You know it’s the season for food, drink, and fun outdoors when Parks on Tap is back. Get ready Philly, you have a lot of things to do this week before it gets too hot to enjoy. Oh, and it’s 420. Nice.
East Market hosts both a Night Market and Earth Day festivities, ACHIEVEability holds its annual Impact Day in West Philly, and the City Nature Challenge is your opportunity to spot wildlife citywide.
The Craft Brewers Conference is at the Convention Center, and the Sandy Sprint run is at the Navy Yard, so watch for increased traffic.
Theater Week is upon us, the Squirrel Nut Zippers bring The Afterlife to City Winery, and Demo Rinpoche brings mindfulness to the Free Library.
New exhibits in history and art open this week: The First Salute is at The Weitzman, Living History Day is at The Museum of the American Revolution, and The Weight of Time opens at the Morton Contemporary Gallery.
Bring the kids to Once Upon A Glow for a unique theater experience, come to the One Book, One Philadelphia: Film Screening and Discussion this week, and then join the HFL Philly Food Tour.
There are big benefits happening this week with the Garces Foundation Benefit and CCAP’s Philly Pheast.
And of course, The Philadelphia Citizen hosts its annual Citizen of the Year Awards!
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
Craft Brewers Conference, Night Market in East Market, Earth Day in Jefferson Plaza, Parks on Tap, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Citizen of the Year awards, The First Salute at The Weitzman, One Book, One Philadelphia: Film Screening and Discussion, Garces Foundation Benefit, Theater Week, Impact Day, Demo Rinpoche at the Free Library
CALLING ALL PROFESSIONAL CRAFT BREWERS. The Craft Brewers Conference® and Expo bills itself as “America’s Largest Gathering for the Beverage Alcohol Industry,” and it’s coming to the PA Convention Center April 20 through April 22. There are speakers, panels, awards, and more scheduled from 7am to 5pm. $350-$800+. 1101 Arch Street
DO EVENING SHOPPING AT CHESTNUT WALK. Come to East Market every Tuesday from 3 to 7pm April 21 through June 16 for a lively Night Market featuring live music, food, plant and craft vendors, and more. Pay as you go. Chestnut Walk Between Market and Ludlow Streets
CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AT JEFFERSON PLAZA. East Market hosts a special Earth Day event April 22 from 3 to 6pm at Jefferson Plaza. Enjoy hands‑on activities like bouquet stations and flower crowns, giveaways, live entertainment, and more. Pay as you go. 12th and Chestnut streets
DRINK BEER IN PASSYUNK. Parks on Tap comes to Columbus Square Park April 22 through April 26 from 4 to 10pm (noon to 10pm Saturday and Sunday). The roving beer (and cocktail and food) garden provides a great excuse to bring your friends and your kids to happy hour in a natural green space. A portion of all proceeds benefits each park. Free admission. 1200 Wharton Street
MAKE THE SCENE ALL DAY; TOMORROW THERE’LL BE HELL TO PAY. The Squirrel Nut Zippers are celebrating 30 years of Hell by playing the classic album in its entirety at City Winery for their In The Afterlife tour on April 22 at 7:30pm. Tickets are waitlist only at the moment, but hopefully you’ll get lucky. $35-$95. 990 Filbert Street
JOIN THE PHILADELPHIA CITIZEN AT OUR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS. Our annual celebration of Philadelphia citizens who have made a positive impact on our city happens at the Fitler Club Ballroom April 22 from 6 to 9pm and includes a cocktail reception. Our nine awardees this year include doctors, sports team owners, activists, teachers, art pioneers, and more. $1000+. 1 S. 24th Street
COME TO THE OPENING OF THE FIRST SALUTE. The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History opens its landmark semiquincentennial exhibition about America’s fight for freedom on the high seas and the Jewish merchants who took part April 23 at 10am. The exhibit is on view until April 2027. $18-$20, children under 6 free. 101 S. Independence Mall E.
