🌭 Eat at a Phillies game for under $15 (Yes, really) | Things to Do

From tomato-stacked BLTs and Squonk sightings, to cheap ballpark eats, and Love Is Blind casting calls, this week’s newsletter has a little romance, a lot of weirdness, and plenty of ways to enjoy Philly before summer slips away.

This week’s lineup:

— Sam Ruland (Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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Ahead of the Phillies’ weekend series against the Tigers at Citizens Bank Park, my colleagues Hira Qureshi and Henry Savage took on a noble summertime mission: Find out if it’s still possible to eat at a ballgame without blowing your budget. Armed with a camera and a shared mission, they walked the concourse tracking down the cheapest eats at Citizens Bank Park — and tried a few along the way. The verdict? You can find decent food options in the $3–$10 range and technically build a meal for under $15… but not if you’re craving crab fries, booze, or anything too fancy. Check out their full guide, here.

🍅 It’s peak tomato season, and Philly restaurants are going full BLT. From Middle Child’s cult-favorite heirloom sandwich to luxe tomato-and-caviar toast at River Twice, this is your sign to skip the PSL and eat a tomato instead. Here’s where to go.

🎬 Prepare for the BlackStar Film Festival. The annual celebration of films by Black, brown, and Indigenous creators returns July 31–Aug. 3, with in-person and virtual screenings. Meet the Philly filmmakers premiering their work this year.

🧟‍♂️ Squonkapalooza returns this weekend in Johnstown, Pa., celebrating the state’s saddest cryptid. Expect live music, weird art, and at least one man sweating inside a “Squonky Tonk Man” costume.

🐶 Is your pup a trendsetter or one of many Lunas? Type their name into our quiz and find out how popular it is in Philly.

🎉 2nd Street Festival takes over Northern Liberties on Sunday with food trucks, local artists, live music, and plenty of beer. The street fest runs from Girard to Spring Garden, and it’s free to attend (but bring cash for snacks).

🕵️‍♀️ Zoo Done It? transforms the Philly Zoo into a true-crime scene for one night only. Search for clues, decode puzzles, and interrogate shady characters.

🎶 South Street Vinyl Block Party is a crate-digger’s dream. On Saturday, browse more than 50 tables of records, CDs, and music memorabilia, with DJs spinning all day long at 5th and South.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Juicy heirloom BLTs at Philly’s top sandwich spots and Northern Liberties’ 2nd Street Festival with food and live music.

💘 The pods are calling: Love Is Blind is casting in Philly. If you’re single, over 21, and ready to spill your Wawa order through a wall, this could be your chance. Apply now and maybe your proposal will end with a Rocky-style sprint. Thinking of applying or already did? We want to hear your story — email reporter Hira Qureshi at hqureshi@inquirer.com.

🎥 Where to catch a free movie under the stars. From rooftop screenings to riverside parks, Philly is packed with outdoor movie nights this summer — all free. This weekend’s picks include The Goonies at Clark Park on Friday.

🥾 Five family-friendly summer hikes near Philly. Looking to skip the sand this weekend? These shaded trails offer streams, wildlife, and tot-friendly paths fit for tiny feet.

🚲 Join an outdoor club and hit the trails. Whether you want to hike, bike, or kayak (or all three), Philly has century-old clubs that lead regular group outings for less than a hoagie.

🏊‍♀️ Want to swim at a Philly public pool? Don’t trust the website. Most pools only post full schedules on-site — often on a whiteboard — so your best bet is to visit in person.

🍻 This summer’s craft beer lineup is full of color and creativity. Think: watermelon wheat ales, Jamaican-collab saisons, chamomile sips, and even a pink lemonade ale. Here are 10 Philly brews worth cracking open.

🎶 Strike Made in America from your calendar — again. Jay-Z’s Labor Day weekend festival on the Parkway won’t return for the third year in a row. Organizers didn’t file for a permit, and the city’s now focused on 2026.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca breaks down the best upcoming shows:

🎤 Thursday: R&B legends SWV and Dru Hill co-headline the Dell. Nicole Atkins brings retro pop to Sellersville Theater. Classic Philly rapper Schoolly D headlines Summer Soiree 8 at PhilaMOCA.

🎧 Friday: Lord Huron plays a Free at Noon and later headlines the Mann. Low Cut Connie rocks King of Prussia with Fantastic Cat. Sadboy Studio’s showcase hits the Fallser Club, and Ashanti performs in A.C.

🎸 Saturday: Clipse return to the stage at Franklin Music Hall. Bob Mould goes solo in Sellersville, and surf-rockers Los Straitjackets join Nick Lowe at Concerts Under the Stars. Lil Wayne headlines Boardwalk Hall.

🎤 Sunday: Philly’s 2nd Street Festival takes over Northern Liberties with hours of free music. Guitar legend Bill Frisell performs at Ardmore Music Hall with his trio.

🎸 Tuesday: Wilco headlines the Met Philly, while the Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse co-headline the Mann. Also: Clipse’s North American tour continues and Dave Hill hits Anchor Rock Club in A.C.

Read more music picks.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia turns 20 this month — and somehow, it’s still pushing buttons and getting laughs. A columnist revisits the show’s most infamous episodes (blackface, baby funerals, the gang “turning Black”) and asks: Has it aged well? Their answer is surprisingly yes — even when it shocks, it still knows exactly where to aim.

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See you out there (probably sweating, definitely eating a tomato sandwich),

Sam

It’s the weekend! Let’s goooo!