Chemistry fair for First Friday

Try mixing the elements of chemistry to kick off the holiday weekend at the Chemical Heritage Foundation's Science Fair, a First Friday event in Old City.

The foundation's museum will stay open late for First Friday, a monthly open house for art galleries in the Old City Arts District. It will host the science fair from 1 to 8 p.m. to let children and adults embrace the scientific spirit of Benjamin Franklin through chemistry workshops. The fair will have indoor and outdoor demonstrations each hour until 7. Workshops and demonstrations include "Make Your Own 'Interesting' Ball" and "The Oscillating Clock Reaction: Experimenting With Chemical Color." Families can learn how to make fireworks, chemistry sets, and cyanotype sun prints. The event will feature the popular kid-oriented demonstration called the Gummi Bear sacrifice, also known as the Screaming Jelly Baby in Britain, where a Gummi Bear is added to potassium chlorate to demonstrate its powerful energy as the bear makes a screaming noise during the sugar oxidation process. The science fair is appropriate for ages 8 and older.

Guests can also visit the museum's "Marvels and Ciphers: A Look Inside the Flask" on display through December and tour the permanent exhibit "Making Modernity."

The 12th annual "All You Can Eat" Super Scooper Ice Cream Festival at Penn's Landing is presented Saturday through Monday, with proceeds benefiting the Joshua Kahan Fund and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in the fight against pediatric leukemia.

From noon to 5 p.m., festivalgoers can help "lick leukemia" with a onetime donation of $5, and enter an ice cream utopia under a festival tent filled with more than 20 ice cream stations. Visit as many stations and taste as much ice cream as your belly will allow for as long as you wish. On Saturday night, the festival will be open from 6 to 9 prior to the fireworks.

Sponsors for the event include Haagen-Dazs, Ben & Jerry's, Edy's, Good Humor, Breyers, Turkey Hill, Jack & Jill, Philadelphia Water Ice Co., Bassetts, and more. Additional sponsors are CBS3 and CW57, B101, Wawa, National Freight, and Penn Jersey Paper.

On Saturday, Adventure Aquarium hosts its Independence Day Splash, an after-hours event with fireworks, family, animals, and fun.

From 6:30 to 10 p.m., guests can explore the aquarium including access to its animals and diverse exhibits. Guests can then go out to enjoy the Independence Day Fireworks over the Delaware River against the backdrop of the Philadelphia skyline. Indoor viewing is available for younger guests who may not like loud sounds.