April has definitely brought its showers to Philly, but don’t despair! There are still plenty of things to do this week, regardless if you’re up for enjoying the spring weather or would rather duck into a museum.
PHS has opened its popup gardens in Manayunk and South Street for the season, and Mural Arts is hosting a Community Paint Day for a soon-to-be-dedicated work of public art. The Clay Studio has a fun new exhibition opening, and photography buffs citywide have one more week to capture their favorite images for TILT. It’s also Dine Latino week, so get those taste buds ready.
It’s a big week for books with a fiction-focused Free Library Foundation Author Series event, Black Thought coming to kick off this year’s One Book, One Philadelphia, and the official book launch event for The Prison Industry: How it Works and Who Profits.
If it’s live entertainment you want, we have Snow Patrol in town, the annual Otaku Fest at Cherry Street Pier, and the AMA Supercross Championship at the Linc.
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
The People’s Budget tax class, Free Library Author Series, The Prison Industry book launch, Small Favors at the Clay Studio, PHS popup gardens, and last call for Philly Photo Day.
CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS! TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image (TILT) is accepting submissions for its annual Philly Photo Day through April 13. Tourists, residents, or commuters with a camera or smartphone are invited to capture images of “both the grand and the mundane that make our city so special.” Participants can submit their photos online by April 13 for inclusion in the Philly Photo Day exhibition, which will be displayed free to the public in TILT’s Project Gallery from May 8 to May 31. Free. Citywide. Submit here.
HANG OUT IN THE GARDEN. The PHS Pop Up Gardens are now open at Manayunk and South Street. This season brings crafted cocktails, a lineup of hands-on workshops and events, food and beverage, and treats for your furry friends. Hours are Monday through Wednesday 5 to 10pm, Thursday 5 to 11pm, Friday and Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday noon to 9pm. Pay as you go. 1438 South Street and 106 Jamestown Avenue
MAKE THE CITY’S BUDGET. Through June, the People’s Budget will host a series of free community workshops across Philadelphia for residents to learn more about the City Budget process and speak about what they want to see funded. The next event is the People’s Budget 201: Taxes on April 7 from 6 to 7:30pm. Free.
DINE LATINO ALL WEEK. Through April 12, Philly celebrates Dine Latino Restaurant Week. In addition to the best Latin American restaurants offering specials and tastings, this year, food trucks are participating too! There’s even an app to help you plan your experience. Pay as you go. Locations vary
COME BACK TO PARKS ON TAP — STARTING IN THE AZALEA GARDEN. The annual roving beer garden returns for the season, starting in the Fairmount Park gardens behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, April 9 through 13 and April 16 through 20 afternoons through evenings, before moving on to South Philly, Spring Garden, West Philly … Benefits the City’s Department of Parks & Recreation and individual parks. Free entry. Kelly Drive
ATTEND A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWO MASTERS OF FICTION. On April 9 from 7 to 8pm, Katie Kitamura sits down with Adam Dalva to talk about her latest novel, Audition in the next installment of the Free Library foundation Author Series. The Philadelphia Citizen is a proud sponsor of the Free Library Foundation. $5. 1901 Vine Street
ATTEND A BOOK LAUNCH AND AUTHOR PANEL. On April 10 at 5:30pm, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site hosts the Official Book Launch: The Prison Industry: How it Works and Who Profits. Worth Rises Executive Director Bianca Tylek sits for a conversation with Abolitionist Law Center Executive Director Robert Saleem Holbrook moderated by Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black. Enjoy food, drinks, and the opportunity to explore the historic site after hours. Copies of The Prison Industry available for purchase. Free, Registration required. 2027 Fairmount Avenue
