Moving Forward- Independent: An Evening with Karine Jean-Pierre
Swarthmore College’s Black Cultural Center presents Moving Forward-Independent: An Evening with Karine Jean-Pierre. The former White House Press Secretary under President Joe Biden, Jean-Pierre is launching her new book, Independent, which explores the political landscape of America and defines what it means to be part of the growing percentage Independent voters. The free, public event will consist of a moderated conversation and Q&A followed by a meet & greet and book signing.
When: Monday, Oct. 27 from 7-9 p.m.
Where: Lang Performing Arts Center, 500 College Ave, Swarthmore, PA 19081
”Faust,” 1926
“Faust,” 1926, F.W. Murnau, director, accompanied by Ian Fraser on organ. Murnau’s take on Germany’s national legend elegantly simplifies its telling as a battle between shadow and light (also the basic elements of film). Mephistopheles (Emil Jannings) bets an Archangel (Werner Fuetterer) that he can corrupt a righteous man. When the devil approaches a disillusioned elder, Faust (Gosta Ekman), the alchemist is desperate to save his village from the plague. Thanks to Mephisto, Faust does. As a reward, Mephisto returns Faust to his virile youth. The alchemist fails to recognize this as a bait-and-switch and becomes incrementally corrupted. Can his soul be saved?
When: Monday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E. Penn Sq.
”The Phantom Carriage,” 1922
The Phantom Carriage, 1922, Victor Sjostrom, director, accompanied by Don Kinnear on organ. Sjostrom, who both directed and stars in the ghostly adaptation of the Swedish folk tale by Selma Lagerlof (the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in literature) is an alcoholic who dies at midnight on New Years Eve. According to the legend, that means that in the new year, his retribution is to serve as the doomed coachman who rounds up the dead, a task that gives him ample time for reflection and, perhaps, atonement. The film employing flashbacks within flashbacks and sophisticated double-exposures for its special effects inspired Ingmar Bergman, who paid tribute to it in The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries.
When: Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E. Penn Sq.
Free attire for the LGBTQ+ at Open Wardrobe
With a mission of eliminating clothing insecurity, The Wardrobe opens its doors this month for the LGBTQ+ community to access free attire. This month’s Open Wardrobe – the nonprofit organization’s monthly open event to meet the needs of specific communities – will offer attire for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community. On Wednesday, participants will receive free clothing along with additional community resources.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Available at five Wardrobe locations: 413 N 4th St., Philadelphia; 62 W. Marshall Rd. Upper Darby; 345 Scarlett Road, Kennett Square; the Exton Square Mall (2nd floor near Boscov’s), and 536 George St., Norristown.
16th Annual Witch Craft Crawl
Come alive with a night of boos, brews, and spooky fun at the 16th Annual Witch Craft Crawl! Over 30 bars, restaurants, and shops along East Passyunk Avenue will offer seasonal cocktails, supernatural sales, special brews, charms, and more. From apple cider margaritas to boozy Halloween ice cream, the Witch Craft Crawl showcases all spooky fun the Avenue has to offer! Enjoy a haunting jazz trio performance at The Singing Fountain, browse spellbinding sidewalk sales and deals, get a personalized tarot reading, and close out the night with a devilish desert! Whether you’re flying solo or with the whole coven, this event promises a night of eerie excitement unlike anything else in Philadelphia! Registration will take place at Mark Canale CrossCountry Mortgage. Tickets are required.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 29 from 6-10 p.m.
Where: East Passyunk Avenue
”Nosferatu,” 1922
Nosferatu, 1922, F.W. Murnau, director, accompanied by Peter Richard Conte on organ. Most of the filmmakers involved in this unauthorized version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula were World War I veterans, including producer and art director Albin Grau, who observed that the war was “unleashed…like a cosmic vampire to drink the blood of millions and millions of men.” But viewers might recognize other metaphors in the film, one of the first vampire movies. Stoker’s original story suggested that vampirism is communicable, like syphilis and tuberculosis. Frightening as these diseases is Max Shreck as Count Orlok, the bloodsucker whose sharp fangs, menacing talons and creepy rodent gait make him akin to a Swiss Army Knife of horror. He can attack, dismember, or devour with various parts of his grotesque form.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E. Penn Sq.
