Summer stroll with a view of the Delaware River. (Heather J. Chin/Billy Penn)

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🏙️ Billy Penn City Guide
✏️ Philly Quizzo guide
🎭 Philly Fringe Fest guide
🍓 Farmers market guide
✊🏾 Black history in Philly guide
🍦 Vegan ice cream guide 
🥕 CSA farmshare guide
Philly coffee shop guide
🚶🏽‍♀️ Alt Philly history walking tours guide
🎭 Philly’s comedy scene
🎤 Philly Record Store Guide
🛍️ Thrifty in Philly guide
📚 Book lovers’ guide to Philly
🍹 Non-alcoholic Philly
😋 Dining in Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide

NOTE: This list will be updated throughout the week.


Monday, August 24

Silent Day at Calder Gardens – (5 to 7 p.m.) )
Visitors are invited to slow down, turn inward, and experience quiet attention. After-hours access to the galleries and gardens dedicated to silence and sensory awareness with a reduced-audience capacity. Refrain from using electronic devices, including cell phones, tablets, computers, and headphones. Meditate or BYO printed reading materials, small paper pads, and pencils for drawing and writing (NOTE: pens, markers, and all forms of paint are NOT permitted). Move at your own rhythm. Chairs, tables, and meditation cushions provided. Visitors are also welcome to bring their own meditation pillows for comfort. $22 tickets.

Soul Line Dancing on the River – (6:30 to 8 p.m.)
R & B soul line dancing for beginners and intermediate levels. Hosted by Monique (aka Mo’ Smooth) Combines both the mental and physical health benefits of exercise with a calming, scenic, clean, and open atmosphere of nature. Sneakers and comfortable clothing are strongly recommended. Every Monday through August 31. Free registration required; Waiver required signed.

Video Bingo: Sitcom Edition – (7:30 to 9:30 p.m.)
Test your sitcom knowledge with Video Bingo at Milkboy on South St (Upstairs)! They’ll play a clip of a sitcom (80’s to today), if you can recognize the name of the show or character (depending on what’s on the bingo card) and if it’s on your card, you’ll stamp it with a bingo stampers. Each round will get a little harder. It is an individual game (no teams) but you’re welcome to help each other as long as you’re quiet so you don’t spoil it for anyone that doesn’t want help. FREE. Playing is optional.

Tuesday, August 25

Cobbs Creek Community Workday: Stewardship & Nature Walk – (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Join Fairmount Park Conservancy for a volunteer workday at Cobbs Creek Park. Remove invasive species, pick up litter and join Natural Lands team experts in an environmental education session about Cobbs Creek’s plants and wildlife. All tools provided. Wear comfortable clothes. FREE.

Parlor Games Party & Competition – (11 a.m.)
Show off your skills, outwit, outlast other players to win the grand prize. Free for early birds. First-come, first-seated. BYO or buy snacks on-site. At Deal Street Arts & Community Center in Frankford.

24th annual Slavery Commiseration – (4 p.m.)
Avenging the Ancestors Coalition will gather at the President’s House site on Independence Mall for this “solemn remembrance of those whose forced labor helped build the United States while also renewing the public’s commitment to truth, justice, and historical accuracy.” The date marks the August 25, 1619 anniversary of the first documented enslaved Africans arriving in America when it was still a British colony. FREE.

Culinary Date Night On the Parkway – (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
Grab your partner, best friend, or favorite foodie and join the Free Library for an evening of cooking, laughter, and delicious bites. On the menu: Taco Tuesday. Learn new culinary skills, create something tasty together and make memories along the way. No experience needed just bring your appetite and your sense of fun! Perfect for couples, friends and anyone who loves good food and great company. FREE tickets required.

Watercolor on the Water – (6 to 8 p.m.)
Learn to paint with watercolor in this beginner-friendly plein air series at Cherry Street Pier. All supplies included. This session focuses on Putting It All Together: Combine value, color, and composition skills to create a finished plein air watercolor painting. Learn techniques for simplifying a scene, creating depth, and developing confidence in your personal artistic style. $39.19 tickets.

Wednesday, August 26

Blend Your Own Adventure: A Tea Experience – (3 to 5 p.m.)
Step into the world of tea blending: a playful, sensory journey where creativity meets calm. Expect a self-guided, interactive experience, think “choose your own adventure,” but for tea lovers. Sample teas, explore plants, browse the tea library and herbal apothecary and create your own blend! At the Random Tea Room, 713 N 4th Street. $50 tickets.

Circle Jawn Singers Citywide Sing – (7 to 8:30 p.m.)
If you love music, improv, and expanding the horizons of what your voice can create in community, Circle Jawn Singers is the group for you!
Enjoy vocal improvisation games and a cappella jams. All skill levels welcome. Every other Wednesday! At the Philadelphia Ethical Society.

