15 fun things to do in Philly this weekend

Maxim Helmut performs at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts. | Provided
Provided

THEATER

Andean Mountain
Sept. 14 through Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
Taller Puertorriqueno
2600 N. Fifth St.
fringearts.com
$15 

“Andean,” written and performed by Carlos Roa, is a digital exploration of how we relate to our sense of place, drawing a line between where we originate and where we now find ourselves. Going further, this interdisciplinary work dives into the details of cultural loss. 

Last Ditch Playlist
Sept. 15, 8 p.m.
Performance Garage
1515 Brandywine St.
fringearts.com
$24

Inspired by true events, the scenes of this play—vignettes presented non-chronologically—are triggered by the breakup playlist of Aaron, who’s trying to unpack what went wrong in his latest breakup. For: Anyone who’s recently endured a separation—or, really, anyone who’s had love and lost it.

Get Pegged
Sept. 15, 10:30 p.m.
FringeArts
140 N. Columbus Blvd.
fringearts.com
Free

Queer cabaret singer and actor Dieter Rita travels from Germany to perform alongside Bearded Ladies Artistic Director John Jarboe. The collaboration is a special, free edition of the ongoing Get Pegged series, in celebration of this year’s Fringe Festival.

Ruggedly Jewish: An Evening with Bob Garfield
Sept. 15 through Sept. 16, various times
Suzanne Roberts Theatre
480 S. Broad St.
philadelphiatheatrecompany.org
$25

A multimedia monologue of a “secular Jew,” Bob Garfield—host of Public Radio’s “On the Media”—delivers a performance that is both hilarious and thought-provoking. This is a world-premiere event, leading into a nationwide tour of the show in 2018.

MUSEUMS

#BiketoBarnes
Sept. 14, 5 p.m.
Various locations
barnesfoundation.org
Free

This unusual pairing of Indego and The Barnes involves a feel-good bike ride to The Barnes, the unveiling of 10 bikes enveloped with signature Barnes paintings and free admission to the museum’s collecton—open late, no less. See the museum’s website for locations of each bike ride-along, of which there are five.

Family Game Night
Sept. 15, 6 p.m.
Penn Museum
3260 South St.
penn.museum
$15 

Running with an ancient-games theme—or in the case of a game like jacks, classic—Penn Museum hosts families for sessions of chess, mancala, hieroglyph-decoding and more. There will also be a spin on Hungry Hungry Hippos and a bounce house, with light snacks available to keep the kids energized. Families of four can join in for a flat fee of $50.

Philadelphia School of Circus Arts and Circadium Opening
Sept. 15 through Sept. 17, various times
St. Madeleine Sophie Church
6440 Greene St.
phillycircus.com
Free

Touted as the first school in the country to offer a diploma in circus arts, the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts and Circadium opens its doors this weekend, commemorating the event with free classes—think: juggling and acrobatics–tours of the building and, yes, a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Registration in advance is encouraged. 

MUSIC

Sweetbriar Rose Dance Party
Sept. 15, 6 p.m.
Headhouse Shambles
200 Pine St.
southstreet.com
Pay as you go 

Those looking for a slower speed for their Friday-night dancing can bop and sway over to the Headhouse District, where Sweetbriar Rose performs a mix of country, folk and jazz sounds. Society Hill Dance Academy will offer free dance lessons, with food and drink available from Bistro Romano.

Father John Misty
Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
5201 Parkside Ave.
fatherjohnmisty.net
$36.50 

Baltimore folk singer Father John Misty, aka Josh Tillman, performs his new album “Pure Comedy”—an album that’s part story of a species with a half-formed brain, part commentary on today’s political landscape and part ode to ‘70s singer-songwriters. The album is among the most well-received of Tillman’s 10 studio albums.

Arcade Fire
Sept. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Wells Fargo Center
3601 S. Broad St.
arcadefire.com
$29.50 

The Canadian, six-member indie-rock band made waves with its upset win for Album of the Year at the 2011 Grammy Awards. Now, the band—hauling along a seemingly endless variety of instruments, from a xylophone to a harp–brings its tour to South Philadelphia in support of its new album Everything Now. 

FOOD & DRINK

South Street Oktoberfest
Sept. 16, 12 p.m.
Seventh and South streets
brauhausschmitz.com
Pay as you go 

With fall days away, it’s time for the usual string of Oktoberfests, starting with Breauhaus Schmitz’s ninth annual fest on South Street that features German food, music, dancers and 10 beers on draft. This event is rain or shine. 

Field Farm Dinner Honoring Ann Karlen
Sept. 17, 4 p.m.
The Inn at Grace Winery
50 Sweetwater Road, Glen Mills
$125 

Meant to highlight women in culinary arts, this second annual field farm dinner celebrates Ann Karlen, who founded local nonprofit Fair Food, responsible for bringing the Fair Food Farmstand to Reading Terminal Market. The dinner, taking place among the scenery of the Inn of Grace Winery, will be prepared by chef-members of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a philanthropic organization supporting women in food and fine beverages. 

FESTIVALS

O17: The Magic Flute
Sept. 15, 8 p.m.
The Academy of Music
240 S. Broad St.
academyofmusic.org
$20

Part of the long-anticipated, inaugural O17 festival from Opera Philadelphia, Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” is described as “a meeting between 1920s silent movies and David Lynch.” The production, which appears for the first time on the East Coast, is co-produced by LA Opera and Minnesota Opera, making it a can’t-miss.

LGBT

Philly AIDS Thrift Block Party
Sept. 16, 12 p.m.
Fifth and Bainbridge streets
phillyaidsthrift.com
Pay as you go 

Philly AIDS Thrift, which donates a portion of each sale to local HIV/AIDS organizations, hosts its 12th anniversary block party with food trucks, magicians, dancing, street vendors and sword swallowing. DJ Robert Drake provides the beats, with a performance from West Philadelphia Orchestra. 

Sabroso Noche
Sept. 16, 11 p.m.
Tabu Lounge & Sports Bar
200 S. 12
th St.
tabuphilly.com
$8

Gayborhood staple Honeytree Evil Eye, Albasario Dance Company, “Sara Without an H” and others combine their theatrical talents for “tasty” evening of burlesque, salsa, pole dancing, hip-hop and bachata. Truly, an inter-disciplinary spectacle.