“July is a blind date with summer.”

 — American Writer Hal Borland (1900 to 1978)

July is hot yet it’s known as the chill month. If it had a middle name, it would be called R&R for Rest and Relaxation. And if July were a summer novel, the words would jump off of the pages. Here are some no-cost or low-cost events -- featuring fathers, families, music, and salsa dancing -- to keep you riveted to the next chapter of hot (or chill) summer entertainment.

 

Family First & Foremost At FunTimes’ Black Families Event

Thursday, July 25, 2024. The daily challenges and joys of family life impact many of us. That’s why FunTimes Magazine thought a virtual event, Exploring the Many Faces of Black Families Today, during National Black Family Month (observed in July) would be topical. The session will focus on family values, traditions, parenting styles, work-family balance, family dynamics, and traditional and unconventional families. FunTimes has called on two accomplished experts, Annette Deigh and Joel Austin, to lead the enlightening discussion: Deigh is a therapist and clinical supervisor at Boundary Span LLC and a member of the Alliance of Black Social Workers. She is an educator and training consultant. Austin is the founder-president and CEO of Daddy University Inc., the oldest male-parenting company in the United States. His group is an advocate and provides fathers with resources and training. Join educator-singer-author and multi-media host Lavonne Nichols for this engaging learning experience that keeps it all in the family. Free, noon to 1 p.m. EST. Zoom live. Register here.

Make The Music…

Giving Rising Literary And Musical Artists The Stage

Thursday, July 11, 2024. Check out the next presentation of the "Ink & Sound Unleashed," series featuring a riveting lineup of emerging inspirational authors and musicians. Take part in engaging discussions and vibe to soul-stirring music. Authors LaQuanda McCoullum and A.B. Bracewell, noted personal development professionals, will share their insights and stories of resilience and empowerment. Moving from prose to melodies, enjoy the songs of “Triumph and Transformation” performed by Noe Feliz and "The Authentic.” Said event host Lavonne Nichols, founder of the Ink & Sound Unleashed series: "This event is a celebration of voices that need to be heard, offering an opportunity for our community to come together and be uplifted." Doors open at 6 p.m. EST; show time: 8:30 p.m. EST. $20 in advance; $25 at the door. The Lounge at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St. 215-222-1400 or worldcafelive.org. 

Step Out For Some Salsa

Friday, July 12, 2024. Mambo, Pechanga, rumba…Every season is salsa season. Especially in the summertime. Swing your hips down to LOVE Park in Center City for Siempre Salsa Philly Presents Salsa & Bachata Dance Party. A dance lesson led by Dance Republic kicks off the lively night featuring some of the mejor (the best) salsa bands and Latin DJs around. Free, 7 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST. For all ages and dance skill levels. LOVE Park, 15th Street and JFK Blvd. E-mail: [email protected], 215-910-2200 or creativephl.org.

Meet Me At ‘The Oval’…

Sunday, July 14, 2024. Celebrate the Parkway! Is just one of many events in a sizzling summer schedule of nonstop entertainment at The Oval on Philadelphia’s iconic Ben Franklin Parkway known for its culture and big events. Get lost in an afternoon of family fun that celebrates the Parkway as part of one of the United States’ largest landscaped urban parks. Explore a garden bar at the Rodin Museum and the Barnes on the Block carnival. Top that off with mini golf, a beer garden, fare from food trucks, and live music. It is presented by The Oval programming hosted by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, which presents activities like movie nights throughout the summer, starting Thursday, July 11 to Sunday, August 25, 2024.  Vibe to the live musicians and dancers curated by Philly’s own SNACKTIME. The next live performances will be July 13th featuring rapper and record producer Ivy Sole, from 8 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST. Check out Community Yoga on Thursdays, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. EST, Sunday Quizzo on Sundays, from 5 p.m. EST to 7 p.m., and movie nights on Fridays at 8 p.m. with The Little Mermaid on Friday, July 12. Celebrate the Parkway is free, from noon to 5 p.m. EST. Most of the activities at The Oval are also free, Thursdays: 4 p.m. EST to 9 p.m. EST; Fridays: 4 p.m. EST to 11 p.m. EST; Saturdays: Noon 11 p.m. EST, and Sundays: Noon to 9 p.m. EST. Mini golf: $5 for adults, free for kids. Eakins Oval, 25th Street and The Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 215-683-3600 or phila.gov, parkwaycouncil.org or barnesfoundation.org.

8k Run/Walk Helps Anti-Human Trafficking Programs

Sunday, July 13, 2024. The grim facts are that 49.6 million people are victims of human trafficking in the world; 12 million of them are children, and more than half of those enslaved are females. With a theme of “Advocacy and Awareness,” She’s My Sister -- Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church’s Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry -- is doing something about this terrible crime of modern-day slavery and human exploitation. For the 10th year, it will host the She’s My Sister Walk/Run stretching about 5 miles. It’s an opportunity for you to get a bit of exercise while assisting a critical cause. Enon’s She’s My Sister ministry and its partner, the Salvation Army, serve women seeking refuge to help them “move from victims to survivors.” Proceeds benefit the Salvation Army’s New Day to Stop Trafficking Program and Hannah’s House Inc. Registration: $40. 7:30 a.m. EST. The kick-off is at 230 W. Coulter to the finish line at 2800 W. Cheltenham Ave. 215-267-7200 or [email protected].

Recognizing Fathers…

Wednesday, July 24, 2024. U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that about one in four children in America are living without the guidance of fathers. Community awareness events can be effective at addressing this issue. That’s why Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr. and community organizations will host the Dads Do Dope Things Summer Mixer. The event will highlight the impact of prominent fathers and father figures in the community and the importance of parenting. A father from the community who has made strides in family reunification after addiction recovery treatment will be recognized, as well as G. Lamar Stewart, Chief of the Community Engagement Unit in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office; Bilal Abdul Qayyum, President of the Father’s Day Rally Committee, and Steven Taylor, owner of Ubuntu Art Gallery. The event will include networking opportunities, health screenings, participation by small businesses, and free community resources; fathers who attend will get a gift. 5:30 p.m. EST to 8:30 p.m. EST, $15-$20; a limited amount of free tickets available on a first-come-first served basis. 4th District Container Village, 4862-70 Parkside Ave. E-mail: [email protected] or dadsdodopethings.eventbrite.com.

Cara Schneider Bongiorno and with Jocelyn Jones

Keeping up with the Joneses

Tuesday, July 16,2024. This is not your typical one–hour high school history lesson. Learn all about Marquis de Lafayette at a Philly History Popup with special guest Jocelyn Jones.  She will join host Cara Schneider Bongiorno and share the remarkable story of researching her great-great-great-great grandfather — a free, African-American colonial toolmaker, who served in the Continental Army and was in the presence of both U.S. President George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette was a French aristocrat, a general in the American Revolutionary War, and a leader of the Garde nationale during the French Revolution. Learn about how Jones began the research about her family’s place in history, and what it revealed about her heritage. In 1824-25, Marquis de Lafayette revisited the United States, the burgeoning country that he assisted during the American Revolution in 1777. One of Lafayette connections to Philadelphia was that he was greeted heroically at Independence Hall.  Free, 6 p.m. EST to 7 p.m. EST. Corinthian Gardens, 2050 Brown St. in Fairmount.  Enter the garden on Brown Street near Corinthian Avenue alongside the Eastern State Penitentiary. Register in advance: phillyhistorypopups.com.