⚾ It’s playoff season, baby! | Things to Do

It’s sweater weather but the baseball season is just heating up! The Phillies are in the playoffs and the celebrations have been wild so far, from Brandon Marsh riding a mechanical bull to the clubhouse erupting to “Dancing on My Own.”

This weekend, see the unapologetically queer cabaret show Late Night Snacks, scope out the best places for apple picking, catch New York humorist Fran Lebowitz, and get ready for all the haunted attractions around town.

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— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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After beating the Pittsburgh Pirates this week, the Phillies are heading into the playoffs. The first wild card game is on Tuesday and it’ll be at home! The best-of-three series will see the Phillies face off against a yet-to-be-determined opponent (my baseball knowledge is limited, but David Murphy breaks down who’s in the running). Here’s everything you need to know about when and where to watch the games.

🎼 I’m not gonna write you a love song: But Jennifer Higdon will! The Philly composer crafts special compositions for her wife each year on Valentine’s Day, and last weekend I heard young queer composers perform their own interpretations of those works. It was part of Late Night Snacks, the unabashedly queer variety show running on South Street.

🎤 Watch Fran speak: Legendary humorist Fran Lebowitz is coming to the Keswick Theatre on Sunday, where she’ll answer all your burning questions. I asked her about the time she lost Alexander Calder’s precious (read: priceless) cufflinks and her thoughts on Philly. Turns out, she’s a big fan of the city.

🎨 Shop local: CADO Market celebrates Black artisans and craftspeople in Strawberry Mansion. On Saturday, it will feature live music and exciting finds from 20 artists and vendors, like jewelry, streetwear, bath goods, and more.

📚 Cooking chats: Sisterly Love’s event series Cookbooks & Convos is all about empowering women chefs and cookbook authors, and there are special dinners, meet-and-greets, and more cool events happening throughout the next few weeks.

🛍️ Find your Halloween costume: The Philly AIDS Thrift Block Party is celebrating 18 years this Saturday with a massive street festival featuring live bands, face painting, food trucks, carnival games and, of course, fabulous thrifting.

🎥 Smut at the drive-in: Fresh off receiving his Hollywood Walk of Fame star, the hilarious and eccentric John Waters is heading to Mahoning Drive-In in Lehighton for the John Waters Filthy Film Festival, where you can watch some of his greatest hits.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Explore the 20/20 Photo Festival, sip something new at the All Star Craft Beer & Wine Festival, and taste delicious food at a Cookout Vibes Pop Up.

I asked, you answered! Shout out to Luke Smith who sent us this recommendation for a joyful bike celebration happening Saturday:

I’m looking forward to the 92.9 Community of Joy Festival and Bike Parade, Saturday, Sept. 30, from 11am-5pm, on the beautifully renovated Maplewood Mall in Germantown. There will be live music, a bike parade (come at 11am for supplies and help decorating), face painting, farm stands, hand cranked ice cream, double dutch, hula hooping, paper making, vendors, and more! And best of all the event is FREE and open to all!

Remember: I’m looking for YOUR thing to do — one recommendation for an event, cultural experience, or local venue that you’d like to share with our readers who are eager to explore Philly’s vibrant arts and culture scene.

📮 Send me 200 words on your thing, and be sure to include a photo!

🍎 Get outdoors: Looking for where you can pick apples around Philly? We’ve got you covered.

👻 Searching for screams: From haunted houses to spooky attractions, find the scariest attractions in and around the city to satisfy that craving for an adrenaline rush.

🎃 Add some pumpkin spice to your life: We rounded up the best bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants where you can find delicious pumpkin-flavored drinks and treats.

🍻 Sips and scares: If you’re excited about Halloween-themed cocktails and interactive events, there’s a ton happening around town, from the Monster Mash Bloody Mary Challenge to the Witches of East Passyunk Bar Crawl, and so much more.

💀 One less Halloween party: The Mütter Museum has canceled its popular annual celebration Mischief at the Mütter, and people feel conflicted about it.

🎸 Not running this year: Bruce Springsteen announced that he’s postponing the rest of his 2023 tour dates. The boss is still recovering from peptic ulcer disease, so he’s planning to return to the stage in 2024, and he’s scheduled to play Citizens Bank Park in August.

Last week, I headed to Germantown to see the opening of a community project at Awbury called “S(tree)twork” from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. A group of artists came together to build the Lightning House from trees that had fallen in the arboretum and beyond. The space will host woodworking, performances, and other arts events in the future, and at the opening there were multiple musicians playing all sorts of wooden instruments that they crafted, from drums to a xylophone. The small building is in a beautiful enclave in the arboretum and the drums are hollowed tree trunks that each make their own sound, but as local drummer Karen Smith told me, the sound will continue to change as the wood ages and matures over time. The project is all about getting more people motivated to seek out green spaces, plant trees in their neighborhoods, and encourage reforestation efforts throughout Philadelphia.

Which one of these teams is NOT in the running to potentially play the Phillies next week?

A) The Arizona Diamondbacks

B) The New York Yankees

C) The Chicago Cubs

D) The Miami Marlins

📮 To let me know which of the above is correct, write me back.

I created the newsletter this week listening to Fleetwood Mac because it’s that time of year to sing along to “Rhiannon” while thinking about that very cool, enigmatic Welsh witch.