15 fun things to do in Philly this weekend

Whatever you do, don't miss the very last Bastille Day at Eastern State Penitentiary! | Provided
Provided

FOOD & DRINK

Ramen Month
July 12, 5 p.m.
Morimoto
723 Chestnut St.
morimotorestaurant.com
Pay as you go

For some Thursday-night comfort food, Morimoto is heating up three varieties of ramen for $12-15—the popular tonkatsu (pork) variety, yasai and the restaurant’s own special take on the noodle soup. Catch the special all month from Monday through Thursday.

University City Dining Days
July 12
University City District
Various locations
ucdiningdays.com
Pay as you go

Starting July 12 and lasting through July 22 is the 14th edition of University City Dining Days—essentially, restaurant week for University City, with fixed menu options in the price ranges of $15, $25 and $35. Standouts: Pattaya Restaurant, at $15; Dim Sum House, Zavino and World Café Live, at $25, and City Tap House, Pod and White Dog Café, at $35.

Bastille Day Block Party
July 14, 12 p.m.
The Good King Tavern
Seventh Street, between South and Bainbridge streets
thegoodkingtavern.com
Pay as you go

The Good King Tavern welcomes neighboring Nomad Pizza and Hale & True Cider to participate in the block party festivities this year, with the tavern pouring a variety of wines and summer cocktails and serving up French street food like baguette sandwiches and duck wings. Nomad brings “Frenchie” pizzas, and Hale & True sets up camp with some cold ciders. Live music by Liberty Bellows and aerial performances by Maggy’s Rooftop Aerial will also be part of the shindig.

Parc Bastille Day
July 14, 12 p.m.
Parc
227 S. 18th St.
parc-restaurant.com
Pay as you go

Bastille Day and the restaurants 10th birthday happen to fall on the same day; to celebrate, the beloved Rittenhouse Square eatery will host an outdoor festival with streetside tables, face painting, cookie decorating and live music. Pets are welcome.

Bastille Day at Ocean Prime
Through July 15
Ocean Prime
124 S. 15th St.
ocean-prime.com
Pay as you go

In recognition of July 14 as Bastille Day, Ocean Prime is offering a special foie gras appetizer plate for $22, rounded out with braised short rib, cauliflower pomme puree, rainbow kale and maple Demi glaze. Add a glass of Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse, a Burgundy wine, for a total of $40.

Final Bastille Day
July 14, 5:30 p.m.
Eastern State Penitentiary
22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue
easternstate.org
Free

One of the most iconic Philadelphia holiday productions is coming to an end this year, as Eastern State Penitentiary puts on its 24th and final show with the Bearded Ladies’ reenactment of the French Revolution, complemented by raining butterscotch krimpets and a special appearance by Marie Antoinette herself.

World Cup Block Party
July 15, 10 a.m.
Seventh and South streets
brauhausschmitz.com/events
Pay as you go

The concept is simple: watch the World Cup final on a 20-foot screen, drink beer in the beer garden and indulge in food specials from Brauhaus Schmitz. The festivities last until 5 p.m.

Independence Menu
Through July 31
Puyero Venezuelan Flavor
524 S. Fourth St.
puyeroflavor.com
Pay as you go

Puyero celebrates the July overlap of American and Venezuelan independence by extending their holiday menu all month, with a selection of burgers like the ham-and-cabbage Venezuelan street burger and patacon burger, as well as the chicha milkshake—a rice-based frozen delight. Brand new on the menu is the pepito, a baguette with grilled steak, white cheese, pico de gallo and a green mayo—not entirely unlike a cheesesteak.

MUSIC

Marcia Ball
July 12, 8 p.m.
World Café Live
3025 Walnut St.
marciaball.com
$25

Ball, of Austin, Texas, has a shapeshifting sound that ranges from R&B to roadhouse rock. A nationally touring act, she has released more than a dozen albums since 1972, her latest being the 2018 release Shine Bright.

Night Sins
July 14, 8 p.m.
Boot and Saddle
1131 S. Broad St.
bootandsaddlephilly.com
$10

This Philadelphia electronic-rock band will take audiences straight to the ‘80s with a Bowie-esque sound. Special guests include The Warhawks, Forever Chasing Honey Bees and Jo Kusy. An after party will take place at Ortlieb’s starting at 11 p.m.

COMEDY

Aries Spears
Through July 15
Helium Comedy Club
2031 Sansom St.
Philadelphia.heliumcomedy.com
$20

Standup comedian and impressionist Aries Spears, recognizable from “MADtv,” takes his schtick to the stage at Helium. Spears starred in 198 episodes of the hit ‘90s sketch series.

FILM

Japan’s Music Man
Through July 13
Lightbox Film Center
3701 Chestnut St.
lightboxfilmcenter.org
$10

Lightbox Film Center, which specializes in repertory films at International House Philadelphia, brings to the big screen Umetsugu Inoue’s Japanese musicals. Three films screen this weekend as new subtitled digital versions: “The Stormy Man,” “The Eagle and the Hawk” and “The Winner.”

THEATER

On the Exhale
July 12, 7 p.m.
Sycamore Hill
481 Ebelhare Road, Pottstown
theaterwithaview.com
$30

This one-woman show, directed by Elaina DiMonaco and starring Nina Covalesky, is a take on Roundabout Theatre Company Underground’s original production, about a liberal college professor who begins to notice her strange obsession with the weapons that caused a senseless act of violence she’d recently gone through. Syncing with the theme, Theater with a View will donate $1 from every ticket to Everytown for Gun Safety, a movement established to end gun violence.

VOLTA
July 13, 8 p.m.
Under the Big Top, Greater Philadelphia Expo Center
100 Station Ave., Oaks
cirquedusoleil.com/volta
$49

A Cirque du Soleil show about transformation and realizing untapped potential, this inspiring show—stocked full of marvelous costuming—laces acrobatics and a powerful score, produced by 15 of the organization’s finest. The massive production, taking place in a tent that holds 2,500 people, kicks off locally this weekend.

LGBT

Paula’s Drag Kitchen
July 12, 8 p.m.
L’Etage
624 S. Sixth St.
creperie-beaumonde.com
$8

See quirky food-inspired drag performances by Paula Deen-White, Areola Grande, Kali Coutour, Petty Spaghetti and Miss Elaineous at this raucous showcase. Stick around for Andrew Christian giveaways.