#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY
View from under the Strawberry Mansion Bridge
(Photo by @josephiyoob)
It was a busy weekend in Philly, with the annual Pride March and Festival celebrating a 50-year milestone on Sunday. A day earlier, West Philly hosted Porchfest, its all-volunteer music festival. Billy Penn contributor Hanbit Kwon shares photo essays on both.
The annual Roots Picnic had a rough Saturday [Inq$] due to cleanup from overnight storms that delayed its opening by hours. Sunday went off on schedule.
Jayden Jiang and Isaac Geremew represented the region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee last week. They didn’t win (that honor went to Texas’ Faizan Zaki, 13), but they learned about words, and themselves, and hope to return again next year. Continue reading …
RECAP
$ = paywalled
• A new British trade leader stopped in Philadelphia to boost international ties. [WHYY]
• Philadelphia is named on a list targeting sanctuary jurisdictions under Trump’s new executive order. [CBS3]
• Philadelphia organizers hosted people’s tribunal on war crimes in Gaza, outside of Senator John Fetterman’s local office. [WHYY]
• Philadelphia just approved its first new charter in 7 years. Here’s the plan for the school. [Chalkbeat]
• Meet the backyard chicken farmers who hope that City Council will introduce a bill to legalize hens in Philadelphia soon. It would be the third effort in six years.
• Philadelphia teens ages 14 to 19 can work out for free at Planet Fitness all summer long, as part of the 2025 High School Summer Pass program. [NBC10]
• Friday Saturday Sunday’s Chad and Hanna Williams embrace dining at the bar — and their shot at a second James Beard Award. [Billy Penn]
MAYOR WATCH
The mayor has no public events scheduled for today.
ON THE CALENDAR
💜 UArts 1-year commemoration events
🌈 Pride Month celebrations
❤️ Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander month events
🌸 27 ways to get out and enjoy the warm weather
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide
Monday, June 2: 5th District: Budget Town Hall Meeting
Deliverance Evangelistic Church hosts the latest stop in Mayor Parker’s budget town hall tour. (6 to 8 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 3: Conversations in the Kitchen: Cultural Storytelling through Food
Audience members enjoy food demonstrations by Reading Terminal chefs who share personal connections to the dishes they create. Free with registration. (3 to 4:30 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 3: Playful Learning: Then and Now
Education through play was a movement that began in the 19th century, with the creation of play spaces such as Starr Garden Park in 1882 and Smith Memorial Playground in 1899. Join the Carpenters’ Company at the Starr Garden Recreation Center from 6:30 to 8 p.m. to learn about innovations in playground architecture today and the future of playful learning.
Tuesday, June 3: Fighting Diabetes Together
This event aims to raise awareness and promote proactive care around diabetes and related health conditions in Latino communities. Hosted by WHYY’s Maiken Scott at Esperanza Arts Center. Free registration. (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.)
Wednesday, June 4: Caregiving Screening and Resource Fair
Caregiving, a new documentary created with executive producer Bradley Cooper, highlights the challenges and triumphs of caregiving in America. Join WHYY and several local groups for a 4 p.m. resource fair and reception, and 6 p.m. screening and panels. Free with registration.
Wednesday, June 4: Digital Gardening at Home
Participate in a DVD storage burning and USB storage backup session for cherished media information. Use disk cataloging software to create digital gardens out of your stored data, and discuss methods and benefits of offline data storage to optimize their collections for easy, managed sharing. Learn how to do this same cataloging and digital gardening online, with platforms such as Are.na or Roam Research. At Asian Arts Initiative. (6 to 8 p.m.)
Wednesday, June 4: Eras Tour screening
Watch/relive the Eras Tour with fellow Swifties at Sunset Social’s outdoor screening on a 60-foot screen. (7 p.m.)
Wednesday, June 4: Philly Sketchfest 2025 Sketch Comedy Film Festival
The 10th annual Sketch Comedy Film Festival will feature shorts by comedians and funny filmmakers from Philly and beyond. At PhilaMOCA, live and in-person. $12 tickets. (7:30 to 9:30 p.m.)
Saturday, June 7: Revolution Remix
Starting at the Liberty Bell and ending at Race Street Pier on the banks of the Delaware River, Revolution Remix shares stories of South Asians in Philadelphia from the 1780s to the present day. Hosted by the South Asian American Digital Archive. $39.19 tickets. (10 a.m.)
