The best things to do in Philadelphia this week

Explore all of the best things to do in and around Philadelphia: from upcoming events and art installations to the most picturesque date spots, we share all you need to know to make the most out of your week in Philly.

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

(Community) You’ve seen a variety show before, but what about a fur-iety show? Come see a troupe of one-of-a-kind trained rescue house cats but on the ultimate performance. These cats do it all from skateboarding to jumping through hoops. Proceeds from the show supports Rock Cats Rescue.

⌚️ Sept. 4-7, 📍480 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, Pa, 19146, 🌐 rockcatsrescue.org, 💵 $25-75

(Community) Big deals and a good time are coming to Baltimore Avenue. Local businesses and vendors will be along the avenue offering $1, $3 and $5 deals on food and merchandise along the avenue. Plus, there will be tons of programming and live performances to keep you and the whole family entertained.

⌚️Sept. 5, 5-8p.m. 📍Baltimore Avenue between 40th St. and 51st St., Philadelphia, Pa, 🌐 universitycity.org, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

(Community) The only thing better than making delicious pasta? Getting to eat it, too. This class brings you the best of both worlds, teaching you to make pasta by hand, followed by a family style pasta dinner. Dinner will include your delicious pasta, plus salad, homemade bread, a seasonal vegetable and dessert. Beverages are BYOB.

⌚️ Sept. 6, 7-9p.m., 📍5401 Tacony St BLDG 39, Philadelphia, Pa, 19137, 🌐 culinarycollective.co, 💵 $125

(Community) The Birds aren’t playing at home but that doesn’t mean we can’t gather to cheer them on. Head to Brauhaus Schmitz for an epic watch party complete with delicious food, a great beer selection and a 20-foot projection screen to watch the game.

⌚️Sept. 6, 7p.m., 📍718 South St., Philadelphia, Pa, 19147, 🌐 instagram.com, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

(Community) Add a little sweetness into your weekend and join in a variety of festivities in celebration of the honey bee. This event includes delicious honey tastings, a beer and mead garden, extraction presentations and more. You’ll also get to shop from local vendors including Random Tea Room, Mirthras Candles and more.

⌚️Sept. 7, 10a.m. - 4p.m., 📍6026 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, Pa, 19144, 🌐 wyck.org, 💵 Free Entry

(Community) Celebrating the end of the summer season with a fun, family-friendly festival. Spend the day shopping from more than 30 local vendors, playing games and eating delicious bites from your favorite food trucks, while listening to live music.

⌚️Sept. 7, 12-7p.m., 📍1700-1900 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, Pa, 19130, 🌐 https://sgcaphilly.com, 💵 Pay-as-you-go

(Community) Everyone is welcome to enjoy a day of free fishing on the Schuykill River, and a little friendly competition. No fishing license is required during the fishing competition and fishing gear will be available for use on a first-come, first-served basis.

⌚️Sept. 7, 7-11a.m., 📍Walnut Street Dock, Philadelphia, Pa, 19103, 🌐 schuylkillbanks.org, 💵 Free

(Community) Photography lovers, this festival is for you. Head to Cherry Street Pier to shop amazing photography books at the Photo Book fair, listen to artist talks and join in book signings. Plus, grab your own camera and enjoy a photo walk around Old City.

⌚️ Sept. 7, 10:30a.m. - 7p.m., 📍121 N. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, Pa, 19103, 🌐 cherrystreetpier.com, 💵Pay-as-you-go

(Community) Go Birds, but also, go words! Come see Philly’s best (... or worst) punslingers compete for groans and glory at It’s Always Punny in Philadelphia, the city’s first and only wordplay competition, at Helium Comedy Club. Catch three thrilling rounds: pun-filled stand-up routines, a newspaper headline challenge, and a head-to-head improvised pun-off.

