Fall arrived this weekend, bringing with it cool things to do all over the city this week … starting with: Voting on Tuesday, November 4. Need help? Here’s our guide to all the candidates. And here’s an explanation of what a judicial retention election is.
After Election Day, treat yourself to a concert, all kinds of live storytelling (and podcast-making), maybe a gala for shelter animals and / or a parade honoring veterans on the Parkway.
Is that not enough? Thinking of things to do further ahead? Check out our year-round calendar about how to be a good citizen.
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK IN PHILLY
First: Vote: This general election is as important as any to Philadelphia and PA. Next, check out a new art exhibition, a concert by Penn alum John Legend, taste Nigerian food, and more.
Photo by Sabina Louise Pierce.
VOTE TUESDAY. Candidates who are very likely to impact life in Philadelphia — and Pennsylvania — are on the ballot, including District Attorney, PA Supreme Court, City Controller, and local judges. Polls open November 4 from 7am to 8pm. Philadelphians, locate your polling place here.
From left, clockwise: Works by Dave Tavacol, D’Shon McCarthy, Brian David Dennis, sāgar kāmath, and Chloe Luisa Piñero.
ATTEND THE OPENING OF A MILESTONE ART EXHIBITION. The William Way LGBT Community Center hosts an opening reception November 5 from 6 to 8pm for its 20th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, featuring 46 emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists. The exhibit will be on view until December 11. Free.1315 Spruce Street
Ozoz Sokoh (left) at Rex at the Royal on South Street.
TRY NIGERIAN FOOD. If you haven’t had the pleasure, or if you have and want to sample the creations of culinary storyteller Ozoz Sokoh, come to Chop Chop: A Nigerian Feast with Ozoz Sokoh at Rex at the Royal November 5 at 6pm. Your evening includes four family-style courses and a signed copy of her book. $115. 1524 South Street
John Legend, in concert.
DON’T THINK ABOUT WHO’S GOING TO SEE THIS SHOW IF YOU DON’T. See An Evening with John Legend: Get Lifted 20th Anniversary Tour live at The Met November 5 at 8pm. $64-$266+. 858 N. Broad Street
The Germantown Historical Society.
SEE AN ART EXHIBIT ABOUT BECOMING AMERICA. The Germantown Historical Society presents American Mythologies by acclaimed Philadelphia-based artists Tom Judd and Mark Stockton, an exploration of American myths throughout the decades through large-scale paintings, drawings, mixed media, sound, and immersive installations. On view through November 22 on Thursdays from noon to 4pm and on Friday and Saturdays 10am to 4pm. Free. 5501 Germantown Avenue
The Pennovation Center.
PEEK AT THE WORK OF INNOVATIVE STARTUPS. Penn Startup Showcase 2025 is happening November 6 from 4 to 7pm at the Pennovation Center. Connect with entrepreneurs shaping the future as they present their latest ventures, plus hear presentations from award-winning startups on their entrepreneurial journey. Registration required. Free. 3401 Grays Ferry Avenue
The Philadelphia Art Museum Craft Show. Photo by Kevin Montco.
ATTEND THE BIGGEST CRAFT SHOW IN PHILLY. This year, 195 artists from across the United States are bringing unique, one-of-a-kind works for the The 49th annual Philadelphia Art Museum Contemporary Craft Show, November 7 through November 9, kicking off at 11am Friday until 7pm, 10am to 6pm Saturday, and 10am to 5pm Sunday. $10-$25. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
MIWA.
EXPERIENCE AN IMMERSIVE FILM AND MUSIC EXPERIENCE. MIWA, Haitian Creole for “mirror,” is a powerful new musical and visual experience from Haitian-American sisters Talie Cerin and Lunise Cerin which asks, how do we carry cultural legacies — both spoken and unspoken — into the present? MIWA premieres November 6 through November 8 at 7pm at Icebox Project Space. $17.85-$76.54. 1400 N. American Street
The Moth Mainstage. Photo by Adetona Omokanye.
EXPLORE WHAT TRUE STORIES OF DARING. The Moth Mainstage returns to the Miller Theater November 7 at 7:30pm for an evening of true, personal storytelling on the theme of DARING. $49-$90.16. 250 S. Broad Street
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN PHILLY
Celebrate clean blocks at a … block party. Take your kids to a book launch. Crack up during a life hit podcast taping.
Block by Block.
CELEBRATE CLEAN STREETS WITH BLOCK BY BLOCK. Block by Block’s Philly vs. Chicago Clean-Off Challenge culminates in a Block Party Celebration November 8 from 11am to 2pm at 9th at Poplar Skate Park. Celebrate with food, games, music, prizes, and community resources. Rain or shine, please RSVP! Free. 899 N. 9th Street
Thembi Palmer.
COME TO THEMBI PALMER’S BOOK LAUNCH PARTY. The Parkway Central Library is hosting a Book Launch Party for This Book May Make You Try Things! by Thembi Palmer on November 8 from 2 to 4pm. After the read aloud with the Palmer, guests are treated to a food tasting, activities, and book signing. Great for kids ages 3-8 and their families. Free. 1901 Vine Street
The PSPCA Bark and Whine Gala.
PARTY IN STYLE FOR A GREAT CAUSE. On November 8 from 6:30 to 10pm, Pennsylvania SPCA hosts its 13th Annual Bark & Whine Gala at URBN Shop 543. Spend four hours on activations, an open bar, dinner, and dancing to raise money for the PSPCA and the animals who need them most. $200-$400, sponsorships available. 15 Flagship Drive
The cast of How Did This Get Made, left to right: Jason Mantzoukas, June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer.
