The BSR Weekly Arts and Culture Roundup, October 21-28

Take your pick of immersive and interactive shows like Germantown’s final Art & Sound show of the season, or explore how video games can spark collaboration in Drexel’s new show, Escape > Control > Play: The Art of the Video Game. Rather be outdoors? Head over to FDR Park for the final two weekends of the Southeast Asian Market for a brisk park hang. For those who prefer to engage in play, Magic Gardens Museum and Sweet 45 ice cream shop are hosting art workshops. There is a little something for everyone!

Art, sound, and crafts

Germantown Art & Sound
October 23, 2026, 7-10pm
6380 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia
Free to the public or suggested $10 donation; Food for purchase

Our House Cultural Center is hosting its final Art & Sound show of the 2026 season. Nestled in Germantown, the intimate space brings together artists of different mediums and a live DJ for art-loving attendees to relax and be in community. I am drawn to spaces that curate intentional connection through shared interests and experiences, so this one is in my calendar of to-dos. There will be complimentary wine and if you get hungry, the food truck Taqueria el Guero will be posted outside. I can attest that they are stellar and worth saving your appetite for!

Calavera Creations at Magic Gardens
October 28, 2026, 6-8pm
1020 South Street, Philadelphia
$25-$30

Hands-on crafts have a way of relaxing the mind and allowing us to be present. This papier-mâché workshop gives space to create a colorful, and joyful, piece to place on your home altar to honor loved ones who have since passed on. Guided by Ivette Chaires, recipient of the 2024 Julia Zagar Residency for Women Artists, you will learn how to craft your own skull and paint it with vibrant colors. Tickets are available for purchase here.

Soft Crash and the art of video games

Soft Crash
Runs through November 7, 2026
1400 N. American Street, Philadelphia
Free to the public

Curated by multidisciplinary artist Stephanie J. Woods, this exhibition is framed through the speculative fiction lens and brought to life with life-size figures and bright pops of color throughout the gallery. Bringing together elements of sculpture, illustrations, and sound, Soft Crash brings audiences into a fictional world to explore themes such as ecological and cultural restoration, and spark collective imagination. The show is one to experience in person; however you can see a preview here.

A Live Conversation with Award Winning Independent Game Designer Bennett Foddy, part of Escape > Control > Play: The Art of the Video Game
Friday, October 23, 6:30-8pm
Exhibition runs through December 12, 2026
The Westphal Annex Screening Room
3401 Filbert Street Philadelphia
Free to the public

Learn about the art behind gaming design with Bennett Foddy. Foddy’s talk is one of several special events for a new exhibition, Escape > Control > Play at the Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel University. I love interactive exhibitions that invite people to engage with the work. This exhibit features work by several artists who reexamine escapism by way of gaming, and flips the culture of gaming into an opportunity to come together to reimagine collective play. I often wonder if we have grown more disconnected while becoming so interconnected on the internet. I grew up with AOL and MySpace. The family’s landline phone hung on the kitchen wall, which tethered my conversation with friends to the dining room. These days we’re connected 24/7, so I am excited to see what dialogue this show sparks. If you can’t make the talk this weekend, the show runs through December! RSVP for the live conversation here.

Sweet and savory destinations

Scoop and Paint at Sweet 45
Friday, October 23, 2026
2000 N Front Street, Philadelphia
$20 (buy your tickets here)

This ice cream shop has all the things I love: real good vibes, vinyl, and sweets. But it gets better: they topped the list with a painting event in the season’s spooky fashion. So if you like basking in good music, in a luxe lounge vibe that has homemade ice cream, this is for you. I have an interesting connection to this place. The owner’s mom, Rafia, was my Lyft driver to the airport in August. It was 5am, so she made sure we had all of our luggage, and then turned on the jams. I love a good playlist, and the people who make them. We spent the 20-minute ride sharing a love of old House, Afrobeats, and more. Although it was early, Rafia set the tone for the morning, plugging her daughter’s music-forward ice cream shop before dropping me off at the airport. Then, I saw Sweet 45 tags all over Instagram when Hayley Williams toured Philly for her Ego Death Tour. After the show, Hayley and Tierra Wack made their way to grab a scoop, evidence linked here. If that isn’t reason enough to go, I don’t know what is.

Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park
Through October 31, 2026
1500 Pattison Avenue and South Broad Street, Philadelphia
Pay-as-you-go (bring cash)

This is one of my all-time favorite food events in the city. Most of my travels, domestically and internationally, center food and being in Philly is no different. A fan of soaking in the sun, even on chilly days, this weekend is your second-to-last chance to experience the market’s diverse Southeast Asian cuisines, drinks, and goods. Ending on Halloween this year is the perfect time to lay out your picnic blanket for the last time before the chill of winter truly sets in.

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