Halsey comes to Philly
Diamond-certified and GRAMMY® Award-nominated artist Halsey continues the celebration for the 10th anniversary of her triple platinum certified full-length debut album, “Badlands,” with Back to Badlands Tour, making a stop in Philadelphia. When “Badlands” was first released on Aug. 28, 2015, it catapulted Halsey into music history. Since its release the album has sold over 3 million albums-adjusted in the U.S., and has accumulated over 9 billion on-demand streams worldwide. It is one of the only albums in music history to have every song, RIAA certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum. As well as multiple certifications in other countries including the U.K., and Australia.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E Allen St.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper mural dedication
Mural Arts and the Center for Black Digital Research will dedicate a powerful and inspiring mural honoring the life and legacy of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911), poet, orator, abolitionist, suffragist, and one of the most influential Black women of the 19th century. As part of #Harper200, a year-long bicentennial celebration marking 200 years since Harper’s birth, this special event will unveil a new public mural by Philadelphia-based artist Athena Scott, located on the exterior wall of Green Street Friends School. This vibrant artwork pays tribute to Harper’s lifelong fight for freedom, education, and justice, and reflects the spirit of community that continues to animate her legacy.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 from 1–3 p.m.
Where: Green Street Friends School, 20 W. Armat St.
”The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” 1920
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, 1920, Robert Wiene, director, accompanied by Peter Richard Conte on organ. The title character (Werner Krauss) is a hypnotist, his sidekick, Cesare (Conrad Veidt), a sleepwalker. Their appearance at a rural carnival coincides with a string of murders. Considered the evil grandpa of horror movies, Caligari was conceived as an artistic response to the horrors of World War I. Inspired by German Expressionism, Wiene and his collaborators set the characters in a fearful mindscape where everything natural is threatening, everything man-made is unstable, and looming shadows suggest hostile forces. Like many silent horror films, the movie’s visuals were an influence on film noir.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E. Penn Sq.
Jon Batiste comes to Philly
Multi-Grammy® and Academy Award® winner Jon Batiste brings The Big Money Tour: Jon Batiste Plays America to Philadelphia. The Big Money Tour will unfold like a multi-act musical journey connecting audiences to Batiste’s roots, his evolution, and the movement he’s building through music. Featuring selections from his critically acclaimed catalog alongside new material performed live for the first time, the show blends structure with spontaneity and becomes what he describes as “creative church” — a space for joy, openness, and collective experience.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St.
Choreomania at Mütter Museum
The Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia invites you to channel the uncontrollable urge to dance during Choreomania, an immersive theme party inspired by a bizarre medieval medical phenomenon. Choreomania is more than a dance party. It is inspired by the historical phenomenon of “dancing mania” that periodically struck medieval European towns. Choreomania at the Mütter will invite attendees to delve deep into this strange, energetic, and collective experience. Time-traveling into the 16th century, guests will be treated to an immersive, sensory light installation created by the artist collective Glimmer Labs after-hours Museum access, light bites, specialty cocktails for purchase, and, of course, dancing, featuring music from a live DJ. The evening will feature several surprises, including actors in costume and pop-up activations that immerse visitors in multiple aspects of the medieval period, from the medical to the spiritual and the social. Guests are encouraged to embrace the theme with choreomania-themed costumes. Think peasant-core, the medieval period’s visual culture, and demonology.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30 from 7-11 p.m.
Where: Mütter Museum of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, 19 S. 22nd St.
”JOB”
Theatre Exile opens its 2025/26 season with the Philadelphia premiere of Max Wolf Friedlich’s “JOB,” a gripping two-hander directed by Producing Artistic Director Deborah Block. This psychological thriller explores the collision between therapy, technology, and morality as a therapist and patient face an intense battle of intellect and emotion. The play explores how people protect themselves and their communities in a world shaped by pressure, exposure, and digital connection. Set entirely within a therapist’s office, “JOB” shows how quickly trust can unravel and how thin the line can be between helping and controlling, asking what it means to stay human when personal and professional worlds collide.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30-Nov. 16
Where: Theatre Exile, 1340 S. 13th St.