SEE THE LATEST EXHIBITION AT THE CLAY STUDIO. The 19th annual Small Favors exhibition opens April 10 with nearly 400 reduced scale and unique works from nationally known artists and some of Philadelphia’s best new artists in four-inch cubes on display and for sale in the Jill Bonovitz Gallery through June 29. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 11am to 5:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Free. 1425 N. American Street
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN PHILLY
Black Thought book event, Community Paint Day, Otaku Fest, Snow Patrol live, AMA Supercross Championship
HELP PAINT A MURAL. On April 11 from 4 to 7pm, Mural Arts hosts Paul Gripper Community Paint Day. Designed by artist Nilé Livingston and will be produced by Keisha Whatley, the mural honors he life of Paul “Unk P” Gripper, a North Philadelphia community member who inspired and mentored young men through basketball, and it will be dedicated in June. Free. 2600 Ridge Avenue
CONSUME AN INTENSE LEVEL OF JAPANESE POP CULTURE. That’s right, Philly Otaku Fest returns to the Cherry Street Pier April 11 through 13 with cosplay, artwork, games and noms. Hours are Friday 4 to 9:30pm, Satuday 11am to 9:30pm, and Sunday 11am to 6:30pm. Pay as you go. 121 N. Christopher Columbus Boulevard
KICK OFF ONE BOOK ONE PHILADELPHIA WITH BLACK THOUGHT. On April 11 at 7:30pm The Free Library Foundation hosts A Conversation with Tariq Trotter to launch the 2025 season of One Book, One Philadelphia. A book signing will follow the presentation. The Philadelphia Citizen is a proud sponsor of the Free Library Foundation. Registration is free. 1901 Vine Street
DON’T JUST LAY HERE. GO SEE SNOW PATROL. Snow Patrol with special guest Sorcha Richardson is live at The Met Philadelphia April 12 at 8pm in support of their latest album, The Forest Is The Path. $55-$229+. 858 N. Broad Street
EXPERIENCE SUPERCROSS AT THE LINC. On April 12 from 2:30 to 5:30pm, experience elite riders competing in extreme sports racing when the AMA Supercross Championship comes to Lincoln Financial Field. $15 – $112+. 1 Lincoln Financial Way
ONGOING EVENTS
Art exhibitions, live shows, outdoor activities, and more things to do, until you can’t anymore.
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
SHOP THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN MARKET AT FDR PARK. The Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park features over 80 vendors offering native cuisine dishes, culturally specific produce, plants, clothing and jewelry, as well as services provided by entrepreneurs speaking multiple languages. Open Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Pay as you go. Picnic Area 17, near FDR Park Drive and S. Broad Street
SEE A STUDENT ART EXHIBITION. Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture Gallery presents Storyburst, an exhibition by After School Arab Arts students from John Moffet and Samuel Powell schools, on view to April 11. The students created mixed-media projects drawing inspiration from Arabic folktales and artists like Iasmin Omar Atta and Diana Al-Hadid. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10am to 5pm. Free, registration required. 310 Master Street
WEST PHILLY RESIDENT? GET THOSE TAXES HANDLED! The Campaign for Working Families (CWP) and ACHIEVEability are partnering to offer free tax preparation and services to West Philadelphia residents. Appointments are available now through April 15 from 10am to 3pm through the CWP website. Free. 5901 Market Street, Suite 410
ATTEND AN ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL. The Academy of Natural Sciences in partnership with BlackStar Projects, cinéSPEAK, the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, and the Philadelphia Latino Arts & Film Festival presents Confluence Film Festival, an environmental film festival happening on Thursdays in April: April 3, 10, 17, and 24 from 5 to 8:30pm. $10-$35. 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
STROLL THE STREETS OF RITTENHOUSE. Open Streets: West Walnut returns every Sunday through April 27 from 10am to 5pm. Nearly seven blocks around 18th Street and Walnut Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for Open Streets: West Walnut. In addition to shopping and eating, CCD will provide entertainment with acoustic musicians, strolling performers, dance groups, a family-friendly zone of sidewalk chalk, games and activities for kids, and more. Free. 18th Street from Locust to Chestnut and Walnut Street from 15th to 19th
