Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
FunTimes “Culture + Entertainment” column, week of October 9, 2023.
October is in full fall swing, with a cornucopia of engaging events. From Halloween movie nights to old-school kite-flying, here are some cool free, or low-cost entertaining autumn activities in the Philadelphia area. Enjoy, but please take precautions, especially when in groups and indoors, with the onset of new COVID variants.
Farm fun at Sankofa Harvest Fest
October 15, 2023. Bartram’s Garden always is jamming with activity. Help bring in the season’s harvest at Sankofa Harvest Fest at the Sankofa Community Farm in the homeland of the Lenape indigenous peoples. Get lost in a fall day music, dance, wellness workshops, seasonal plantings, and community. Free entry, noon to 3 p.m. EST. Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd., 215-729-5281 or bartramsgarden.org.
A boo-tiful movie
Friday, October 13, 2023.Bring your boo, literally, for this fun date night. Or is it a fright night? On Friday the 13th — WooderIce.com will host Boo’ Up, R&B/movie nights. Enjoy the best of R&B capped off with a scary movie. First the music, then the maniacal mayhem. Friday the 13th will feature DJ Nico Oso spinning R&B classics and new hits, followed by the screening of the Halloween classic, Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives. We know one thing: Jason better not show up in person at Boo’ Up! Must be 21 or older, free but register, 6:30 p.m. to (the movie at) 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. EST. Liberty Point, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., eventbrite.com.
Laura Lizcano
A rich taste of Columbia at Candlelight Cabaret
Saturday, October 14, 2023. Laura Lizcano, a Colombian-born singer-songwriter, will light up the stage at the Candlelight Cabaret. Lizcano, a technically-trained jazz vocalist, mixes it up with a fusion of folk, pop, and contemporary classical music. The concert will highlight selections from Lizcano’s Daughter of the Sea as well as collaborators Erin Busch and the Daedalus Quartet. Free, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST. Hosted by Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 N. American St. E-mail: info@christchurchphila.org, 215-922-1695 or neighborhood-house.com.
The community flea market is a bazaar
Saturday, October 14, 2023. Vernon Park is a hotspot for fall community gatherings. Find some great homemade and second-hand bargains at the 12th Annual Community Bazaar and Flea Market, while mixing and mingling with local neighbors. Free entry, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST. Vernon Park, 5800 Germantown Ave. E-mail: info@friendsofvernonpark.org, friendsofvernonpark.org.
Go fly a kite!
Sunday, October 15, 2023. What could be more fun than flying a kite? Philly icon Benjamin Franklin loved to do it! So, let’s go fly a kite up to the highest height! Enjoy the free-wheeling fun of an old-fashioned community kite-flying day in the park. Learn to make and fly kites while brushing up on the rich Haitian culture through dance and literature. Plus, get information and helpful resources that serve and benefit the African and Caribbean Immigrant communities. Free, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Malcolm X Park, 5100 Pine St. E-mail: mydesiresarts@gmail.com, 856-209-5711 or creativephl.org.
‘Horses and History of the Wissahickon’
October 15, 2023. Learn about horses and the history of the historic park at Horse and History of the Wissahickon. The five-acre complex features a mansion that dates back to 1774, a late 18th-century barn, a millworker’s cottage, and a springhouse. In 1683, William Penn visited the area to meet the Lenape Indians, the first inhabitants of the Wissahickon. In addition to the rich history, pet the horses, 22 of them. Check out the ponies and donkeys. Enjoy horseback riding demonstrations, barn tours, children’s activities, refreshments, and homemade treats. Pack a lunch and relax in the meadow. Free, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., EST. Monastery Stables, 1000 Kitchens Ln., 215-848-4088 or monasterystables.org.
