9 Things to Do in Philly This Weekend: Kun-Yang Lin Dancers at PMA, Strange Meats and More Ways to Celebrate the First Weekend of 2015
Get our weekly picks of what to do this weekend and the latest on Philly's arts and entertainment scene.
Art After 5: Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers
Kick off the first weekend of the New Year with the perfect cultural trifecta: performance, art, and music. Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, the internationally acclaimed Asian-American dance company, will offer a sneak peek of their latest performance piece this evening at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The company's newest contemporary work, Home; S. 9th St., "explores the diverse community of South Philadelphia’s famed 9th Street neighborhood." Be the first to see it before the world premiere at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival in the fall of 2015. The museum's galleries will be open for perusing as well, and light bites and a variety of cocktails will be served in the Great Stair Hall. Museum admission can be purchased online. Friday, January 2nd, 5 p.m.-8:45 p.m., $17.50-$23.50, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
First Friday! Celebrate the Moment
Head to the Barnes Foundation tonight and toast to the New Year, First Friday, and the birth of foundation founder, Dr. Albert C. Barnes! The special First Friday fete will feature live music from M'Balia Singley and Luke Carlos O’Reilly and Friends–a roots-gospel-country band–as well as a trunk show courtesy of menswear designer Wale Oyejide. Guests can also explore the exhibitions, catch a short talk by Barnes docent Molly Walker, and enjoy delicious cocktails and light fare. Tickets are available for purchase online. Friday, January 2nd, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., $25 or free for members, Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Mainland Inn Opens in Harleysville
From Foobooz: The long delayed reopening of the Mainland Inn in Harleysville is set for Friday evening. The restaurant will source much of its bounty from the neighboring Quarry Hill Farm and other local farms. Chef Ezra Duker is in the kitchen. The Philadelphia native has worked at Morimoto Napa, The French Laundry and the Orrery, in London. More plus menu details here.
First Friday at Pinot Boutique
New Year's resolutions aren't really effective until Monday, right? Make your way to Old City's Pinot Boutique this evening and indulge while you can. First Sip Friday features five tastings of delicious local wines from Paradox Vineyard, Auburn Road Winery and Pinnacle Ridge Winery–plus some festive bubbles–all for only $5. While you sip, shop from a wide array of wine, beer, and cocktail accessories. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Cheers! Friday, January 2nd, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., $5, Pinot Boutique, 227 Market Street.
Gov't Mule
Jam band lovers assemble: Gov't Mule, the side project of The Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody, will take the stage at The Tower Theater both Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets are available for purchase online. Friday, January 2nd and Saturday, January 3rd, 8 p.m., $25-$50, The Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow Streets, Upper Darby, PA.
Yards Brewery Tours
Beer cures a variety of ills, including the post-holiday blues. Take a free tour of one of Philly's favorite breweries–Yards Brewing Company–this weekend, and discover how they craft their award-winning ales. Afterward, sample some of their finest brews in the tasting room and nosh on featured food truck fare. You can worry about hitting the gym come Monday. Tours are first-come, first-served, so be sure to get there early! For more information, click here. Saturday, January 3rd, 12 p.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, January 4th, 12 p.m.-3 p.m., Yards Brewing Company, 901 N. Delaware Avenue.
Cirque de la Symphonie
The acrobats, aerialists, and jugglers of Cirque de la Symphonie will team up with The Philadelphia Orchestra this weekend at the Kimmel Center. The cirque act, which performs exclusively with symphony orchestras, will show off their "heart-stopping, gravity-defying" skills to an incredible program of orchestral showpieces. For more information, click here. Tickets are available for purchase online. Saturday, January 3rd at 8 p.m., and Sunday, January 4th at 2 p.m., $60-$135, Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad Street.
Strange Meats: The Soupie
Hey, foodies: this Saturday, Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art will host the local premiere of Strange Meats: The Soupie, the latest project from local filmmaker Matt Spade. The documentary "asks a few questions about the Pennsylvania Coal Region's coveted meat: the soupie, finding the answers to what makes this meat special." In addition to the screening, light bites will be provided courtesy of DiBruno Bros (!), as well as a soupie tasting and panel discussion featuring Spade, DiBruno Bros own Emilio Mignucci, and other special guests from the film–all led by Philadelphia Independent Film & Video Association's Sean McKnight. Tickets are available for purchase online. Saturday, January 3rd, 8 p.m., $6, PhilaMOCA, 531 N 12th Street.
Where to Recycle Your Christmas Tree
From Be Well Philly: The City of Philadelphia, as well as several neighborhood groups, are offering Christmas tree recycling services throughout the month of January. While technically you may put your tree out with your weekly garbage pile, we don’t suggest it. Those trees end up in landfills, while recycled trees get used for compost, wood chips or other needed projects in local parks. Check out the guide here for locations, dates and times for tree recycling near you.
Submit Your Event
Have an event you'd like featured in an upcoming "Things to Do" post? Send information at least two weeks in advance to Josh Middleton at jmiddleton@phillymag.com.
