🤠 Saddle up, Philly. The rodeo is in town | Things to do

Saddle up, Philadelphians. This week, you’re in for a wild ride.

Ivan McClellan’s 8 Seconds Rodeo gallops into Temple University’s Liacouras Center on Saturday, bringing a mix of Philadelphia’s urban-cowboy culture and the Western-style riding McClellan fell in love with in 2015. After years photographing rodeo shows across America’s plains, he launched his own traveling showcase in 2023 — and now it’s Philly’s turn.

For this one-night-only event, McClellan’s team is hauling 2 million pounds of dirt, 15 bulls, six broncos, 10 sheep, and more than 20 horses straight down North Broad Street. Expect a night packed with line dancing, barrel racing, and bareback bronco riding — plus a special appearance from Philly’s own “Concrete Cowgirl” Erin Brown.

Bring your best tasseled jackets, rodeo hats, and newly-shined working boots for a night of line dancing, barrel racing, and bareback bronco riding. And while 8 Seconds Rodeo is the talk of the town, there’s plenty of other events worth lassoing into your weekend plans.

This week’s lineup:

— Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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If you’re a newish Philadelphian like me, who’s mistakenly called the Philadelphia Museum of Art the “Philadelphia Art Museum,” you have been vindicated.

For almost everyone else in the city, the change and rebrand are a big deal. The PMA you once knew is now known as the Philadelphia Art Museum or PhAM for short. And after 87 years, the city’s largest visual arts institution has embraced a new logo as well. It’s a black and white, with a griffin placed at the center, with the words Philadelphia Art Museum in bold type. This move proves nobody is ever too old for a new look.

🐉 A night in Chinatown: The annual, open-air YèShì Chinatown Night Market will fill up 10th and Race Streets for an evening of food, arts and craft vendors, and performers on Thursday.

🇺🇸 Philly’s Soul Legend: Patti LaBelle will headline a free “Victory at Sea” concert at Independence Mall for the 250th anniversary of the Navy and Marine Corps on Sunday. The soul legend will perform alongside the U.S. Navy Band and U.S. Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps.

🍎 Scrapple and Apple at RTM: On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Reading Terminal Market vendors will be filled with scrapple and apple options for the annual festival. The Pennsylvania Dutch dish will come in all shapes, sizes, and culinary options.

🏳️‍🌈 OURfest weekend: Saturday will be packed with a symposium and after parties, but Sunday is where the weekend fun spills out into the streets of Center City. There will be a massive block party and outdoor festival in the Gayborhood to cap off National Coming Out Weekend.

🎸 Neighborhood Tunes: The highly anticipated RoxYunk PorchFest returns for a day of live music for neighbors and onlookers alike.

🍻 The Last Call: The final Parks on Tap of the season will pop off on Sunday. The traveling beer garden will make its final round at the Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Northern Liberties Fall Festival, Philly Music Fest, 23rd Street Armory Oktoberfest

Erin Brown, known as the Concrete Cowgirl, will bear the Pan-African flag for what will be the first of many 8 Seconds Rodeo shows in Philadelphia.

Top Black rodeo athletes from around the country will compete for $60,000 in prize money. Guests can show up as early as 3 p.m. to enjoy pre-event line dancing, mechanical bull riding, and western-ware vendors, and sounds from Philly’s own DJ Diamond Kutz.

The rodeo competition will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets to the event start at $45 on Ticketmaster. Keep an eye out for my story about it in the Inquirer.

🥨 A toast to Oktoberfest: 23rd St. Armory Oktoberfest brings the German tradition to the heart of the city. Guests can enjoy a weekend of German foods, traditional dancing, and Hofbräu beer served in Liter Mass glasses.

🎭 From the page to the stage: Watch a historic Harlem magazine come to life on stage at Quintessence Theater’s FIRE!!. The production runs now until Nov. 2 at the Germantown theater house.

🚢 A trip on a ship: As part of the Navy and Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary, tours of Navy and Coast Guard ships will be available from Thursday to Oct. 16 on the Delaware River for visitors of all ages.

🎤 7 nights of music: Philly Music Fest returns for another slate of performances at Ardmore Music Hall, Johnny Brenda’s, Underground Arts, and other venues throughout the city from Oct. 13-19.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca lists the top concerts this weekend.

🎤 Thursday: TikTok influencer-turned-indie pop star Petey USA is bringing tunes like “The Yips” to Union Transfer on Thursday.

🎸 Friday: My Morning Jacket, who have become regulars at Philly venues since the group’s days playing at Khyber Pass Pub in the early aughts, will headline at the Met Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday.

🎸 Saturday: Alex G, a Havertown native and indie rock craftsman who’s off the heels of his 10th album, Headlights, will play two nights at the Fillmore on Saturday and Sunday.

🎤 Sunday: Shane Michael Boose, who goes by the stage name Sombr, became a breakout star with his debut album I Barely Know Her earlier this year. The 20-year-old songwriter will take over the stage at the Met on Sunday.

🎸 Tuesday: British folk rock trio Mumford & Sons, who released their first album in seven years, is playing at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Tuesday.

Read more music picks.

See you soon and thanks for reading!

— Earl H.