Learn about Elizabeth Acevedo and her powerful new book, Anger is Only a Shadow at a community reading, conversation, and book signing at Taller Puertorriqueño on November 20th. See the event entry “Book Your Calendar For Elizabeth Acevedo’s Philly Launch” (below).
There’s Easter, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas. But no holiday is as sweet on candy as autumn’s annual treat of Halloween. Just ask any kid…or any kid at heart. Here are some upcoming entertainment options, in addition to all of the candy-centric Halloween activities that are begging for your attention.
‘One Philly HBCU Week 2026’ To Showcase Black Sports & Culture
Friday, October 30 & Saturday, October 31, 2026. Historically Black College and University (HBCU) will take center stage at Lincoln Financial Field, featuring football, music, and culture. Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and wide receiver DeSean Jackson are now rival head coaches at different HBCUs, as their teams will face off at the NFL Philadelphia Eagles’ home field, ‘The Linc.’
It will be part of One Philly HBCU Week 2026 kicking off with Virginia Union and Lincoln University on Friday, October 30, which will include halftime “HBCU Battle of the Bands” performances of collegiate marching units. The following day, Jackson’s Delaware State Hornets and Vick’s Norfolk State Spartans will clash in a game that will feature a halftime performance by rapper Ludacris.
Families, alumni, and fans will watch the games and take part in programming and fan activations leading up to One Philly HBCU Week at various Philly venues. They will visit the HBCU Classic College and Job Fair, a student networking event, and enjoy Divine Nine Greek-letter organization celebrations, choir competitions, as well as community gatherings. HBCU Classic College and Job Fair: October 30, 2 p.m. EST to 6 p.m. EST, hosted by Philly Goes 2 College, Lincoln Financial Field, South Philadelphia. Ticket price, times & locations for the activities vary. phillygoes2college.org or Ticketmaster.com.
The characters of George McGriff (left) and Akeem Davis are brothers in ‘Topdog/Underdog’. Photo by Mark Garvin.
Pulitzer-Prize ‘Topdog/Underdog’ Looks At Brotherhood
Thursday, October 29, 2026. Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning Topdog/Underdog, a lively exploration of Black brotherhood and identity, will open at the Arden Theatre. Suzan-Lori Parks is the first African-American woman to land the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2002). The production Topdog/Underdog will look at the sibling rivalry of two Black blood brothers, Lincoln and Booth. The play’s promotional material notes: “Sharing a single room, the brothers struggle with the hands they’ve been dealt in life, as the street con game of three-card monte becomes a metaphor for power, opportunity, and the cost of getting ahead.”
Three-time Barrymore Award-winning director Amina Robinson, with actors Akeem Davis and George McGriff, bring the brothers’ relationship to fruition on stage. The play is produced by the Arden Theatre Company and People’s Light and Theatre Company. It will run through Sunday, December 13. Tickets start at $32 per person. (A few November shows are sold out.); Shows times vary: 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. EST. Email: boxofficer@ardentheatre.org, 215-922-1122 or https://purchase.ardentheatre.org
Juan de Marco, of the Afro-Cuban All-Stars.
Afro-Cuban All Stars Cook With Salsa Sauce
Friday, October 30, 2026. If jazz, rumba, Bolero, Salsa, and classic 1950s Afro-Cuban rhythms are up your musical alley, then get ready for the Afro-Cuban All Stars under the direction of Buena Vista Social Club veteran Juan de Marco. The globetrotting band sprung out of the success of the Buena Vista Social Club, a landmark recording. The internationally-known ensemble combines the artistry of longtime performers and emerging virtuosos for an upbeat night of the best Cuban music. The group has garnered four GRAMMY nominations. $44 to $102 per ticket; 7:30 p.m. EST. Miller Theater, 250 S. Broad St. 215-893-1999 or ensembleartsphilly.org
Comedic Author Angela Nissel’s Life’s An Open Book
Tuesday, November 3, 2026. In her riveting and candid memoir, Good Grief, Pass The Bread Mom is Dead, Angela Nissel recounts her journey of loss and resilience. As the title suggests, the book is filled with off-beat humor, as the author confronts a life fraught with trouble: Mental health issues, debt, a mother’s cancer battle and subsequent death. Join Nissel, who has lived an interesting life, for a conversation about her latest comedic memoir, with host Tayyib Smith, a TV writer, producer, and author. Smith and Nissel have a similar professional background: Nissel is an author of the national bestselling memoirs The Broke Diaries and Mixed, and a TV producer and writer of The Other Black Girl, Mixed-ish and Scrubs. Pre-register; $5 per person (plus, donations are welcomed); 7 p.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST. Parkway Central Library, Email: info@freelibraryfoundation.org, 215-567-7710 https://freelibraryfoundation.org/events/angela-nissel-good-grief-pass-the-bread-mom-is-dead/
She Shines A Light On Women
Saturday, November 7, 2026. The She Shines Conference is an annual gathering of women and a movement of inspiration, knowledge and empowerment. Women from all walks of life connect, learn, grow, and “shine, “ event founder Robin Maddox says, She Shines will focus on engaging conversations, expertise from leading professionals, educational workshops, health and wellness resources, spiritual enrichment, and personal and professional opportunities.
