Party on the patio (Photo by @barbhmphilly)

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Party on the patio
(Photo by @barbhmphilly)

Nanny Goat Fest celebrates Kensington’s resilience

“If you’ve ever seen the movie ‘Gangs of New York’ by Martin Scorsese, there’s a very violent opening scene,” said Kevin Brett, a seventh-generation Kensington resident and Irish-American. “If you can imagine that scene happening in that neighborhood for three days in a row, that’s essentially what happened.”

Brett is referring to the 1844 riots in Olde Kensington that destroyed over 30 Irish homes and businesses near the Nanny Goat Market. This weekend, the community will mark that historic event and celebrate the resilience of those who came back and rebuilt. Continue reading…

A historical depiction of the Kensington Riots of 1844. (Courtesy of Nanny Goat Fest)

Your guide to Philly’s comedy scene

Philly is funny – literally. Whether you’re looking for an improv show, comedy classes or the bigger headliners, there’s no shortage of venues and acts to tickle your funny bone.

We put together a list of some of the city’s comedy scene resources – including those that are very unique to the city. Continue reading…

Philly has a variety of comedy clubs, but there are a lot of “niche” offerings that we looked into (Photo courtesy of Scott Weiner)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Pennsylvania is suing the AI company behind Character.AI, saying its chatbots illegally hold themselves out as licensed doctors. [AP]

• The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shared its report following a May 2025 SEPTA train crash that left nine passengers and the operator injured. [NBC10] 

• The Philly-area economy is ‘sluggish,’ report suggests. A new partnership says family-sustaining wages are key to reversing it. [WHYY] 

• A state grant will fund the planting of 500 new trees along Meadow Lake in FDR Park, beginning in October or November. [PhillyVoice]

• Highlights from a private collection of Benjamin Franklin items are briefly on display at The Library Company of Philadelphia, before heading to auction at Sotheby’s. [WHYY]

• Germantown musician Corey Bernhard’s post-‘Late Show’ chapter includes a new series of Philly shows to benefit Juntos, an advocacy group aiding immigrant families affected by enforcement. [WHYY] 

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker starts the day at the Fairmount Horticultural Center to recognize students and educators who participated in the Green Schools Program and created projects. (10 a.m.) 

Parker then heads to Franklin Square Park to honor fallen Philadelphia first responders in the line of duty. (11:30 a.m.) 

Parker also will join the groundbreaking ceremony for a new lab at the former South Philly Refinery site at the Bellwether District. (1:30 p.m.)

 Parker then delivers the keynote at Temple University College of Education’s Commencement Ceremony. (3 p.m.) 

Finally, Parker will be at the Philadelphia Zoo to help kick off its campaign to  “Unlock the Secrets of the Zoo.” (7:30 p.m.) 

Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)

We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.

By the numbers in Philadelphia

  • 15: Shooting victims recorded from April 26 to May 2 with 1 fatality, according to city data. During the previous week, 13 shooting victims were recorded, including 4 fatalities. [Source: nickhand.dev]
  • 41: Year-to-date homicides, down 38% vs. last year’s pace; down 77% vs. five years ago. [Philly Police]

BILLY PENN GUIDES

❤️ Mother’s Day in Philly events
🌱 Spring in Philly guide
🎤 Philly Record Store Guide
⚽ Billy Penn’s FIFA World Cup Guide
🛍️ Thrifty in Philly guide
📚 Book lovers’ guide to Philly
🍹 Non-alcoholic Philly
😋 Dining in Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide

ON THE CALENDAR

🗓️ For the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar, visit BillyPenn.com!

Zero-proof popup (Wednesday), Nanny Goat Riot Festival (Saturday) and a Book Faire at the Please Touch Museum (Saturday) are among the events to look forward to this week!