Fast Forward Philly, Revolutionary Germantown, POST, and more this weekend

It’s October (yes), and if you’re a civically engaged 21st-century urbanite, head to Arch Street’s Center for Architecture + Design on Friday night from 6 to 8pm. Fast Forward >> Philly 2018 is “an evening of rapid-fire takes” on what’s next for our city, a DesignPhiladelphia event hosted by Philadelphia Emerging Architects.

Ten presenters specializing in architecture, urban design, and civic organizing will share their visions for Philly, but they have less than seven minutes each. Organizers promise revelations like “Parks in a Truck” and augmented reality monuments. Light refreshments will be served, and it’s $5 at the door. The Center for Architecture is a wheelchair-accessible building.

Gender Queery

Also new this Friday night is Gender Queery: A Trans & Nonbinary Variety Show, happening at Stir Lounge (1705 Chancellor Street) from 8pm to 11pm, hosted by Retrograde Productions. Organizers promise “Philly’s most badass and binary-breaking beauties,” featuring host Icon Ebony Fierce. Admission is a $5 suggested donation. It’s a wheelchair-accessible venue, and if you’d like to check with organizers before arriving, feel free to reach out on Facebook or by phone (215-758-3108).

Indigenous Peoples Weekend

In lieu of Columbus Day, the Museum of the American Revolution will hold an Indigenous Peoples Weekend, starting on Thursday at 6pm with a panel discussion titled Honoring and Remembering: How Can We Memorialize Historical Figures Without Glorifying Atrocities? ($20; $10 for students with ID). Panelists include Kevin Grover (director of the National Museum of the American Indian), Oneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter, and Harvard Teacher Fellows Program co-director Dr. Eric Shed, whose work challenges popular Columbus narratives in the education field.

On Saturday from 10:30am to 12:30pm, visit Michael Galban, curator of New York’s Seneca Art and Culture Center. He’ll explore how we use objects in historical storytelling and how Native American objects “become gateways to a deeper discussion of the period of the American Revolution.” From 2pm to 3pm, Galban will also lead a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the museum’s Oneida Nation Theater.

The weekend also features a daily 3:30pm screening of the 25-minute film People of the Standing Stone, about the history of the Oneida Nation during and after the Revolutionary War. All programming is included with museum admission. Things wrap up on Monday, with free public performances at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm from Oneida Indian Nation dancers in authentic dress at the museum’s outdoor plaza. The museum is ADA accessible; if you need assistance, call 267-579-3596 or e-mail [email protected].

The Battle of Germantown

For more Revolution-themed experiences, head to Historic Germantown on Saturday, where the annual Revolutionary Germantown Festival will draw thousands to reenactments of the Continental Army’s ill-fated battle on October 4, 1777, when General Washington tried to liberate British-occupied Philadelphia. The historic house and grounds commandeered by British troops still stand.

Things begin with an 8:30am muster and 9am march from the grounds of Grumblethorpe (5267 Germantown Avenue) to Cliveden (6401 Germantown Avenue). Meet George Washington himself at 10am, alongside other entertainment, with reenactments of the Battle of Germantown at noon and 3pm.

Other Historic Germantown sites will be open in the afternoon, and festivities continue at Grumblethorpe from 4pm to 8pm, where the redcoats toast with beer from Evil Genius, food, and live music. Any attending patriots can remember that we lost the battle but won the war. The all-ages event is free and open to the public. Most of the events are wheelchair-accessible, and those with mobility challenges are welcome to stop by the info booth for help with good vantage points.

POST and Bartram’s Garden

Art-lovers will have a busy weekend, too, with the 2018 kickoff of Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) on Saturday. POST happens over four days (this year, October 6, 7, 13, and 14). These are all-ages self-guided behind-the-scenes tours of working Philly artists' studios across the city. On Saturday, explore studios in West Philly (including University City, Fairmount, Brewerytown, and Southwest neighborhoods). On Sunday, head to the Northwest, including East Falls, Roxborough, Manayunk, and Germantown. Studios are open from noon to 6pm. Not all locations are ADA-accessible; check online for full lists of individual participants.

On Sunday, the Indigenous peoples theme continues at Bartram’s Garden, with a free public event alongside Indigenous Education and Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, from 10am to 4pm. The day includes art activities, workshops, presentations, tours, food, drumming, and dancing, celebrating “the accomplishments and continued presences of Indigenous peoples in Philadelphia.” For accessibility info, call 215-729-5281 or e-mail [email protected].