Where: The Playhouse on Rodney Square, 1007 Market St., Wilmington, Del.
When: Friday, Oct. 23, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 p.m., 8 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.
How much: $95 and up
Come on, let’s ease on down the road to Wilmington for the Tony Award-winning musical “The Wiz.” The groundbreaking all-Black reimagining of Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” debuted on Broadway in 1975, winning seven Tony Awards, including best musical. Expect big vocals on the classic songs “Home,” “No Bad News” and, of course, “Ease on Down the Road.”
New Jersey
2026 Autumn Exit Zero Jazz Festival
Cape May turns into one big jazz club this weekend as the Autumn Exit Zero Jazz Festival takes over the shore town. This year’s lineup includes legendary bassist Marcus Miller, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, Cuban piano great Chucho Valdés, Panamanian pianist Danilo Pérez, the Eddie Palmieri Experience and more. The main stage is at Cape May Convention Hall, but the festival spills into clubs, restaurants and outdoor spaces, complete with New Orleans-style second-line parades and a 22-piece Brazilian drum bloco.
Haddon Township Brews & Boos Crawl-O-Ween
Where: Multiple locations, Haddon Township, N.J.
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
How much: Free, pay as you go
Nine bars and restaurants offer food and drink specials along a designated route for the holiday crawl, including PJ Whelihan’s Pub, The Pour House, Central Taco & Tequila, Treno Pizza Bar and Reunion Hall. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. There’s no cover or ticket required. A free jitney runs between participating spots and the Westmont PATCO station, so you don’t have to worry about driving.
Special events
Halloween and festivals roundup
File: Skeletons big and small adorn city streets around Halloween. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)
Where: Multiple venues
When: Through Saturday, Oct. 31
How much: Various prices
‘Fresh Air Live’ – Terry Gross and Jesse Eisenberg
Director Jesse Eisenberg poses during a photo call for the movie “The Debut” at the Rome Film Festival, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
WHYY’s own “Fresh Air” teams up with the Philadelphia Film Festival for an onstage conversation between award-winning host Terry Gross and Oscar-nominated writer, director and actor Jesse Eisenberg. Eisenberg’s new film, “The Debut,” starring Julianne Moore, is the festival’s closing-night selection. In recent years, Eisenberg has developed a resume behind the camera with films including “When You Finish Saving the World” and “A Real Pain,” the latter of which won the award for best original screenplay at the British Academy Film Awards.
Philly Flannel Fest
Last year, this event set a record for the most people gathered in flannel at an event, or so organizers say. Guinness World Records hasn’t weighed in, but we won’t tell them differently. The celebration of all things fall brings together live music and DJs, local food trucks, seasonal bites, wine and cocktails. Come dressed for the occasion in a flannel shirt, jacket or coat as they try to beat last year’s turnout.
Arts and culture
‘The Great Gatsby’
The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic 1925 novel comes to Philadelphia for a three-week run. This production finally brought Gatsby to Broadway, premiering at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2023 before making its Broadway debut in 2024. With a book by Kait Kerrigan, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, this contemporary take on the Gatsby story includes dance, music and Broadway sophistication.
‘Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors’
Writers Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen give Bram Stoker’s classic vampire tale the comedic treatment, with just five actors playing all the roles. In this production, Dracula is a charismatic rock star who unexpectedly lands in a small town and has to deal with an array of quirky characters. Thursday’s show is part of the ‘Thirsty Thursday’ series, so come earlier for preshow beers and snacks.
‘The Magicians Table’
This immersive experience makes its Philadelphia debut after a run in London, England. It centers on the fictional world of magician and showman Dieter Roterburg, whose friends gather to celebrate him after his death. Illusions will be performed in a speakeasy-style atmosphere with live music and cocktails. It’s part theater, part magic show and part high-end date night. Just don’t expect to figure out how they’re doing it.
‘Suddenly Last Summer’
Where: Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut St.
When: Thursday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, 8 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2 p.m.
How much: $11 – $250
Tennessee Williams gets an operatic makeover in the Philadelphia premiere of this theater production/opera. In the original story, Catherine witnesses the horrific death of her cousin, and his mother will do anything to keep her from revealing how it happened. MacArthur Fellow and New Orleans native Courtney Bryan turned Williams’ 1958 one-act play into her first opera, with a twist. Mikaela Bennett plays Catherine, the only principal character who sings, while the people trying to silence her speak.
Germantown Art & Sound
Where: Our House Culture Center, 6830 Germantown Ave.
When: Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
How much: Free with RSVP
Now in its seventh year, the interactive community art show gives featured artists a chance to talk about — and hopefully sell — directly to an audience of art lovers. This edition spotlights Ama, Issa Crawley, Billy G. Harvey, Chris Green and more, working across visual art, photography and mixed media. Philly DJ and producer Reezey handles the soundtrack. The event is BYOB with complimentary wine and a food truck.
Ballets Jazz Montréal: Dance Me – The Music of Leonard Cohen
Choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Andonis Foniadakis and Ihsan Rustem use contemporary dance and visuals to explore themes of love, heartbreak and mortality in Cohen’s work. “Hallelujah,” “Suzanne” and other Cohen standards are part of the mix. Philly audiences loved “Dance Me” when it came through in 2019; now it’s back for the production’s final tour. A free Saturday a.m. masterclass is open to intermediate-to-advanced dancers who are interested in learning from the troupe.
Taste of the Philippines
The free festival is the season finale of the PECO Multicultural Series. It brings together Filipino food, traditional music and dance, cultural performances, and a marketplace featuring Filipino vendors and artisans. Food is a big part of the experience, with favorites like adobo, sinigang, lumpia and lechon. It’s a chance to eat, shop and get a better feel for the Filipino American community and its culture.
