47 of the best things to do in Philly this weekend and next week

📅 Our calendar is updated every Thursday with the best events for the week. You can always find it at inquirer.com/calendar. Submit an event to our calendar here.

(Community / in-person / free / multiday) We are still in a pandemic, and variants are a concern. Make a plan to get vaccinated or your booster shot; there are many places throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey — CVS, Rite Aid, neighborhood rec centers, and more — where you can get your free COVID-19 shot. (Free, phila.gov)

(Sports / in-person / outdoors) The time has returned to cheer on Philly’s favorite baseball team. Our Phillies kick off the season at home against the Oakland Athletics. Keep the fun going at the Budweiser Block Party at Third Base Plaza and look out for fun prizes and giveaways. (Resale tickets available for $46 and up, April 8, 3:05 p.m., 1 Citizens Bank Way, mlb.com)

(Music / in-person / free) The Philadelphia Public Orchestra is a newly founded group made up of dozens of musicians who come together regardless of the genre to challenge the concept of the western symphony. At this performance, you’ll hear everything from DJ sets to French horn performances that create a sound as diverse as our city. (Free, April 8-10, 121 N. Columbus Blvd., cherrystreetpier.com)

(Seasonal / in-person / multiday / free / kid-friendly) The grounds around West Fairmount Park’s Shofuso Japanese House and Garden are the place to see thousands of pink pretties on two evenings (trees are illuminated Saturday) and one day while enjoying Japanese-infused hip hop, taiko, funk, dance, reggae. (The 5K and marketplace are shelved for the year.) Tickets to Shofuso are timed. Admission to the festival is free. (Festival: free, Apr. 8, 7-10 p.m., Apr. 9, 6-10 p.m., Apr. 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Lansdowne and Horticultural Dr., japanphilly.org)

(Comedy / in-person) You may know Tomlinson from her hit Netflix special “Quarter Life Crisis.” Now, catch her live as she tackles topics ranging from dating to technology in a way that’s sure to make you laugh. ($49.75, April 8, 7 p.m., 250 S. Broad St., kimmelculturalcampus.org)

(Music / in-person) The 14-piece Balkan brass band that is the West Philadelphia Orchestra headlines this show at the Rotunda, just off the University of Pennsylvania campus. The band, which has a new single called Sails Up due in May, will follow the choral group Sing Slavic, who open the show. Proceeds benefit Revived Soldiers Ukraine ($25, Apr. 8, 7 p.m., 4014 Walnut St., therotunda.org)

(Music / in-person) After spending most of the 2010s making solo albums — plus one with Phoebe Bridgers as Better Oblivion Community Center — Conor Oberst and bandmates Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott brought back Bright Eyes with the 2020 album Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once Was. The album didn’t get the attention it deserved because it was released in the thick of the pandemic, but the band is finally out on the road and headlining the Met Philly. Christian Lee Hutson opens. ($35-$79, Apr. 8, 8 p.m., 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com)

(Music / in-person / free) Poppy, the Philly rock trio who were a mainstay of the club scene in the 1990s, made a most welcome return with their Snakes of New Jersey LP on the Ardmore label Sister Raygun Records in 2019. They’ve just followed it up with Brilliant Volume, an excellent EP that features Robbie Bennett of The War on Drugs on organ on all three songs. Gerry McGoldrick and Airlift Duo open. (Free, Apr. 8, 7 p.m., 7673 Germantown Ave., themermaidinn.net)

(Music / virtual and in-person) Jazz vibraphonist Ross is joined by flutist and multi-instrumentalist Garo at this Penn Live Arts show at the Annenberg Center that is viewable virtually as well as in person. ($25, Apr. 8, 7:30 p.m., 3680 Walnut St., pennlivearts.com)

(Music / in-person) The Canadian jazz pianist and contralto’s most recent album, This Dream of You, is named after a Bob Dylan song and collects American Songbook tunes written by Irving Berlin, Lerner & Loewe, and others in a set of recordings Krall made with her longtime producer Tommy LiPuma before his death in 2017. ($59-$109, Apr. 8, 8 p.m., 240 S. Broad St., KimmelCulturalCampus.org)

