Free museum entrance for veterans
The Museum of the American Revolution, 3rd and Chestnut streets, will pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in service to the country and celebrate the freedoms they fought to secure for future generations.
From Thursday, May 27 to Monday, May 31, veterans, military and Blue Star families will receive free admission, courtesy of Comcast NBCUniversal.
Visitors can show their gratitude to service members and their families with a personalized postcard and listen to pop-up talks about the Revolutionary Generation while coming face-to-face with the images of those who survived into the age of photography. Continue the experience at home with a commemorative ribbon craft and a virtual “walking” tour exploring the story of Polish military officer Thaddeus Kosciusko.
Beginning May 27, the museum will be open Thursdays to Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with enhanced health and safety measures. Memorial Day weekend offerings are included with regular museum admission. Advanced online ticket purchasing is recommended to guarantee availability. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-253-6731. Children ages 5 and under are always free. Veterans, military and Blue Star families can reserve a free ticket online using code MEMDAY21, which can be redeemed onsite with valid ID. ••
Firefly Music Festival returns
The Firefly Music Festival has announced its lineup.
Headliners will be Billie Eilish, the Killers, Tame Impala and Lizzo.
Other acts will include Megan Thee Stallion, Cage the Elephant, Roddy Ricch, Wiz Khalifa and Machine Gun Kelly.
In all, there will be more than 120 bands across seven stages.
The all-ages festival will take place Sept. 23-26 at The Woodlands in Dover, Delaware.
Eilish was among those scheduled to perform last year before the festival was canceled due to the coronavirus.
For tickets and other information, visit FireflyFestival.com. ••
Eddie Bruce in concert
Cabaret singer, bandleader and former Dancin’ On Air host Eddie Bruce returns to the live performing arena after a year’s layoff with Celebrating the Music and the Magic of Tony Bennett, at the Bucks County Playhouse, 70 S. Main St. in New Hope, with two Memorial Day weekend shows.
Show times are 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 29, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 30.
Tickets cost $40 and are available via bcptheater.org or by calling 215-862-2121. ••
Become a summer lifeguard
Philadelphia is hiring lifeguards for its outdoor swimming pools.
The starting pay for rookie lifeguards will be $15.25 an hour, with returning guards earning up to $17.47 an hour.
Anyone who can swim can train to become a city lifeguard, with the support of the free training offered by aquatics staff of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The lifeguard certification is free for applicants ages 16-24 who commit to working at a city pool. The Red Cross lifeguard certification fee is $110 for all other candidates.
Parks and Rec will hire 350-400 lifeguards this summer to open 68 outdoor pools. A list of requirements can be found at www.phila.gov/lifeguards.
“Our public pools are the most cherished part of summer for Philadelphians,” said Councilman Bobby Henon. “I applaud anyone who takes the plunge this year and chooses to spend their summer lifeguarding at city pools.”
Candidates interested in brushing up their swimming skills or completing the lifeguard screening must register in advance. Learn more and apply today at: phila.gov/lifeguards. ••
Register for KleinLife summer camp
Registration is open for the 2021 summer day camp at KleinLife, located at 10100 Jamison Ave. Camp will run from June 21 to Aug. 13.
Camp will be offered in four age-related segments: the lower camp, grades k to 3; Maccabi boys sports program, grades 4 to 7; senior girls, grades 4 to 7; and the CIT program for grades 8 and 9. There also is a special-needs program for all children.
Camp hours will be 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Camp offers air-conditioned facilities including a hardwood gym and indoor pool, sports clinics and games led by Olympic champion Mariya Ryemyen, playground climbing wall and outdoor fields for sports leagues.
Activities include arts and crafts, instructional and free swimming, music and dancing, robotics, plus special entertainment and shows. Three healthy homemade meals also will be included every day.
Costs for summer camp are (lower camp, Maccabi and senior girls) $1,800 per camper for eight weeks; $1,500 per camper for six weeks; $1,000 per camper for four weeks; and $250 per camper for one week. For CIT camp, it’s $1,200 per camper for eight weeks, $900 per camper for six weeks, $700 per camper for four weeks and $150 per camper for one week.
