Top Ten Events

Exhibition - Constructing Play: Classic Building Toys

Philadelphia Center for Architecture
November 25, 2011-February 3, 2012

Philadelphia Center for Architecture's most popular exhibition returns for a third year! Come learn about the history of your favorite toys, from Lincoln Logs to Legos, Erector Sets to K'Nex. Discover famous local buildings in miniature, learn how structures stay up, and see how toy designers took inspiration from the past to create today's most popular building toys. Bring mom, bring dad, bring the kids! And don't forget to bring your creativity so you can show  your building skill in the popular Hands-On carts!

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Drink Philly's First Friday with Rex 1516

Drink Philly
February 3, 2012

Drink Philly is supporting local artistic talent, restaurants and beverage makers for First Friday! Come enjoy food and drink tastings and check out some great local art and music.

This month, the about-to-open Rex 1516 will be serving samples of "triple threat" mac 'n' cheese (made using gruyere, swiss, fontina) with roasted tomatoes, plus a traditional jambalaya. They'll pair the eats with samples of winter sangria (orange, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) and Crane Lake Viognier from California.

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Bernheimer Symposium: Pico Iyer

University of Pennsylvania - Kelly Writers House
February 8, 2012

Introduced by ArtsEdge Resident Rolf Potts.

Pico Iyer is a travel-writer, essayist, and novelist born in England, raised in California, and educated at Eton, Oxford, and Harvard. After teaching writing and literature at Harvard, he joined Time in 1982 as a writer on world affairs. Since then he has traveled widely, from North Korea to Easter Island, and from Paraguay to Ethiopia, and basing himself in Japan, where he lives with his Japanese wife. He writes on literature for The New York Review of Books; on globalism for Harper's; on travel for the Financial Times; and on many other themes for the New York Times, National Geographic, TLS, Conde Nast Traveler, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, and Salon.com. His books include Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, Cuba and the Night, Falling off the Map, Tropical Classical, and The Global Soul. In his latest, The Man Within My Head—out in January from Knopf—Iyer sets out to unravel the mysterious closeness he has always felt with the English writer Graham Greene, examining Greene's obsessions, his elusiveness, and his penchant for mystery.

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Center City District Restaurant Week Presented by TD Bank

Center City District
January 22-February 3, 2012

Center City District Restaurant Week presented by TD Bank offers diners a chance to enjoy some of the city’s best cuisine at just $35 for three sumptuous courses. This Winter’s two-week event features more than 100 participating restaurants. In addition, many participating restaurants are also providing a three-course lunch for $20 over the two-week run. Reservations are filling up, so book now for some frugal indulgence! Tax, alcohol and gratuity not included. For a complete list of participating restaurants, please see the official website.

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Philadelphia City Hall Tours

Philadelphia City Hall
September 4, 2009-February 3, 2012

A dominating feature in the City's skyline, the Philadelphia City Hall tower is topped with a 27 ton bronze statue of William Penn, the largest statue on any building in the world. Originally supposed to make the new City Hall the highest building in the world at 547' 3½", the tower was surpassed in height by the Washington Monument at 550' and the Eiffel Tower at 984', which were completed first.
It did remain the tallest structure in Philadelphia until 1986 when the City and Art Commission broke an 85 year "Gentleman's Agreement" and allowed the construction of One Liberty Place to top out at 945 feet. The tour includes a ride up to level 22 (44 floors), where the observation deck is located below the statue. Although the statue itself is inaccessible to the public, it's still a wonderful view from the deck. Please note there is no handicap access to the tower.

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World Culture Day: Chinese New Year Celebration

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (Penn Museum)
February 4, 2012

Ring in the Year of the Dragon at the 31st annual day-long extravaganza celebration. Bring the whole family and celebrate the New Year with a wide variety of music and dance performances, children's activities, storytelling, arts and crafts, and martial and healing arts workshops. The day ends with a drum roll, a roar, and the popular Lion Dance parade.

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Oberto

Academy of Vocal Arts
January 26-January 31, 2012

Oberto takes place in 13th century Italy. Oberto, Count of San Boniface, has been defeated in battle by Ezzelino da Romana and the Salinguerra family. Riccardo, the Count of Salinquerra, has seduced and abandoned Oberto's daughter Leonora, and is about to marry Cuniza, Ezzelino's sister. Oberto and Leonora attempt to disrupt the wedding, which ultimately results in tragedy.

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Free Beer Tasting at Trolley Car Diner

February 3, 2012

First Friday free Beer Tasting at Trolley Car Diner featuring Sam Adams brews!

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Disney's Beauty and the Beast

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
June 5-June 10, 2012

Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Philadelphia! Based on the Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide. This classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including 'Be Our Guest' and the beloved title song. Experience the romance and enchantment of Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the Academy of Music.

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The 20th Annual African American Children's Book Fair

The African American Children's Book Project
February 4, 2012

Enrich, Empower and Enlighten your child's life at The 20th Annual African American Children's Book Fair!

Over 20 nationally known bestselling authors/illustrators will participate. Many have won the American Library Association Coretta Scott King award. Confirmed are Walter Dean Myers, Bryan Collier, Floyd Cooper, Deborah Gregory, R. Gregory Christie, Eric Velasquez, E. B. Lewis, Shadra Strickland, Sean Qualls, Kelly Starling Lyons, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Jerry Craft, Elizabeth Zunon, Jerry Pinkney, Nancy Devard, Tonya Bolden, L. Divine, Kerri Conner, Jabari Asim and Sharon Flake. These authors/illustrators have written some of the best books of our generation.

The event for children pre-school to young adult will host a book fair, games, prizes and freebies. Also featuring the NBC10 Reading Circle, PECO, and MCDONALD'S Educator's Book Program. For more information call (215) 878-BOOK.

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