Thursday, August 27

Best-Of Excursion: Solidly South Philly (Early Evening) – (5 to 6:30 p.m.)
Streets Dept Excursions are guided tours of Philly’s art and public space! Tonight, start at 9th and Reed streets, and end at 9th and Washington Avenue. Estimated one hour of walking/strolling/standing. Streets Dept Excursions are led by Conrad Benner. $24.97 tickets.

Passyunk Passeggiata – (5 p.m. onwards)
Final summer stroll through Passyunk of the summer! East Passyunk Avenue presents an Italian-Style Promenade featuring Happy Hour Specials from participating bars and restaurants, extended retail hours and a music series!

Intro to Risograph – (6:30 to 9:30 p.m.)
At the Soapbox Community Printshop. Find out what a Risograph is, how it works, how to prepare art for it, and explore how to print with it. Participants can bring a prepared image or work on one during class. Over 3 hours we’ll cover the basics of burning masters, digital vs. analog art, multi-color printing, registration, Riso printing quirks, maintenance, and other best practices. All students will get 20 copies of their art, plus assorted extra print samples. This workshop will give you the basic skills to incorporate Risography into your art practice. All materials are included. $76.54 tickets.

Nighthawk Watch – (7 to 9 p.m.)
Join The Discovery Center to look for common nighthawks and other birds that fly over the reservoir during a relaxing evening birding event. FREE.

Street Movies! Point Breeze – (7:30 p.m.)
Join Scribe Center outdoors at the Homies Helping Homies Garage for a curated night of local, international, and award-winning short films, plus discussion and live performance! Feat.: “Ask A Punk” (USA / 2025 / 15 MIN), “Underneath The Concrete (Sous Le Béton)”(France / 2025 / 27 MIN), “TAMASHI 魂” (USA / 2026 / 13 MIN), “Sliders” (USA / 2025 / 13 MIN). FREE registration required.

Friday, August 28

Neighborhood Jawnts Tour Series: Far Northeast / Poquessing Trail – (2 p.m.)
The Poquessing Trail of History tour takes visitors on a journey through the Byberry neighborhood’s exceptionally rich history. Explore Philadelphia’s historic Far Northeast through grand riverfront estates, the birthplace of a Founding Father, and one of the region’s oldest Quaker communities, discovering how this once-rural landscape helped shape the city’s political, religious, and architectural heritage over more than three centuries. From elegant country estates to enduring places of worship and education, this tour reveals the people, landmarks, and stories that continue to define the area’s remarkable legacy. FREE registration required. Meet at Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market.

Critical Mass Philly presents: The City of Bikerly Love – (6 p.m.)
Meet at the north side of City Hall and roll out together at 6:30 p.m. Critical Mass Philly is anti-racism, anti-ableism, anti-transphobia, anti-sexism, anti-AI. Free.

Producers’ Forum: “Ghetto Children” by Zac Manuel – (7 to 9 p.m.)
“Ghetto Children” is an immersive documentary told through a combination of intimate verité cinematography and archival footage depicting the highs and lows of their fathers’ lives amidst the rapid transition of the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. $8, $5 Students/Seniors, $4 for Scribe Members.

Philadelphia Indonesian Festival dancers. (Courtesy Fleisher Art Memorial x Gapura)

Saturday, August 29

TEDxJeffersonU: NOVA – (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
TEDxJeffersonU is a live event where incredible speakers share inspiring ideas right on Jefferson University’s campus. Register online.

Neighborhood Jawnts Tour Series: Far Northeast / Poquessing Trail – (10 a.m. + 2 p.m.)
The Poquessing Trail of History tour takes visitors on a journey through the Byberry neighborhood’s exceptionally rich history. Explore Philadelphia’s historic Far Northeast through grand riverfront estates, the birthplace of a Founding Father, and one of the region’s oldest Quaker communities, discovering how this once-rural landscape helped shape the city’s political, religious, and architectural heritage over more than three centuries. From elegant country estates to enduring places of worship and education, this tour reveals the people, landmarks, and stories that continue to define the area’s remarkable legacy. FREE registration required. Meet at Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market.

Philadelphia Cycling Classic Fan Fest – (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
The Fan Fest at Eakins Oval is FREE to attend and includes live music, a beer garden cafe, family-friendly activities and 150+ vendors for shopping.

The Island Country: Annual Indonesian Festival – (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
Presented by Fleisher Art Memorial x Gapura. Food and clothing vendors, live dancing and singing, a dance-off, family activities and more! FREE.

Celebrate Asia at Cherry Street Pier – (1 to 5 p.m.)
Part of the PECO Multicultural Series. Enjoy delicious food, cultural performances, and fun family activities. Hosted by Kampoeng Indonesia. FREE.

The Oxtail Collective Presents the Chef Hercules Posey Celebration – (1 to 5 p.m.)
15 acclaimed chefs, tastings, panels, music, and diasporic culinary culture. At the Forman Arts Initiative. $92.55 tickets.

Lil Sketch – BIG DREAMS Custom Toy Show – (6 to 10 p.m.)
Custom toy show featuring work from 48 artists, at The Space Lab at 617 S 2nd Street. Free to attend.

