The Best Things You Can Possibly Do in Philly This Week

Kool & the Gang

True, there is only one original member left in the band, but you won’t mind as soon as they break into “Jungle Boogie” and “Get Down On It”. A little personal trivia: Kool & the Gang at the Valley Forge Music Fair was the first big concert I ever went to. I was in elementary school.
February 20th at Ocean Casino

Kristina Murray / Photograph courtesy of New West Records

“Baby’s First Rodeo”

This edition of Philly’s monthly “cosmic country party” features Nashville singer Kristina Murray with banjoist Huston West, plus Lancaster County’s own Danny & the Do-Overs. Oh, and two-step lessons.
February 21st at Johnny Brenda’s

Miguel

As in:

If you be the cash
I’ll be the rubber band
You be the match
I will be a fuse, boom
Painter, baby, you could be the muse
I’m the reporter, baby, you could be the news
‘Cause you’re the cigarette and I’m the smoker
We raise a bet ’cause you’re the joker

I dunno, but the ladies sure do love him. Check out his latest album, Caos, if you need to play catch-up.
February 21st at the Met

Miró Quartet

The polished chamber music group is joined by the exemplary soprano Karen Slack.
February 22nd at the Kimmel Center

DANCE PARTIES

“10 Years of Riot Nerd”

To commemorate a decade of wild DJ nights, it’s two parties in two rooms. In the main room, you’ve got DJ ADub with hits from the last ten years. And then in the Black Box, it’s DJ George Purkins spinning ’80s New Wave. I’ll see you in the latter in my best Depeche Mode shirt.
February 20th at Underground Arts

A Heated Rivalry promotional image courtesy of HBOMax

“Crash the Cottage: A Bratty Rivalry Dance Party”

Because we have to milk the Heated Rivalry obsession for all it’s worth, you’ll be dancing to the hit show’s soundtrack as well as your favorite queer pop anthems.
February 20th at Johnny Brenda’s

COMEDY

Margaret Cho

The brash comedian is on her Choligarchy Tour. Cute.
February 19th at the Fillmore

Ali Siddiq

He learned how to tell jokes while serving a six-year stint in prison for dealing cocaine. Seems to have worked out okay.
February 21st at the Kimmel Center

THEATER

Blues for an Alabama Sky

Lantern Theater Company presents a tale from the Harlem Renaissance. Look for local talents Cookie Diorio and Kash Goins to shine.
Through March 15th at St. Stephen’s Theater

The cast of Tartuffe / Photograph courtesy of Kammerspiel

Tartuffe

A new adaptation of Molière’s classic satire.
February 20th through March 8th at the Performance Garage

Good Bones

The latest play from South Philly Pulitzer winner James Ijames. It’s about a sports stadium controversially being built in the middle of a neighborhood. Sound familiar?
Through March 22nd at the Arden

Rare Accidents: The Escapades of Prince Hal & Falstaff

Mount Airy-based Quintessence Theatre Group presents an abridgment of parts one and two of the Bard’s Henry IV.
Through March 15th at the Sedgwick Theater

Caesar

Philadelphia Theatre Company whips out the Shakespeare. But this time, it’s a 95-minute contemporary version focusing on themes of authoritarianism, ambition, and a democracy imperiled. Sounds timely!
Through February 22nd at Suzanne Roberts Theatre

Plantation Black

We all know that history repeats itself. And in this world premiere about a Civil War-era plantation family and the people they enslaved and the descendants of both, it does just that. The play itself has six potential starting points over a 200-year period, and the audience decides the starting point for the evening by choosing a ball from a raffle tumbler about 20 minutes before the performance actually begins.
Through March 1st at Interact Theater at the Drake

See Also: Black History Month Events in Philadelphia

EXHIBITS

Photograph by Dylan Eddinger

“Universal Theme Parks: The Exhibition”

For a complete rundown on this brand-new exhibit that’s really more about STEM than it is about Jaws and Jurassic Park, check out this review by my colleague Laura Swartz.
Through September 7th at the Franklin Institute

“Henri Rousseau: A Painter’s Secrets”

LAST CHANCE! As the fine arts magazine Art & Object put it: “A must see. The exhibition offers what many exhibitions promise but do not always deliver — an engrossing new take on an artist we thought we knew.” That artist is the 19th-century painter Henri Rousseau, completely self taught considered by many to be the grandfather of modern art.
Through February 22nd at the Barnes Foundation

OUTDOORS

Polar Plunge

Sure, you could just make an online donation to the Special Olympics organization. But what fun is that when you could, instead, jump into a giant pool filled with ice-cold water as a fundraiser for the group? On second thought, where’s that donation link?
February 21st at Citizens Bank Park

A Silent Hike

I don’t know about you, but hiking silently through the Wissahickon with a bunch of other people who are also being silent sounds pretty magical and restorative right about now. Free, but registration is required.
February 22nd at Northwestern Avenue and Forbidden Drive

REPERTORY FILM

The Man Who Fell to Earth

David Bowie on 16mm!
February 20th at PhilaMOCA

Eraserhead

There are two types of people in this world: those who think this 1977 David Lynch film is one of the best things ever and those who think it to be one of the worst. (Presented on 35mm.)
February 21st at Bryn Mawr Film Institute

SPORTS

Villanova vs. UConn

My college hoops-addicted friends tell me this is a must-see game. UConn is currently ranked first in the Big East and the ‘Cats are third.
February 21st at Xfinity Mobile Arena

Tyler Perkins #4 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the rim against Alex Karaban #11 and Braylon Mullins #24 of the Connecticut Huskies during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball game at PeoplesBank Arena on January 24, 2026 in Hartford, Connecticut. / Photograph by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images

Phillies vs. Blue Jays

And just like that, it’s baseball season. This 1:07 p.m. game is the first Spring Training matchup for the Phils and happens way down in Florida. So if you’re not up for the trip, just visit your favorite sports bar.
February 21st at TD Ballpark

MISCELLANY

Lunar New Year

As of Tuesday, it’s officially the Year of the Horse. There are plenty of free and not-so-free activities all week long, and you can consult our complete guide here. And if you want to know where to eat in Chinatown, we have that covered as well.
All week in various locations

Philly Mag Wine & Dine

Otherwise known as the party where you get to taste some delicious dishes and drinks from some of Philadelphia’s top restaurants while hobnobbing with some of Philly’s best, brightest, and bodacious — including your favorite Philly Mag/Citizen Media Group staffers.
February 19th at the Kimmel Center

LOOKING AHEAD

1. I have a feeling my kids (18 and 20) are going to be asking Dear Old Dad to get them some tickets to see Cardi B at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 7th.
2. Ensemble Arts Philly just announced that The Sound of Music will return to the stage of the Academy of Music in April. Here’s the trailer from the current touring version of the show. If you’re the person in the audience whose cell phone goes off during the awkward silence after Max repeatedly announces “The Von Trapp Family Singers” who do not appear on stage because they are escaping, I will personally have you banned from the theater. For life.
3. The Mann Center just announced Hilary Duff and Sarah McLachlan. No, not together, silly. That would be very weird.
4. And Mr. Bruno Mars is bringing his gigantic new tour to Lincoln Financial Field for two nights in September. The cheapest tickets will set you back about $225 each.

See you next week, Philly.