PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It’s the first weekend of Black History Month, and we’ve got you covered with in-person and virtual activities to acknowledge, educate and celebrate.
Between events at the Penn Museum like Fêtes des Masques, and conversations with the authors of “Black Futures” hosted by BlackStar Live!, our City of Brotherly Love is no stranger to showcasing the strength and impact of the Black community.
Don’t forget to celebrate the year of the ox with The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Lunar New Year Concert. Plus, a few sweet treats — did someone say Thin Mints? — available at local markets and bars.
Scroll The KYW To-Do List for details.
CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY AND CHINESE CULTURE
The Penn Museum will be hosting a series that features stories of African-American history told through buildings, monuments and historic preservation. The museum will also be virtually hosting Fêtes des Masques — or festivals of masks, celebrated in a few countries on the west coast of Africa — as part of CultureFest.
Virtual Black History Month activities are in abundance at the Free Library of Philadelphia. From storytime sessions and celebrations of Black artists to trivia and programming about unsung figures in African-American history, viewers have many courses and conversations to choose from.
On Friday night, BlackStar Live!, the variety show from the folks behind the BlackStar Film Festival, returns for a special encore during Black History Month. The series kicks off this week with celebrated New York writers Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham on their recent release of “Black Futures,” plus musical guest Reef the Lost Cause, and a short film from Rebeca Huntt.
Celebrate the year of the ox and snag a digital ticket to The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Lunar New Year Concert, streaming through Valentine’s Day. Experience a world premiere and a piece of music that is part of a multi-year project on Chinese language preservation.
MUSEUMS AND MARKETS
It’s the first Sunday of the month, and you know what that means: free admission to the Barnes Foundation and pay-what-you-wish at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Registration is required at the Barnes, and tickets will not be available on-site. Advance reservations for the Art Museum are strongly recommended.
On Friday and Saturday, join Darksome Art and Craft Market’s virtual — and aptly themed — Love You to Death handmade market, featuring more than 75 artists. And through Sunday, the Feminist Flea Market and Craft Fair highlights vendors marginalized by gender and prioritizes Black, indigenous and other artists of color. The $3 entry fee goes toward Project SAFE’s Philadelphia Sex Worker Relief Fund.
Swing by Devil’s Den Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon for Girl Scout Cookie and Beer Pairing kits to take home. Each Girl Scout Kit is $25 and will get you four craft beers and ciders, along with eight of the staff’s favorite cookies (two cookies of four different flavors).