As January kicks off, you may want to expand your horizons with new activities. “Start anew in ’22!” is our slogan. From trains to boats to forts, here are a few free or low-cost ways to usher in the year safely. But before venturing out, be sure to contact the event organizers of these activities for their updated in-person visiting pandemic-related safety precautions and protocols such as masking and proof of vaccination.

MUSIC

The flavor of Haiti!

January 9, 2022. Fuse together a Haitian carnival with a tinge of New Orleans Mardi Gras and you get: WXPN Presents The Kanaval Ball. This show includes Haitian folkloric dance company Nadia Dieudonné & Feet of Rhythm, and performances by Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ram, DJ. Free (with a reservation in advance), 4 p.m. 

The Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St., 215-898-6677, thefillmorephilly.com, 
Registration here!

OUTDOORS

  Support the fort!

January 8, 2022. Explore the historic grounds of Fort Mifflin, one of the only intact American Revolutionary War battlefields. It was commissioned in 1771 and is on Mud Island on the Delaware River near the Philadelphia International Airport in Southwest Philly. Walk to the top of the walls in search of signs of animals, check out the driftwood and shells on the Delaware River beach, look for tracks on the sea wall and see first-hand the Mortar Battery, a hidden piece of history. Wear boots, well-behaved dogs welcome. 10 a.m. 

6400 Hog Island Rd., 215-685-4167, fortmifflin.us

Get a breath of nature.

January 8, 2022. Conifers Tour at the Morris Arboretum covers a variety of conifers — both evergreen and deciduous — at this Chestnut Hill treasure. Participants can view these notable specimens in many forms: foliage, bark, and cones. 11 a.m. 

Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania/ Widener Visitor Center, 100 E. Northwestern Ave., 215-247-5777, morrisarboretum.org

Evening battleship tour.

January 7, 2022.  In a two-hour tour, get a look at rarely seen parts of the historic Battleship New Jersey floating museum. The vessel is the U.S.’s most active and decorated war battleship built as part of the “Iowa class” of 4 battleships, starting in the 1940s. Guests can expect to see “mature” sailor art and hear some stories only appropriate for adult ears (must be 21 and older). After the tour, enjoy beverages on the ship’s Main Deck, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., 

100 Clinton St., Camden, NJ., $30, 866-877-6262, Battleshipnewjersey.org

Time to blossom.

June 11 to June 19, 2022. Stop to smell the roses at the Philadelphia Flower Show, the nation’s longest-running horticultural show, this year returning outdoors in South Philadelphia with the theme In Full Bloom. Tickets are now on sale…The PR material states that the theme “promotes good health, positive well-being, and a passion for life…” Hosted by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Adults: $45 (kids under age 4, free). Ticket price includes admission to nearby American Swedish Historical Museum, Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, 1500 Pattison Ave., 215-988-8800, PHSonline.org

CITY NEIGHBORHOODS

Train of thought.

January 16, 2021. If you or any young folks love locomotives, choo-choo over to South Philly for a ride of a lifetime at the Polar Bear Train Show and Sale. New and antique trains and parts are up for grabs at nearly 150 tables and track layouts are on display with many other kid’s activities and prizes. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., $5 per person. 

Penn’s Landing Caterers (Sheet Metal Workers Union Hall), 1301 Columbus Blvd., 610-872-3309, ADTCA.com.

We have a winner!

January 15, 2022. If old-fashioned bingo is your thing, check out St. Michael’s Lutheran Church. If you play your cards right, you’ll have a swell time! Packages are $20 (includes lunch), 1 pm. to 4 p.m. (Doors swing open at noon) 

Trenton Avenue and Cumberland Street. (Call only:) 215-423-0792.

Virtually safe.

January 12, 2022. The Whitman Library in South Philly has stitched together a new group for crafters. Those who knit, crochet, cross-stitch, or quilt may want to Zoom in every Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Let’s make a scarf! Free. 

To join this stitching activity in the comfort of your own residence, e-mail [email protected]

Happy and healthy new year!

January 11, 2022. Drop a few pounds at a virtual nutrition meeting hosted by the Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim. The topic is “New Year’s Resolutions: Building a Healthy Plate for You” presented by Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus & Fox Chase Cancer Center. 1 p.m., Zoom meeting. Free. 

To get a meeting link, call (only:) 215-677-1600.