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As Spring segues into Summer and getaways beckon, we find ourselves wondering…
- Who will win the Democratic primary for Philadelphia District Attorney?
- Will the new section of the Schuylkill River Trail be as great as it seems?
- Most importantly: Can – and will – the Phillies overtake the beloved Mets?
But before bidding y’all adieu, if you haven’t already contributed to CCRA’s Spring Appeal, there is no better time than now. If you like our mission, enjoy clean and green sidewalks and appreciate all that we do, please take the opportunity to support us with a generous donation.
It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s 100% guilt-free. :)
Please do so here.
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CCRA ANNUAL MEETING
Wednesday, May 21, 7 pm
Trinity Memorial Church, 22nd and Spruce
Come meet your fellow CCRA members at our Annual Meeting where we will vote for Directors (click here for bios of the nominees), enjoy some light refreshments, and hear from Jawad Pullin, Legislative Director for 5th District Councilperson Jeffery Young, Jr. Pullin, a CCRA member himself, will talk about the current budget negotiations and other legislative issues being considered by City Council, including a potential change to the Zoning Code that would eliminate the current requirement for developers of multi-family housing to provide 3 parking slots for every 10 dwelling units. And attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions regarding their neighborhood concerns.
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CCRA Month Events
We are halfway through CCRA Month!
You can still participate in the events listed below:
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CCRA Inaugural Pizza Tour
6 Pizza shops, 6 Free slices of Pizza!
| | For only $15, you can get a slice of pizza at participating pizza shops around the neighborhood. Show your bracelet, get a slice of pizza, and support CCRA and the pizza shop as well. Reserve your bracelet today. If you already purchased your bracelet, you can pick it up at WeWork, 1900 Market St, 8th Floor. Ask for Travis Oliver at CCRA. | | Envelop Yourself in Nature | | |
Coming to a coffee shop near you - free native plant seeds! We need pollinators, pollinators need native plants, and native plants need us!
Take some seeds and plant them! Or come out and help us stuff seed envelopes on Friday, May 23 beginning at 6 pm. Email Susan for more information.
| | Spruce/Pine Bike Lanes Clean-Up | |
Postponed to: Sunday May 25, 2025
Due to a relatively confident prediction of thunderstorms for the morning of May 17,
the Spruce/Pine Bike lanes clean-up scheduled for that day has been postponed until Sunday, May 25.
So please join CCRA and Philly Bike Action on May 25 to clean those bike lanes as a part of CCRA Month!
We'll be meeting at the corner of 22nd and Spruce St at 11am and expect to finish by 1pm. Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring brooms, rakes, shovels, and/or gloves, but such items will also be available.
Come on out, meet your neighbors, and help make our neighborhood a little more beautiful!
| | Sharing the Wealth...of Good Food | |
Here’s gardener Linda Zaimis preparing CCRA’s community garden’s first contribution of the season to the City Harvest program. This beautiful batch of bok choy is headed to the kitchen at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion at 21st and Chestnut. The other site that receives the garden’s produce donations is St. John’s Hospice on the 1200 block of Race.
Thanks to everyone who supports CCRA……your contributions help make this happen.
| | Help Plant Our Garden of Wings | | |
The Green Committee of CCRA is bringing another pollinator habitat garden to the neighborhood thanks to a generous grant from the Xerces Society. The site is near the Spruce Street entrance to Schuylkill River Park.
Planting day is June 1 beginning at 9 am. Volunteers are needed! Email Cerie Goldenberg for more information.
| | CCRA MERCHANT PARTNER FEATURE: | | |
CCRA’s Merchant Partner program is a true Win-Win: It provides local businesses with complimentary advertising and exposure while giving CCRA members generous deals and discounts. This week we spotlight hardware store extraordinaire Rittenhouse Hardware.
Rittenhouse Hardware is Your Go-To Happy Place
It’s late Sunday afternoon, you’ve been working on that house project all weekend long and now you realize you’re flat out of ten-penny nails. Who ya gonna call? Where ya gonna go?
