Pop-up gardens and Easter Promenade: Your weekend guide to things to do

Other events include a Trans Day of Visibility fashion show and Nicki Minaj concert at the Wells Fargo Center.

The PHS Pop Up Gardens return to South Street and Manayunk (pictured above) this weekend.
Provided image/Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

This weekend offers Philly fashionistas a chance to look chic — and see chic clothes.

For the 91st year in a row, the city will host an Easter Promenade where residents can stroll in their Sunday best. Bring your holiday haute couture for the walk down South Street, which ends with a best dressed competition. And on Friday, go see the pros in a "Project Runway"-style catwalk featuring looks crafted from thrift store finds. The event will showcase trans models and designers in a nod to Trans Day of Visibility.

Nicki Minaj is also coming to town for a stop on her Pink Friday 2 Tour (tickets are still available), and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) is bringing its pop-up bars back to Manayunk and South Street. Here's how to do it all:

Sip and snack in a garden

Taste the frozen rainbow in the PHS's returning garden bar pop-ups. The seasonal green spaces open Friday at noon along South Street and Jamestown Avenue in Manayunk, and will serve patrons daily until at least Halloween. Colorful cocktails will be available at both locations, including an orange "Gritty marg."

Watch a 'Project Runway'-style fashion show led by trans talent

The William Way LGBT Community Center is taking a page from Heidi Klum's book with a fashion show modeled after "Project Runway." Each trans designer featured in the Friday competition will present a daytime and nighttime look, created with $200 and 30 minutes inside Philly AIDS Thrift. Trans models will show off the finished looks at the 6 p.m. event, which is free to attend. The top three model-designer pairs, however, stand to win cash prizes. The show, called "Transitioning: Day to Night" is an early celebration of Trans Day of Visibility, which falls on Sunday.

Snag a last-minute ticket to Nicki Minaj

Calling all Barbz: The Pink Friday 2 Tour arrives in Philly on Friday, and you can still score tickets to see Nicki Minaj perform. Special guest Monica will support Minaj in her first tour in five years. The show starts at 8 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center. 

Dress in your best for an Easter parade

Got a loud coat or pastel dress you've been dying to break out? The returning Easter Promenade offers locals a chance to show off their finest threads — and win a best dressed contest. The strut starts Sunday at 12:30 p.m., at the intersection of 5th and South streets. Special guests include the Philadelphia Union mascot Phang, his Eagles counterpart Scoop and bunny couple Mr. and Mrs. Cottontail. Anyone who attends can claim free bunny ears, but only those brave enough to enter the 1:15 p.m. best dressed competition will get free treats from Frankford Candy.


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