Street Movies! Norris Square – (7:30 p.m.)
Outdoors at Las Parcelas for a curated night of local, international, and award-winning short films, plus discussion and live performance. Presented in partnership with the Norris Square Neighborhood Project. Live performance by Little Afrika and the Rumba Brothers, 7:30-8 p.m.
Films: “Reflexiones de KCAPA” (USA / 2025 / 6 MIN), “KCAPA MAGAZINE: Around Town (Episodes 1-2)” (USA / 2026 / 6 MIN), “scapeG.O.A.T.” (USA / 2025 / 22 MIN), “Portraits of Philly Rumba: Tony” (USA / 2026 / 4 MIN), “The World Cup in Recife” (Brazil / 2014 / 15 MIN), “Lo Chan Lo Bassin (The chant of the waterway)” (France / 2025 / 15 MIN). FREE registration required.

PhillyPOP #14 | Decades: (Mis)understanding the 80s – (8 to 10 p.m.)
PhillyPOP is a meetup group for discussing popular music–it’s like a book club for playlists. Every month we listen to a playlist, then we meet in person to talk about it. Each playlist has a theme, and attendees are encouraged (but not required) to contribute songs that fit the theme as they understand it. This month: the 80s! How did you come to your understanding of what 80s music was? Whether living through it or through videos after the fact? When considering songs to submit, think about ones that are underappreciated given their later influence, or that are well-known but have hidden backstories. At Renata’s Kitchen in West Philly. FREE.

Sunday, August 30

Philadelphia Cycling Classic + Fan Fest – (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
A 14.4-mile circuit! Women’s race starts at 8:30 a.m., Men’s race starts at 12 p.m.. The Fan Fest runs throughout. The race begins on the Ben Franklin Parkway, follows the Schuylkill River, and passes through Fairmount Park before entering Manayunk Main Street and the challenging Manayunk Wall, continuing into Roxborough and down Kelly Drive, Strawberry Mansion, Lemon Hill and back to the Parkway. The Fan Fest at Eakins Oval is FREE to attend and includes live music, a beer garden cafe, family-friendly activities and 150+ vendors for shopping.

Neighborhood Jawnts Tour Series: Far Northeast / Poquessing Trail – (10 a.m. + 2 p.m.)
The Poquessing Trail of History tour takes visitors on a journey through the Byberry neighborhood’s exceptionally rich history. Explore Philadelphia’s historic Far Northeast through grand riverfront estates, the birthplace of a Founding Father, and one of the region’s oldest Quaker communities, discovering how this once-rural landscape helped shape the city’s political, religious, and architectural heritage over more than three centuries. From elegant country estates to enduring places of worship and education, this tour reveals the people, landmarks, and stories that continue to define the area’s remarkable legacy. FREE registration required. Meet at Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market.

Street Movies! West Philadelphia – (7:30 p.m.)
Outdoors at Pentridge Station for a curated night of local, international, and award-winning short films, plus discussion and live performance! This event is presented in partnership with the Black Earth Urban Agriculture Hub. Live performance by Koof Ibi, a versatile multi-instrumentalist based in the Philadelphia area.
Film Program: “I Spoke to a Tomato Plant” (USA / 2026 / 29 MIN), ” PAPI STORE” (USA / 2026 / 10 MIN), “Woven from Nature” (USA / 2026 / 8 MIN), “The Seeds We Carry” (USA / 2026 / 28 MIN). FREE registration.

Monday, August 31

Soul Line Dancing on the River – (6:30 to 8 p.m.)
R & B soul line dancing for beginners and intermediate levels. Hosted by Monique (aka Mo’ Smooth) Combines both the mental and physical health benefits of exercise with a calming, scenic, clean, and open atmosphere of nature. Sneakers and comfortable clothing are strongly recommended. Every Monday through August 31. Free registration required; Waiver required signed.

Art for this year’s festival will include designs handcrafted from artists in China (Photo courtesy of Tianyu Arts & Culture)

Through August

Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival – (6 to 11 p.m.)
Now extended through August 30! The popular annual festival in Franklin Square Park features live performances, snacks including $1 dumplings, and free carousel rides and free mini golf offered on select weekdays. Tickets range from $16 to $32 daily; children under 2 are free.

Let’s Do Lunch!
Center City’s new lunch promotional deal, offering $10, $15 and $20 pre-fixe lunch menus at participating restaurants.

Through October

A People’s Exposition!
Join us for a citywide exhibit and engagement series to take a critical and honest look at key issues shaping Philadelphia today, to envision a more just and equitable future for our city, and to act on solutions that address our greatest challenges. At the Kensington Engagement Center.

Through November 8

Dia de los Muertos tribute to Isaiah Zagar
“Viviendo a través de la Muerte” will remain on view at the Philadelphia Magic Gardens through the Day of the Dead, Nov. 1, before closing on Nov. 8.

Heather Chin is Billy Penn's deputy editor. She previously was a digital producer at the Inquirer and an editor at outlets both print and digital — from national breaking news service Flipboard to hyperlocal...