Erin go bragh! It’s time for the St. Paddy’s Day Parade. Philadelphia’s annual celebration starts at 11 a.m. Sunday and runs from 16th and JFK to Eakins Oval. Since we’re celebrating women this month, a few multitalented ones are in town. Erika Alexander from the Oscar-nominated film “American Fiction” heads to the University of Delaware’s Trabant University Center Thursday to talk acting and activism. On Saturday, Kathy Griffin talks about her career comeback and personal turmoil on the “My Life on the PTSD List” tour. At the Colored Girls Museum, “The Intermission Pt. 2” celebrates its 10th anniversary. Italian actress and playwright Giuliana Musso wrote the powerful “Dentro,” a harrowing account of how abused women are silenced. It’s at Penn Live Arts on Saturday. At the Penn Museum’s latest CultureFest!, Holi is celebrated with a day of music, dance and the traditional throwing of the colors.
Delaware | New Jersey | Special Events | Arts & Culture | Kids | Food & Drink | Comedy | Music
Delaware
Women’s History Month Film Series: Persistent Women Artists
Where: Delaware Historical Society & Research Center, 505 N. Market St., Wilmington
When: Saturday, March 15, March 22 and March 29 at 1 p.m.
How much: Free
Women are highlighted in this series, which goes on through the month. On Saturday, the film is “Persistent Women Artists,” a 1996 documentary by the artist Betty LaDuke, where she covers the experience of three female artists: Japanese artist Minè Okubo, Native American artist Pablita Velarde and African American artist Loïs Mailou Jones.
Keeping Our Eyes on The Prize: Erika Alexander
Actress Erika Alexander, revered for her role as attorney Maxine Shaw on “Living Single,” recently starred with Jeffery Wright in 2023’s “American Fiction,” co-directed “The Big Payback” and co-produced the Emmy-nominated documentary “John Lewis: Good Trouble.” For this appearance in Delaware, she leans into her activist side, crafting a discussion and Q&A around politics, reparations, representation and more.
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New Jersey
EagleMania: The World’s Greatest Eagles Tribute Band
Maybe you were too young to see The Eagles in their ‘70s heyday, or life prevented you from making it to one of their shows back then. But thanks to EagleMania, you can experience a more than reasonable facsimile. They’ve dubbed themselves “the world’s greatest Eagles tribute band” because of the hours of diligent work they’ve put into their craft to recreate the legendary band’s live concerts note by note. They’re in South Jersey on Saturday night.
Special Events
Greater Philly Yarn Crawl
Sixteen yarn shops open their doors to fiber enthusiasts for the next four days to promote and educate about the joys of knitting, crocheting and other fabric arts. Sign up on the website for event info and updates. If you can make it to multiple shops, collecting stamps along the way, you’ll be eligible for up to $1,000 in prizes. Each store offers a free, unique pattern and other giveaways. Your attendance supports a good cause: The Tacony LAB Community Arts Center receives 5% of the proceeds.
Women’s History Month Celebration
As part of the art museum’s Heritage Month Celebration series, the museum hosts a timely event highlighting women’s artistic accomplishments. Qiaira Riley leads a mono-printing workshop inspired by Jet Magazine’s Beauty of the Week feature, while DJ Foxy Nora crafts the playlist. Guided tours at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. will showcase works in the museum’s collection created by women. Jezebel’s Restaurant, a woman-owned business, will be onsite to provide light bites.
CultureFest! Holi
At the Penn Museum, Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, is celebrated as part of the museum’s ongoing CultureFest! Series. Dance and storytelling are scheduled throughout the day, with a performance by Three Ashka Dance Company. The traditional color throw happens outside the museum’s Harrison Garden just before the program ends.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Few things are as consistent in Philly life as the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It’s been going on since 1771. Yup, that’s before our fair city was even free of British rule. (As you know, it took a revolution to make that happen.) The parade marches on this year with 200 performers, dancers, schools and Celtic cultural organizations expected to participate. It’s wearing o’ the green time, and if you want to recycle the Eagles gear you wore to that other big parade, nobody will mind. WHYY’s Billy Penn also has you covered with this guide on where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Philly.
Arts & Culture
Dentro (Inside)
Where: Penn Live Arts at the Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St.
When: Thursday, March 13, 7:30 p.m. – Friday, March 14, 8 p.m., Saturday, March 15, 2 p.m.
How much: $46
Italian actress/playwright Giuliana Musso wrote “Dentro” (which translates to “in” in Italian) after a friend shared their traumatic, real-life story of what happened to her and her daughter when their abuse was ignored, diminished and ultimately dismissed. Done in Musso’s “theater of inquiry” style and staged in Italian with English subtitles, “Dentro” explores what happens when violence against women is silenced. Given its challenging subject matter, personnel from Penn’s Wellness Center will be on hand during and after the show.