CultureFest! Día de los Muertos
Presented by the Mexican Cultural Center, the annual event honors the Mexican tradition of remembering the dead with commemorative altars — or ofrendas — live music and dance, art-making, an artisan market and an altar competition. A huge traditional ofrenda welcomes spirits back the party with flowers, food, photos and other offerings.
Gran Fiesta de los Muertos
Where: Gateway Plaza at FDR Park, 3601 Broad St.
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
How much: Free, pay as you go
Mexican-born, Philadelphia-based artist Cesar Viveros creates a special installation drawing on the Aztec ceremonies, altars and other Indigenous influences that inform his work for the free celebration. Like the one at Penn Museum, the event includes traditional music, food from FDR Park’s Latino Market and handcrafted goods from Mercado de Latinas vendors.
Yokai Family Weekend and Flea Market
In Japanese folklore, yokai are supernatural creatures and spirits that can be mischievous, mysterious or downright spooky. Shofuso explores that tradition with a family-friendly weekend featuring a scavenger hunt for objects that inspired yokai myths, spooky origami crafts and kamishibai, the traditional Japanese form of storytelling using illustrated cards. Proceeds from the Yokai Flea Market, stocked with donated Japanese clothing, books, toys and other finds, support the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.
Sports
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Philadelphia 76ers guard V.J. Edgecombe, left, talks with forward LeBron James during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
LeBron James is here to save Philadelphia’s woeful sports scene, and we’re here for it. James starts his record 24th season as a Philadelphia 76er alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid in what already looks like a lock for the playoffs, at least we hope. The Sixers open against James’s old team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and their stars Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. In Bron we trust. If you can’t make it tonight, there’s a three-game homestand through Sunday.
Food and drink
Philadelphia Street Food Festival
If you’re one of those people who like food, but aren’t too precious about it — more of a food lover than foodie — this one’s for you. More than 30 food trucks and restaurants will serve everything from cheesesteaks to cheese fries to burgers, tacos and more for $5 or less. You can sample Philly faves, international dishes, sweets and all kinds of food from trucks, takeout spots and street carts. Beyond the eats, there are live bands and DJs, a Philly drumline, breakdancing, a slam-dunk showcase, kids’ activities, and an art walk.
Pennsylvania Chocolate & Coffee Festival
Where: The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Oaks, Pa.
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
How much: $11.99 and up
Coffee and chocolate go together real bad, as the kids say. At this cacao and caffeine fest, more than 150 chocolatiers, coffee roasters, food makers and artisans will showcase their proficiency with one or the other. And there’s an educational aspect: you can step inside a mobile coffee-roasting trailer to see and smell beans transform during a live roasting session. Talks, including a look at chocolate’s role in American history, are also happening, plus live music and family activities.
Meat Market Challenge
Where: Reading Terminal, 1136 Arch St.
When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
How much: Free, pay as you go
Philly is celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Rocky” by letting fans recreate one of the movie’s most famous scenes: throwing punches at a hanging side of beef. The first-ever Meat Market Challenge is part of the citywide Rocky Season festivities. There are also a Rocky look-alike contest with a $200 Market gift card for the winner, a DJ spinning music from the nine movies, including the three “Creed” films, and Rocky-inspired retail specials.
Philly Coffee Tour: Pumpkin Spice Edition
Philly boasts plenty of alcohol-fueled neighborhood crawls, so this coffee-themed one is a nice departure. This Fishtown tour stops at four neighborhood coffee shops for two tastings at each. Along the way, guides share some of the history behind Philly’s coffee scene and how coffee goes from bean to roast to your morning cup. Despite the pumpkin spice theme, the tastings include other seasonal flavors.
The New York native combines jazz, R&B and soul with the energy of a rock show. She’s worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys to Robert Glasper and Missy Elliott, while her own music has earned her six Grammy nominations. Her latest album, “We Dream,” came out in June with an impressive list of collaborators including Philly’s own Bilal, Terence Blanchard, Hiromi, Chris Potter and Tarriona “Tank” Ball. She’s at the Kimmel Center tonight.
Broadway à la Nero
Grammy-winning pianist, conductor and Philly Pops founder Peter Nero gets his just due with a musical celebration of his work and life. “Broadway à la Nero” revisits his Broadway medleys with the full orchestra, led by new music director Christopher Dragon, alongside pianist Charlie Albright, the Philly Pops Chorus and Philadelphia native Hugh Panaro, who played the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway more than 2,000 times.
Arcángel: La 8va Maravilla World Tour
Arcangel performs at 2025 Suenos Music Festival on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Grant Park in Chicago. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP)
Before there was Bad Bunny, there was Puerto Rican reggaetonero artist Arcángel. He’s commemorating two decades as an artist with a world tour built around his latest album, “La 8va Maravilla.” Released earlier this year, it includes collaborations with Ricky Martin, Daddy Yankee and Grupo Firme. His latest record takes its name from his nickname, La Maravilla, and was inspired by his travels to the world’s seven wonders. The tour makes a Philadelphia stop as part of its U.S. run.
Bruce Cockburn
For more than half a century, the Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist has traveled extensively, including to Guatemala, Mali, Mozambique and Nepal, turning folk, rock, jazz and worldbeat into songs about love and spirituality, war, politics and social justice. Along the way, he’s earned 12 Juno Awards, been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and named an officer of the Order of Canada. He pulls into suburban Philly on Sunday night.
The rest
RIP World Cafe Live: The independent music venue, which hosted artists from multiple genres and was once known for its great food, is permanently closing its doors. Here’s the story behind what happened.