(Movie / in-person) Few directors crash cars and blow things up like Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon) and now he’s back with a big-money-heist crime drama in which the getaway car becomes a stolen ambulance. Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza Gonzalez star. (Rated R. Premieres Apr. 8 in theaters)

(Movie / virtual and in-person) Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton star as spies and former lovers who meet again for an investigation into a six-year-old plane hijacking. With Laurence Fishburne. From the book by Olen Steinhauer. (Rated R. Premieres Apr. 8 at the Ritz 5 and on Amazon Prime)

(Movie / in-person) Much-talked-about film in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, starring Michele Yeoh as an immigrant with tax issues who goes on a mind-bending, life-affirming, world-saving adventure. No plot description can do the film justice. Written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert. (Rated R. Premieres Friday, Apr. 8 in theaters and IMAX)

(Movie / in-person) How could it not get a sequel? Idris Elba joins the voice cast as Knuckles and Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Tika Sumpter, and James Marsden all return as Sonic again battles Dr. Robotnik. (Rated PG. Premieres Apr. 8 in theaters)

(Fitness / in-person) Are you ready to sweat? At this group workout, you’ll start at Barre3 for a signature barre workout then head to RippedPHL for a 30-minute strength and treadmill workout. Then recover with snacks provided by Pure Fare and drinks from Two Robbers. ($35, Apr. 9, 11:30 a.m., 1512 Walnut St., rippedphl.com)

(Fitness / in-person / outdoors) Head to the Schuylkill Banks for a morning of zen movement. Bring your own yoga mat or towel and enjoy this all-levels instructor-led yoga class. Yoga classes take place (weather permitting) on Saturday and Sundays at 10 a.m., and Tuesday and Thursdays at 6 p.m. throughout the spring and summer season. (Pay what you can, various dates through Oct., 2500 Locust St., eventbrite.com)

(Seasonal / in-person / multiday) Kids ages two and up can pursue half a dozen candy-filled eggs, get a photo with the bunny, then have a go at the giant jumping pillow, obstacle course, rubber duck races and more kiddie attractions and distractions at Bucks County’s largest agritainment destination (Shady Brook Farm, of course). Ages 1-8. ($12-$15 child, $8-$10 adult, free ages 0-23 months, Apr. 9-10, 14-16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 931 Shady Brook Rd., Yardley, shadybrookfarm.com)

Join Ken Johnston and Deborah Price this weekend as they continue their 165-mile “Walk to Freedom,” tracing the Underground Railroad routes that freedom seekers escaping slavery took in New Jersey. This segment picks up where last weekend’s ended: at Wawa at 121 Main St. in Dennisville, NJ on Saturday at 8 a.m. The duo plans to walk 13 miles via Route 347 to Port Elizabeth, NJ on Saturday. On Sunday, the walk continues from Port Elizabeth to the My Neighborhood Deli, in Millville, NJ via Route 670. Check the Walk to Freedom website for Sunday location updates. The walk is free to join and participants are encouraged to carry a light backpack with water, snacks, a cell phone, and bug spray. Waterproof hiking boots are also recommended. (Free, Apr. 9-10, leaves from 121 Main St., Dennisville at 8 a.m. on Apr. 9, TBD location on Apr. 10, ourwalktofreedom.com)

(History / in-person / multiday) American history lessons continue even as school pauses, through pop-up talks on colonial toys, whirligig making, scavenger hunts, and, on April 16 at 12:30 p.m., an hour-long muster for the Continental Army. Ages 5-12. ($19-$21 adult, $18 senior, student and teacher, $13 ages 6-17, $2 ACCESS cardholder, free ages 5 & under, Apr. 9-24, 101 S. Third St., amrevmuseum.org)

