PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — This weekend in Philly: Last call for the Oval XP, free outdoor theater and celebrating 150 years in Lansdale with an old-fashioned parade. The Philadelphia Folk Festival celebrates 60 years in-person in Collegeville or online as it makes a comeback following a pandemic hiatus. And celebrate Indian and Caribbean heritage at Penn’s Landing as the summer Multicultural Festival Series wraps up. There are plenty of fun things to do this weekend in and around Philly.
EVENT: 60th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival
DATE/TIME: Through Sunday
WHERE: Online, or in-person at Old Pool Farm, 1212 Barnbridge Drive, Collegeville, Pa.
DETAILS: The Philadelphia Folksong Society is hosting its 60th Philadelphia Folk Festival after a couple of years of pandemic hiatus. This milestone in the Festival’s history is a celebration of community, family, live music and local performers. And this year, it runs through Monday. All tickets for 2020 will be honored at the 2022 festival. PFS members get a discount. See website for COVID protocols.
PRICE: Digital passes start at $60. In-person “All Festival” passes start at $199.
EVENT: Theatre in the X | “Dreamgirls”
DATE/TIME: Thursday and Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 5 p.m. (rain date Aug. 28, 5 p.m.)
WHERE: Malcolm X Park, 5100 Pine Street, Philadelphia
DETAILS: Bring your own chair to Malcolm X Park to enjoy a free performance of the hit show “Dreamgirls.” The show is based on the successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and more as it follows a young trio from Chicago to stardom.
PRICE: Free, but donations to support the production can be made here.
EVENT: Twilight Concert Series | “The Ledbetters – Pearl Jam Tribute”
DATE/TIME: Thursday, 8 p.m.
WHERE: Cooper River Park, North Park Drive, Pennsauken Township, NJ
DETAILS: It’s the final week for the Twilight Concert Series. Concertgoers will be transported back to the ’90s with a performance by The Ledbetters, a Pearl Jam tribute band, all while enjoying sunset views at beautiful Cooper River Park.
PRICE: Free
EVENT: Pictures in the Park | “Jungle Cruise”
DATE/TIME: Friday, 8:15 to 11 p.m.
WHERE: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th St., Center City
DETAILS: Enjoy a free blockbuster film on the big screen complete with movie snacks and drinks. BYO chair and blanket and come watch this fantasy adventure film.
PRICE: Free to attend
EVENT: Murder In The Jazz Age: A Walking Tour Murder Mystery
DATE: Friday and Saturday evenings through Sept. 24
WHERE: Tours begin and end at the Liberty Bell Center in Old City
DETAILS: Sleuths are invited to test their skills with a walking murder mystery experience in Old City, set in the roaring ’20s. Participants will gather at the crime scene to meet their guide, then take off to encounter suspects played by professional actors, clues and QR codes to solve the murder mystery. The walk is about an hour long, so wear comfortable shoes.
PRICE: $25 per guest
EVENT: The Lansdale 150 Parade
DATE/TIME: Saturday 5 p.m.
WHERE: Main Street, Lansdale, Pa.
DETAILS: The Lansdale 150 Celebration kicks off Founder Week with a real old-style Main Street strut, with favorite performers, entertainment and floats from the annual Mardi Gras Parade — plus a whole lot more. Special parade guests include Miss Pennsylvania 2022 Alysa Bainbridge and the 28th Pennsylvania Regimental Brass Band. Spectators should be on the lookout for special, limited edition, collectable Lansdale 150 parade buttons.
PRICE: Free
EVENT: CZW at The Oval XP - LAST CALL
DATE/TIME: Saturday 3 p.m.
WHERE: The Oval XP, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
DETAILS: This weekend is the last call for The Oval XP with a very special Saturday of activities featuring Combat Zone Wrestling. Enjoy the Oval XP’s beer garden, ferris wheel, food trucks and more. And don’t miss featured CZW matchups, including: Jarett Diaz Vs. Sebastian Cage, CMD Vs. The Rep, Grim Vs. Paul Jordane and more. Find the full line-up and schedule here.
PRICE: Free
EVENT: Multicultural Festival Series | Festival of India, Caribbean Festival
DATE/TIME: Saturday 12 - 7 p.m., Sunday 12 - 8 p.m.
WHERE: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, Columbus Boulevard and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
DETAILS: On Saturday, the Council of Indian Organizations in Greater Philadelphia hosts a party on the Delaware River waterfront in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Indian independence. The day features plenty of food, dancing, shopping and cultural performances.
Then on Sunday, the 36th annual Philadelphia Caribbean Festival returns in person — with musical performances and more — to Penn’s Landing for the first time in three years.
PRICE: Free
EVENT: The Community Cookout
DATE/TIME: Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WHERE: Stinger Square Park, 3200 Dickinson St., Philadelphia
DETAILS: Community members are invited to enjoy a day full of food, drinks, games, crafts and music — with an extra plus: Attendees are encouraged to bring their resumes, as the Community Cookout will also feature a job fair, with hiring on the spot! Get ready for back-to-school at the family-friendly event, which will also feature an area with educational resources and free school supplies.
PRICE: Free
EVENT: Nerd Fest
DATE/TIME: Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WHERE: Holiday Inn, 1 Pureland Drive, Swedesboro, NJ
DETAILS: Get your nerd on at the South Jersey Nerd Fest. Attendees will find plenty of pop culture, comics, anime, manga, Funko Pops, toys, collectables, interactive activities and more. Dress up for the cosplay contest or meet one of the special guests, including Jim Krut, a horror actor known for his role as the zombie helicopter pilot in “Dawn of the Dead.”
PRICE: $10 admission. Kids 10 and under get in free with a paying adult. (Order ahead, or pay cash only at the door.)
EVENT: Fire Muster & Fire Fighter’s Family Day
DATE/TIME: Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WHERE: WheatonArts, 1501 Glasstown Road., Millville, NJ
DETAILS: Guests of the 41st annual Fire Muster & Fire Fighter’s Family Day can explore more than 80 antique fire trucks from the Mid-Atlantic states on display throughout the WheatonArts campus. Highlights include water pumping displays of fire hoses into the lake, a Firematic Flea Market, apparatus judging and awards presentation, and the dramatic exit of the fire trucks driving off the grounds at the end of the event.
PRICE: Free