💐 Spring has sprung. Finally!|Things to do

While we’re still in winter coat weather, this weekend marks the official beginning of the Spring Equinox.

What does that mean? Simple: it’s the official start of the season, which means our cherry blossoms will soon bloom, and our favorite rooftop bars and backyard beer gardens will be getting ready to open their doors again.

But before I get too far ahead of myself, let’s start with this week’s slew of events and new attractions. This includes March Madness match-ups, Civil War reenactments, and a festival of colors.

Read below to find what events will kick-off your first few days of spring.

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

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

BalletX is celebrating its 20th anniversary this spring season, which opened Wednesday night at the Suzanne Roberts Theater.

The opening night featured three works commemorating its co-founder Matthew Neenan, who launched the contemporary ballet company in 2006 with fellow dancer Christine Cox. One of them is the world premiere ballet, Squares.

My colleague Ellen Dunkel says the spring season is nearly sold out. But BalletX will be back in Philly this June at the Highmark Mann Center for a new version of The Four Seasons.

Read more of Dunkel’s story here.

🎭 Final curtain call: The Philadelphia premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright James Ijames’ play, Good Bones, closes out its run at Arden Theatre on Sunday. Catch it before the production’s final curtain call in Ijames’ artistic hometown.

🎥 Celebrate Arab culture: The Travels of Ibn Jubayr is a film that reinterprets the journey of the 12th-century explorer Ibn Jubayr, a Muslim pilgrim from medieval Spain who made a religious pilgrimage to Mecca between 1183 and 1185. Catch it on Wednesday at Lightbox Film Center at the Bok Building.

🏀 March Madness comes to Philly: College hoops will be in full gear at Xfinity Mobile Arena this weekend. The city will host a slew of first and second round matchups for this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

🎨 Colorful tradition: Kick off your spring with a dose of culture and color. On Saturday, Penn Museum’s CultureFest! series will celebrate Holi, a Hindu holiday best known as a festival of colors. The event will feature family-friendly events and cultural happenings.

👚 Out with the old, in with the new: Stop by Craft Hall this Saturday for the pop-up marketplace, Now + Then, filled with local vendors and small business offering original artworks, vintage clothes, and handmade crafts for sale.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Winter Wonder at Longwood Gardens, PHS Pop Up Gardens, Isaiah Zagar Day of Celebration and Remembrance

There’s already eyes on the Phillies this MLB season.

Nearly 44,000 fans are expected at Citizens Bank Park for Opening Day next week. Plus, our hometown team will host this year’s MLB All-Star Game.

But Aramark Sports & Entertainment, the exclusive food, beverage, and retail partner for the Phillies, did some preparing of its own this offseason.

Aramark has added new dishes to its ballpark, including a Kyle Schwarber-inspired Schwarbomb Sundae and a spicy Cristopher Sánchez-branded chicken sandwiches known as Sánchez Sliders.

Read more of my colleague Michael Klein’s story here.

🇺🇸 A salute to history: Philly’s Fort Mifflin will transform into a Civil War-era site, filled with volunteer reenactors showcasing tactical drills and demonstrations all weekend long.

🎋 A cultural center reopens: The Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center has reopened just in time for spring. The 1.2-acre attraction in West Fairmount Park welcomes visitors to its elaborate gardens, beautiful koi pond, and 17th century-inspired main building.

🚋 A ride around town: Harriet’s Bookshop owner Jeannine Cook’s trolley tour, which encourages visitors to explore Philly’s small business community, returns for another loop around the city. The trolley will run will each Saturday through April 25.

🖼️ New artworks at The Barnes: Commemorating the nation’s 250th celebration, the Barnes Foundation will open Sky Hopinka’s new installation, Red Metal Dust, on Saturday. The Indigenous artist’s new installation is filled 11 immersive panels that encourage visitors to reflect on the country’s history. It runs through January 2027.

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

🎤 Thursday: Get a dose of the Philly emo band Sweet Pill. The quintet is kicking off a tour across the U.S. and throughout Europe, with a stop at Union Transfer.

🎤 Friday: British songwriter Will Westerman, whose worked with Björk, Sampha, and The xx, drops into the Foundry at the Fillmore to deliver his synth-driven songs.

🎤 Saturday: Canadian songwriter Patrick Wilson, who won an Oscar last week for his score to The Girl Who Cried Pearls, will hit the stage at Wilmington’s Arden Gild Hall for his “Uh Oh Tour.”

🎤 Sunday: Black Midi singer Geordie Greep will bring his theatrical stories and dramatic tempo shifts to Ardmore Music Hall on Sunday.

All right, folks. That’s all for now. But as promised, there will be plenty of fun spring events ahead. I’m excited to be your guide for another season of regional happenings.

— Earl Hopkins