Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Folks, this may be my favorite time of the fall season. Halloween is a celebration of scares, and the days after are when the holiday season swings into full gear. I’m already thinking about my great aunt’s homemade chocolate cake at Thanksgiving. But let’s not jump too far ahead. This weekend has all the Halloween offerings your heart and costumed bodies desire, plus a few events off the beaten path. — Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com) If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here. Here’s a Bach concert for lunch At lunchtime in Center City, consider grabbing a Shorti at the Wawa or stopping by St. Mark’s Church for a Bach cantata. The Philadelphia Bach Collective is offering brief, midday, pay-as-you-wish concerts in the middle of town. And according to reporter Peter Dobrin, you don’t have to be religious to be moved by these sacred works. The intimate music experience leaves plenty of space to search for your own internal, private interpretations. Read more here. The best things to do this week 🎃 Spooky threads: Stop by East Passyunk’s Singing Fountain to see crochet-covered birds, cherubs, and other figurines in Halloween-themed threads. 🚂 Take a railway escape: Enjoy the kaleidoscope of gold, russet, and amber leaves along the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. It opens early on weekends for visitors interested in a wildly popular regional excursion. 🕸️ Spooky, not scary: Philly’s packed with kid-friendly Halloween fun this month — from “Boo at the Zoo” and pumpkin science at the Franklin Institute to trick-or-treat parades in Chestnut Hill and East Passyunk. Costumes encouraged, jump scares optional. 🎪 Haunted circus: Ever consider a haunted circus? The Family Haunted Circus 2025 is rolling into town on Saturday. 📅 My calendar picks this week: Philly Flannel Festival, Apple Festival in Peddler’s Village, ArBOOreturm at Morris Arboretum & Gardens. The take What makes Halloween so great? The spooks and screams. Haunted prisons, zombie farms, cursed mills, and a murder-filled motel — the Philly area has no shortage of Halloween haunts. From Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights to the infamous Bates Motel and Pennhurst Asylum, these nine terrifying attractions are guaranteed to get your heart racing. See the full list. Fall fun this week and beyond 🎃 Pick your patch: From Bucks to Lancaster County, farms near Philly are serving up peak fall fun — pumpkin picking, hayrides, corn mazes, cider doughnuts, and more. Find one near you. 👻 Check in to this spooky inn: Step inside the Bates Motel Haunted House in Glen Mills for some Hollywood-level scares. This haunted house offers special effects and realistic spooks, plus a 25-minute hayride through Arasapha Farm. 🥟 Did someone say pierogis?: The 2025 Pierogi Festival returns to St. Nicholas Eastern Orthodox Church this weekend. Guests can also enjoy the outdoor beer garden and live music from the tent. 🎭 Final curtain call: Catch the last show of the Tony-winning Kimberly Akimbo at the Academy of Music, Fire!! at Quintessence Theatre, and the Broadway hit Million Dollar Quartet at Walnut Street Theatre, on Sunday. ✨ Futuristic couture on display: The opening of "Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design" exhibition is this Saturday at the African American Museum. The show will feature a special performance from R&B singer Keke Wyatt. 🥗 A week for our vegans: Philly Vegan Restaurant Week closes out Saturday with an assortment of plant-based dining options at Soy Ynez, South Philly’s P’unkBurger, The Melting Pot in King of Prussia, and a Tutu Mary’s Pop-Up at Tattooed Mom. The thing of the week After 40 years at the Jersey Shore, Wildwood’s iconic Ferris wheel is getting a facelift in South Philly’s Navy Yard. The 156-foot LED-lit Ferris wheel is being refurbished over the winter. Its central hub will be transported from Morey’s Piers to the Navy Yard for extra care. The Giant Wheel will be repaired and returned to the Wildwood boardwalk well before the start of the 2026 summer season. So, if you’re planning for another vacation at the shore, consider adding a ride on the Giant Wheel to your itinerary. Staffer picks Pop music critic Dan DeLuca lists the top concerts this weekend: 🎤 Thursday: Off the heels of his crowd-pleasing album, Big Money, John Batiste will headline a show alongside opening act Diana Silvers at the Met Philly on Thursday. 🎤 Thursday: Halsey, the art-pop songwriter who grew up in Central Jersey, will close out back-to-back shows at the Fillmore on Thursday for her “Back to Badlands” tour. 🎤 Friday: Dracula’s Ball, the storied Halloween party first presented by promoter Patrick Rodgers in 1998, goes off at Underground Arts on Friday with IAMX, the solo project of the Sneaker Pimps’ Chris Corner. Philly darkwave band Korine and others will also play. 🎤 Saturday: For a worthy drive to Atlantic City, John Legend will celebrate the 20th anniversary of his Get Lifted debut at Ocean Casino Resort on Saturday, then bring that show to the Met on Nov. 5. 🎤 Sunday: Jazz star Cécile McLorin Salvant will bring her dazzling vocals, computer-generated sounds, and digital loops to the Zellerbach Theatre in West Philly on Sunday. 🎤 Sunday: Little Simz, the British rapper who’s worked with Michael Kiwanuka and Sault, will play at the Fillmore behind her new album, Lotus. Sure, Halloween may be all the rage this weekend, but don’t miss out on all the other amazing happenings in this beautiful city. See you soon and thanks for reading! — Earl Hopkins
