Post-July 4th festivities; PECO strike continues; Nostalgia Fishtown

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Safety first
(Photo by @thomaslee6387)

250th celebrations continue after a hot and stormy Fourth

Strong storms and high heat put a bit of a damper on Philly’s Fourth of July weekend, but there’s still more planned to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

From next weekend’s MLB All-Star Game to festivals and other events planned for the rest of the year, the party is far from over. Continue reading…

Erin Schricker and Davis Simmons were in town from Northern Virginia to attend some of the America 250 celebrations. They say they enjoyed the historical activities they checked off, but would’ve preferred more streamlined event information (Violet Comber-Wilen/Billy Penn)

This new Fishtown venue is bound to make you nostalgic

Nostalgia Fishtown initially started as an intimate music and gathering venue in a Philly couple’s garage just for friends and community members. But May 1, they opened to the public.

Now, nearly 500 groups have booked the venue for live performances, small-scale events like art galleries and comedy shows, and more. Continue reading…

Fishtown Nostalgia is an intimate music venue that seats about an audience of 50 and the owners’ cat, Bubba, who lives upstairs occasionally visits. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Power outages hit 60,000 customers across the Philly region after weekend storms. As crews worked to repair damage, PECO continued negotiations with union leaders to end a strike that began on July Fourth for the first time in the utility’s history. [6ABC/WHYY]

• The Trump administration quietly removed mentions of slavery from a Thomas Jefferson portrait and replaced references at Independence Hall to fugitive slaves with the phrase “individuals accused of crimes.” [Inq$$]

• Pope Leo praised America’s welcoming of immigrants in livestreamed remarks at the National Constitution Center. [Billy Penn]

• The School District of Philadelphia owes $2.8 million in delayed termination payments to more than 700 former employees, according to a city controller audit. [Chalkbeat]

• Activists look to keep the story of Washington’s slaves alive as thousands visited Independence Park for July 4 festivities. [WHYY]

• Sweltering temps didn’t stop a celebration of Ben Franklin look-alikes competing to be crowned most Ben-like. [Billy Penn]

• Five Phillies are named All-Stars for 96th Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park. [NBC10]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker has no public events scheduled for Monday.

⚽ World Cup Daily Recap ⚽

Start Here:
World Cup events guide
Billy Penn’s FIFA World Cup Guide

The Latest:

Paraguay and France fans came together for Philly’s final World Cup game
‘I’m melting’: Soccer fans braved the heat at FIFA Fan Fest on July 4
France shone in Philly’s World Cup finale for another sell out crowd

On the Ground:

FIFA fan fest organizers reveal steps to cut down lines for free DIY World Cup charm bracelets that have become a viral hit.
‘ICE Out’ protest art in Philly ramps up amid World Cup spotlight
World Cup fans can take a hike — literally. Soccer enthusiasts in Philly can access Lemon Hill fan fest and other sites via trails.
A heat wave may be the most obvious health threat. But infectious diseases can spread in a crowd, and experts are set to scrutinize wastewater, hospital visits, even social media for any signs that an outbreak might be brewing.

ON THE CALENDAR

It’s Moth Night at Norris Square Park (Monday)
+ enjoy a comedy showcase at one of Philly’s oldest theaters, for just $5! (Tuesday)
+ tour Chinatown in the latest Neighborhood Jawnt!(Friday-Sunday)
And More!

See the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar at BillyPenn.com!