For additional information, contact Colleen Lane at 215-698-7300, Ext. 112 or [email protected]. ••
St. Hubert taking summer trip
The sixth annual St. Hubert Summer Fun Trip will take place on Tuesday, June 22.
The day will start with a one-hour ride on an Atlantic City cruise ship.
Next is a four-hour stay at Resorts Casino, with $10 back in slot cash.
The day will end with a sitdown dinner and wine tasting at Tomasello Winery, in Hammonton.
A bus will depart St. Hubert at 8:45 a.m. and return at about 9 p.m. Masks must be worn on the trip. Eating and drinking on the bus are prohibited, and there is no bathroom use. Temperatures will be taken as you enter the bus.
The cost is $90.
To reserve your seat, contact Mary Clifford at 267-231-7367 or [email protected]. ••
Summer exhibit at history museum
More than 40 rare American flags will go on display alongside historic documents as part of Flags and Founding Documents, 1776 – Today, June 12 to Sept. 6, at the Museum of the American Revolution, 3rd and Chestnut streets.
The flags trace the evolution of the Stars and Stripes through the addition and subtraction of stars as new states joined the Union and the nation battled through the Civil War. Historic documents will include early printings of more than 16 different state constitutions.
The display of documents will include rare printings of the Bill of Rights and the proposed U.S. Constitution of 1787.
The 5,000-square-foot exhibit is included with regular museum admission. Tickets to the museum can be purchased by calling 215-253-6731 or at amrevmuseum.org.
The museum is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ••
Watch musical performance
Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel will present a free, virtual performance of To Bigotry No Sanction, a new cantata by composer Jonathan Comisar, on June 2, from 7 to 8 p.m.
The program includes an exclusive screening of the cantata, featuring members of the Philadelphia Orchestra and a choir.
All are welcome to watch on Vimeo.com at bit.ly/ki-tbns.
Commissioned by KI cantor Amy Levy and produced by KI Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, this new musical work is based on George Washington’s historic Letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, sent on Aug. 21, 1790. Reiterating the famous words that the congregational leader, Moses Seixas, had previously written to Washington, the president declared, “For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance … ”
Comisar’s cantata embodies touchstones of Jewish and American music in an orchestral/choral setting.
The June 2 program includes an introduction to the performance that includes an actor playing George Washington reading excerpts of the historic letter that is considered to be the foundation of the American Jewish experience. In his letter, Washington also quotes the Hebrew Bible, writing, “every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
Washington’s original letter is periodically on display at the National Museum of American Jewish History, on Independence Mall.
The performance is followed by a conversation with Comisar and Sussman, moderated by documentary filmmaker Sam Katz. ••
Visit Academy of Natural Sciences
The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, is offering a photographic exploration of the impact of flooding on communities around the world due to climate events through Oct. 17.
Gideon Mendel: Drowning World is a portrayal of the human condition within the context of climate change. The exhibition features 37 color photographs, a found-object display and a video that is the culmination of 10 years of work by award-winning photographer Gideon Mendel.
The images depict some of the poorest and some of the wealthiest communities in the world, including in the U.S., all exposed to the floodwater that envelops them. Mendel works in stills and video.
Two virtual programs are planned: June 24, as part of a Drexel University’s Climate Year Speaker Series on coastal waters, and a panel discussion in July about the effects of climate change on Philadelphia called Drowning World, Local Resilience: Preparing for a Warmer, Wetter Philadelphia.
For more information, visit ansp.org. ••
Check out Neon Museum
The Neon Museum of Philadelphia, 2140 Mount Vernon St., focuses on neon, Philly culture and roadside America through photos, paintings, sculpture and videos.
A special exhibition by historian and architect Joel Spivak is full of artifacts from the South Street Renaissance. It is a freewheeling journey through 300 years of South Street lunacy, from earliest foundations to hippie parades.
Museum admission is $10, or $5 for ages 7 to 12. Children under 7 are not admitted, and visitors under 16 must be accompanied by a supervising adult.
Members are admitted free with membership card. To become a member, visit https://neonmuseumofphiladelphia.com/participate#membership.
Special offers and events are available to members.
To book your visit, go to https://neonmuseumofphiladelphia.com/tickets. ••