The Intermission Pt. 2
Once a private residence, a death in the family turned Colored Girls Museum founder Vashti Dubois into a widow. To help assuage her grief and to celebrate the memories created in the home, Dubois transformed it into a museum celebrating the inner lives of Black and brown girls and women. “The Intermission Pt. 2” celebrates the site’s 10th anniversary with literal spaces for the women it honors through curated mixed-media rooms.
Nora: A Doll’s House
Take the classic 1879 Henrik Ibsen play “A Doll’s House” and update it, again, for a contemporary audience. That was the proverbial assignment and Scottish playwright Stef Smith delivered. Her version, “Nora: A Doll’s House,” places the main character in the ‘20s, the ‘50s and in the present moment, an imaginative take given the play’s many iterations over the years. Smith will appear at a pre-show talk tonight, and Friday night’s official opening night includes a post-show reception. The show’s run includes other pre-show talks and several accessibility performances.
Hard Road to Heaven
If you were a fan of the TV show “Nashville”, which had a six-season run on ABC and CMT, you likely would enjoy “Hard Road to Heaven,” a new musical making its premiere in the area. In this production, country star Jenny Dixon has to navigate changes in her family and relationships when she finds success after leaving her family’s gospel group.
Kids
Carnival of the Animals
Naomi Woo conducts the Philadelphia Orchestra production of “Carnival of the Animals,” with narration by Charlotte Blake Alston, which imagines the orchestra as an extension of the sounds of the animal kingdom. Composed by Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns, the all-ages concert is part of Ensemble Arts Philly’s Family Discovery Package, which means discounts with a purchase of two or more tickets.
Food & Drink
Pancakes & Booze Art Show
Copious amounts of both pancakes and booze will be served with hot artwork from emerging and established artists at the annual event. More than 75 local artists will exhibit their work in disciplines ranging from mixed media, sculpture, paintings and photography. The night includes a live DJ keeping the energy up throughout and the chance to become your own artwork with body painting and other interactive experiences.
Northern Liberties Espresso Martini Crawl
Where: Multiple locations
When: Saturday, March 15, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
How much: Pay as you go
If your caffeine and alcohol tolerance allows, enjoy them together at the second annual bar crawl that’s already become a popular addition to the plethora of Philly food and drink festivals. More than a dozen participating neighborhood bars will offer their twist on the espresso martini — from a parmigiana version to a tiramisu one. To add to the morning pick-me-up theme, there’s even a martini flavored with Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Eateries will offer selected food pairings for the drink of your choice, and retailers in the corridor will also offer selected specials.
Comedy
Johnny Brenda’s One-Liner Madness
This event brings together 64 of Philadelphia’s funniest comedians for a rapid-fire, bracket-style, one-liner joke competition. Organizers say it’s like the “March Madness of comedy.” The audience’s applause decides who advances, ultimately crowning the 2025 One Liner Madness Champion, who takes home both a trophy and a cash prize. The night’s hosts have earned their comedy cred: Emily Winter, known for her work with E!, The New Yorker and NPR; Carolyn Busa, the owner of Peak Secondhand; and Larry Mancini from ESPN Radio.
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD List
The comedian and actress launched her stand-up comedy tour, “My Life on the PTSD List” in 2024, returning to the stage after a six-year hiatus. The tour’s name is a play on her Emmy-winning TV series and numerous personal challenges she has faced in recent years, including lung cancer, addiction, divorce and being placed on the terrorism no-fly list.
Music
Millennium Tour
“Alexa, play the ‘90s R&B and rap heartthrobs playlist.” If that’s the music you enjoy at home, you can see the artists that populate that playlist in person on this tour heading to Temple’s campus arena. The show includes crooners Trey Songz, Omarion and supergroup RSVP, with rappers Bow Wow and Plies. Maybach Music founder Rick Ross is billed as a special guest star.
Broadway Dreams Sing-Along
The Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus invites you to sing with them as they go through multiple eras of Broadway show songs everyone knows. Now in its 43rd season, the group continues to provide its fanbase with soaring harmonies and interactive performances while maintaining its commitment to diversity and inclusion. To think it all started with four gay guys singing Christmas carols in bars!
Spyro Gyra & Lee Ritenour
Formed in the mid-’70s, Spyro Gyra has been a significant force in the jazz fusion genre for decades. Known for their blend of jazz, R&B, funk and pop influences, the band has released over 30 albums and received multiple Grammy nominations. Grammy-winning guitarist Ritenour has recorded over 40 albums and earned 17 Grammy nominations, with notable hits like “Is It You,” now part of the contemporary jazz canon. The two veteran acts join forces for a few tour dates, one in the ‘burbs this weekend.
ZZ Ward
Born in Abington, Zsuzsanna Eva “ZZ” Ward was raised in Oregon, but the blues called her from the time she joined her first band at the ripe old age of 12. By 2012, she’d released her first project, the EP “Criminal.” After her second full-length album, “The Storm,” went No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart, she went the indie route. She’s at City Winery on The Dirty Sun tour in support of her latest album “Liberation,” out on March 14.
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