⛴️ Set sail this weekend | Things to do

All aboard, folks. This is your captain speaking.

If you need help navigating your weekend plans, you’re in for a ride.

As your guide, I’ve listed a Navy-sized fleet of weekend-long attractions, sporting events, and celebrations happening from Center City to the waters of the Delaware River.

This week’s newsletter delves into the return of cruises at the Port of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Flyers’ playoff run, and the series of events, seminars, and parties in celebration of Philadelphia Black Pride.

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

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

Philly Black Pride returns for another weekend-long series of events, workshops, seminars, and late-night soirees.

Among this year’s attractions includes an opening reception at the Warwick Hotel, the Philly Black Youth Party at Two Locals Brewing, and parties at Broad Hall, Pulse Nightclub, and Woody’s.

For more information on this year’s Philly Black Pride, visit phillyblackpride.org.

🎨 A wearable art show: Temple will host its annual Wearable Art Show at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture on Thursday. The show features runway-ready, original wearable art created by students across disciplines — from jewelry to sculptural and body-scale pieces.

🌽 Shucked at the Forrest Theatre: No, this show isn’t set in the middle of Pennsylvania. The Tony Award-wining musical Shucked takes place in the fictional heartland of Cob County, USA. The comedy follows a young woman trying to save her town from economic turmoil after the area’s corn crop begins to falter. It runs through May 3.

🏒 The Flyers are back home: After starting their 2026 playoff journey on the road, the Philadelphia Flyers are back at Xfinity Mobile Arena for Game 4 of the team’s match-up against cross-state rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Flyers look to close out the series in front of the hometown crowd.

🏍️ AMA Supercross Championship: The best dirt bike racers are taking their skills to the max at Lincoln Financial Field for Saturday’s Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Spring Awakening at Stratus Rooftop Lounge, West Chester Film Festival, Made at Bok Spring Market, Festival of Colors at Philadelphia Zoo

When the Norwegian Jewel docked in the Port of Philadelphia (PhilaPort) to welcome passengers aboard for a seven-day, round trip cruise to Bermuda, it marked the first time a cruise ship has sailed out of Philly in 15 years.

While construction on PhilaPort’s new Cruise Ship Terminal is still ongoing, the Norwegian Cruise Line is expedition-ready.

Norwegian Cruise Line’s seven-year agreement with PhilaPort runs through 2033 and includes an initial commitment of 41 voyages a year to places like the Caribbean, New England, and Canada.

Built in 2005 and refurbished last year, the ship holds 1,069 crew members and up to 2,368 passengers.

Among its attractions includes more than a dozen dining options and 14 bars. There’s also a casino, Starbucks, spa, and theater on board.

Read more of my colleague Stephanie Farr’s story here. You can even also read her on-board review of the 965-foot vessel.

🎥 Under the Stars preview: This Friday, the Under the Stars Festival Preview Party kicks off at The Lawn at UCity Square. The full outdoor summer festival lineup will be revealed at the event.

👟 Penn Relays at Franklin Field: Thousands of spectators and athletes will meet at the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field meet in the nation. Stop by University of Pennsylvania’s historic Franklin Field this weekend to cheer on the athletes competing across more than 300 track and field events.

🎭 A celebration of the arts and audiences: Philly Theatre Week returns for a celebration of the region’s vibrant theaters, organizations and audiences. This year’s rendition offers a series of pay-what-you-want productions, readings, and interactive events through May 3.

🇺🇸 A tale of the American Revolution and Jewish history: "The First Salute: An Untold Story of the American Revolution" is a first-ever exhibition that explores how Jewish merchants in the Caribbean tipped the scales in America’s fight for independence. The exhibition opens Thursday at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History.

🥊 Rising Up to history: The exhibit Rising Up: Rocky and The Making of Monuments, curated by Paul Farber of Monument Lab, covers 2,000 years of history and features over 150 artifacts and works by artists such as Keith Haring, Carrie Mae Weems, and Andy Warhol. The new exhibit opens this week and runs through Aug. 2.

Here’s a list of the top concerts this weekend.

Thursday: Fresh off its 2025 self-titled album, St. Paul and the Broken Bones is headed to the Fillmore on Thursday night for a night of rich, Alabama-bred soul.

Friday: Emerging artist nettspend, who released his rage-fueled and sonically distorted debut album early life crisis in March, is hitting the Union Transfer stage on Friday.

Saturday: Snacktime, a group of soul and funk musicians who briefly served as the in-house band for Jason Kelce’s short-lived ESPN program They Call It Late Night, is taking over The Foundry for a headlining set.

Sunday: Husband-wide duo and gospel music legends David and Tamela Mann will perform at the Fillmore Philadelphia for “The Love & Relationship” tour.

I hope this entry helped you chart your weekend plans. It’s time to set sail and enjoy everything Philly has to offer.

— Earl Hopkins