Wawa Free Hoagie Day, July 2; Philadelphia Orchestra free Neighborhood Concert, July 2, 8:05pm, Penn’s Landing; Peter Nero and the Philly POPS! free performance at Independence Hall, July 3, 8pm; July 4 events include Celebration of Freedom Ceremony, 10am on the steps of Independence Hall, Philadelphia Independence Day Parade, 11am-12:30pm throughout historic Philadelphia, Let Freedom Ring ceremony, Independence Square 1pm-2pm, Party on the Parkway, 12pm-7pm, and Philly 4th of July Jam & Fireworks, 7pm-11pm featuring The Roots, John Mayer, Demi Lovato, Jill Scott, Ne-Yo, Grace Potter, J. Cole along with Ben Taylor and more, with fireworks over the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Ben Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia. Taste of Philadelphia weekend events continue July 5-7.
“French Twist” at Delaware Art Museum
The Delaware Art Museum presents “French Twist: Masterworks of Photography from Atget to Man Ray,” on view Saturday June 29 through September 15. The exhibition, featuring 100 vintage prints, encapsulates the golden age of French photography, from 1910 to 1940, when artists and photographers used Paris as a landscape for artistic experimentation with Surrealism, Modernism and the new reportage. As the first major traveling exhibition The Delaware Art Museum has hosted since 2008, the show brings new flavor to the museum’s collections, from Jacques-Henri Lartigue’s snapshots of the halcyon period before World War I to Eugène Atget’s Parisian street scenes and Henri Cartier-Bresson’s pioneering photojournalism. ‘An Evening in Paris Party’ is open to the public and free for guests dressed in 1920s and 1930s vintage-style French attire on Friday, June 28, 8pm-10pm, 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE.
The 64th Annual Kutztown Folk Festival kicks off Saturday June 29-July 7, 9am-6pm, the “oldest folk festival in America,” celebrating Pennsylvania Dutch culture. Festivities for the entire family include traditional crafts by 200 juried American craftspeople, historical reenactments, the largest Quilt sale in the nation, children’s activities, and food, Kutztown Fairgrounds, 225 North White Oak Street, Kutztown, PA.
The 30th annual Whitesbog Blueberry Festival returns Saturday, June 29, 10am-4pm, celebrating the centennial of the cultivated Highbush Blueberry, the official state fruit of New Jersey, with an old fashioned festival including pinelands crafters and artists “row,” walking and wagon tours, children’s activities, live bluegrass music, blueberry pie-eating contest, old time General Store and more, Whitesbog Historical Village, Brendan Byrne State Forest, 120 N. Whites Bogs Road, Browns Mills, NJ.
Victorian Family Fair in Cape May
Cape May hosts its annual “Victorian Family Fair,” Saturday, June 29, 10am-4pm, a traditional Victorian fair with activities for all ages including live musical performances, crafts, collectibles, living history characters, children’s activities, refreshments and more, on the grounds of the Victorian House museum, the Emlen Physick Estate, 1048 Washington Street, Cape May, NJ.
1st Wildwood Crest Amateur Sand Sculpting Festival
The first annual Wildwood Crest Amateur Sand Sculpting Festival is this Saturday, June 29, 10am-2pm, welcoming competitors of all ages and abilities, and directed by internationally known sand sculptor Matt Long. Registration is free, begins at 9am, at the Wildwood Crest Beach Pier at Heather Road. Enjoy live music by Twelve:01 and The Mango Men. Rain date is Sunday, June 30, Wildwood Crest, NJ. Also, catch the North Wildwood Original Italian-American Festival, Friday, June 28 through Sunday, June 30, 1st & Olde New Jersey Avenues.
Fort Mifflin on the Delaware celebrates Independence Day with the annual “Freedom Blast!,” Saturday, June 29, 10am-4pm, highlighting the long history of the fort spanning from its construction in the 1770s to its decommissioning in 1954, with activities for the whole family including drills with wooden muskets and grenade tossings, flag raising ceremony, weapon and cannon demonstrations, guided tours, and more at Fort Mifflin and Hog Island Roads, Philadelphia.