ATTEND A FILM SCREENING ON THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. On April 23 at 6pm, the Free Library hosts One Book, One Philadelphia: Film Screening and Discussion. In partnership with the Philadelphia Asian American Film Foundation, the program includes three short films exploring the same themes found in the One Book, One Philadelphia selection, Our Missing Hearts. The Citizen is a proud media sponsor of The Free Library Foundation. Free. 1901 Vine Street
ENJOY GOURMET FOOD, FINE ART, AND VIBRANT MUSIC FOR A GOOD CAUSE. The 14th Annual Garces Foundation Benefit is April 23 from 6 to 9:30pm at Live! Casino & Hotel. The fundraiser’s theme this year is “One Delicious Evening, Infinite Impact,” and benefits the foundation’s work helping Philadelphia’s immigrant community access healthcare, education and vital resources. $125. 900 Packer Avenue
IMAGINE RESTAURANT WEEK, BUT FOR THEATERS. Theatre Philadelphia presents The 9th Annual Philly Theatre Week April 23 through May 3. This special series of productions, readings, interactive events across venues citywide invites audiences to try something new, with all proceeds going back to the artists and theater companies. Pay what you can. Various locations
JOIN A NEIGHBORHOOD DAY OF SERVICE. ACHIEVEability and URBN present Impact Day 2026, a volunteer-driven day of community beautification and mutual aid in West Philly on April 24 from 9am to 3pm. All skill levels are welcome, dress accordingly. Free. Check in is at 5901 Market Street.
GET MINDFUL. The Free Library Foundation Author Series continues with Reading as Mindfulness: Explore Everyday Compassion through the Jataka Tales, with Demo Rinpoche on April 24 from 9:30 to 11am. Tibetan Buddhist monk Rinpoche will guide you on how to learn generosity, compassion, and nonviolence through the collection of ancient Buddhist stories. The Citizen is a proud media sponsor of The Free Library Foundation. Free. 1901 Vine Street, room 108
THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND IN PHILLY
City Nature Challenge, Sandy Sprint, Living History Day, Once Upon A Glow, The Weight of Time exhibit, HFL Philly Food Tour, Philly Pheast benefit
BE A CITIZEN NATURALIST. The City Nature Challenge is your opportunity to help catalog the surprising diversity of wildlife in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Get outside April 24 through April 27 to observe some animals (sorry, pets and humans don’t count), take a picture, note your location, and upload to the iNaturalist website or app. Check out the detailed instructions here. Free. Wherever you are in Philly and surrounding counties
RUN TO CURE OVARIAN CANCER. The 22nd Annual Sandy Sprint Philadelphia 5K Run/Walk is happening at the Navy Yard April 25 from 7 to 11am. Walk, run, bring the dogs, either way you’re raising money for the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation mission to advance research. There will be a survivor ceremony, musical performances and more. $30-$40. 4747 S. Broad Street
EXPERIENCE LIVING HISTORY. On April 25 from 10am to 5pm The Museum of the American Revolution hosts Makers of Revolutionary Philadelphia Living History Day 2026. Over a dozen historical tradespeople will demonstrate 18th-century skills and trades like engraving, woodworking, and pepper-pot soup selling, and guests will enjoy hands-on activities. $14-$25. 101 S. Third Street
STEP INTO A WORLD OF DANCE, MUSIC, AND MAGIC. ArcheDream for Humankind presents Once Upon A Glow: Stories in the Blacklight, a family-friendly performance of glowing characters with blacklights masks, dancing, and puppets at Plays & Players on April 25 with four shows from noon to 7pm. $17.85 (kids under 12 free). 1714 Delancey Street
SUPPORT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE THROUGH ART. The Weight of Time opens at the Morton Contemporary Gallery with a reception on April 25 from 6 to 8pm. The exhibition shares the work of seven men incarcerated at SCI Phoenix and is on view through May 25. Gallery hours are 10am to 8pm Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11am to 8pm on Saturday and Sunday, and by appointment only Tuesday and Wednesday. Free 115 S. 13th Street
EAT AND GREET WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. Specifically, restaurant owners who have benefited from the Hebrew Free Loan Society’s interest-free business loans. The HFL Philly Food Tour takes guests to four spots for munchies (not Kosher, but vegetarian options are available) on April 26 from 10:45am to 3pm. Spaces are limited! $95-$185. Departs from Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street
PHEAST FOR A GOOD CAUSE. Culinary Careers Program (C-CAP)’s annual Philly Pheast benefit is happening at Lilah on April 27 from 6 to 9:30pm. Honoring friend and longtime supporter chef Chef Lynn Buono, over $200,000 in college scholarships are awarded to C-CAP students during the dinner. The evening includes music, cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres, and gifts for guests. $250+. 1601 N. Front Street
ONGOING EVENTS
Art exhibitions, live shows, outdoor activities, and more things to do, until you can’t anymore.
