Philly Weekend Picks: July 31-Aug 2

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It’s already Friday and the Philly Weekend Picks are here for July 31st. There are a few festivals that we like that run the entire weekend so the individual day listings may seem light, but there’s tons to do.

ALL WEEKEND:

Don’t get all weird about this one. Yeah, Shakespeare kind of sucked when we had to read him in high school. However, it’s a different animal seeing the plays performed live by talented actors. That’s exactly what SHAKESPEARE IN CLARK PARK offers. This is the tenth year that free outdoor performances of Shakespeare will be taking place. This year they are performing The Winter’s Tale Friday, Saturday, Sunday at 7 p.m. Apparently, there is a children’s chorus of 25 kids involved in the performance.  Bring a blanket or chair.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY AT THE OVAL gives you the chance to embrace the winter Holiday in the sweltering July/Aug heat from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each day of the weekend. The event will feature a “synthetic ice skating rink,” beer gardens, food trucks, pictures with a Summer Santa, DJ’s, Christmas carols, and a 9 p.m. showing of the film Elf. All this takes place in the picturesque Oval in front of the Art Museum.

PHILADELPHIA WOMEN’S THEATRE FESTIVAL is also happening throughout the weekend. The Festival features original productions from women playwrights, actors, and directors. All the performances take place at the Asian Arts Initiative at 1219 Vine Street. Shows begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. Saturday and noon on Sunday. Check out the schedule for more info. Get out and support women’s theatre!

FRIDAY:

WEIRD AL YANCOVIC. Do I need to say any more? We’ve all enjoyed his parodies. He’s at the Mann Music Center Friday night. Yankcovic is a great musician and puts on a fun live show. If you’re a fan, sitting out on a summer night at the Mann sounds pretty fantastic. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.

SATURDAY:

There is a free and open to the public archaeological dig happening at the Shofuso Japanese House & Garden in Fairmount Park. Need something to do with the kids? This seems like your answer. The current House is a fabulous place to visit, but the first Japanese garden in North America was located just behind Shofuso’s waterfall. This dig seeks to find the remains of Japan’s exhibition structure and garden from the 1876 Centennial Exposition. The dig runs 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Did we mention it’s FREE?

PhilaMOCA presents the Philly premiere of the documentary RYE COALITION: THE STORY OF THE HARD LUCK FIVE. Rye Coalition was band from Jersey that were at the forefront of musical movement in the 90’s that included bands such as: Shellac, Sunny Day Real Estate, Jawbreaker, etc. When they signed to a major label, Dave Grohl produced their record for Dreamworks Records. The band soon after imploded due to a string of bad luck. The filmmaker will be in attendance. Doors are at 7:30 and the film starts at 8:00 p.m. $10.

The Fire will be rocking Saturday night at Philly rock legends hit the stage. The classic punk/metal band Thorazine is headling the gig. They’ve recently gotten back together and are about to embark on the first tour in decades. Thorazine used to crush it back in the 90’s. It should be fun to see them again. Opening is Workhorse III featuring Lisa Flynn (aka Lisa Christ Superstar) on guitar and she shreds. She’s worth the price of admission ($10). Seriously, she plays guitar with the best of them!

The Mann Music Center is having a nice weekend. Saturday brings FAITH NO MORE to the Mann. The show is at 7 p.m. Tickets are a hefty $53.50, but if you can afford it, there really isn’t any rock band like FNM and Mike Patton. You know you love them.

SUNDAY:

Get your ass to the Penn Museum. Admission for the remainder of the summer is only $10. Where else can you and the family check out real deal mummies for $10? This ain’t no CGI! Plus, there’s the Africa Gallery, Greece Gallery and a few special exhibits happening. This is a killer cultural bargain. Children under 6 are always free!

One of the city’s best street parties is happening Sunday. It’s time for the 2nd Street Festival! The Festival takes place every 1st Sunday in August from noon until to 10 p.m. It’s the city’s biggest block party. The party runs on North 2nd Street between Germantown & Green Streets. There are workshops, beer, food, craft vendors and 3 stages of live music. If you haven’t checked it out in the past, this will give you a taste:

https://vimeo.com/112204957

PhilaMOCA is back at it again on Sunday with another cool documentary, SlingShot. SlingShot centers on Dean Kamen, the inventor of the Segway, and his 15-year quest to solve the world’s safe water crisis. SlingShot is his water purification system that he believes can rid the world of half of all human illness. The film has won awards from AFI and festivals in Florida, Kansas City, Maui, Boston, and Newport Beach. Showtimes are 4:30 & 7:30. Doors open 30 minutes prior to showtimes. Admission is $10.