(Music / virtual / community) Celebrate Robeson’s 124th birthday with a night of musical tributes and performances. You’ll hear some of Robeson’s classic works in addition to performances by Theatre in the X and more. Donations will benefit the Paul Robeson House’s “Art in the Parlor” program, which supports local artists. (Donations encouraged, Apr. 9, 4-6 p.m., eventbrite.com)

(Music / in-person) Roxborough-raised Hause got his start as a punk rocker with The Loved Ones, but his songwriting has gotten increasingly Americana-influenced on solo albums like 2017′s Bury Me in Philly. His music has been boosted since he started writing with his younger brother Tim, taking their partnership to a new peak on last year’s Blood Harmony, which was recorded in Nashville with producer Will Hoge and features members of the E Street Band. With Tim Barry and Abby Hamilton. ($18, Apr. 9, 8 p.m., 1026 Spring Garden St., utphilly.com)

(Music / in-person) Spirit of the Beehive’s album Entertainment, Death is an image of a carnival funhouse that invites the listener into a devilish psychedelic thrill ride. The challenging, collage-like music heard within brings that concept to life. With opening act Deeper. ($15, Apr. 9, 8 p.m., 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com)

(Music / in-person) For this show without John Oates, Daryl Hall will be supported by the Daryl’s House Band, the group of musicians who back him on Live From Daryl’s House, his monthly web show that began its run in 2007. Hall has just released BeforeAfter, a compilation drawn from his five solo albums and Live From Daryl’s House performances, including Can We Still Be Friends, with Todd Rundgren, who is the special guest on this tour. So, that makes for two Philly Rock and Roll Hall of Famers for the price of one. ($59-$119, Apr. 9, 8 p.m., 858 N. Broad St., themetphily.com)

(Community / in-person) Your days of struggling to style your natural hair are done with. At this workshop, you’ll learn how to master the twist out from a pro. Come with freshly washed hair and you’ll get everything you need, including product to set your style, while making a curly friend or two. ($40, Apr. 10, 2-3:30 p.m., 529 S. Fourth St., eventbrite.com)

(Food / in-person) Prepare your sweet tooth and dive into the world of icing. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to create roses, swirls, and other decorations to set your baked goods apart from the rest. You’ll leave with four decorated cupcakes and a set of tools and leftover frosting so you can practice more at home. ($65, Apr. 10, 11 a.m., 218 Market St., exploretock.com)

(Art / in-person) West Philly’s Arabic cultural center comes to South Street to teach the artful, geometric arrangement of tiny mosaic tesserae, inspired by the Southwest Asian and North African, particularly Moroccan, tradition of zellij. Ages 3-12. ($15 adult, $12 student & senior, $8 ages 6-12, $2 ACCESS cardholder, free ages 5 & under, Apr. 10, noon-4 p.m., 1020 South St., phillymagicgardens.org)

(Seasonal / in-person) Easter in Sweden is a lot like Halloween here. Kids dress up as friendly, colorful witches (there’s an exhibition on them at the museum) and go door-to-door, exchanging handmade cards for sweets. Here in South Philly at the American Swedish Historical Museum, they hunt for eggs, too. Ages 2-12. ($10, $2 ACCESS cardholder, free ages 2 & under, Apr. 10, 2-4 p.m., 1900 Pattison Ave., americanswedish.org)

(Music / virtual and in-person / virtual) The Austin, Texas band led by Montgomery Country-raised cowboy Ray Benson has been upholding the western swing legacy of Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys for five decades. Benson celebrates that milestone on the new album Half A Hundred Years, which includes contributions from Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, George Strait, and Lyle Lovett. ($22-$75, Apr. 10, 8 p.m., 18 W. Temple Ave, Sellersville, st94.com)

(Music / in-person) The rapper born Stephen Goss, who hails from the Dorchester section of Boston, got a break back in 2015 when a video surfaced of Drake playing Stizz’s single Shoutout at the Canadian star’s birthday party. Stizz released his third album, Just For You, in February on his own Stizz Music label. ($22, Apr. 11, 8 p.m., 29 E. Allen St., thefillmorephilly.com)