COME TO A PODCAST TAPING ABOUT THE WORST MOVIES EVER. On November 8 at 7:30pm, Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas, and June Diane Raphael bring their award-winning podcast to the Miller Theater at How Did This Get Made? Live! This show is 18 and over only. $75.36-$121. 250 S. Broad Street
Veterans Parade, photo by Robert J. Castaldi Sr.
HONOR VETERANS. The city’s annual Veterans Parade takes over Benjamin Franklin Parkway on November 9 at noon. Come. Wave a flag. Do it for those who’ve served and serve, and for the democracy they protect. Free. 21st and Ben Franklin Parkway.
Art exhibitions, live shows, outdoor activities, and more things to do, until you can’t anymore.
Wander dark halls (and watch your back!) at Eastern State Penitentiary’s scary AF haunted attraction this weekend
GO TO SCARY JAIL. Philly’s landmark prison has been transformed into “a Halloween festival of epic proportions” complete with a vampire-themed lounge, crypt, eerie flashlight hospital tour, and frightening performances. Check out Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary through November 8. $49-$109. Parking and shuttle: $22. 2027 Fairmount Avenue
Universoul
RUNAWAY TO THE CIRCUS. UniverSoul Circus returns through November 16 with afternoon and evening performances of its new Rhythm of the World production under the iconic big top! $38-$75. 39th Street and Girard Avenue (across from the Philadelphia Zoo).
JOB‘s Arianna Gayle and Scott Greer. Photo by Robert Hakalski
SEE A “DISTURBINGLY AND FREQUENTLY FUNNY” PLAY. Theatre Exile’s psychological thriller JOB runs through November 16 with afternoon and evening performances. $25-$45. 1340 S. 13th Street
Photography by Shikeith
CATCH A PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION. Tilt Institute For The Contemporary Image presents Shikeith: People Who Die Bad Don’t Stay in the Ground, on view through November 22. Visual artist Shikeith explores the lived realities of Black men and boys and generational trauma through photography, video and installation. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6pm. Free. 1400 N. American Street
Akeem Davis, left, and Kishia Nixon, right, star in The Mountaintop
WITNESS MLK’S LAST NIGHT ON EARTH. Arden Theatre presents The Mountaintop, an intimate reimagining of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last evening in his room at the Lorraine Motel after delivering his legendary “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech. Live on the Arcadia Stage from through December 14 with performances at 2pm and 7pm. $55-$70. 40 N. 2nd Street
Clay as Care, Adebunmi Gbadebo
EXAMINE CERAMIC ART AND WELLBEING. Clay as Care combines an exhibition, scientific research, a publication, and public programs on the relationship between ceramic art and health. The Clay Studio will host several special events during the exhibition from through December 31. Free. 1425 N. American Street
The Museum of the American Revolution is among seven attractions in Old City donating this Saturday’s ticket sales to Ukraine. |
CELEBRATE AMERICA’S BIRTHDAY WITH ITS OFFICIAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE. On October 18, the Museum of the American Revolution unveils a new exhibit: The Declaration’s Journey: 250 Years of America’s Founding Document, showcasing how the American Declaration of Independence has become one of the most influential political documents in modern history. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and the exhibit is on view through January 3, 2026. $14-$64. 101 South Third Street
Navy Helldivers fly in front of City Hall, photograph 1945 Philadelphia Record photograph morgue Coll V07.
LEARN NAVY & MARINE CORPS HISTORY. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Homecoming 250, presents To Provide a Naval Armament: U.S. Navy & Marine Corps History, 1775–1958, an exhibit exploring Philadelphia’s place in the birth and evolution of the Navy and the Marine Corps. On view until January 9, 2026; viewing hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am to 4pm and Wednesday 1 to 7pm. Free. 1300 Locust Street
On a display from the Trusted Messenger exhibit at the Mütter Museum.
SEE THE EXHIBIT AT THE MÜTTER. Through February 2, 2026, The Mütter Museum and Historical Medical Library of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia present Trusted Messengers: Community, Confidence, and COVID-19, a special exhibition that marks five years since the onset of the pandemic and considers how to build trust in public health. Initially developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Museum in Atlanta, the Philadelphia version features materials used in the development of the mRNA vaccine at Penn and spotlights local healthcare workers and organizations. Museum hours are Wednesday through Monday 10am to 5pm. $15-20. 19 S. 22nd Street
Henri Rousseau, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
EXPLORE A NEW ROUSSEAU EXHIBITION AT THE BARNES. Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets reveals hidden layers in the visionary painter’s work and brings together for the first time the works at The Barnes and the collection from the Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris. Open through February 22, 2026, Thursday through Monday, 11am to 5pm. $5-$30. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Tai Chi in Franklin Square.
LEARN TAI CHI. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 7:30 to 8:30am, Franklin Square Tai Chi Group meets next to the fountain (or in the Pavilion on chilly or wet days) for the ancient practice during Tai Chi in the Square. Free. 200 N. 6th Street
Photo of African small pots by R. Rabena
TAKE A FOOD JOURNEY THROUGH SOUTHWEST PHILLY. Stuff your face with Jamaican, West African, and Southern African American cuisines while walking it off on Woodland Avenue during your Africatown Food Tour, scheduled Wednesdays through Saturdays starting at 10:30am and 1:30pm. $56. 5741 Woodland Avenue
Courtesy Robert Malissa, Philly Magic Walking Tour
FIND MAGIC IN OLD CITY. “The Great Philadelphia Comedy Magic Walking Tour” returns for the season. Attendees are treated to fun, mind-bending magic relevant to the historic and offbeat Old City locations on the tour. Philly Magic tours also partners with local charities on passes and group outings for fundraisers and free tours for deserving school classes. $32.40. Tours meet behind the Bourse near 4th and Ranstead streets
MORE GOOD THINGS TO DO IN PHILLY
Photo courtesy St. James School