What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?

Subject: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 20 Jun 06 - 01:35 PM

A friend at work will be vacationing in Philadelphia, PA, 7/1-7/3. Can anyone recommend any concerts (of the Mudcat variety or classical) or other interesting music or non-music events happening there on those days?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GLoux
Date: 21 Jun 06 - 08:48 AM

check out wxpn events calendar. You can select July '06.

-Greg

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GLoux
Date: 21 Jun 06 - 08:49 AM

Actually, click on the Concerts button and select July '06.

-Greg

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 21 Jun 06 - 01:53 PM

Thanks Greg!

This site looks very helpful. I passed the information on to my friend, and I bookmarked it myself for my own future reference.

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Dave Ruch
Date: 21 Jun 06 - 04:54 PM

Here's a link to many acoustic music venues in the southeastern PA area surrounding Philly: http://www.sfmsfolk.org/links/folk_links.html#S-E

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Dave Ruch
Date: 21 Jun 06 - 04:56 PM

Even closer to Philly: http://www.sfmsfolk.org/links/reg_links.html#header

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 22 Jun 06 - 09:19 AM

Dave,

Thanks! Lots and lots of good links here.

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 05:28 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 09:48 PM

Hi, Zhenya:
I live in the area (though not in the city itself) and may be able to give you some additional info. Will your friend be visiting the city or a part of the suburbs? How far outside the city would he/she be willing to travel to see a good show -- and in what particular direction from the city? Bear in mind that there are also venues nearby in southern New Jersey and in Delaware, too.

I'll be back with some links for you in a few minutes!
Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 28 Jun 06 - 09:58 PM

Hi Sharon,

I think he was planning to mainly stay in the city itself, but I'll ask tomorrow at work. (and about the traveling outside the city as well.) Feel free to post the links now if you like, and I can show him everything at once. And thanks for your help!

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 12:06 AM

Okey-doke. As I search, I'm finding that a lot of venues I would've recommended don't have shows that weekend. My guess is that they don't draw a big audience then because of the holiday; lots of folks go out of town, to the seashore or up to the Pocono Mountains. But I did find quite a few events to choose from. Here we go...


FOLK STUFF

xpn.org 7/06 page
This is the WXPN (88.5 FM) calendar of area concerts for July 2006 -- a very good, comprehensive list of fine folk venues and their shows at a glance (some are in the city, some not). The "Tin Angel" venue, in particular, is recommended. In addition, we have...

5th Street Coffeehouse
5th Street Coffeehouse, in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Philadelphia -- if your friend is in town on Friday evening (June 30), he may want to check out their "Women's Singer-Songwriter Series" show that evening.

themermaidinn.net
The Mermaid Inn, Philadelphia -- a great venue for folk music in the city, though they don't list anything on their calendar for Saturday July 1, which is unusual. The open mike (on the 3rd) draws above-average performers!

John & Peter's
John & Peter's, New Hope, PA -- out of the city but worth the trip, not only for the venue but for the town of New Hope itself (lots of unusual shops to visit, or take the mule-drawn canal boat ride). J&P's has afternoon and evening shows on Saturday and Sunday. BUT CALL FIRST BEFORE YOU GO -- we've had a ton of rain in the area lately and New Hope is on the Delaware River so they may have gotten some flood damage -- make sure they're open before you make the trip.

godfreydaniels.org 7/06 page
Godfrey Daniels, Bethlehem, PA -- about an hour out of the city but again well worth the trip. This is one of THE folk venues in the area. What a shame your friend isn't coming here in August, when they close off the streets of downtown Bethlehem for a week for a huge music festival (see musikfest.org)


CLASSICAL STUFF, ETC.

Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA -- famous horticultural showcase (indoor and outdoor gardens everywhere!). A "pops" orchestra concert on July 1, a fireworks-and-fountains music show on July 2.

kimmelcenter.org calendar
The Kimmel Center, downtown Philly -- normally a lot of classical-music events to choose from, but slim pickin's in the summer. Right now they're showing the stage production of The Lion King.

princemusictheater.org
Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street, downtown Philly -- showing a "rock opera" stage show through July 2.

