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Hand to Hand Circus Festival, Ancient Food & Flavor, and Pride Month begins
The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, June 1-7, 2023
Kyle V. Hiller
June is upon us and spring is drifting into summer. That means Pride Month is here! Keep an eye out for various Pride events this month on the roundups, and you can start with W Philadelphia’s Pride Weekend and the unveiling of the largest Pride flag in Philly at the Philadelphia Pride March and Festival. It’s also Black Music Appreciation Month, and the Women’s Coalition for Empowerment hosts an ensemble concert at the Free Library in celebration. And finally, take a trip thousands of years back in time with Penn Museum’s new exhibit on ancient foods.
Happy Pride, Philly!
Seeking Freedom: Portraits of Mass Incarceration
May 31-July 2, 2023
Muse Gallery, 52 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia
Philly-based textile artist Carolyn Harper opens Seeking Freedom: Portraits of Mass Incarceration this weekend. Harper has created a series of portraits of those who have been or are currently incarcerated and have told their stories. The exhibit promises “larger than life” handsewn quilts and hand-embroidered batik portraits.
Hand to Hand Circus Festival
June 1-4, 2023
FringeArts, 140 North Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia
The annual contemporary circus arts festival is back this weekend with four days of events by the waterfront. Events include Test Flights, a showcase of works-in-progress hosted and curated by Ben Grinberg; Circus Midway features free outdoor workshops for circus fans of all ages and abilities with teachers and performers from the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts; and WHAT IF? is a performance that explores relationships in the midst of an emergency using circus as a means for expression and a “celebration of our humanity and our ability to feel powerful and powerless all at once.”
Pride Weekend
June 2-4, 2023
W Philadelphia, 1439 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
W Philadelphia, the luxury hotel in Center City, hosts an assortment of events this weekend in celebration of Pride. On Friday comes Porkroll, an underground queer dance party at the hotel’s WET Deck. Then, Saturday hosts the collaborative pop-up concept shop SOUVENIR for a marketplace at the Secret Garden. The weekend closes with a drag show from Philly’s own The Moon Baby and Wig star Charlene Incarnate.
Awaken Your Dreams Poetry and Art Show
Friday, June 2, 5-8pm, and then through June 9, 2023
1040 Creative, 1040 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia
ArtWell hosts its second annual Awaken Your Dreams Poetry and Art Show this week. Starting with an opening reception on Friday evening, the week-long exhibit uses multidisciplinary arts programming from ArtWell’s youth students to express and process emotions and experiences. The event is free and open to the public.
Ancient Food & Flavor
Opening June 3, 2023
Penn Museum, 3260 South Street, Philadelphia
The new exhibit at Penn Museum “unwraps pre-historic leftovers,” examining food and plant remains from geographic regions, cultures, and communities from as far back as 4,500 years ago. The exhibit promises to use the ancient remains to “reconstruct the landscapes that produced them, revealing untold histories and forging connections to the past.”
Philadelphia Pride March and Festival
Sunday, June 4, 11am-7pm
Starting at 6th and Walnut Streets, continuing through the Gayborhood, Philadelphia
The festival returns this weekend for a full day of festivities for all ages. The festival starts with a march at 6th and Walnut at 11am, debuting what’s being touted as the largest rainbow flag in Philadelphia history—spanning out over 200 feet long. After the march, the festival runs from 12-7pm featuring performers, entertainers, vendors, food trucks, community organizations, over 200 small businesses, and more.
Sounds of Sistahood
Monday, June 5, 5-8pm
Free Library of Philadelphia Parkway Central Branch, 1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia
In celebration of Black Music Appreciation Month, the Women’s Coalition for Empowerment Inc. presents Sounds of Sistahood, an ensemble concert of Philly creatives paying homage to Black arts and culture. The event is free and family-friendly.
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