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First Friday at the Barnes, healing with Theatre Exile, ¡Parranda!, and more
The Weekly Roundup, December 1-8
Kyle V. Hiller
It’s a light week this week. I suppose everyone is still recovering from the holiday and the shopping and the giving. I do want to reiterate my many thanks to those who contributed with donations this week for Giving Tuesday. But also shout-out to the people who may want to donate but may not be able to, too! Your readership and loyalty are invaluable, and we see you, and we thank you.
For the week, I’ve got a pair of events at the Barnes in lieu of First Friday and First Sunday. Then, an author conversation at the Free Library features Rumaan Alam and Carmen Maria Machado, Theatre Exile kicks off a healing workshop series for artists, a Jingle Jawn hits Society Hill, and Taller Puertorriqueño celebrates ¡Parranda!
First Friday and First Sunday at the Barnes
Friday, December 3, 6-9pm
Sunday, December 5, 10am-5pm
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia
This weekend, the Barnes opens up the floor for Philly jazz band Yolanda Wisher & the Afroeaters on Friday, December 3. They’ll play tracks from their debut album, DoubleHanded Suite, which features poetry and prose from 19th and 20th century Black writers.
Then, on Sunday, the Barnes opens its doors for free admission on their PECO Free First Sunday Family Day. Folks can check out their Suzanne Valadon exhibit, which we previewed earlier this fall.
Rumaan Alam in conversation with Carmen Maria Machado
Thursday, December 2, 7:30-8:30pm
Virtual event
New York Times bestselling author Rumaan Alam talks about his new work, Leave the World Behind, a story about two families that are strangers to each other who are forced together on a long weekend gone terribly wrong. Alam joins the Free Library to discuss the book with Philly’s own rockstar author Carmen Maria Machado, who penned the memoir In the Dream House and the short story collection Her Body and Other Parties.
Restorative Healing at Theatre Exile
Saturday, September 4, 11am
Virtual event
Theatre Exile’s education director Mx. TS Hawkins hosts a restorative healing workshop this weekend. Actors, performers, and writers alike will get the most out of the workshop, as it was designed to “conduct a concrete dive into the voices, worlds, and universes they have manifested and to make space to honor the intersections of the characters on and off the page.” This workshop is part of a series from Theatre Exile, with Noelle Diane Johnson hosting the second workshop on Saturday, December 11 at 11am.
Jingle Jawn Holiday Market
Sunday, December 5, 11am-3pm
Old Pine Community Center, 401 Lombard Street, Philadelphia
Come through an off-Christmas Village holiday market this weekend at the Jingle Jawn. Local food, craft, and clothing vendors will be there with festive holiday products. Entry is free and open to the public, but a canned goods donation will be greatly appreciated.
Navidad que Vuelve: ¡Parranda!
Friday, December 3, 5:30-7:30pm
Taller Puertorriqueño, 2600 N. 5th Street, Philadelphia
Taller Puertorriqueño continues its tradition of Parranda, a Puerto Rican tradition that blends holiday music and community in celebration of the holiday season.
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