(Music / in-person) The wife and husband team of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent used their pandemic-induced time off on the road to dig into their new album Manticore, turning what was planned to be a stripped-down affair into a full-blown production with unflinching songs that put a microscope on their own family life. Jeremie Albino opens. ($25, Apr. 12, 8 p.m.,1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia)

(Music / theater / in-person / kid-friendly) This one-night-only show stars singers who’ve played Nala, Belle, Jasmine, and another Belle, not in the movies, but onstage. They’ll intersperse their (and other Disney productions’) greatest hits with behind-the-scenes Broadway anecdotes. It’s all ages, but, as for most things Disney, they’ll likely be more adults than you might expect. Ages 6+. ($29-$99, more for VIP packages, Apr. 12, 7 p.m., 240 S. Broad St., kimmelculturalcampus.org)

(Community / in-person / free) Listen and learn as three queer activists participate in a panel discussion on race, queerness, and activism in Philadelphia. The panel includes Hanae Mason from Black Lives Matter Philadelphia, Jorian Rivera-Veintidos from GALAEI: QTBIPOC Radical Social Justice, and Dionne Stallworth, co-founder of the Transgender Health Action Coalition. The conversation will be moderated by University of Pennsylvania Ph.D. candidate Kim Cardenas. (Free, Apr. 13, 4 p.m., 133 South 36th St., upenn.edu)

(Music / in-person / outdoors) Baseball season has begun, so why not outdoor concert season? The TD Pavilion at the Mann Center gets its first show of the year on Wednesday with a triple bill of bands who have all opted for unconventional methods of capitalization, punctuation, or spelling. It’s a copy editor’s nightmare with Leeds, England indie-rock band alt-J, Alaskan rock band Portugal. The Man, and L.A. trio Cherry Glazerr. ($42.50-$99, Apr. 13, 7 p.m., 5201 Parkside Ave., manncenter.org)

(Community / in-person / outdoors) It’s time to head back up and out — outside and up to the rooftop, that is. BOK reopens its outdoor rooftop bar for a season filled with food, drinks, fun activities, and skyline views. The rooftop will be open Wednesday through Sunday until Oct. 30 — and yes, dogs are allowed. (Apr. 14-Oct. 30, 1901 S. Ninth St., buildingbok.com)

(Art / in-person / community) Head to the Barnes for an evening of music, art and networking. DJs Oluwafemi and Corey Bernhard provide the soundtrack for your night. Your ticket includes a champagne toast and a sweet treat to end the night. ($15-$28, Apr. 14, 7-10 p.m., 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., barnesfoundation.org)

» READ MORE: Find the best kids events in our weekly kids calendar

(Food / in-person / fundraiser / multiday) Get ready to eat, shop and do some good in Montgomery county. This week, King of Prussia Restaurant Week will benefit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The event kicks off with a family block party at the KOP Towne Center on April 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. Then spend the week enjoying pre-fixe lunch and dinner menus from the 21 participating restaurants (Founding Farmers, Pizzeria Vetri, North Italia, and more). ($15-$50, through April 10, various locations, koprestaurantweek.com)

(Theater / virtual and in-person / multiday) Get ready for a week-long celebration of local theater and the arts. Philly Theater Week is made up of more than 80 shows at theater houses across the region with a mix of in-person and virtual events. ($15-$30, through Apr. 10, theatrephiladelphia.org)

(Food / in-person / multiday) Lunch and dinner just got tastier at Northern Liberties restaurants. More than a dozen restaurants serve pre-fixe lunch and dinner menus for just $15 to $35 depending on the spot. Dine indoors, outdoors, or take your food to go and know you’ll have a great meal from spots like El Camino Real, Apricot Stone, SET NoLibs, Standard Tap, and more. ($15-$35, through Apr. 10, various locations, explorenorthernliberties.org)

(Science / in-person / multiday / kid-friendly) Water up super close and from way far away, as interpreted by scientists, artists, and artist-scientists give viewers new insight to the everyday magic of two-thirds of our earth and 60% of our bodies. ($20-$22 adults, $16-$18 children, free for members and under age 2, through Apr. 17, times vary, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., ansp.org)