The Old Fashioned Ice Cream Festival at Rockwood Park, “Delaware’s largest family picnic,” is back with family fun for all ages, including live music, vendors, local restaurants, eco-crafters and local creameries serving the region’s best ice creams, Saturday, June 29, 11am-6pm, and Sunday, June 30, 11am-5pm, Rockwood Park, 4671 Washington St. Extension, Wilmington, DE.
40th Street Summer Series continues
The 40th Street Summer Series continues this Saturday, June 29, 6pm, with the Philadelphia Ukulele Orchestra, a twelve piece ensemble comprised of bohemians, libertines and ukulele enthusiasts, interpreting the music of the 20s and 30s, along with Give and Take jugglers, fire artists, face painting, balloon art, and more. Upcoming performances include The Heavens Atheist Gospel Trombone Choir, Spaceship Aloha (featuring Man Man drummer/producer Christopher Sean Powell), and Millennial Territory Orchestra performs the music of Sly & The Family Stone, behind the Walnut Street Free Library, 40th and Walnut Streets, Philadelphia. Free.
The Schuylkill Canal Association celebrates the 31st annual Canal Day @ Lock 60, Sunday, June 30, 9am-4pm with live music, crafts, food, and more along the Schuylkill Canal at Lock 60 and St. Michael’s Park, Mont Clare, PA.
Fairy and Wizard Festival at Tyler Arboretum
Tyler Arboretum hosts a “Fairy and Wizard Festival,” Sunday, June 30, 10am-2pm, with magical activities and crafts, shows, parade, music, and more, along with the opportunity to explore the Butterfly House, 515 Painter Road, Media, PA. Free with admission, rain or shine.
Lights of Liberty’s “The Liberty 360 Show,” takes you on a 15 minute, 3-D journey through the symbols of freedom, hosted by Ben Franklin in the PECO Theater, Historic Philadelphia Center, 6th and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia.
“Celebrate America” at Longwood Gardens
“Celebrate America” with Longwood Gardens’ Fireworks and Fountains show, Wednesday, July 3, 9:15pm, with well-known patriotic favorites, including John Philip Sousa’s The Stars & Stripes, Richard Rodgers’ Victory at Sea, Irving Berlin’s God Bless America, and more, set to an illuminated fountain show and fireworks, Route 1, Kennett Square, PA. Includes all day admission to the Gardens.
“Currier and Ives,” Dover, DE Independence Day celebration
Adopt a firework in Dover, DE for their Independence Day Celebration, beginning at 9am on Thursday, July 4 with various walking tours, children’s activities, craft and food vendors, and more, culminating in a parade at 6pm, followed by fireworks at approximately 9:25pm over Legislative Hall. Catch the opening of “Currier and Ives: Legacy of the American Spirit,” at the Biggs Museum of American Art, showcasing prints from the legendary nineteenth century lithographers Nathaniel Currier and James Merritt Ives, “Printmakers to the People,” whose work depicts everyday life in America. The exhibit features related programs and events, including flag-making activities, as the museum extends its hours until 9pm on Independence Day until the fireworks begin, 406 Federal Street, Dover, Delaware.
July 4th activities in Historic Germantown
Celebrate America’s birthday in historic Germantown: Stenton, one of the oldest and well preserved houses in Philadelphia, hosts an “Old-Fashioned July 4th Celebration, Thursday July 4, 11:30am-1:30pm. The 18th century Germantown estate built by James Logan, Secretary to Pennsylvania founder William Penn, serves as a house museum with authentic Georgian architecture and historic documents. Visitors are welcome to hot dogs and make-your-own ice cream on the grounds of the estate, along with activities such as making an American flag themed fan and colonial games to the sounds of live music from Run of the Mill String Band. The celebration continues with tours at Hood Cemetery, Concord School House & Uppery Burial Ground, Johnson House and Cliveden, which offers “Life as a Colonial Soldier!” interactive activity for kids. Stenton is located at 4601 N. 18th Street in Germantown and is free to the public.
Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration at Fonthill
Fonthill Museum’s “Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration” is Thursday, July 4, noon-4pm, a day of family fun with early 20th century festivities, food, games, crafts, entertainment, and live music, with the backdrop of the estate of Henry Mercer, 84 S. Pine Street, Doylestown, PA. The event kicks off with the Children’s Decorated Bike Parade at 12:30pm. The castle will be open for self-guided tours.