SEE SHAKESPEARE LIKE NEVER BEFORE. Running through April 27, Quintessence Theater Group presents the Reckless Love Repertory with 12 actors performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Antony & Cleopatra. Evening and afternoon shows available. $25-$40. 7137 Germantown Avenue
SEE A UNIQUE SOLO ART EXHIBITION. Studio 105 at Ray Philly hosts While You Were Sleeping, a solo exhibition by Philadelphia-based oil painter Elizabeth Bergeland, on display through May 10. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6pm. Free. 1525 N. American Street
COME TO AN ART CELEBRATION OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH. The Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia celebrates Women’s History Month with an art exhibition curated by InLiquid. The Edge of Abstraction features celebrated artists Diane Pieri and Erin Elman and will be on display through mid-May. Free. 1620 Chancellor Street
ATTEND THE OPENING OF AN IMPORTANT BLACK HISTORY EXHIBIT. Free, As One: Black Worldmaking in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers highlights Black self-determination and leadership from the 1770s onward in the abolition movement of the Mid-Atlantic region, on view through May 23. Library and exhibit hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am to 4pm and Wednesday from 1 to 7pm. Free. 1300 Locust Street
TAKE THE FAMILY TO SEE THE HOBBIT. The Arden Children’s Theater production of The Hobbit opens runs through May 25 on the Arcadia Stage. Bilbo Baggins’s epic journey there and back again is adapted for families and children ages seven and up. Late morning, afternoon, and early evening shows available. $25-$46. 40 N. 2nd Street
TAKE AN EXCLUSIVE TOUR AND TASTING. Every Tuesday and Thursday from through May, Carpenters’ Hall will stay open late for A Toast to History — Behind the Scenes at Carpenters’ Hall, a small group Scotch tasting tour that features access to its normally-closed second floor and 19th-century library. Tours begin at 4pm. $45. 320 Chestnut Street
SEE THE LATEST EXHIBIT AT THE MAGIC GARDENS. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) hosts a new immersive exhibit, Stone Soup: Works by Eustace Mamba, which will be open through June 1. $8-$15. 1020 South Street
ATTEND A GALLERY TALK ON THE LATEST IN FINE WOODWORKING. The Museum for Art in Wood presents Katie Hudnall: The Longest Distance Between Two Points, featuring a series of sculptural works and a large-scale interactive installation created from salvaged wood that captures the artist’s eye for “the absurdly mechanical and uncanny.” The exhibition runs through July 20. Museum hours are daily from noon to 5pm. Free. 141 N. 3rd Street
GO MOONWALK AT LEMON HILL. Fairmount Park Conservancy welcomes back astronomer and educator Buddy Muhler for another season of one-mile guided moonwalks and telescope observation starting April 1 at 7:45pm. Park After Dark: Moonwalk + Stargazing Party happens every first Tuesday from April through August. $15. Lemon Hill Drive
SEE THE HUMAN BODY LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Through September 1, The Franklin Institute welcomes BODY WORLDS: Vital, an extraordinary collection of real human specimens preserved through Dr. Gunther von Hagens’ revolutionary plastination process. This is the third such exhibit for The Institute since 2005. Museum is open daily 9:30am to 5pm, with special evening hours exclusive to the exhibit Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 8pm. $20-$65. 222 N. 20th Street
CONTINUE THE YEAR OF FREE SPEECH WITH A NEW EXHIBIT. On display at the National Liberty Museum through September 8, Word Powered: Exploring Free Speech Through Art is a juried exhibition of sculptures, paintings, video installations and more exploring censorship, freedom of expression and diverse perspectives. Museum hours are Wednesday through Monday 10am to 5pm. $0-$12. 321 Chestnut Street
SEE THE NEW 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
MORE GOOD THINGS TO DO IN PHILLY
PHS South Street popup garden