”The Mountaintop”
Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company is proud to announce its second production of the 2025/26 season with “The Mountaintop,” written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, and directed by Barrymore Award-winning director Brett Ashley Robinson. The 90-minute reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s final night invites audiences into a deeply intimate and human portrait of one of the most iconic leaders of the 20th century. Set on April 3, 1968, “The Mountaintop” opens with Dr. King, played by Akeem Davis, returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel after delivering his historic “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. What begins as a quiet evening takes a turn when he encounters Camae, a mysterious maid played by Kishia Nixon. Over the course of the night, their conversations reveal the man beneath the iconic figure: the humor, doubts, and humanity of someone wrestling with the weight of his calling and the legacy he will leave behind.
When: Thursday, Oct. 30-Dec. 14
Where: Arden Theatre Company, 40 N. 2nd St.
”Haxan,” 1922
“Haxan,” 1922, Benjamin Christensen, director, accompanied by Don Kinnear on organ. Pronounce it “Hex-on,” this Swedish/Danish co-production that announced itself as a history of witchcraft, implying that many strange acts of medieval sorceresses were comparable to what Freud might have diagnosed as female hysteria. Christensen cast himself as Satan in this hybrid documentary/occult fantasy that the show-business journal Variety declared “unfit for public exhibition” ̶while also lauding its innovative camerawork and special effects. Imagine walking into a large-scale Hieronymous Bosch painting, both grotesque and fantastic, that boasted hand-tinted sequences and sympathy for the devil.
When: Friday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
Where: Wanamaker Building, 100 E. Penn Sq.
Family Haunted Circus Show
Step right up, folks! The Family Haunted Circus is rolling into town. This PG spectacle will showcase our Performance Prep, Youth Troupe, Adult students and staff. It’s the perfect blend of thrills and chills, ideal for youth & adults who want to keep things family-friendly without causing nightmares. Costumes encouraged, fun guaranteed.
When: Saturday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
Where: Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 6452 Greene St.
Adult Haunted Circus Show
Think you’re a “final girl,” see if you’ll survive a night of circus acts with a horror-movie-twist. Grab your popcorn and be prepared for a show that is not for the faint of heart or the prudish of mind, but perfect for those who like their fun served with a side of fright and a dash of risqué. PSCA adult students and staff will put on quite a spectacle, spinning tales of terror wrapped in sultry allure. So, if you’re up for some noisy, naughty and nightmare-inducing fun, this show is practically screaming your name. In a world of remakes, reboots, and sequels come see our homage. 18+ Costumes encouraged.
When: Saturday, Nov. 1 at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 6452 Greene St.
Ms. Pat at Live! Casino
Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is thrilled to welcome back one of the most hilarious voices in comedy, Ms. Pat, to the Live! Event Center. The Emmy-nominated comedian, actress, author, and host behind the critically acclaimed The Ms. Pat Show will bring her unfiltered, laugh-out-loud set. Ms. Pat is best known for “The Ms. Pat Show,” her Netflix standup comedy special “Ms. Pat: Y’all Wanna Hear Something Crazy?’”and multiple BET shows based on her real-life story of an inner-city drug dealer turned suburban mom. Tickets are required.
When: Saturday, Nov. 1 at 9 p.m.
Where: Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia, 900 Packer Ave.
“Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design” at AAMP
The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) presents a cultural milestone exhibition “Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design.” The acclaimed exhibition, celebrating the power of art, identity, and imagination, marks its Philadelphia debut with nearly 80 original costumes from films that have shaped global culture — including “Black Panther,” “Selma,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Amistad,” “Dolomite is My Name,” “Coming 2 America,” “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and, for the first time ever, “Sinners.” As the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards, Ruth E. Carter has transformed costume design into a form of cultural storytelling, honoring the past while envisioning what’s possible for the future. Her journey from Springfield, Massachusetts, to Hollywood’s most celebrated stages resonates deeply with Philadelphians.
Where: African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St.
