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From jazz in Philadelphia to soul in Glenside, a wander through Newtown and books across the river. Good things around the region, selected for us.
Only have a minute? Here’s the shortlist ↗
Pick a direction. There’s a good day waiting.
The weekend starts here.
Strong PickAkua Allrich & The Tribe
A Pan-African jazz journey through music, storytelling and the African diaspora. Settle in, make an evening of it, and let the weekend find its rhythm.
Jazz + Black culture + dinner. Our lead date-night candidate.
Event details & tickets ↗
Strong PickChinatown Mid-Autumn Festival
Lion dancing, Chinese opera, martial arts, food and mooncakes: a neighborhood celebration made for an unhurried afternoon.
Make a day of it: festival → wander → dinner → movie.
Festival listing · Visit Philadelphia ↗Strong PickGladys Knight
An evening with Gladys Knight gives the week a very good reason to run past Sunday. This is the regional music pick to build a night around.
Soul, a theater evening and an outing in Montgomery County.
Event details & tickets ↗
Film PickREEL October
A series built around the pleasure of watching movies on actual 35mm. Seek out the classics, international films and discoveries.
PFS lists the 35mm program through October 14. Choose individual non-horror screenings after checking the program.
REEL October & festival information ↗For the love of the big screen.
The fun-movie candidate
Pair this pick with Chinatown or an Old City dinner for an easy movie night.
A city-center movie option for the weeks you feel like heading downtown.
Film details & showtimes ↗A little outside the ordinary
Comedy. Drama. Romance. And, somehow, science fiction. That combination gets it onto the watchlist.
For a movie night with a little more curiosity.
PFS screening calendar ↗Power, ego & consequences
An Iñárritu film about a powerful man trying to save humanity from a disaster of his own making.
One for the cinema conversation afterward.
PFS screening calendar & current showtimes ↗ALSO WATCHING Bourse · Film Society Center & East · Ritz Five · Hiway Theater
Indies / International / Sci-fi / Documentaries / Classics / 35mm.
Culture. Community. Connection.
The Family Reunion
Music, vendors, games, small businesses and community organizations come together to celebrate North Philadelphia.
A neighborhood gathering with community at its center.
Event listing · Visit Philadelphia ↗A little room for wonder.
Follow your curiosity
Visual art, music and performances across the county. Follow the calendar to find an exhibition or performance that catches your eye.
A festival to explore selectively, with room for a worthwhile drive.
Delco Arts calendar · individual events ↗Take the scenic route
A beautiful-day idea for gardens, fall color and seasonal displays. Leave room to slow down.
Make this the unhurried Sunday option: gardens, harvest displays and a scenic drive.
Harvest displays · dates & admission ↗Collingswood Book Festival
Authors, booksellers, poetry, workshops and performers turn downtown Collingswood into an outdoor celebration of reading. A good excuse to cross the river and spend the afternoon on foot.
Pair the festival with a stroll along Haddon Avenue.
Festival program & author lineup ↗Come hungry. Leave curious.
Make dinner the destination
A week to explore Latino-owned restaurants. Our next step is finding participating kitchens with plant-based dishes worth going out for.
Leslie’s plate deserves a real entrée.
Restaurant Week details & participating restaurants ↗
Weekend WanderSoutheast Asian Market
Cambodian, Vietnamese, Lao, Indonesian and other Southeast Asian food traditions make this an inviting afternoon food adventure.
Confirm vendors and ask about fish sauce, broth and other animal ingredients.
Official market hours & visitor information ↗The smaller things are often the good things.
Newtown Historic Market Day
Fine artists, craftspeople, food artisans and live music fill the historic borough streets. Pick a few stalls, enjoy the demonstrations and leave time to wander.
Rain date: Sunday, October 4. Some activities charge a small fee.
Market Day details & activities ↗Only in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Parallel Parking Championship
We are making no recommendation whatsoever. We are merely making sure that if Philadelphia holds a competitive parallel-parking event, you know about it.
Rain date: October 10, 1–4 PM. Check the event page before heading over.
Championship details & rain date ↗Something to look forward to.
Make room for a few discoveries
International films, local voices, special screenings and conversations. Build a personal, horror-free shortlist before choosing tickets.
The festival lists October 15–25. Choose individual non-horror films and check ticket availability.
Festival program & passes ↗This obviously belongs on the Radar.
Two days of fandom, guests, programming and the possibility of finding your people.
Two days of fandom, with the official program and tickets below.
Official convention details & tickets ↗The Social Reckoning at Hiway
Hiway lists Aaron Sorkin’s return to the world of Facebook for October 9. Put a neighborhood arthouse movie night on next week’s calendar.
212 Old York Road. A Montgomery County alternative to a downtown movie trip.
Hiway program & tickets ↗Newtown’s Market Day for a Bucks County afternoon of art, crafts and music.
Sunday ↗Longwood’s gardens and harvest displays. An unhurried Chester County day.
Wednesday ↗Gladys Knight at the Keswick. Glenside gets the midweek spotlight.
Costumes, creative dress-up, pumpkins and fall festivals? Absolutely. Horror movies, haunted attractions and scares? Hard pass.
Jazz / R&B / Soul · Dance · Black arts & culture · Indie & international film · Sci-fi / documentaries / classics / 35mm · Museums · Plant-based dining · Cycling & outdoors · Star Trek & Afrofuturism · Talks · Neighborhood gatherings · Quirky Philly · Regional drives
Strong Pick = a close fit. Wildcard = a curious possibility. Weekend Wander = keep it loose. Book Ahead = plan beyond this week.
We look beyond the big calendars, then check the details with the people putting it on. Good plant-based dining means a meal worth going out for.
A few places we look for the good stuff.