To do this week: Plan a fun-filled weekend

On the to-do list this week: It’s the first weekend in April and with the reopening of seasonal pop-ups to week-plus-long theater festivals, there’s a lot to do in the Philadelphia region. Plus, there’s something about spring Saturdays and Sundays that’s just a little more celebratory (read: it’s no longer too cold to go outside) — in other words, we officially have our weekends back, Philly.

On my personal to-do list: I’m about to go live (today at 12:30 p.m.) on Instagram for Inquirer LIVE at Lunch to talk about all of the best things happening this weekend in Philly. Come hang out with me at 12:30 p.m. at @phillyinquirer on Instagram!

📆 Need something to do this weekend or next week? We have an events calendar with 45 things to do in Philly and outside of the city, too. See our full calendar here.

We’ve collected our best Philly tips all in one place here. Stay healthy, stay safe, and get vaccinated.

— Jillian Wilson

Every Thursday, we publish an events calendar at inquirer.com/calendar where you can see 45+ things happening over the next seven days, including many (we’re talking lots) of events happening this weekend in Philly. So, what’s on the list this weekend? Well, it’s First Friday and the first weekend in April (which is certainly something to celebrate). As far as specifics, we’ve got you covered:

🎷 First Friday at the Barnes (Art / in-person / community) Art lovers, get ready for a night of live music, cocktails and, of course, great art. The Barnes First Friday mixer includes live performances by Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter Josh Lawrence. Between sets, enjoy drinks and light bites and explore the museum’s galleries. ($10-$28, Apr. 1, 6-9 p.m., 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., barnesfoundation.org)

🏛️ Science After Hours: Spectacular Spectacular (Science / in-person / community) Plan for a spectacular night at the Franklin Institute after hours. Inspired by the Moulin Rouge in Paris, the night will be filled with food, drinks, dancing (led by the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School), live music (by Snacktime Philly), interactive circus classes (led by the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts), and time to explore the museum. You’ll end the night on the roof deck (weather permitting) to take in the stars and the city. ($40-$45, Apr. 1, 8 p.m., 271 N. 21st St., fi.edu)

🍒 First Friday at Cherry Street Pier (Community / in-person / free) Kick-off your weekend at a First Friday event at Cherry Street Pier where you can shop items created by local makers, attend artist’s studio tours, relax at an express pop-up spa, and spend time at the spring opening of the pier’s Garden Restaurant. (Free, Apr. 1, 4-9 p.m., 121 N. Columbus Blvd., cherrystreetpier.com)

🍽️ Northern Liberties Restaurant Week (Food / in-person / multiday) Lunch and dinner just got tastier at Northern Liberties restaurants. More than a dozen restaurants serve pre-fixe lunch and dinner menus for just $15 to $35 depending on the spot. Dine indoors, outdoors, or take your food to go and know you’ll have a great meal from spots like El Camino Real, Apricot Stone, SET NoLibs, Standard Tap, and more. ($15-$35, Apr. 1-10, various locations, explorenorthernliberties.org)

🎭️ Philly Theater Week (Theater / virtual and in-person / multiday) Get ready for a week-long celebration of local theater and the arts. Philly Theater Week is made up of more than 80 shows at theater houses across the region with a mix of in-person and virtual events. ($15-$30, Apr. 1-10, theatrephiladelphia.org)

🍻 Opening of PHS Pop-Up Gardens (Seasonal / in-person / outdoors) The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s (PHS) pop-up gardens open for the season this Saturday with food, drinks, special events, and lots of picturesque plant installations. Enjoy local beers, a menu that’s half plant-based, wine, summery cocktails, and non-alcoholic options as well. The beloved pop-ups are both kid- and dog-friendly, too. (Opens Apr. 2, 1438 South St. and 106 Jamestown Ave., phsonline.com)

And much more. See our full events calendar, here.

» Ask us a question through Curious Philly: Inquirer.com/askus

Spring is here and budding flowers are proof. 🌼🌸🌷

Farms throughout the region begin their pick-your-own flower season this weekend (woohoo!), with tulips coming in first. Dalton Farms in Swedesboro, NJ kicks off its tulip-picking season on Saturday with its annual tulip festival (where tulips are $2 per stem); in Lewes, Del., you can check out the annual Lewes Tulip Celebration this weekend where you can explore fields of tulips and pick up some flowers for a centerpiece at home. As spring continues, more and more flowers will bloom — so mark your calendars for even more floral fests, like at the 300-acre Holland Ridge Farms in New Jersey.

Need to start planning? Here’s where you can go to pick your own flowers and frolic among flower fields in the Philadelphia region.

Tonight, the Wilma Theater hosts a reading of Bad Roads, a play by Ukrainian writer Natal’ya Vorozhbit. Proceeds from the event benefit the Voices of Children Foundation, a group that is helping children and families in Ukraine. So you can go out, and make a difference at the same time.

Thanks for reading! We’ll be back next week with more things to do.