Inconvenient, impersonal, confusing big-box store? NOOO. CCRA Merchant Partner Rittenhouse Hardware has your back. Truly local at 20th & Pine, they have been saving the bacon of the DIY crowd for over 15 years. They truly get it: they carry everything, are way knowledgeable and happy to help.
And….. CCRA members get a 5% discount on all in-store purchases. (CCRA Membership card must be presented.)
| | Christian-to-Crescent Becomes a Reality | | |
After decades – yes, decades – of design, planning and work, the section of the Schuylkill River Trail from Christian Street to the Grays Ferry Crescent is finally complete and will be open for business for pedestrians, runners, cyclists, baby strollers and four-legged friends.
The official ribbon-cutting and Grand Opening is set for this Saturday at 10:30 am. Details and info here. Or if you want a sneak peek on Thursday evening, head here. This is the dream of many, realized at last. See you there!
| | Fairmount Park after Dark! | | |
Now through August 5, 2025
Lemon Hill Picnic Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA
Head to a Moonwalk & Stargazing Party, where you'll enjoy an evening under the stars with guided night hikes, telescope viewing, and celestial stories.
Go here to learn more about this one-of-a-kind adventure, which takes place on the first Tuesday, June-August.
| Party in the Park Along the Schuykill River | |
The Friends of the Schuylkill River Park are throwing a combo party-fundraiser on June 7, from 7 – 10 PM to help support the maintenance of the park, playground, dog park, trees, courts, rec center and pool that make up this neighborhood gem.
The theme for the outdoor evening shindig is “Sparkle in the Dark,” with guests encouraged (but not required) to don their most shimmering and sparkling outfits.
Get ready to mix and mingle with your neighbors and make some new friends and enjoy a night of dancing and grooving to tunes from DJ Cosmo Baker. Delicious local fare and refreshing drinks will be on offer - featuring wine tastings from Moore Bros and more!
This is a ticketed event with alcohol served, restricted to ages 21+. Purchase your tickets in advance here.
| | Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion | | Building a 15-minute Neighborhood | | |
Hey there! Check out this cool event coming up in Philly:
🌆 Development... for Good: Building a 15-minute Neighborhood
📅 Tuesday, May 20
🕔 Happy Hour 5-6pm | Program 6-7:30pm
📍 Fitler Club Ballroom, 1 South 24th Street
Join your neighbors for a deep dive into how real estate can make Philly better for everyone! Get the gist from Charles Lomax from Lomax Real Estate, Kelvin Jeremiah from Philly Housing Authority, and Laura Slutsky from Guidehouse, moderating. They'll talk about creating inclusive neighborhoods and boosting local prosperity.
Highlights include Village Square with its grocery store, health clinic, and radio station to support Black homeownership, plus PHA's Sharswood Choice Neighborhood revitalization project.
Only $5 to join, free for Philly Citizen & Fitler Club members. Plus, free drinks and snacks! See you there! 🎉 Curious? Less than 15 minutes of details about the evening here.
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Your vote has the most power at a local level, since the voting pool is much smaller than national elections. So we ask that you do your civic duty and VOTE on Tuesday, May 20 (or before, with mail-in voting).
Lots of issues on the ballot, and some key positions are contested, so learn all you need to know from the Committee of 70’s Interactive Voting Guide, available here.
| | Community News and Events | | Art + Party, All for a Great Cause | | |
Join the Center for Emerging Visual Artists for an unforgettable night celebrating local artists and art lovers. Enjoy breathtaking skyline views, a lively auction, creative cocktails, and art-inspired bites in a vibrant atmosphere.
The party will also honor Maida R. Milone's 25 years of dedication to CFEVA. Even better, become an ART PARTY supporter and ensure CFEVA continues its vital role in connecting local artists with audiences city-wide.
