🏞️ Swim in these tranquil lakes and rivers near Philly | Things to Do

It’s been a wild news week for Philadelphia’s arts and culture scene, from the abrupt and chaotic closure of the University of the Arts to the drama unfolding behind the scenes at the Free Library of Philadelphia, where it looked like all upcoming author events were canceled — it was actually the result of the events team resigning en masse. Catch up on our coverage of the UArts crisis that forced an immediate shutdown, and how it’s impacting hundreds of arts students and faculty across the city.

There’s a ton of fun to find this weekend, from swimming in nearby lakes and rivers, to dancing at the Odunde Festival, to hearing the Philadelphia Orchestra perform La bohème.

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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If Jersey beaches and local pools aren’t your favorite places to swim, you’re in luck: There are some amazing and tranquil natural swimming spots near Philadelphia. Many also feature other outdoor activities like kayaking, biking, horseback riding, and tubing. Grab your hiking shoes and head to Brandywine River, French Creek State Park, Nockamixon State Park, or another great spot.

🪘 Party on South Street: The massive Odunde Festival — one of the biggest African American street fests in the country — is back this Sunday with two stages of live music, 15 blocks of arts, crafts, and food vendors, and a procession along the Schuylkill dedicated to the Yoruba river goddess Oshun. Here’s what to know before you go.

🎶 Romance in the air: Hear the soaring music of Puccini’s La bohème in a special show from the Philadelphia Orchestra. It’s one of the must-see shows of the season recommended by Inquirer classical music critic Peter Dobrin: “The vocal cast for this favorite is superb: Nicole Car as Mimi, Stephen Costello as Rodolfo, Leah Hawkins as Musetta, and Christian Van Horn in the role of Colline,” he wrote in our Spring Arts Guide. “But there’s another star of Puccini’s score that is just as rare as a great Mimi, and that’s the orchestra. To have the power and polish of the Philadelphia Orchestra with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in this concert version of the opera promises an experience on a higher plane.” Get tickets here.

⚾ London calling: The Phillies are in London this weekend to play the Mets in a regular season series. Keep up with the action at these Philly bars offering watch parties for both games.

🪟 Quick bite: La Cucina at the Market, which runs a demo kitchen downtown near Reading Terminal Market, this week opened a takeout window specifically dedicated to gnocchi. Philly, meet the new Gnocchi on Arch.

🔔 What’s that sound?: Friday is National Gun Violence Awareness Day and Penn Live Arts has organized a citywide sound installation to mark the occasion. At 1 p.m., several organizations and faith institutions will participate in a Toll the Bell vigil service, ringing bells in various neighborhoods to call for peace. The vigil service begins at the Annenberg Center with a performance from Philadelphia poet laureate Kai Davis and live music acts.

👠 Not a drag: A new exhibit in nearby Hammonton, N.J., celebrates drag culture and history in the South Jersey region, showcasing fashion, performers, photography, and artwork — including a highlight of Philly drag queen Maddy Milan. The free show runs through Sept. 29 at the Noyes Museum of Art at Stockton University Galleries at Kramer Hall.

🍻 Happiest hour: This week, Center City SIPS kicked off its 20th annual season, with happy hour discounts running at various bars and restaurants downtown on Wednesdays all summer long. Here’s what you need to know.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, West Park Arts Festival, Philly Beer Week.

Continue the Pride celebrations this Saturday with Queerapalooza, a family-friendly block party and music festival on Pine Street in front of Giovanni’s Room. The sunny forecast means it’ll be great weather to enjoy the packed lineup of local queer bands and DJs, emceed by WXPN legend Robert Drake. Catch Tony and The Kiki, Samantha Rise, Marcus G., Icon Ebony Fierce, and more. Plus, check out the arts and crafts vendors. Best part? Dancing in the street is encouraged.

🚣 Adventure time: It’s the best season to get outside and find incredible experiences in nature — and I know just where you should start. The Inquirer is bringing back our free Outdoorsy newsletter, where you can receive guides to everything from camping to hiking and more. Sign up here.

🚌 New sights: Have you seen this new tourist bus in the city yet? Tea Around Town takes sightseers around Philadelphia while they enjoy a British afternoon tea. We tried it out.