Sketch Comedy at Shubin Theater
Shubin Theater, south Philadelphia -- through July 2. (Some other theater events here)

More info on theater listings

Walnut Street Theater, downtown Philly

Whew! That's enough Googling for now. More venues to come, as soon as I think of them!
Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 12:55 AM

I should have mentioned the myriad events planned by the city of Philadelphia in celebration of the Independence Day holiday. Here is the site with the listings of events: www.americasbirthday.com/eventlistings.asp

Be sure to check the listings under EVERY date, because some of the events run for multiple days but are only listed under the starting date (with a note that says something like "daily through July 4th", for example).

And THEN there are the many museums in town (I don't know if your friend is interested in that). The Philadelphia Museum of Art is the most well-known, thanks to the Rocky movie (and no, the Rocky statue is NOT permanently displayed at the top of the museum steps, though the debate rages on over whether it should be). My personal fave is the Rodin Museum (you know, the guy who sculpted "The Thinker"), which is down the parkway from the Philly Museum. If your friend's intrigued by archaeology, then the University of Pennsylvania Museum is the place to go. Here are two good lists of area museums:

One

Two

Neither lists the most bizarre one around:
The Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA (plus nearby Fonthill, the home of the guy who built the Mercer Museum). Both are early examples of reinforced-concrete construction, both designed by the eccentric Henry Chapman Mercer, and both are really strange. Fonthill was featured on the A&E channel series "America's Castles" and has long been nicknamed "the concrete castle". Mercer housed his collection of folk art and 19th century artifacts in the museum, and the structure is as interesting as its contents if not more so. A must-see for any fan of weird Americana.

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GLoux
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 08:51 AM

Sorry that this is not about music, but...

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has an incredible exhibit of Andrew Wyeth's work that is in its last few weeks. In my opinion, it is an overwhelming collection of his life's work.

The Franklin Institute and the Academy of Natural Sciences are also nearby.

-Greg

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 09:05 AM

Greg: Zhenya did ask for non-music stuff as well as music-related events, so why not? The Brandywine River Museum dedicates a lot of their permanent-exhibit space to the art of the Wyeths as well (not just Andrew). Currently they have an exhibit of Andrew's drawings. There's also an exhibit of 19th century "sailors' valentines" and art objects made from the shells they brought home.

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GLoux
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 09:18 AM

SharonA, you're right...we should also recommend that she call the Brandywine River Museum first if she's interested in going. The Brandywine flooded this week and may have impacted the museum.

-Greg

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 09:23 AM

True enough, Greg. Zhenda, your friend should check first wherever he plans to go, since Philly sits where the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers meet and there may be quite a few places impacted by flooding. Tell him to pack his waders too, just in case!

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 01:41 PM

Wow, Sharon, thanks so much for taking the time to put this list together! I passed it on to my friend this morning, and he was very appreciative of it. I'm going to spend time looking at all these items myself as well. I see I'm going to have to plan my own trip to Philadelphia!

Greg, thank you as well - the non-music events are indeed welcome! This way, my friend can put together a good mix of musical and non-musical events.

Thanks, also, for the flood warnings - I hope the two of you haven't been badly affected by this.

Many thanks for all these good suggestions!

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 06:59 PM

Telling Mudcatters following this thread isn't a public notice, so:

we are hosting a music party this weekend in Oxford PA and I hope that at least some of those posting (Gloux and family) will be there. So you already know some of us!

Should you decide to come, email me at [e-mail] for detailed directions. We're about 30 minutes past the Brandywine Museum and 20 minutes past Longwood Gardens.

And we're pretty far away from streams and rivers-- closest is the Brandywine, which is now back within its banks. "The water's receded the danger is past"

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GLoux
Date: 29 Jun 06 - 09:13 PM

Pete,

We're planning on coming down on Sunday. You guys got out of Riegelsville at the right time, didn't you? You and Kellie are now "Anchored in Oxford"...

