The best things to do in Philadelphia this weekend

Happy Friday! Below are some of our favorite things to do in the Philadelphia area this weekend. We put out new Philly weekend plans for you every week, so you’ll always have something to do on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

You can always find our favorite activities of the weekend at inquirer.com/things-to-do. Have an event you’d like to feature in the Inquirer? Submit an event to our calendar.

(Community / Movies) Philadelphia’s longest running competitive independent film festival, which has run for nearly three decades, is back for another year. This fest exposes viewers to a varied selection of films, including documentaries, international films, dramas, filmmaker interviews and more.

⌚️Sept. 26-29, 📍400 Ranstead St., Philadelphia Pa, 19106, 🌐 oldcitydistrict.org,  💵 $20-150

(Community) Get ready for a night at the museum, with a twist. This edition of Dinos After Dark will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and will feature vendors and activities like Lula’s Empanadas and a screening from the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival. The event is pay-what-you-wish, with a recommended donation of $10.

⌚️ Sept. 27, 5-8p.m., 📍1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa 19103, 🌐 ansp.org, 💵 Pay-what-you-wish

(Community) This free festival truly has it all, including free rides on the RiverLink between Philly and Camden, face painting, pedal boat rides, games, prizes and so much more. Attendees also get free entrance to the Independence Seaport Museum, not including special exhibits. Don’t miss out, this event is perfect for the entire family.

⌚️Sept. 28, 10a.m. - 4p.m., 📍Penn’s Landing , Philadelphia, Pa, 19106 and Wiggins Park, Camden NJ, 08103, 🌐 delawareriverfest.org/, 💵 Free

(Community) Come celebrate all things Puerto Rican Culture at this annual parade taking place right on the Parkway. More than 1,500 marchers will attend, with performances including dance, poetry, music and more.

⌚️Sept. 29, 12-6p.m., 📍2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa, 19130, 🌐 elconcilio.net, 💵 Free

(Community) Every year, this festival shuts down Frankford Avenue in Fishtown and takes over the block with an end-of-summer celebration. If you’re looking for great beer and cocktails, amazing local foods like brisket, Bavarian pretzels, and live music, you’ve found the right place. Come ready to eat, drink and dance the night away.

⌚️Sept. 28, 12-8p.m., 📍Frankford Ave. from Girard to Palmer, Philadelphia, Pa, 🌐 fishtownfeastivale.com, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

(Community) Come celebrate the 19th anniversary of staple shop, Philly AIDS Thrift. There will be live music, local vendors and some of your favorite food trucks to keep the party going. The entertainment lineup includes DJ Robert Drake, Sideshow Act, MacKenzie Maltov and more.

⌚️Sept. 28, 12-6p.m., 📍710 S. 5th St., Philadelphia, Pa, 19147, 🌐 southstreet.com, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

(Community) Queen & Rook, one of Philly’s top destinations for board games and community gaming, is hosting a Renaissance Fiar themed block party. This celebration will be complete with live action role playing, quests, performances and more. The day’s menu will also feature draft mead and kombucha to keep you going through the day.

⌚️Sept. 28, 1-8p.m., 📍123 South St., Philadelphia, Pa, 19147, 🌐 us22.campaign-archive.com, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

Celebration is in the air this week, with the opening of two new kid-centric exhibitions, outdoor festivals, and a visit from the 2024 version of an international superstar (if you’re three years old).

(Community / multiday) Can you teach toddlers and elementary school-age kids empathy? It’s certainly worth trying. The Please Touch Museum’s visiting exhibit aims to help children express feelings and understand others’ through lightbox silhouette-making, playing with empathy blocks, and negotiating a seesaw. Ages 2-10.

⌚September 27-January 12, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays,📍4231 Ave. of the Republic, Philadelphia, Pa, 19131, 🌐 pleasetouchmuseum.org , 💵$22, $2 ACCESS cardholder

(Science / multiday) Animatronic dinos from chillier climes, like the fearsome, feathered Troodon raptors, represent Late Cretaceous creatures who inhabited the Arctic. Hands-on exhibits show off ice-proof teeth and eggs at the Academy of Natural Sciences. Ages 2 and up.

⌚September 28-May 4, 📍1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 🌐 ansp.org, 💵 $16-$22, $2 ACCESS cardholder, free under age 2

(Water / free) If you can do it on the river, you can do it for free: Ride the RiverLink Ferry, take a pedal boat ride, get your face painted, learn about the environment, explore the Seaport Museum (most exhibits), play games, and more at Penn’s Landing and Wiggins Park. All ages.

⌚September 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 📍211 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106 and 2 Riverside Dr., Camden, NJ, 08103, 🌐 delawareriverfest.org, 💵 Free

(Community) The vintage aficionado Berley brothers celebrate two decades in a century-old ice cream business with a banana split eating competition, crafts and games for kids, ice cream historians, an ice cream stacking competition, live music, and visitors from the Philadelphia Bee Company, Betsy Ross House, a lavender farm along little Letitia Street. All ages.

⌚September 28, noon-4 p.m., 📍100 block of Letitia St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19106, 🌐franklinfountain.com, 💵 Free

(Culture / free) In the 85,000-resident, Philly-adjacent township of Upper Darby, people speak more than 100 languages, cook all kinds of foods, listen to a global variety of music, and celebrate their heritage at a major, five-point intersection block party that features a parade of flags, food vendors, and loads of children’s activities. All ages.

⌚September 28, 1 p.m.-6 p.m., 📍100 Garrett Rd., Upper Darby, Pa. 19082, 🌐upperdarby.org, 💵 Free

(Theater) If you’ve got a preschooler, you probably know this blue-and-orange beret, suspenders and bowtie-wearing, bubbling-over enthusiast of, well, just about everything. The Blipmeister brings his rock band and happy vibes, in person, as part of a North American tour at Keswick Theatre. Ages 1-5.

⌚September 29, 2 p.m., 📍291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, Pa. 19038, 🌐blippijointhebandtour.com, 💵 $39.50-$79.50