FESTIVALS
Penn’s Landing Waterfront Day
May 28, 2:30-9 p.m.
Spirit of Philadelphia
401 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Various prices
spiritcruises.com
Spend Memorial Day weekend along the Delaware River waterfront at this daylong festival hosted by Spirit of Philadelphia and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. The day features an array of activities to choose from—from a two-hour lunch cruise and a pop-up rooftop beer garden to the grand finale, a spectacular fireworks show over the water. For the full list of events— and there are many—visit spiritcruises.com.
POP-UPS
Makers Market and Local Libations Garden
May 26, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
The Piazza at Schmidt’s Commons
1001 N. Second St.
Pay as you go
theschmidtscommons.com
The Piazza in Northern Liberties debuts its new open-air, monthly market showcasing locally made arts, crafts and clothing, produce and cheeses from area farms, and a swanky libations garden featuring cocktails and beer from local distilleries. Cheese E Wagon and Phoebe’s BBQ will be on site for more-filling fare, and you can try out free yoga from 11 to noon. Mark your calendar for future markets, taking place June 24, July 22, August 26, September 23 and October 28.
“Revolutionary”
Through June 4
Various locations
streetsdept.com
Local street art blogger Conrad Benner presents a citywide pop-up art exhibition featuring 13 artists charged with creating a piece that represents what the spirit of revolution means to them. The works are on display in indoor and outdoor locations throughout Old City, Society Hill and along the Delaware River Waterfront. For more information about where to find them, visit streetsdept.com.
Parks on Tap
Through May 29
FDR Park Boathouse
1500 Pattison Ave.
Pay as you go
parksontap.com
Philly’s nomadic beer garden moves on to the FDR Park Boathouse for Memorial Day weekend. Located near the sports complex, the location provides lots of activities on its own—from hiking trails to fishing on Edgewood and Meadow lakes. Parks on Tap sweetens the pot with a menu of craft brews, wine and light bites. Stop by on May 25 at 6:30 p.m. for yoga led by Roots 2 Rise.
FOOD + DRINK
Guac Off
May 25, 6-9 p.m.
Morgan’s Pier
221 N. Columbus Blvd.
$35-$55
mannapa.org
Few things say summer quite like buckets of guacamole, and you’ll get the green stuff in spades at MANNA’s annual Guac Off. The event pits local chefs against one another to find who makes the best guacamole in the city, all the while raising money for MANNA’s mission to provide meals to local folks dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Among the restaurants throwing their hat in the ring are Cantina Dos Segundos, La Calaca Feliz and Mission Taqueria.
Nick’s 5th Birthday Burger Bash
May 26, 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Nick’s Bar and Grille
16 S. Second St.
Pay as you go
facebook.com/nicksroastbeefoldcity
The owners of Old City corner bar Nick’s culminate their weeklong birthday celebration on Friday with the reveal of a special birthday burger: a beef patty with homemade beer cheese, bacon-frizzled onions and jalapeños. If that isn’t tempting enough, every burger on the menu (including their mouth-watering ground bacon creations) will be $5 in honor of the establishment’s 5th year in business.
Backyard BBQ
May 26-29
Uptown Beer Garden
1735 JFK Blvd.
Pay as you go
To celebrate Memorial Day weekend, Center City’s Uptown Beer Garden (UBG) debuts a bunch of special additions to its food and drink menu. On the food front, there’s a variety of unique kabobs, like watermelon, mojo shrimp, korean beef and porter-glazed pork belly. There’s also a trio of beers developed exclusively by UBG, like the “Solar Baby,” a blonde IPA brewed with local wildflower honey and a blend of tropical, fruit-forward hops.
MUSIC
HoagieNation
May 27, 2-11 p.m.
The Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing
Columbus Boulevard and Spring Garden Street
$40-$145
livenation.com
The Roots have their picnic, Jay-Z has Made in America and now Philadelphia sons Hall & Oates have their own music fest: HoagieNation. The one-day festival is billed as “a celebration of everything Philly,” though the itinerary boasts a host of local and non-local acts. Look out for 1980s British duo Tears for Fears, Philly hip-hop outfit G. Love & Special Sauce and 215-bred soul crooners Son Little and Vivian Green.
The Orwells
May 26, 8:30 p.m.
Union Transfer
1026 Spring Garden St.
$21
utphilly.com
The Orwells are five former Chicago suburbanites on a mission to prove that American rock and roll is alive and well. Their latest release, “Disgraced,” tells the story of how the former high school mates escaped their hometown to follow their dreams. And what dreams they’ve achieved. The quintet recorded the album in studios around the world after being on the road with acts like Arctic Monkeys, FIDLAR and Palma Violets.
Memorial Salute
May 27, 7 p.m.
Mann Center
5201 Parkside Ave.
Free
manncenter.org
For the second year, The Philly POPS present this free community concert honoring those who have taken up the mantle of service for our country. The local vocal ensemble will lead the crowd in a program of patriotic tunes, including “Hymn to the Fallen” and other songs that’ll make you want to stand up and salute.
