Photo courtesy of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

FunTimes Magazine ‘Culture + Entertainment’ column, Week of April 22, 2024

“April Is The Month Of Dreams Come True.”
—Theologian John Baillie

April is the month of many things like National Minority Health Month, Stress Awareness Month, National Walking Day, and yes, National Find a Rainbow Day (darn, we missed those walking and rainbow days observed on April 3rd). But you can still find your rainbows with these energizing upcoming free or low-cost events; they are dedicated to health, education, finance, and jazz music to mark National Jazz Appreciation Month. Getting back to National Walking Day, there’s even a jazz history tour that will cover the walking part. And don’t forget: When event-going, please take precautions, especially when in groups and indoors, with the current COVID-19 variants and other infectious health threats. Check with the event organizers about their safety protocols, and also any changes due to inclement weather. 

Workshop ‘guarantees’ way to combat poverty

Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Guaranteed income is a social welfare benefit growing in popularity across the United States. It gives eligible individuals steady cash payments for a specific and limited time. The payments help recipients reach a standard of living above the poverty line, which in Philadelphia is among the highest of big cities in the United States. Learn how the benefit works and how to build political will to develop the concept.  It’s all part of the latest installment of WOMEN’S WAY’s virtual series, Closing the Gender Wealth Gap: Advancing Gender Equity with Guaranteed Income. Get a deeper understanding of how guaranteed income pilots can reduce poverty and enhance the well-being of women and their families. The panel will be led by moderator Anne Price, Co-President and Founder of The Maven Collaborative. The expert panelists include Dr. Amy Castro, Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Co-Founder, of the Center for Guaranteed Income Research; Nia Coaxum, MPH, CHES -- Philly Joy Bank Program Manager in the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, and William Hall, Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programs in the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity. Free but donations accepted. Online, 4 p.m. EST. 215-985-3322 or womensway.org.

Music with strings attached

Friday, April 26, 2024. If you’re into the music of Prince, Childish, Gambino Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keyes, Sade, and Boyz II Men, then check out the easy-listening instrumental music at the Candlelight Concerts in Philadelphia by the Listeso String Quartet. Enjoy soul-stirring classics like Smooth Operator, You Don’t Know My Name, and The End of the Road. Also, strike a pose and get a keepsake photo to eternally remember your experience. Tickets only sold in advance: $45 & $50; 8:30 p.m. EST. For those 8 years or older. Those under 16 must be with an adult; the venue is ADA-compliant. Bok Bar, 8th and Mifflin Streets in South Philadelphia. feverup.com.

The city’s parent & youth fair is resourceful

Saturday, April 27, 2024. Check out The City of Philadelphia Parent & Youth Resource Fair for valuable resources about city programs, raffle giveaways, DJ music, and refreshments. City agencies and service providers will share materials, and guidance to assist children and teens. Connect to summer camps, late afternoon/evening activities, emotional support, mentoring, conflict resolution, and food support. Discover safe, engaging, and enriching summer activities for children, teens, and families. The services and resources can make a difference in the lives of Philadelphia’s youth. Free, 11 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. Pennsylvania Convention Center (Exhibit Hall G), 1101 Arch St. (enter at North Broad Street). Free but registration is encouraged. 888-545-2600 or phila.gov.

Walk through Philly’s jazz history

Saturday, April 27, 2024. Celebrate Philadelphia’s treasure trove of jazz history on a tour of Philly jazz places and people. Learn about the lives and music of Philadelphians John Coltrane, Jimmy Smith, Benny Golson, and Lee Morgan -- all legends in the 20th-century jazz scene. The walking tour, Exploring the Philly Jazz Legacy, highlights the actual jazz spots and stories from Philly’s hot heyday in the 1950s and 1960s through the present. Check out jazz meccas like the Earle Theatre at 11th and Market Streets and the various clubs on South Broad Street, a major club strip. Tour guide Jack McCarthy, an author and music historian, will keep you in tune with the city’s rich and innovative jazz contributions by Coltrane and company. The tour is part of the Hidden City Philadelphia educational project. $25, or pay what you can; 1 p.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. Meet at 12th and Market Streets (northeast corner). E-mail: [email protected], allevents.in or creativephl.org.

‘Jazz Up, Down and Around,’ Philly-style