(Seasonal / in-person / multiday / free) Those of us feeling skittish about sending tots into a grabby, grass-top, egg-seeking free-for-alls can opt for a lower contact version of the Easter tradition. Like last year, South Street shops display (but also kind of hide) oversized 2D eggs made by local artists. Finders can snap a photo and post to Insta with #SouthStreetEggHunt and tag @southstreetphilly to enter to win gift cards. Ages 4+. (Free, through Apr. 17, between Front & Broad sts. on South St., southstreet.com)

(Seasonal / in-person / multiday / free) They’re back, those loveable, Day-Glo marshmallow bunnies and rabbits, displayed gathering around dinner tables, in courtyard gardens, at rock concerts, or formed into blossoms, transforming Peddler’s Village into a creative, walk-through Easter basket. Ages 2+. (Free, through April 24, 2400 State Rd., New Hope, peddlersvillage.com)

(Museum / in-person / multiday / kid-friendly) If your budding inventor is into marble runs, domino tricks, and the chain reactions that introduce most Dude Perfect episodes, they’ll surely enjoy a visit with drawings and wackily interactive contraptions inspired by cartoonist, engineer, and one-of-a-kind genius Rube Goldberg. Ages 2-12. ($19, $2 ACCESS cardholder, through May 8, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, pleasetouchmuseum.org)

(Museum / in-person / kid-friendly) From now through the end of May, get $5 off tickets to the Barnes Foundation and the Penn Museum. Start your day exploring work by Native artists at The Barnes’ Water, Wind, Breath exhibit, then make your way to the Penn Museum to check out the Native American Voices exhibition. ($5 off admission to both museums, through May 2022, 3260 South St. and 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., penn.museum)

(Education / virtual / multiday / kid-friendly / free) Through dad jokes, real talk, and superb listening, Mr. Maurice connects with his students — and connects students to each other. Each workshop appeals to specific audiences: Black boys, young teens, future entrepreneurs, sports fans, home cooks and more. Workshops teach some writing and lots of life lessons. Ages 8+ (Free, Jan 19, 20, 21-May. 26, 27, 28, mightywriters.org)

(Seasonal / in-person / multiday) For 228 years, the farm one hour’s drive up Broad Street from City Hall has raised crops. In more recent years, Hellerick’s has also raised agritainment-based fun with an obstacle course, ziplines, goat yoga, you-pick crops, party packages galore, and, new this season, a silo climbing wall. The farm is open on weekends only through Memorial Day. Ages 2+. (Prices vary, weekends only, through May 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., 5500 N. Easton Rd., Doylestown, hellericksfarm.com)

(Science / in-person / multiday) The Academy continues a year focused on water with an exhibit co-created by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Things that live and happen on the ocean floor — five-foot-long tubeworms, thermal vents, giant clams, iconic shipwrecks — could inspire kids to become the next Cousteau (and likely inspire grown-ups to rewatch The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou). Ages 5+. ($22 ages 13 and up, $19 senior, student, military, $18 ages 2-12, $2 ACCESS cardholder, free under age 2, through Jul. 24, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., ansp.org)

(Museum / in-person / multiday / kid-friendly) The museum version of J.K. Rowling’s juggernaut lets visitors choose their Hogwarts houses, explore Gringotts, Hogwarts, and the Forbidden Forest — but not record video. Timed tickets are good for museum admission up to two hours early. Ages 5 and up. ($43 ages 12-64, $41 senior and military, $39 ages 3-11; free ages 2 & under, evening tickets: $30, through Sept. 18, 222 N. 20th St., harrypotterexhibition.com)

(Art / in-person / outdoors / free) Magical Fantasy, a collection of bold and bright 3D art pieces by London-based artist Morag Myerscough, has transformed The Navy Yard into a colorful playground. Stop by to wander through the exhibit and escape into an abstract dreamland without leaving the city. (Free, through October, Broad St. and Constitution Ave., navyyard.org)

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