SEE THE FIRST AMERICAN COMEDY. The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective proudly presents The Contrast, America’s first hit comedy production, written in 1787. It opens at the Bluver Theatre at The Drake through April 26 with performances at 7pm and 3pm. $18-$35. 302 S. Hicks Street
LEARN DANCE, MAKE DANCE, YOUR CALL. Adam Kerbal Dance Projects presents Performa Choreographic Incubator: Site Specific Performance, a four week series for independent artists, dancers, choreographers, and performers to practice compositional skills in a large, open air environment. Scheduled through April 26 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 3pm at Pig Iron Studios. $10-$125; Full series and drop-in options available. 1417 N. 2nd Street
CATCH A WORLD PREMIERE JAMES IJAMES PRODUCTION. Wilderness Generation opens at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre through May 3 with afternoon and evening performances. The Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright’s latest drama follows four cousins who reunite at their family home in the Tidewater South. Recommended for ages 13 and up. $35-$80. 480 S. Broad Street
STROLL THE STREETS OF CENTER CITY. Open Streets: West Walnut returns for the spring on Sundays through May 17 from 10am to 5pm. In addition to shopping and eating, Center City District provides free entertainment with buskers, strolling performers, dance groups, a family-friendly zone, games and activities for kids, and more. Pay as you go. Walnut Street between Broad and 19th streets and S. 18th Street between Locust and Chestnut streets
GET DOWNRIGHT SILLY WITH CLASSIC FAIRY TALES. Arden Children’s Theatre presents The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Based on the book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, open through May 31 with performances in the morning, afternoon, and evenings. $30-$51. 40 N. 2nd Street
BE PART OF A COLLECTIVE, SUSTAINED RESPONSE. The new exhibition, How We Stay Free, from Mike Arrison, Harvey Finkle, Joe Piette, and Sunny Singh opens at TILT Institute for the Contemporary Image through June 27. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6pm. Free. 1400 N. American Street
IMPACTED BY PARKINSON’S? Barnes Create & Connect is a free workshop series for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and their care partners supporting connection through art and creative expression held select Saturdays April through June from 10am to noon. Light snacks and beverages will be provided. Free; registration required. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
VIEW A NEW EXHIBIT ON THE ART AND HISTORY OF AMERICAN FURNITURE. Open through July 26 at The Museum for Art in Wood, BA Harrington’s exhibition Suite Américaine brings to life the history of American furniture making through the lens of a contemporary feminist imagination. Museum hours are Wednesdays Through Sundays from 11:30am to 5pm. Free. 141 N. 3rd Street
EXPLORE BLACK AMERICAN HISTORY AND IDENTITY. The Barnes Foundation presents Freedom Dreams, a multimedia exhibition by Black artists that deconstructs race, gender, and class in American history. On view through August 9. Gallery hours are Thursday through Monday, 11am to 5pm. $5-$30. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
VIEW YOUR VISIONS OF LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Printmaking by the People: Posters for a Reimagined Declaration of Independence is an exhibition of hundreds of posters created by Philadelphians sharing their visions of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This special exhibition at the Parkway Central Library is part of Printmaking by the People, Philadelphia’s largest 2026 public art and community engagement project inspired by the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding. The exhibit is open through August 2026. Free. 1901 Vine Street
SEE 1,000 WORKS OF ICONIC AMERICAN ART. Whispered about among art aficionados for years, the Middleton family’s (yes, those Middletons, who own the Phillies) massive, dating-back-150-years collection makes it public debut at two venues, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA is open Thursdays through Sundays only). A Nation of Artists is on view from September 5. $10-$30. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 128 N. Broad Street
SEE THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A UNIQUE EXHIBIT. The Franklin Institute’s new Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition explores theme parks through the lens of Universal’s greatest attractions like Jaws, NINTENDO WORLD, Jurassic World, and more. Open through September 7, museum hours are 9:30am to 5pm daily with added evenings Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 8pm. $23-$65. 222 N. 20th Street
EXPLORE THE FIRST 50 YEARS OF OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. The American Philosophical Society’s These Truths: The Declarations of Independence tells the story of America’s founding through early Declaration printings and treasured artifacts. Open through January 3, 2027. Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday 10am to 5pm. Free, donations welcome. 104 S. 5th Street
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
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
MORE GOOD THINGS TO DO IN PHILLY
Photo courtesy Albert Yee