Looking for some fun and unique things to do in Philly this weekend? We’ve got you covered.
Scrapple & Apple Festival at Reading Terminal Market
RTM’s Scrapple & Apple Festival is back this weekend and set for Saturday, Oct. 11 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), and the all-day pay-as-you-go experience highlights themed dishes from Market merchants and fun activities celebrating the two seasonal flavors. The fun actually begins the day before the Fest (on Friday, Oct. 10) with the Market’s Scrapple Sculpting Contest. On this date, twelve participants will be given five pounds of scrapple and sculpting tools and will have 90 minutes to complete a scrapple creation.
Otherwise, the Festival on Saturday will boast more than one way to indulge in sweet, savory and inventive bites all around the venue. Down Home Diner will serve up scrapple fries with homemade apple butter, the Famous 4th St. Cookie Company is baking scrapple apple cookies, apple pie cookies and apple sundaes, and The Original Turkey will be putting together apple cheddar sandwiches.
Additional treats span apple dumplings (Dutch Eating Place), scrapple and apple fried lumpia (Tambayan), a spiced apple dream smoothie (Kamal’s Middle Eastern Specialties), a scrapple cheesesteak (Butcher’s Pantry) and much more.
1136 Arch St., readingterminalmarket.org
Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy
The Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy is setting its sights on The Fallser Club in East Falls this year, and will pop up at the venue from Oct. 9 to 11. The 21+ experience includes a fresh four-part cocktail experience led by a mixologist, paired with themed, live entertainment. 2025’s installment is labeled “Chapter 2” after the concept’s first iteration in the City of Brotherly Love in 2023.
The four stories coming to life on stage include ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’, ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, ‘The Cask of Amontillado’ and ‘Annabel Lee.’ Drinks are on par with the stories with sips like a hibiscus bourbon lemonade (dubbed the Lover’s Lament), a twist on a prosecco float (the Swing of Fate), an orange and amontillado tipper (Montresor’s Revenge) and a pomegranate and cold brew concoction (Roderick’s Ruin.)
Tickets cost $55 each and include all four drinks, venue admission and the live experience. Cocktail or Poe-inspired attire is suggested, but not required. Alcohol-free cocktail options will be available upon request as well.
3721 Midvale Ave., edgarallanpoebar.com
Philadelphia Open Studio Tours
POST is a program of The Center for Emerging Visual Artists (CFEVA), and it’s Philly’s largest self-guided tour. In 2025, this citywide celebration will feature detailed experiences, plus, hands-on workshops, gallery exhibitions, live demonstrations, artist talks, receptions, and special events.
The first weekend (Oct. 11-12) will focus on studios east of Broad Street, while the following weekend (Oct. 18-19), will tackle the studios west of the cutoff. The East edition will find stops in Center City East, South Kensington, Fishtown, North Philly, Northern Liberties, Old City, Port Richmond, The Northeast, Queen Village, Bella Vista and South Philly.
Each studio will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on their designated days, and participants can use the online and print maps provided by CFEVA to guide their tours. Each stop on POST will feature red balloons and branded posters outside of their locales to help with distinction.
Festival de Empanadas at Jezabel’s
Festival de Empanadas at Jezabel’s is here to commemorate the fall season with a feast of local flavors on Oct. 12 (from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) The lineup includes Amy’s Pastelillos, Puyero, El Mictlan, with more to be confirmed—each presenting their own signature take on empanadas, pastelillos, or filled pastries. The event is free to attend (no tickets required), and guests may purchase empanadas directly from each vendor. Special Empanada Boxes, featuring one empanada from each participating restaurant, will also be available for pre-sale on Resy as well. Note, quantities are limited, so guests are encouraged to pre-order and arrive early.
206-208 S 45th St, jezabelsphl.com
Northern Liberties Fall Festival
This Sunday (Oct. 12) marks the return of the Northern Liberties Fall Festival, and the day will be packed with seasonal activities for locals and visitors alike from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Now in its 2nd year, 2025’s iteration is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market, and brings a total of six hours of local vendors, seasonal bites, brews, live performances, family-friendly fun, and community activations to the 3rd Street corridor and Liberty Lands Park.
Fall Fest highlights span music across two outdoor stages, a Philly sports-themed fan zone at North Third, the City Winery Wine Lounge, and a Family Fun Zone with pumpkin painting, games, and other all-ages fun. Guests can shop from dozens of local makers and artists, savor food and drink from neighborhood favorites, and take part in interactive activations while here as well.
