Artist Bash, Baroque concerts, and 'Picturing Beauty' this weekend in Philly

Can you feel it? The holidays are here, and while I’ve still yet to come across my first holiday commercial (which I guess is harder to do these days with all the streaming services), Philly is getting into the spirit. This lineup may not be so apparently of the season, but the vibes are there. The slowing down of the year with the conclusion of a handful of annual festivals like PAAFF, First Person Arts Festival, and even Five Dollar Comedy Week (which still have some things to check out this weekend!). The hints of holiday setups at city parks—including Franklin Square getting a head start. The first snow sprinkled this week, and it’s unapologetically sweater weather.

Also, Black Spatial Relics, Artist Bash at the Barnes, and Picturing Beauty: Celebrating Real Women all dive into identity and expression this weekend. They’re also accompanied by Lenape Chamber Ensemble bringing Baroque concerts to Bucks County, and First Person Arts hits a GrandSlam.

Enjoy the weekend, y’all!

Franklin Square Holiday Festival

Franklin Square is decking the park for the holidays with its annual free holiday light show. The show honors Ben Franklin with a giant kite and key of lights, and over 80,000 LED lights choreographed to dance along with the performance from local mainstays The Philly POPS. There are also promises of hot chocolate, s’mores, and gingerbread cookies for you to decorate if you need any more of a nudge. Swing by to spark your holiday spirit on Thursday, November 14 at 4:30pm.

Lenape Chamber Ensemble celebrates Baroque music

The Lenape Chamber Ensemble is hosting its annual Baroque concert this weekend. Events include a Friday concert at 8:15pm, held at the historic Upper Tinicum Lutheran Church in Upper Black Eddy, with another performance of the program on Sunday at 3pm at Delaware Valley University’s Life Sciences Building in Doylestown. A reception follows the Friday concert where the audience can meet the performers, and the Sunday performance has a reception at intermission to benefit the Marie Paxson fund that offers classical concerts for local elementary school children.

For the kids, Lenape Chamber Ensemble is hosting ‘Concert in the Round’ on Saturday at 10am at the Life Sciences building. Children ages 4-12 can enjoy Baroque chamber music, too, and only for $2 for each child at the door—with parents and adults getting in free.

Get the whole rundown by visiting online or calling (610) 294-9361.

Black Spatial Relics

Black Spatial Relics is new a performance residency about slavery, justice, and freedom. The weekend-long event includes an artist talk with Julie B. Johnson, Muthi Reed, and Arielle Julia Brown on Thursday, a performance series on Saturday at the Painted Bride, and a series of workshops on Saturday. For a full list of events and to register, visit Black Spatial Relics online.

Artist Bash at the Barnes

This Saturday, November 16, the Barnes Foundation is hosting Artist Bash: Activated Peoples, from 8-11pm. The Artist Bash will feature artists who celebrate their histories and identities within each performance. Check out a living installation by photographer Shawn Theodore, listen to lush soundscapes from Marina Murayama, watch a modern take on traditional Asian dance by Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, and more. Tickets are $10, and admission includes access to the Barnes collection and the 30 Americans exhibition. Learn more about the bash online.

Picturing Beauty

On Sunday, November 17 the Delaware Art Museum will host Picturing Beauty: Celebrating Real Women, an intergenerational event featuring successful female leaders in the arts. Picturing Beauty features discussions and creative activities centered on beauty and empowerment, including art-making, portrait photography, special performances, and more. Picturing Beauty is a free event but online registration is required for some activities.

First Person Arts GrandSlam

If you’ve been following the StorySlams this year, then this is the ultimate final—slamdown? Is that a term? Anyways, I’m inventing it, as this season’s StorySlam winners go head-to-head for the title of “Best Storyteller in Philadelphia,” and a few prizes beyond bragging rights. Be sure to get tickets ahead of this one, as the annual event usually sells out. Catch it on Saturday at 6:30pm at World Café Live.