Atlantic City celebrates America’s birthday with a 20 minute, choreographed firework show along the Boardwalk and Marina, offering 10,000 multicolored fireworks, Thursday, July 4, 9:30pm.
“The World Goes ‘Round” at Bucks County Playhouse
Bucks County Playhouse presents “The World Goes ‘Round,” celebrating the songwriting of John Kander and Fred Ebb, directed by Broadway veteran Don Stephenson and choreographed by Broadway and Bucks County Playhouse alum Lorin Latarro, through July 21, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA.
Historic Germantown presents “Claiming our Place: Inhabit Germantown,” a unique exhibit promoting “community curation,” to showcase the idea in which audiences create, not just receive, historical context. Eight members of the Georgetown community chose items from Germantown Historical Society’s collection of over 20,000 objects that speak to them and give presentations on their significance to Germantown culture and history. Community curators include the Doley family, Renny Molenaar, Yahne Ndgo, Kristin Haskins Simms, Stephanie Grauman Wolf, and David W. Young, on display through September 13, Germantown Historical Society, 5501 Germantown Avenue at Market Square.
Other listings in New Jersey and “Down the Shore:”
Margate’s Beachstock 2013 celebrates the summer season with live music, food, children’s activities, and much more, including sunset movie on the beach, this Saturday, June 29, 8am-10pm, behind the library, Margate, NJ.
The Jersey Shore Wine Festival is Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30, noon-5pm, a two-day festival featuring more than 200 of New Jersey’s best-known, most-celebrated and award-winning wines from 15 of the state’s best wineries, along with demonstrations, discussions, samples and more, on the Boardwalk at Tropicana Casino & Hotel, Atlantic City, NJ. Rain or shine.
The annual Ladies of Country & Bluegrass Music Show is Saturday, June 29, doors open at 6pm, concert at 7:30pm, featuring Heidi Olsen & The Night, Erin Ricca & the Ocean County Cowboys, and more, Albert Music Hall, 131 Wells Mill Road (Rt. 532), Waretown, NJ. Presented by the Pinelands Cultural Society.
Boheme Opera NJ presents “An Evening with Giuseppe Verdi,” in celebration of his 200th birthday year, Saturday June 29, 7pm, featuring a powerful quartet of high profile artists, including Soprano Valerie Bernhardt, Mezzo-soprano Ryu-Kyung Kim, Tenor Christian Sebek, Baritone Constantinos Yiannoudes, accompanied by concert pianist Joseph Krupa. Artistic Director Joseph Pucciatti hosts the show with introductory narratives to arias, duets and ensembles from Aida, Otello, Don Carlo and more, Marasco Center for the Performing Arts, Monroe Township High School, 1629 Perrineville Road, Monroe Township, NJ.
The Cumberland County Fair, “New Jersey’s oldest fair,” returns with six days of concerts, derbies, and fireworks, July 1-6. Events include racing pigs, free hayrides, garden exhibits, rides, and more, at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds, Millville, NJ.
Morven Museum & Garden hosts a “July 4th Jubilee,” a free Independence Day celebration on Thursday, July 4, 12pm-3pm, at the home of Declaration of Independence signer Richard Stockton, featuring the opportunity to sign the Declaration, join in a round of colonial songs and ballads, participate in demonstrations of domestic colonial life and meet George Washington as he shares letters from the Revolution, with live music by the Riverside Bluegrass Band and refreshments and food trucks, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ.
Chicken Bone Beach Concerts continue on Thursdays in Atlantic City, NJ with Reuben Wilson & Tony Day & Across the Globe Band, July 4; Steve Kroon Jazz Sextet & Richard Tucker Quartet, July 11; Christopher Dean Sullivan Quartet featuring Angel Rose & Pam Walker & Friends, July 18; Pucho & the Latin Soul Brothers & Latin Wave, July 25; all at 7pm at Kennedy Plaza between Mississippi & Georgia Avenues on the Boardwalk. Free.
Ocean City, NJ hosts special events for America’s birthday with Ocean City Pops concert, Mummers Night, Sand Sculpting contest, bike parade, kite flying competition and more entertainment, culminating in a fireworks display off 9th Street beach, July 4, 9:30pm.
Ilana Levinson contributed reporting to this week’s guide.
To submit an event to be considered for the Weekly Entertainment Guide email Robin Bloom at artscalendar@whyy.org.
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