🍰 Just a slice: If you’re hankering for something sweet, New Jersey bakery Classic Cake has reopened its Cherry Hill location after suffering fire damage four years ago. See what’s new and delicious.

🍹 Hey bartender: The one and only Jason Kelce will be back at the bar at Sea Isle City this summer and we’ve got all the details.

🍵 Spot of tea: There’s nothing like a great tea, and the recently opened Karak Cha House delivers a new spot dedicated to chai, board games, and late-night eats in University City.

Dan DeLuca breaks down the best shows to see this weekend (and next week!):

🎵 Friday: There’s a double bill times two at the Ardmore Music Hall on Friday. Songwriters Will Sheff of Okkervil River, who named his band softer a Tatyana Tolstaya short story, and Peter Silberman of the Antlers are teaming up for a Free at Noon performance at Ardmore Music Hall during the day. Then they’ll do it again at night, with each singer-guitarist playing a “solo-ish” set with some accompaniment, followed by a team-up set to close the show.

🎵 Friday: Say She She — the nuevo disco trio of British singer Piya Malik and Yanks Sabrina Mileo Cunningham and Nya Gazelle Brown — are singing at Concerts Under The Stars in King of Prussia on Friday. Their sophomore album Silver is a dance party delight and their band name is an homage to 1970s disco great Chic, a play on the lyric “Le Freak ... C’est Chic!” Get it?

🎵 Friday and Saturday: Boston punk cabaret band Dresden Dolls have been on hiatus more often than not since the Weimar Republic stylized duo of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione first rose to fame in the mid-00s. But now pianist Palmer has put her various projects aside and the Dolls are back together. They’re playing Union Transfer Friday and Saturday night.

🎵 Saturday and Sunday: When not producing the Eagles Christmas albums or touring as The War on Drugs drummer, Charlie Hall can be counted on to gather together Philadelphia’s finest musicians for projects of an experimental bent. Last year, he made a terrific album of immersive ambient music called Invisible Ink. He’ll be leading an outstanding ensemble features three of his War on Drugs bandmates, plus singer Rosali, drummer Nazir Ebo, percussionist Daniel Villareal, and keyboardist Corey Bernhardt. They’re playing seated shows at Solar Myth on Saturday and Sunday.

🎵 Sunday: Members of the 1990s Philly alternative band Dandelion will reunite on Sunday for a show in memory of lead singer Kevin Morpurgo, who died in 2023, at Broken Goblet Brewing in Bensalem. The lineup includes original members of the band whose 1993 album I Think I’m Gonna Be Sick was released on Conshohocken’s Ruffhouse Records, including Kevin’s brother Mike Morpurgo on bass. Marcus Durant of the Detroit Cobras will step in for vocals. The show is a benefit for Good Grief, which supports families who have lost a loved one.

🎵 Tuesday: Yes, Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones will be gathering no moss at the Linc on Tuesday, a full 59 years after they first played Convention Hall in University City.

Fun fact: The Stones opening number at that May 1, 1965 show was their cover of “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love‚” written by West Philly’s own all-time great soul singer Solomon Burke.

But I digress. The point is that Jagger is not the only first-generation octogenarian British Invasion front man in town this week. The night before the Stones brings their Hackney Diamonds tour to South Philly, Roger Daltrey of the Who will be playing a solo show at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside.

This weekend, a new Shyamalan horror movie opens in theaters — but it’s not M. Night. Meet Ishana Night Shyamalan, one of the legendary director’s daughters, whose own directorial debut, The Watchers, releases this Friday. (Look out for my interview with her, publishing soon!) In the meantime, I’m revisiting my recent ranking of every M. Night Shyamalan film, when I learned that some Inquirer staffers disagreed with me about which was the worst (I chose After Earth, several said Avatar: The Last Airbender) and which was underrated (I hated Lady in the Water but some folks found the harsh criticism unfair). What’s your favorite or least favorite Shyamalan movie? Will you be seeing The Watchers? Let me know!

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This week, I’ve been working on a new summer playlist. What are your favorite new songs of the summer? Let me know!