Plan the perfect weekend with our picks!

 

Click here for ongoing events that run through the weekend.

 

All Weekend

Spruce Street Harbor Park Fall Fest

September 22—23

301 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard

 

SSHP closes out the season with a weekend of fall fun, including live music, farmers market and apple cider press, face painting, crafts, pumpkin carving, and more. For adults, there will be a wide variety of seasonal brews too!

 ‘Thomas and Friends: Explore the Rails!’ Opens at Please Touch Museum

September 22, 2018—January 6, 2019

4231 Avenue of the Republic

 

The long-awaited Thomas and Friends exhibit arrives at Please Touch Museum with plenty of train-themed fun, photo ops, imaginative play, and valuable STEM lessons along the way!

‘Aladdin, Jr.’ at Walnut Street Theatre

September 22, 10:30 am, 1 pm, 3:30 pm; and September 23, 11 am

825 Walnut St.

 

Based on the beloved Disney animated film and hit Broadway show, Aladdin, Jr. is filled with magic, thrills, and music the whole family will enjoy.

Citizen Science Lab

September 22–23, 11 am, 1 pm, and 3:30 pm

Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd.

 

The Citizen Science Lab at Independence Seaport Museum hosts hands-on, interactive experiences for the whole family centered around water, with a focus on the Delaware River’s biology, ecology and chemistry, plus language arts, history and basic engineering.

Saturday

Free Museum Day!

September 22

 

In honor of Smithsonian Museum Day, museums and cultural institutions throughout the city offer free admission. See our rundown, including links to free tickets, here!

Latinx Community Day at Schuylkill Center

September 22, 10 am—2 pm

8480 Hagy’s Mill Road

 

Play, explore, and discover the beauty of nature in an outdoor family festival celebrating Latinx culture. Families of all backgrounds are welcome for canoeing, games, bilingual guided hikes, live music, arts and crafts, and live animal shows, with a food truck on hand to fuel the fun.

PCOM Wellness Fest

September 22, 10 am—3 pm

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, 4170 City Avenue

 

PCOM is hosting a fun-filled afternoon of free educational activities and entertainment. Kids will enjoy storytimes, face painting, caricatures, balloon art, bouncy houses, and a visit from the Vetri Community Partnership’s Mobile Teaching Kitchen (10:30 am—1pm). The event will also have free fitness classes, food trucks, healthcare screenings, and more.

Arden Theatre Bookworms: ‘Caps for Sale’

September 22, 10—10:45 am

62 N. Second Street

 

Kids age 2-4 and their caregivers will enjoy the silly classic Caps for Sale and then use theater games, music, and creative movement to bring the story to life.

The Geography Lady at Little Moon + Arrow

September 22, 10—10:45 am

729 S. Fourth Street

 

Join the Geography for a special Saturday program. Geared towards children ages 5-7, they’ll learn about the world through pictures, stories, games, snacks, and an environmentally friendly craft.

PNC Grow Up Great Free Concert at the Kimmel Center

September 22, 11 am

Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St.

 

During this monthly interactive kids’ concert in Commonwealth Plaza, kids learn the basics of jazz, musical theater, and more. Dancing is highly encouraged, and every performance ends with a little parade around the Kimmel Center’s lobby to “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

Fringe Festival presents: ‘Music for Children and Other Curious People’

September 22, 11 am

Children’s Community School, 1212 S 47th St.

 

“Curious: Think Outside the Pipeline” tells the musical story of Clio and her sibling Taylor as they strive to organize their town. With the help of a songful community, a dancing pencil, and you, dear audience, they strive for big change, even in the face of some bigger, more powerful people. Tickets available online.

Fall Festival and Arts and Crafts Show

September 22, 11 am—4 pm

Pennypack Environmental Center

 

Enjoy an afternoon of seasonal games, pumpkin painting, apple cidering, crafts, and more. Admission is free, activities are pay as you go (typically $0.25 to $1.00). Food and pumpkins will also be available for sale.

Seafarin’ Saturday

September 22, 11 am—1 pm

Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd.

 

Kids can learn about the layers of the ocean and how light impacts life under the surface, and create their own ocean in a bottle.

Saturday Free Boating at Bartram’s Garden

September 22, 11 am—3 pm

Bartram’s Gardens’ Community Boathouse, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd.

 

Bartram’s Garden will provide the boats, life jackets and basic instruction. Choose from a kayak (for 30 minutes) or rowboat (for 45 minutes). No experience is necessary. All ages are welcome, but minors must be accompanied by an adult.

Philly AIDS Thrift Block Party

September 22, noon—6 pm

710 S. Fifth St., Philadelphia

 

Enjoy celebrity dunk tank, moon bounce, games, food trucks, face painting, carnival games, magicians, dancing in the streets, shopping, a pie eating contest and more. There will also be entertainment in the form of a DJ spinning tunes, sword swallowing with MacKenzie Moltov, circus performance by Squidling Brothers, live music, a mini-Halloween parade, and other surprises.

PHIT Family Time

September 22, noon—1 pm

2030 Sansom St., Philadelphia

 

Philly Improv Theater’s family-friendly weekly show features a different variety of comedy, from improv to sketch, stand up to magic, clowning to music, and more! Each show will be high energy, fast paced and totally goofy fun for all ages. And you can bring your own snacks!

Jewelers’ Row District Fall Block Party

September 22, noon—5 pm

Sansom Street, between Seventh and Eighth Streets

 

Welcome the fall season with games, entertainment, food and drinks, and family-friendly activities for all ages.

LGBTQ Teen Café

September 22, 1:30–4 pm

Tacony Library, 6742 Torresdale Avenue

 

Teens can come play games, do crafts, eat snacks, learn something new, and meet new friends in a safe supportive space.

iLuminate

September 22, 2 pm and 7:30 pm

Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.

 

This dance group of America’s Got Talent fame wears electrified glow-in-the-dark suits while performing dynamic routines and illusions on a darkened stage! It is truly a unique experience.

Babysitting Afternoon at Lilypad

September 22, 3—6 pm

1234 S. Broad St.

 

Drop the kids off for the afternoon and have some adult time! Registration required.

 

Sunday

Access to Science: Opening Doors to Autism

September 23, 9—11 am

Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway

 

Children on the autism spectrum and their families are invited to experience the museum before the crowds. Pre-registration is required (same-day registration is available onsite). If you would like to attend, call 215-299-1060 or email ANS_reservations@drexel.edu.

Easy Like Sunday Art Class

September 23, 10:30 am

PlayArts, 1241 N. Front Street

 

This drop-in, unstructured art class is for kids age 5 and younger.

Family Festival: Sukkot

September 23, 11 am—5 pm

Please Touch Museum, 4231 Avenue of the Republic

 

Celebrate the Jewish holiday of Sukkot by building sukkahs, singing songs, and reflecting on nature. The museum will even have a Sukkah all week in the garden that you can visit and decorate.

Eagles Game on the Big Screen at Schmidt’s Commons

September 23, 1—4 pm

1001 N. Second St.

 

E-A-G-L-E-S! Come out and watch the Eagles take on the Colts on the big screen!

Sundays on Stage: The Principles of Hip Hop

September 23, 2 pm

Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine Street

 

Using dance, interactive lecture, and audience participation, the dancers of Hip Hop Fundamentals explores hip hop’s rich cultural history and how underserved inner-city youth changed the world.