This year’s theme, “SHE STILL MATTERS! Recognizing Legacy. Advancing Equity. Investing in Women,” will promote the contributions of women who paved the way and invested in opportunities that inspire future generations. Walk the red carpet and be interviewed by multimedia host Lavonne Nichols Pleasant, host of Say Something Good LLC. (Lavonne also is a member of the FunTimes team.)
Featured speakers include Sita Lewis (Moma Sita), CEO, curator, maker of Mama Sita’s Miracle Butter Cream Skin Care products, and a veteran TV producer, culinary instructor; broadcaster, and publisher; Rosalyn Young-Daniels, an award-winning CEO & Founder of Black Health Matters, and Medical Field Director Ashley J. Swain and Jackie Smith Sullivan — a mother and daughter who were featured in the acclaimed ABC’s documentary, “American Story: The Hands That Built the White House,” featuring their ancestor Calvert Ambush, an enslaved man who helped construct the White House in the United States.
This year will feature a special final session, “Conversations, Connections & Celebration” from 2:50 p.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. Connect with top speakers, community leaders, entrepreneurs, attendees, and sponsors. Visit the Marketplace & Resource Fair. Enjoy refreshments and celebrate the spirit of sisterhood. $100 per registration, with promotional discounts (when bringing a guest); 9 a.m. EST to 5 p.m. EST. New Covenant Church of Philadelphia, 7500 Germantown Ave. Email: celebratingsisterhood1@gmail.com, 267-441-5984 or www.sheshinesconference.com
Figures from the ‘Living Through Death’ exhibit at the Magic Gardens Museum.
Art Memorial Honors The Dead
Through Sunday, November 8, 2026. Celebrate the Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday when families honor the souls of deceased relatives, at the exhibit Viviendo a través de la muerte: Obras de Ivette Chaires or Living Through Death at Magic Gardens Museum. A memorial was created in association with the exhibit by Mexican folk artist Ivette Chaires. The artist developed a special temporary Día de los Muertos ofrenda, or altar, to mark the annual holiday. Check out food, drink, and mementos of passed loved ones. The altar is designed to honor the deceased in an effort to connect the living world with the beyond. Leave notes or photos in memory of family members; see an array of Día de los Muetos-inspired sculptures in Chaires’ presentations including paper-mache skeleton figures. $15 for adults; $12 (seniors 65+), students & military); $8 (children 12 & under). Mondays to Wednesdays, 11 a.m. EST to 6 p.m. EST. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020 South St. 215-733-0390 or https://www.phillymagicgardens.org/event/dia-de-los-muertos-ofrenda/ or phillymagicgardens.org
Book Your Calendar For Elizabeth Acevedo’s Philly Launch
Friday, November 20, 2026. For an evening of literature and engaging conversation, check out Elizabeth Acevedo’s Philly launch of Anger is Only a Shadow. Hosted by Harriett’s Bookshop and Julia de Burgos Bookstore, the event will feature a reading, conversation, book signing, and other special surprises.
Acevedo is the New York Times-bestselling author of The Poet X, winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, the Michael L. Printz Award, the Pura Belpré Award, the Carnegie Medal, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and the Walter Award. She is the author of With the Fire on High, which earned a best book of the year by the New York Public Library and NPR — and Clap When You Land — which was named as a Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor book. She is a graduate of the George Washington University and University of Maryland.
Get a signed copy of Anger is Only a Shadow and Acevedo’s other books. Pre-register: $23.18 per person; 6:30 p.m. EST to 9 p.m. EST. Taller Puertorriqueño, N. 5th St. Free parking in the lot behind Taller Puertorriqueño (entrance on Huntingdon Street). 215-426-3311 or https://www.eventbrite.com
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?: EVENTS AROUND TOWN
INNOVATE® Philadelphia lauded Global Philadelphia for reimagining innovation.
Global Philadelphia Featured In Magazine
FunTimes event partner, Global Philadelphia Association (GPA), recently was featured for its stellar work of connecting heritage, education, sustainability, and community to promote Philadelphia’s global identity.
The organization was showcased as part of INNOVATE® Philadelphia’s series specifically spotlighting its civic-minded innovation model effectively linking heritage, global positioning, education, sustainability, and community, as part of a unified forum for public impact.
The article looks at the nonprofit GPA, founded in 2010 to boost Philadelphia’s international image, and its success at positioning Philadelphia as both a hip and historical city. It was applauded for its work as America’s first World Heritage City, and a modern, inclusive, and globally engaged capital. Rather than innovating through one product or sector, the feature notes that GPA has built an infrastructure that treats collaboration itself to achieve civic innovation.
In response to the article, Zabeth Teelucksingh, President of Global Philadelphia Association said: “Innovation doesn’t have to mean a new product or a new technology. It can mean building the connections that help a city tell its story to the world. We’re honored to have GPA’s work recognized by INNOVATE® Philadelphia, and we see this feature as a reflection of everyone across our region — our partners, our volunteers, and our neighbors — who help Philadelphia lead through culture and collaboration.” To read the article, visit the link here.
