October 26, 2023
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Costumed revelers will be partying at the zoo, Academy of Natural Sciences and Xfinity Live! this weekend.
Don't be alarmed if you see ghosts or a zombie Gritty roaming the sidewalk this weekend. Since actual Halloween falls on a Tuesday, it's the last chance to attend a party before spooky season comes to a close.
Philly institutions from the zoo to the Academy of Natural Sciences are getting in on the fun with themed festivities, including an after hours trick-or-treat blitz. Xfinity Live! also will be bumping the "Monster Mash" late into the night with consecutive costume parties.
But if you're not into the macabre, you're in luck. The Museum of the American Revolution will recreate the British occupation of Philadelphia with a pop-up market and soldier camp on Saturday and Sunday, while the Southeast Asian Market will take over FDR Park for its final weekend of the season.
Dance the night away with a bunch of Barbies, Kens and maybe a Wednesday Addams or two at back-to-back costume parties at Xfinity Live! The revelry begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. The South Philly hub will offer musical entertainment including DJs and live bands, but there also will be several costume contests with a grand cash prize of $1,000. Tickets are $10 online or $15 at the door.
Roam around dino bones at Drexel's Academy of Natural Sciences during a special Friday night event. From 4-9 p.m., the museum will host an after-hours party featuring an indoor beer garden for parents and trick-or-treat stations for their kids. Costumes are naturally encouraged, as are donations of $10.
Prefer to eat treats with living animals? Then head to the Philadelphia Zoo for its final Boo at the Zoo weekend. Kids can collect candy as they wander through the exhibits, and participate in other Halloween-themed activities. Those include throwing fake bugs at a giant web to learn how spiders ensnare their prey. The holiday fun is included with regular zoo admission on Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
And now for something completely different: Historical reenactors will invade Old City this weekend as part of the annual "Occupied Philadelphia" event. Hosted by the Museum of the American Revolution, the living history pop-up recreates the nine-month British occupation of the city during the Revolutionary War. Check out an 18th century marketplace, where costumed colonial residents will demonstrate their carpentry, at the museum's outdoor plaza or head to the lawn behind Carpenters' Hall to see soldiers run drills at a British encampment. The time travel begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Craving a banh mi or papaya salad? Now's your last chance to sample them at the Southeast Asian Market before it closes for the season. Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian vendors will set up shop near the Taney baseball field in FDR Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. While some accept mobile payments, it's best to bring cash.
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