Edelman Fossil Park & Museum
Photograph by Jeff Fusco New Jersey is called a lot of things, but a “hotbed for paleontology” isn’t one we were expecting. Yet the moniker fits because of this new offering from Rowan University. You can walk among life-size dino models, interactive exhibits that gamify learning, and an active research quarry where you can live out your Jurassic Park dreams and dig for real fossils. 66 Million Mosasaur Way, Mantua, NJ 08080
Eric Dale
The New York Times has Will Shortz. Philly has Eric Dale, better known as Eric the Puzzler. The difference is that while you can perplex yourself over Shortz’s puzzles from your couch, Eric the Puzzler gets you out of your house for all sorts of experiences, from a mystery that can only be solved by searching for clues in South Philly murals to escape room dinner parties to a booth he sometimes sets up in Rittenhouse Square where you can test your wits against him in a riddle.
Girls Like Horror
Horror was long considered a guy’s genre, but that idea is as outdated as the zoetrope. Center City filmmaker Christina Acevedo knows this, so she launched this rapidly growing film club designed for women who like a little (or lots of) gore with their popcorn. On August 29th, get to the ultra-retro Hiway Theater in Jenkintown for a 35mm screening of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary. (Don’t worry, gents: You’re allowed in too.)
Pitch-A-Friend Philly
Wherein you get five minutes to pitch a bar full of singles on why your pal is a great catch. This month, find your friend the love of their life at Love City Brewing (August 7th), Ladder 15 (August 14th), and Punch Buggy Brewing Co. (August 21st).
FarmerJawn Tour
Want to see how a farm operates, and leave with a bag of fresh produce that was pulled out of the ground as recently as that morning? Just book a ticket on this bus trip. It boards at the Lemon Hill baseball field every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and takes you out to West Chester’s FarmerJawn, where owner Christa Barfield will explain all the ins and outs of a working farm. The $10 bus ticket is redeemable as a credit for any purchase of more than $30 at the farm’s store.
Giddy Up Philly
Learn to two-step and boot-scoot and master all forms of country line dancing at DJ Hugo Max’s parties. You can do so on August 21st at Bok Bar, August 24th at Morgan’s Pier, or any Friday night at Voyeur.
Fleisher Art Memorial
Learn to paint portraits or, if you insist, bowls of fruit from one of the many talented artists who teach at this wonderful nonprofit community art school. 719 Catharine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Sunset Valley Farm
Get comfortable on the back of a horse through lessons for all levels amid the 48 bucolic acres of this Chesco farm. 880 Valley Creek Road, West Chester, PA 19380
Watch Party PHL
Photograph by Jeff Fusco Women’s sports are having a moment like never before, and this year-old group is on top of the trend, hosting inclusive watch parties at bars around town. Meanwhile, they’re in the middle of fundraising to open a sports bar for women in Philadelphia. Find out what they’re watching next on their Instagram page.
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Yes, you can see the latest art house releases here, along with a sprinkling of blockbusters like the recent Mission: Impossible finale. But we’re most drawn to their repertory screenings, which allow us to see movies made before many of us were born the way they were meant to be seen: on the big screen. Check the schedule for upcoming screenings on 70mm film via a newly installed projector. (Recent offerings included 2001: A Space Odyssey and Lawrence of Arabia.) Up this month: Seven Samurai, American Graffiti, and Casablanca. 824 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
The Giant Heart
When the Franklin Institute closed the beloved walk-through heart last year as part of a massive renovation campaign, we got very nervous that it was gone for good. But we are happy to report that the heart did reopen, just cleaned up a bit — it did, after all, debut when Eisenhower was in office — and is very much a part of the permanent collection. Good. Didn’t want to have to cancel our membership. If you haven’t strolled through it in a while, do so after touring the fascinating “Body Worlds: Vital” exhibit, set to close in September. 222 North 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Vampa Vampire & Paranormal Museum
Photograph by Jeff Fusco We shelved this award a long time ago because, well, who could have won it other than the Mütter Museum, which has drastically changed course over the past few years due to ethical concerns regarding human remains. So we’ve opened this award up again and do hereby deem this museum dedicated to vampirism and all forms of paranormal activity worthy. The owner claims it’s the largest collection of such objects in the world, and who are we to argue with someone with such a dark and unique obsession? 3686 US-202, Doylestown, PA 18902
Violet Caballero
There are lots of singers in this town and lots of burlesque dancers, but the draggy alter ego of Philadelphia soprano Marcelle McGuirk is, we’re pretty sure, the only person who can pull off an impeccable “Come Scoglio” by Mozart while stripping down to swinging tassels.
Longwood Gardens
Beautiful new buildings and additional lush gardens help make Longwood even more stunning than it was before. 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348
Matinee Dance Party
Let’s be honest: A lot of us love to dance but aren’t exactly looking to rub elbows with the crowd at 1 a.m., by which point we are hopefully in REM sleep. Enter Matinee, the creation of DJ Eddie Tully, who had the brilliant idea to do a fun dance party … starting at 6 p.m. Tully has been spending the summer down the Shore and is bringing Matinee to Memories in Margate on August 17th and September 6th, before bringing it back to the city, location TBD.