⌚️Sept. 28, 4:30 p.m., 📍Helium Comedy Club, 2031 Sansom Street, Philadelphia Pa., 19103, 🌐philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com, 💵 $10-$18

The outdoor fun continues with a Chinatown block party, open studio in South Philly, outdoor movies and activities at Sister Cities, and a giant bouncy house in Cherry Hill.

(Art / free) South Street’s Magic Gardens are just the tip of artist Isaiah Zagar’s public (and private) mosaics. Several blocks south, a small block hosts another massive tile collage facade inside, a warehouse-y space open for community exploration and ideation. All ages.

⌚Sept. 5, 5-8 p.m. and Sept. 7, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 📍1002 Watkins St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19148, 🌐 phillymagicgardens.org , 💵 Free

(Movies / multiday / free) Thanks to Sister Cities Park, there’s no need to splurge to take the fam to Friday night movies this month. As long as it’s a nice evening, pack a picnic and a blanket, and head for Logan Square for Kung-Fu Panda 4 (Sept. 6), Trolls Band Together (Sept. 13), Shrek (Sept. 20), and Migration (Sept. 27). Ages 5 and up.

⌚Sept. 6, 13, 20, 27, 7 p.m., 📍18th St. and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 🌐 centercityphila.org, 💵 Free

(Bouncing / multiday) The self-proclaimed world’s biggest bounce park — 25,000 square feet — has popped up in the parking lot near the Cherry Hill Mall JCPenney for long weekends of 80-minute play sessions. The big, bright inflated venue, with setups named things like “marshmallow mountain” and “ninja wall” is not just fun. It’s also entirely Instagrammable. BYO grip socks, or buy a pair there. Ages 3 and up.

⌚Sept. 6-Oct. 20 Fridays, 3-7:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m, 📍2000 N. Rte. 38, Cherry Hill, NJ, 08002, 🌐funbox.com, 💵 $19 this weekend, $28 thereafter

(Outdoors / multiday / free) Saturday mornings in September at Sister Cities Park offers hour-long programming, starting with boat building with Pop Up Play, continuing with Spanish lessons, storytime, and musical movement. Ages 0-5.

⌚Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28, 11 a.m.-noon, 📍18th St. and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103, 🌐 centercityphila.org, 💵 Free

(Seasonal / free) Rail Park presents a music-centric afternoon to highlight the gem of a park and gem of a neighborhood. All ages.

⌚Sept. 7, 1-4 p.m., rain date: Sept. 8,📍Noble and N. Broad sts., Philadelphia, Pa. 19123, 🌐 asianartsinitiative.org , 💵 Free

(Music / free) Last chance to take in Parkside Pop-Up Place Space with MIC’d U and food trucks serving kabobs and ice cream all the way from Malvern. All ages.

⌚Sept. 8, 5-8 p.m., 📍Parkside Ave. & W. Memorial Hall Dr., Philadelphia, Pa. 19131, 🌐 myphillypark.org, 💵Free

(Science / multiday) If you and the kids enjoy Worlde, Tiles, or puzzle books, you’ll likely love the 60-some cerebral challenges, including 2-D and 3-D mazes made of ropes, colors, music — even DIY mazes — at the Franklin Institute’s newest exhibit.

⌚June 8-Dec. 1, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.📍222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19103, 🌐 fi.edu, 💵 $21-$25; $2 ACCESS cardholder

(Dinosaurs / garden / multiday) An elegant Chestnut Hill botanical enclave has declared the coming months the “Summer of Dinos” at Morris Arboretum featuring a self-guided tour of prehistoric-related plants, an expansive outdoor toy train setup featuring fantastic Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Velociraptor, etc. made out of bark, and a “paleontologist’s cottage” with fossil-digging capabilities. Ages 2 and up.

⌚May 25-Sept. 30, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends, 📍100 E. Northwestern Ave., Philadelphia, Pa., 19118 🌐 morrisarboretum.org , 💵$20 adult, $18 ages 65 and up, $10 ages 3-17, free under age 3 and member