”Fly Me to the Moon” by Marie Jones
Northern Irish playwright Marie Jones brings her signature wit to a comedy set in Ireland, where the everyday collides with the absurd. Two cash-strapped community care workers, Francis and Loretta are on their way to another routine visit to their patient, Davey McGee, a lonely man dedicated to his newspaper, horse races, and memories of Frank Sinatra. The day takes an unexpected turn for poor Davey, as Jones spins a sharply funny tale exploring what happens when ordinary people are tempted with extraordinary (if not slightly outrageous) opportunities.
When: ends Saturday, Nov. 1
Where: Hedgerow Theatre Company, 64 Rose Valley Road, Media, PA 19063
Flannel Fest 2025
On Sunday, more than a thousand Philadelphians will pull on their favorite plaid and head to Braid Mill for the third annual Philly Flannel Fest — a fall celebration that’s become as much about community as it is about cozy layers. Co-hosted by Braid Mill and LIVE 24HRS, the local event production agency founded by Robbie Long, Flannel Fest has quickly grown into one of Germantown’s most anticipated gatherings. Last year’s festival drew over 1,500 people from across the region, filling the historic mill with music, food, and connection. This year promises even more local flavor, with neighborhood food trucks, craft brews, live performances, and family-friendly activities — both indoors and outdoors. Free to attend, pay as you go.
When: Sunday, Nov. 2 from 12-6 p.m.
Where: Braid Mill, 346 E. Walnut Ln.
An Afternoon with Martha Stewart
Published in 1982, “Entertaining” turned Martha Stewart into a household name. In this timeless classic, she presents a style of entertaining that is personal, relaxed, and expressive. To honor the release, she will be in conversation with a special guest highlighting her favorite recipes, sharing the inspiration behind the collection, and reflections on her legendary trailblazing career.
When: Sunday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
Where: Miller Theater, 250 S. Broad St.
”Kimberly Akimbo”
In this “howlingly funny heartbreaker of a show” (The New Yorker), Kim is forced to navigate family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush…and possible felony charges. Ever the optimist, she is determined to find happiness against all odds and embark on a great adventure. Named Best Musical by the Tony Awards, New York Drama Critics Circle, The Drama Desk Awards, The Lucille Lortel Awards, and The Outer Critics Circle Awards, Kimberly Akimbo is also the winner of four additional Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Score (David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori), and Best Book (David Lindsay-Abaire). With her win for Kimberly Akimbo, Jeanine Tesori made history as the first female composer to win two Tony Awards for Best Score. Kimberly is about to turn 16 and recently moved with her family to a new town in suburban New Jersey.
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.
”FIRE!!”
In 1927, FIRE!!, a quarterly magazine “Devoted to Younger Negro Artists” was published in Harlem and changed the future of American literature. Including illustrations, poems, essays, short stories, and plays, FIRE!! was the first all-Black magazine, by a young group of writers and artists, including Wallace Thurman, Zora Neale Hurston, Aaron Douglas, John P. Davis, Richard Bruce Nugent, Gwendolyn Bennett, Lewis Grandison Alexander, Countee Cullen, and Langston Hughes. This theatrical happening will weave together the lives of legendary giants as they speak their incendiary stories, make explosive music, dance, debate, collaborate, and celebrate their work from FIRE!!
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Quintessence at The Sedgwick Theater, 7137 Germantown Ave.
Lincoln Mill Haunted House
Three years ago Hurricane Ida devastated the region and shuttered the famous Mad River in Manayunk. The building owner has joined forces with a local artist and designer to take back the story and debut Philadelphia’s scariest and largest new haunted house — and they are back for season four in 2025! After sold out haunts for Valentine’s, St. Paddy’s and May the 4th inspired Haunted House, the region’s most buzzed about and story-driven Haunted House returns for Spooky SZN. Lincoln Mill Haunted House will open for six weekends this year. Lincoln Mill will feature over 40 live scare-actors, production quality sets, props, animatronics, and special effects such as fog, strobes, and flashing lights. The attraction is intended to be very scary. In fact, the owners want it to be the scariest haunted house in the greater Philadelphia region. For those that aren’t into very scary attractions, there will be a more family-oriented event on select Saturdays during the daytime. Tickets are required,
When: ends Sunday, Nov. 2
Where: Lincoln Mill Haunted House, 4100 Main St.
Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is partnering with artist Ivonne Pinto-Garcia to create a special Día de los Muertos ofrenda, or altar, in our Back Gallery. The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday where families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a reunion that includes food, drink, and celebration. An ofrenda is an altar built to honor lost loved ones and made to connect both worlds, the living and the dead. Guests to the museum are welcome to leave notes or photos in remembrance of loved ones who have passed.
When: ends Monday, Nov. 3
Where: Magic Gardens Museum, 1020 South St.
”Relics” by Wendy Chidester
This extraordinary body of work explores the beauty and reverence of once-iconic machines — antique typewriters, movie and slide projectors, vintage cameras, chord phones, gumball machines. Now, all relics of the past, replaced and often forgotten, these machines were once a part of daily life, symbols of progress and innovation that today exist mostly in attics, museums, and memory. In the age of smartphones and computers, AI and wireless technology, the featured imagery of the exhibition ‘RELICS’ draws nostalgically on a bygone era when life felt slower and less complicated. The historic symbolism of this exhibition is profoundly enhanced by the exquisite technical rendering of each machine by artist Wendy Chidester. Using oil on canvas in a contemporary realist style, the paintings have a velvet-like quality, a smoothness that further elevates each object with a quiet dignity as if an isolated royal relic or respected cultural icon.
When: through Friday, Nov. 7
Where: Morton Contemporary Gallery, 115 S. 13th St.
”Clay as Care” at the Clay Studio
The relationship between ceramic art and health is examined through an exhibition, scientific research, a publication, and public programs. The project considers ways in which care manifests in ceramic art and how viewing art and working with clay can promote personal and communal health. The exhibition features artists whose practices address healing, rest, and resilience, including Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Pew Fellow Adebunmi Gbadebo, Ehren Tool, and Maia Chao. Co-Curators Jennifer Zwilling and Nicole Pollard will work closely with The Clay Studio Exhibition Council, partners in the health research field, and the four lead artists to create an exhibition and space that reflects the values of care that we see as inherent in the act of making art with clay.
When: through Wednesday, Dec. 31
Where: The Clay Studio, 1425 N. American St.
”To Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775 – 1958”
Philadelphia gave birth to the U.S. Navy twice — first in 1775 and again in 1794. The later Navy reflected the young nation: ships designed by Quakers, built in shipyards along the East Coast with wood harvested by enslaved people, led by white officers, and crewed by a diverse mix of nationalities, ethnicities, and religions. The Marines of both eras laid the foundation for one of the world’s elite fighting forces. While prominent Philadelphians appear in naval history, the story also lives in the letters and journals of sailors, surgeons, and shipyard workers. In partnership with Homecoming 250, “To Provide a Naval Armament:” U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775–1958 explores the Navy and Marine Corps through the Historical Society of Pennsylvania’s collections, tracing their evolution from the American Revolution to the early Cold War, all while remaining anchored in Philadelphia.
When: through Friday, Jan. 9, 2026
Where: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust St.
”Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets” at the Barnes
This fall, the Barnes Foundation will present Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets, a landmark exhibition of paintings by the self-taught artist Henri Rousseau (1844–1910), featuring works from the Barnes collection and museums around the world. With 18 paintings by Rousseau, the Barnes is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, and the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris, with 11, is home to the second largest collection. This exhibition brings together these important collections, providing an unprecedented opportunity to see works that the French art dealer Paul Guillaume either owned — now in the Orangerie’s collection — or sold to Dr. Barnes. Some of these paintings will be reunited for the first time in more than 100 years, while others have never been exhibited together.
When: through Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026
Where: The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” at Brandywine
“Jerrell Gibbs: No Solace in the Shade” will survey the first decade of the career of Baltimore artist Jerrell Gibbs (b. 1988). His dynamic, large-scale figurative paintings of family, friends and community focus on everyday scenes of Black life, transforming them into monumental moments that highlight the universal themes of identity, reflection and belonging. Organized by the Brandywine, this project will mark the artist’s first solo museum exhibition and first monographic publication — and is also the Museum’s first solo presentation of an emerging contemporary artist. The exhibition will feature 30 paintings drawn from both museum and private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
When: through Sunday, March 1
Where: Brandywine Museum of Art, 1 Hoffmans Mill Rd., Chadds Ford, PA 19317
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