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Weekend event picks: Acana Festival, Jazz Age on the Delaware & more

Bid adieu to July with a host of events to keep you cool despite Philly feeling like the tropics.

Bid adieu to July with a host of events to keep you cool despite Philly feeling like the tropics.

For the past 10 years, local performers and theater pros have put on free productions of Shakespeare classics en plein air in Clark Park (43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue). This year, Shakespeare in Clark Park returns with "The Winter's Tale" beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, Friday, July 31, Saturday, Aug. 1 and Sunday, Aug. 2.

For the first time ever, a festival praising the creative and theatrical prowess of women in the local theater scene will emerge. The Philadelphia Women's Theatre Festival brings with it original productions from women playwrights, directors and actors from Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, Aug. 2. Program highlights include a story told in reverse about two missionaries to the Navajo reservation in the 1960s and an all-female showcase of Shakespeare poems and sonnets. All performances take place at Asian Arts Initiative (1219 Vine St.). Performances begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, 6:30 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

From one festival to another. The Blackstar Film Festival is back once again to celebrate the cinematic works of people of African descent. Over the course of four days, various venues throughout West Philly, including International House Philly (3701 Chestnut St.) and Institute of Contemporary Art (118 S. 36th St.), will screen over 60 films ranging from shorts to feature length documentaries. Things kick off on Thursday, July 30 with an opening reception and culminate on Sunday, Aug. 2 with an awards ceremony.

Walk in a synthetic winter wonderland this weekend at The Oval (2451 Benjamin Franklin Parkway) for Christmas in July. From Friday, July 31 through Sunday, Aug. 2, a synthetic ice skating rink will be open from noon until 7 p.m. On Friday, snap a pic with Santa from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., carolers will charm the masses starting at 8 p.m. and a screening of Elf. As always, the beer garden will be open and food trucks will satiate your hunger.

Pack your picnic basket and practice the Charleston. Glen Foerd on the Delaware (5001 Grant Ave.) hosts a Roaring '20s-inspired party on the lawn of the mansion from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1. The afternoon will be filled with era-appropriate tunes, Art in the Age and Hendrick's Gin cocktails, a pie-baking contest, mansion tours and antique and vintage vendors. We're just going to throw it out there that you'd have an even better time if you were dressed in '20s fashions, too.

North America's first Japanese garden, not too far away from the current location of Shofuso Japanese House and Garden (Horticultural and Lansdowne Drives), will be archaeologically investigated on Saturday, Aug. 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public will be able to watch the archaeologists at work and ask questions.

Local singer-songwriter Joshua Thomas pays tribute to two albums by the artist who first inspired him: Joni Mitchell. He'll perform Blue and and Hejira in their entirety on Saturday, Aug. 1 starting at 8 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia (123 S. 17th St.).

Northern Liberties biggest party is on Sunday, Aug. 2. The 2nd Street Festival, running along 2nd from Germantown Avenue to Green Street will pack the blocks with local vendors, three music stages, beer gardens, kids activities, food and more from noon until 10 p.m.

Color, sounds, music and fashion delight on Sunday, Aug. 2 for the Acana Festival, a day of African arts and culture. From 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing (101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.), live performances from the Universal Dance Ensemble, Marie Nyenebo, Chilton Reggae Band and more will fill the stage while artists, clothing, food and other authentic vendors will sell their goods.

Picks from the Inquirer's Michael Harrington

For the 16th annual movie-party benefit for the AIDS Law Project, Secret Cinema presents the 1967 cult classic Hot Rods to Hell, one of the last of the era's juvenile delinquent/monster epics, in which your average middle-class family (uptight dad, worried mom, young son, pneumatic teen daughter) is terrorized by a bunch of thrill-seeking punks and party girls on four wheels. Keep an eye out for the obligatory noodling discotheque band — it's Mickey Rooney Jr. and His Combo (actually, not bad). The film screens, with food and craft beer, and a discussion with film historians Richard Barrios and Irv Slifkin, at the William Way Community Center (1315 Spruce St.) at 6 p.m. on Friday, July 31.

Best known for his days as lead vocalist with Wall of Voodoo and the quirk-rock classic "Mexican Radio," Stan Ridgway has gone on to an idiosyncratic, brilliant solo career as a High Desert troubadour purveying cinematic neo-noir folktales. He plays at World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St.) at 8 p.m. on Friday, July 31.

The exhibit "Victoria Montesinos: Passion of the Flower" presents the artist's subtly textured paintings at Ocean Galleries (9618 Third Ave., Stone Harbor, N.J.). Stop by between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, July 31 and Saturday, Aug. 1 and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 2.

For more Things to Do, check out our calendar for the most up-to-date happenings.