Robert Drake
Photograph by Linette Messina For more than two decades, DJ Robert Drake turned his deep love of ’80s New Wave into communal celebration — most famously at his long-running Sex Dwarf dance party, where Depeche Mode, New Order, and Erasure reliably fill the floor. A WXPN mainstay, Drake also created the beloved 24-hour Christmas Eve broadcast "The Night Before," co-founded Philly Loves Bowie Week, and hosts the enduring radio show Land of the Lost. At 62, he’s still spinning — always chasing that high of bringing people together through music. Read more in our Best of Philly spotlight.
Philadelphia Theatre Company
The season kicks off in September with the Philadelphia premiere of New York playwright Eboni Booth’s Primary Trust, which won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. And speaking of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, South Philly’s James Ijames, who won the award in 2022 for Fat Ham, closes the season with the world premiere of his latest work, Wilderness Generation. 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146
Schuylkill River Trail Extension
The traffic from Grays Ferry to Center City is nothing short of miserable. The good news? You can now walk or bike it on this trail that opened in May and includes an eye-catching white cable-stayed bridge over the Schuylkill. It’s a good example of what we need more of in Philadelphia.
Reading
This Berks County city of nearly 100,000 is a funky up-and-coming artsy spot, just over an hour away, and provides plenty for an intriguing day trip. See a Fightin Phils minor-league baseball game at the 10,000-seat stadium. Take in contemporary art at the free Goggleworks Center for the Arts. Dine at one of the many taquerias. Pose for selfies with any of the dozens of prime taxidermy examples at the Reading Public Museum. And before you drive home, enjoy the view from the quirky seven-story Pagoda atop Mount Penn.
Free at Noon
The name of WXPN’s popular live music series at World Cafe Live pretty much says it all. Free at Noon just turned 20 and has — in nearly 1,000 concerts over the years — featured heavy hitters such as Lizzo, Jon Batiste, Brandi Carlile, Adele, and John Legend.
Phoenixville
Illustration by Kati Lacker From nature exploration in Black Rock Sanctuary to a round of golf at Pickering Valley to the majestic Colonial Theatre, we've planned the ultimate Phoenixville itinerary for you here.
Calder Gardens
This $90 million indoor and outdoor exploration of the works of famed American sculptor Alexander Calder, whose grandfather created the William Penn statue that sits atop City Hall, finally opens on September 21st — note that ticketing is timed — and we couldn’t be more elated. 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Broadway Series
With Kimberly Akimbo, Suffs, Shucked, and The Outsiders among the Tony-winning shows in the ’25-’26 lineup, you can save yourself the Amtrak fare.
Philly Loves Bowie Week
When you think of the late, great David Bowie, your first thought may not be our fair city, but the fact is that Philly always had a special place in Bowie’s heart, and we always gave the love right back. January 2026 marks the 10th edition of this nine-day festival. Enjoy small concerts, big concerts, DJ nights, art exhibits, readings, and film screenings, all paying tribute to someone who was truly one in a million.
The Fallser Club
This cozy, 200-person club may be a nonprofit, but the production values are what you’d find at some of the bigger for-profit clubs. The music at what was once a silent film theater leans into the acoustic, world, and alt-folk realms, with some open mics, film screenings, and drag shows thrown in. Don’t miss the Philly Music Fest’s night here on October 18th, featuring local acts Catie Turner, the Lunar Year, and Chioke. 3721 Midvale Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19129
Next in Line
In 2022, Next in Line was a roving concept of a comedy night — a stand-up pop-up, if you will. More recently, they found their own home with drinks from Love City Brewing and food from whatever food truck shows up. It’s weekends only, there’s no annoying drink minimum like at some other clubs, and the talent includes the best local comedians as well as nationally touring acts. 1025 Hamilton Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123
Ball Busters Women’s Pinball League
Looking for a new competitive league, er, sport? Look no further than this weekly one dedicated to the classic game of pinball. The league runs at Pinball Gallery for nine weeks at a time on Wednesday nights, with the next series opening on September 17th. And it’s probably the only league where the winner scores upward of 800 million points. 81 Lancaster Avenue, Malvern, PA 19355
Fantasia x Philadelphia Orchestra
Way back in 1940, Walt Disney dazzled the world with Fantasia, a magical marriage of animation and classical music — the latter provided by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of the legendary Leopold Stokowski. From January 2nd through 4th, our modern orchestra provides the live score during a screening of the film.
The Dead Milkmen
Nearly 40 years after they released “Punk Rock Girl” and “Bitchin’ Camaro,” these misfits are still at it and as amusingly ornery as ever. Last month, they dropped two new singles and have been playing a series of sold-out shows in the area. Next up: Spruce Street Harbor Park on September 27th.
TKTS Booth
Thousands of people have saved tons of money over the last year since New York City’s popular last-minute discount ticket booth opened an outpost inside the Independence Visitor Center. You can buy rush tickets up to 72 hours in advance and get discounts of up to 50 percent. We recently found $20 tickets to Rent at the Arden and $64 tickets to The Wiz at the Academy of Music. 599 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Black Buttafly
The 28-year-old Philly-based singer-songwriter and pianist, whose real name is Kayla Childs, proudly carries on the soul and R&B roots laid generations before her. She’s a little bit Stevie, a little bit Herbie, a little bit Erykah, and a whole, whole lot herself, with a little gospel thrown in for good measure. See her on the opening day of the XPoNential Music Festival in September.