Click here for all the starry details and ticket info.
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Come experience Ballet on the Square, a delightful evening celebrating the beauty of ballet. Organized by Friends of Rittenhouse Square in collaboration with Philly’s fab Philadelphia Ballet, this event promises an enchanting night for all.
Prepare to be captivated by two special performances of Sergei Prokofiev's timeless classic, Peter and the Wolf. The performances will take place on Thurs., 5/22, at both 5 pm and 7 pm. Whether you're a seasoned ballet enthusiast or new to the art form, this event offers a perfect opportunity to enjoy world-class ballet in a picturesque outdoor setting. Cost is right on….as well: FREE!
They encourage attendees to bring along seating for comfort and an unforgettable evening of music, movement, and community spirit. We suggest you get there early to get a good spot in the front. For more information and updates, visit here.
| | Schuylkill River Park Garden: A Legacy in Bloom | | |
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 5 pm
Community Garden
302 S 25th St.
Join the FREE Ladybug Release Party on Wednesday, May 21 at 5 pm—an annual tradition that helps control aphids so gardeners can grow and donate fresh produce to PHS’ City Harvest Program.
Details about the event are available on their Facebook page. For information on a garden plot, go here.
| | Our Constitutional Crises Today | | |
Mark your calendar! On Wednesday, May 21, from 4 – 5:15 pm at the Ethical Society, legal scholar Kermit Roosevelt III (pictured) and Ethical Humanist Leader Hugh Taft-Morales will discuss how constitutional challenges are shaping our nation today, offering both historical insights and perspectives on current issues. Click here for more details.
| | Sip Back and Relax With Center City District | | "One Book, One Philadelphia” Celebrates This Year’s Finale | | |
Celebrate the “One Book, One Philadelphia” Finale the night of Wed. May 28 at the Parkway Central Library, as it will be a night infused with art and poetry celebrating the rhythm of storytelling.
Local spoken word artists will perform original works inspired by themes from The Upcycled Self: A Memoir on the Art of Becoming Who We Are by Tariq Trotter, better known as Black Thought from The Roots. It’s all accompanied by a showcase of local artisans and featuring a special guest! Details here.
| | Get a Taste of the Waterfront | | Philly’s Restaurant Scene Rises To New Heights | | |
As any foodie will tell you, the pinnacle of excellence recognition in the restaurant industry is to be awarded one or more “stars” from (go figure) a tire company – Michelin – and if you ran a restaurant in Philly, you were squeezed out of the competition.
All that’s about to change as the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau pulled a rabbit out of its hat by convincing Michelin to include Philadelphia among the select places in the United States where it will formally evaluate and rank our top eateries. According to reports, the effort to attract Michelin was years in the making and did not come cheap.
International director of the Michelin Guides, Gwendal Poullennec, is in town and has booked to visit Kalaya, Her Place Supper Club, and Casa México. The chefs at all three restaurants have been finalists or have won James Beard awards.
That’s your appetizer. If you want the full course on this story, check out the excellent write up by Melissa McCart in this article in Philadelphia Eater.
| | 9th St Italian Market Fest | | |
Friends of the Schuylkill River Park Clothing Swap
Saturday, May 17
Donation location & time
Trinity@22nd – 2212 Spruce St. Drop off door in the small patio area on Spruce.
- Thursday, May 15: 3pm–6pm
Please be respectful of drop-off times. Trinity Church is gracious to host this event in their space; let's make it easy on 'em!
Volunteers Needed
- Sort clothes the night before (first dibs!)
- Set up the morning of the event
- Work the event
Email fsrporg@gmail.com to put your name on the list.
| | Merchant Partners "Deals and Discounts" Program | | Please support our local merchants and save money too. These local merchants will provide a deal or discount to any member who shows a current CCRA membership card and personal identification. | | CCRA assumes no responsibility, and makes no representations or warranties, regarding any product and/or services sold by any Merchant Partner. | | | | |