-Greg

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 06:44 PM

Zhenya, you are very welcome! Hope your friend enjoys his visit. If and when you do come visit Philly, PM me and let me know. Depending on the time of year, there are more events I can recommend... and, of course, it would be nice to meet you!

Pete, thanks for the open invitation. By "weekend", do you mean Saturday and Sunday, or the "holiday weekend" encompassing Monday July 3rd and Tuesday July 4th? I may be able to travel down there on Sunday, and Monday is definitely open. I'll email you for directions, just in case.

The current thread asking folks to name Mudcatters they've met has made me realize how few I've met! So I think I ought to work on meeting more of the ones in my area, at the very least.

Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 30 Jun 06 - 10:59 PM

My friend Jim is off to Philadelphia tomorrow morning with all your suggestions in hand. I'm curious myself to find out what he actually gets to. (If he brings back any good stories, I'll post them here.)

We're in NYC, not too far off, so hopefully I'll get to meet everyone at some point. Meanwhile, your generous help has truly been appreciated!

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 02 Jul 06 - 11:18 AM

The party is in full flow at the moment (Sunday 11 AM) and we are about to start the Sunday morning gospel sing with much attention to the Carter Family body of work. Things will go at least through tomorrow with a few hangers-on staying till Tuesday. . .

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 03 Jul 06 - 10:17 AM

Pete: I just sent you an email asking for directions. Hope you see the message in time for me to go there!

Last evening I chatted with someone who had been at your party on Saturday. Sounds like a good time is being had by all!

Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 12 Jul 06 - 11:52 PM

*refresh*

Never did get a reply from Pete. Ah, well, hopefully I'll hear from him sometime before NEXT year's party!

Anyway, I wonder whatever happened with Zhenya's co-worker. Zhenya, what did your friend end up doing while he was in these parts over the Independence Day holiday weekend?

Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 12:03 AM

Hi Sharon,

I never followed up with the thread because my friend told me he never actually got to any of the thread related events. I only got to talk to him briefly about it and then we were interrupted, and then I forgot later on to ask about what he actually did there. (He probably mentioned some things, but I don't recall them right now.) I'll check in with him at work tomorrow and let you know where he did end up.

Please don't think your postings were in vain! Although I have no immediate plans to visit Phila., I saved all of this information and hope to get there at a future date - and these will be the first things I look to do there!

To be continued...

Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: Zhenya
Date: 13 Jul 06 - 02:33 PM

Hi again Sharon,

I checked with my friend about his visit to Philadelphia. He said he did a lot of touristy type things, and also went to what appeared to be a holiday related event on Market Street. He said there were lots of booths set up, and a large blues/jazz type of band playing. He felt he should have known who they were, but he wasn't sure, but he doesn't think it was an obscure group. He mentioned eating at a restaurant called Cuba Libre. He spent some time just walking around getting a feel for the neighborhoods.

Ok, I guess that's about it.
Zhenya

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 01:09 AM

Hi, Zhenya:
Thanks for the update! Yep, Philadelphia does have some great restaurants. Interesting neighborhoods, too, but ya gotta watch which ones you "just walk around" in; it's not exactly crime-free down there. It would be too ironic to survive NYC just to get yourself shot in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time in Philly.

Anyway, I'm glad your friend had a good time! Let us know when you decide to come visit, and we can update the list of "things to do" links!

Sharon

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 09:18 AM

Hi Sharon--
I'm sorry that I didn't see your 7/3 posting in time to reply in a timely fashion. Things got busy, as they often do at a party. . . please email me again and I'll make sure you know about other parties at this location. We had so much fun we're already trying to think about the next one. . .

Subject: RE: What's on in Philadelphia 7/1/06-7/3/06?
From: SharonA
Date: 14 Jul 06 - 11:14 AM

OK, Pete. Sending an email to you now!

Sharon