👙 Beat the heat at the pool | Things to Do

Tomorrow is the official start of summer! But this week has already been heating up, and not in the best way — Philly just declared the first heat health emergency of the year. So please stay cool, hydrated, and safe out there! (We’ve got tips.) For my part, I’ll be chugging coconut water and taking a break from sidewalk racing.

It’s the perfect time to head to a local pool. Also check out the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival, singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine’s show, Philly’s bike trails, and what’s new on local stages.

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

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

By Sunday, 25 public pools across Philly will be ready for swimmers, and more will open on a rolling basis. They’re crucial spots where families can cool down during this intensive heat wave — spraygrounds included — and, yes, they’re FREE. Find a pool near you.

🔥 Take care: The outdoors will be unbearably hot in the coming days, so Philadelphia is gearing up its cooldown resources across the city. We’ve got a guide to staying cool and safe.

🏮 Year of the Dragon: The 2024 Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival kicks off today in Franklin Square with wondrous displays of giant lanterns, elaborate sculptures, and a slate of performances including traditional folk dances and a fountain show. Don’t miss the 200-foot-long dragon! Running through Aug. 18, the festival also features dumpling workshops, lantern painting, and more family-friendly fun. Here’s everything you need to know.

🎸 Homecoming: Singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine grew up in Lower Merion Township before moving to L.A. and opening for big acts like Coldplay. She’s back in town next week for two shows at the Met. Pop music critic Dan DeLuca asked her about songwriting and her never-ending love for Wawa.

🎭 On stages: This month has been full of world premieres in the Philly area. First: It’s the last weekend to see The Duat (running through June 23 at Philadelphia Theatre Company). A former counterintelligence informant lands in the Egyptian afterlife and has to reckon with his complicated life choices as he awaits judgment — and the audience watches from the stage. Next: Emmy-winning actor David Strathairn is in town, starring in the premiere of Off By One (running through July 7 at People’s Light in Malvern). He plays a dead poet whose legacy unites two women — they meet after one accidentally texts the wrong number — who bond over their love of his writing.

🚲 Helmet on: Hundreds of bike trails in and around Philly can take you to charming towns nearby, food destinations, and spots with gorgeous views. We break down the best bike trails for every kind of cyclist, from beginners to pros.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Cedar Park Jazz, Concilio’s Hispanic Fiesta, Manayunk Arts Festival

Philly’s arts community is still reeling from the sudden closure of University of the Arts. The resilient and talented community have come together for a special art show at Plays & Players Theatre in Rittenhouse this weekend. “U Are Arts” is a two-night showcase of paintings, illustrations, and photographs from UArts students and faculty available for purchase. It’s billed as not just a celebration of these artists, but a show of solidarity.

🌲 No fear: Your ultimate guide to the Pine Barrens is here. Come for the Jersey Devil tales, stay for the practical tips to enjoying New Jersey’s vast, beautiful forest.

📺 Dearest gentle readers: One of the first-ever Netflix houses is coming to King of Prussia next year. What does that mean? It’s a space dedicated to the most popular shows like Bridgerton, Squid Game, and Stranger Things with games, photo opps, and interactive experiences. Rest assured — the Squid Game competitions will not be fatal.

🍽️ Fresh bites: This summer will see 60 new restaurants open across the Philly region, from a doom-metal bar to a rooftop deck to new pizza joints. Get caught up on all the foodie news.

🏖️ Your friendly neighborhood monster: Who is the Wildwood Seasquatch? You might have seen the furry mascot walking around the boardwalk. The Inquirer’s resident Shore reporter Amy Rosenberg got up close and personal with the anonymous man in the costume.

💃 Say I do-si-do: Take a look inside Philly’s LGBTQ+ square dancing group. Independence Squares is an all-inclusive club dedicated to reclaiming square dancing for anyone who’d like to join.

Philly has an incredible fabric and textile arts scene, thanks in part to the storied Fabric Museum & Workshop on Arch Street. It’s a building full of innovative exhibits and really exciting work spanning multiple floors. A few weeks ago, I visited the exhibit “John Jarboe: The Rose Garden,” a delightfully absurd and visually enthralling show about Bearded Ladies Cabaret founder Jarboe’s gender journey. When she came out as trans, Jarboe spoke with her aunt, who told Jarboe that she had a twin in the womb: “You ate her. That’s why you are the way you are.” Jarboe took this shocking (and hilarious) information as a provocation to create a campy, immersive show with original songs and impressive video installations. I can’t stop thinking about the peephole shoeboxes.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca and classical music critic Peter Dobrin break down the best shows in town this weekend and next week:

🎶 Sunday: See the Kennett Symphony at Longwood Gardens. Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in its usual Ravel orchestration and the Harry Potter Symphonic Suite (John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Alexandre Desplat) are performed by the orchestra in Longwood’s Open Air Theatre.

🎶 Monday: Head to the Camden County Concert Series. Free shows abound at various South Jersey locales. Tower of Power is at Wiggins Park on June 24, and Matt Cappy plays July 29. Los Lonely Boys are at Haddon Lake Park on June 26, and Raul Midón is there Aug. 21. Spin Doctors play Cooper River Park on June 13, and Cassadee Pope sings June 27. More info here.

🎶 Wednesday: Catch the one-and-only Sarah McLachlan. It’s been 30 years since the Canadian singer-songwriter broke through with Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, and used that clout to shake up the music industry with the all-woman Lilith Fair tour. Feist opens.

🎶 Also Wednesday: Janet Jackson skipped Philly and only played Atlantic City on her 2023 tour. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer will rectify that on her “Together Again” tour, with Nelly opening.

🎶 Another Wednesday show: The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform at Temple University’s Performing Arts Center. The orchestra’s free neighborhood concert series hasn’t exactly ended, but the name has disappeared and the series isn’t as intrepid as it once was. Still, the ensemble will travel up Broad Street for this free concert of works by Adolphus Hailstork; Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges; Scott Joplin; Florence Price; Duke Ellington; Jessie Montgomery; and William Grant Still. Assistant conductor Austin Chanu is on the podium.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

This week, I’m continuing my summer reading list with the heart-wrenching true story Liliana’s Invincible Summer: A Sister’s Search for Justice by Cristina Rivera Garza. What are you reading these days? Let me know!