FESTIVAL
Credit: Matt Stanley
Spruce Street Harbor Park Grand Opening
Friday-June 29
Spruce Street Harbor Park
121 N. Columbus Blvd.
Free
215-629-3200
www.delawareriverwaterfront.com
The Delaware River Waterfront is celebrating the kick off of the new summer hotspot, which will be open all season long. Visitors will be able to spend a lazy summer day in a hammock orchard or hang out on the Oasis, which features landscaped, floating barges. Heat up on the boardwalk, then cool off in the mist walk.
Liberty Block Party
Saturday, Noon-10 p.m.
The Shops at Liberty Place
1625 Chestnut St.
Free
www.welcomeamerica.com
Kick off the weeklong Wawa Welcome America! festival with a party in the streets. Mayor Nutter and the City of Philadelphia are hosting the first Liberty Block Party at the Shops at Liberty Place on June 28, from noon to 10 p.m. Eighties R&B group New Edition will be honored with a tribute performance put together by Charlie Mack, featuring local kids performing New Edition’s biggest hits. Shop vendors selling crafts and clothes and nosh on food from restaurants and food trucks, including Vendy Award winner Bonjour Creperie, plus Pop-A-Nugget, the truck that makes everything into a nugget, Samosa Deb, our only Indian food truck, Ben & Jerry’s, and many more.
MUSIC
Il Volo
Thursday, 8 p.m.
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
5201 Parkside Ave.
$35-$97.95
215-546-7900
www.manncenter.org
Tenors Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto and baritone Gianluca Ginoble make up the Italian pop-opera trio known as Il Volo, which translates to The Flight. Their debut self-titled album was certified platinum and blends traditional Italian and contemporary pop with a classical and operatic flare. They’ve made several American TV appearances, including “American Idol,” “Good Morning America” and “Ellen.”
The Antlers
Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Union Transfer
1026 Spring Garden St.
$15-$17
215-232-2100
www.utphilly.com
Brooklyn-based indie rockers The Antlers blend lush soundscapes, reverb-heavy layering, bone-chilling synth and falsetto vocals to create atmospheric post-rock. They’ve been the musical guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and have five studio albums under their belt, including “Familiars,” released June 17.
ANIMALS
Credit: Philadelphia Zoo
First Niagara Big Cat Falls
The Philadelphia Zoo
3400 W. Girard Ave.
$20
215-243-1100
www.philadelphiazoo.org
Bring the kids to the zoo to check out pumas, jaguars, lions, tigers, leopards and other big cats in special observation areas designed for an up-close view. Look up to see the felines strolling overhead on mesh walkway Big Cat Crossing — though we’re still wondering how they know not to pee on your head.
Live Animal Encounters
Thursdays through September 4, 11 a.m.
Sister Cities Park
18th St. and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.
Free
215-440-5500
www.ccdparks.org
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University brings some of the museum’s more than 100 live animals over to Sister Cities Park, ranging from the cute and furry to the creepy and crawly.
MUSEUM
Money in Motion
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
10 N. Independence Mall West
Free
215-574-6000
www.philadelphiafed.org
Have you ever wondered where our money comes from and how it’s made? The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has instilled a permanent tour that shows the history of money and the changes in currency dating back to the 17th century.
Native American Voices: The People. Here and Now
Through Sept. 1, 10 a.m.
Penn Museum
3260 South St.
$15 general admission; $13 senior citizens (65 and above) $10 for children 6-17 and fulltime students with college ID; free for museum members
215-898-4000
www.penn.museum
A tribute to the founders of our nation, Native American Voices tells the tale of the original people in the Americas and their experiences through audio and video recordings and artifacts. The exhibit is broken up into four themes, Local Nations, Sacred Places, Continuing Celebrations and New Initiatives.
Death Under Glass
Through Dec. 16
19 S. 22nd St.
$15
215-563-3737
www.muttermuseum.org
What does death look like under a microscope? The non-squeamish can head to The Mutter to view microscopic images of different human tissues post-mortem, and see the effects of disease and injury on the body.
