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From Franklin Flea to Summerfest: 19 ways to spend your Memorial Day weekend in Philly

Need a way to fill your Memorial Day weekend? Don't worry, we've got your covered.

Need a way to fill your Memorial Day weekend? Don't worry, we've got your covered.

KIDS

Curious George: Let's Get Curious!
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 18, Please Touch Museum, Memorial Hall, 4231 Avenue of the Republic. $17. 215-581-3181, .

No matter what number age puts on us, somewhere within we've all got a little bit of the precocious, inquisitive little monkey first named in Margaret and H.A. Rey's classic 1941 children's book. This exhibit, set in the neighborhood where Curious George lives with his friend, the Man with the Yellow Hat, has plenty of fun, interactive play stations that reveal the role curiosity plays in math, science, and engineering. Yes, paraphrasing James Brown, this is a George, George, George World.- Michael Harrington

Sesame Place Memorial Day BBQ and Fireworks
5 p.m. Saturday to Monday; fireworks at 9 p.m. Saturday & Sunday, at Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Rd., Langhorne, Pa. Dinner $9 to $29 (children under 23 months free, but require a reservation) in addition to park admission; fireworks free with park admission.

For those more in the market for Big Bird than beer at their barbecue, Sesame Place's Memorial Day BBQ is the way to go. A menu of traditional BBQ grub will be available inside Big Bird's Riverside Pavilion. There are even fireworks on Saturday and Sunday. - Sarah Beckley

Garden Railway
Opening day activities, 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday; regular hours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, to Sept. 5, Morris Arboretum, 100 East Northwestern Ave. $17; $15 seniors; $9 students and ages 3 to 17; under 3 admitted free. 215-247-5777.

Now in its 19th year, the Garden Railway at Morris Arboretum opens for the season. The display of a quarter-mile of track teeming with tiny trains this year features some new miniature buildings, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Waterworks, plus a bakery (in keeping with the theme of "Awaken the Senses") and Sleeping Beauty's Castle (because, well, beauty). There's also a new train, a scale model of the New York Central "Hudson" steam locomotive 5343, assembled in 1934 for you rail buffs. Opening day features crafts for the kiddies and free ice cream and hard pretzels for everybody. - M.H.

Science Saturday: Against the Wind
1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Hagley Museum and Library, 201 Hagley Creek Rd. (off Route 141), Wilmington. $14; $10 seniors and students; $5 ages 6 to 14: ages 5 and under free. 302-658-2400, .

You'll never look at the family car the same way again. This edition of the Hagley Museum and Library series has families design a car that goes fast or slow based on various aerodynamic principles. Can you do it? Go! - M.H.

MARKET

Franklin Flea
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday outside Reading Terminal Market, Filbert Street between 11th & 12th Streets. Admission is free. 

Franklin Flea, the hip, upscale antiques market returns to Center City, although this time in a whole new location. Get everything from upcycled furniture to vintage clothes to handmade accessories, not to mention snacks courtesy of places like Luke's Lobster, Poi Dog, and the Lil' Pop Shop.- Molly Eichel

SPORTS

Street Soccer USA Philadelphia Cup
Noon to 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, 26th and the Parkway. Admission is free.

Find out why it's called "the beautiful game." For Street Soccer USA's inaugural Philadelphia Cup, teams ranging in age from 6 through adult will compete in 15-minute, four-against-four matchups in a specially built Street Soccer Stadium at the base of the Art Museum steps. Don't want to play? You can be a fan (but no booing, our rep is bad enough already). - M.H.

NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship Games
Noon Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday & Monday, Lincoln Financial Field, 1 Lincoln Financial Field Way. $25-$90 (single game), $50-$135 (all sessions)

The best college lacrosse players show their skills on the Eagles' home turf. Three championship games will be played over three consecutive days this weekend, starting Saturday. Tickets can be purchased for individual games or for all three games.- S.B.

HISTORY

Second Bank Portrait Gallery
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, Second Bank of the United States, Fourth and Chestnut Streets. Admission is free. 215-965-2305.

The Greek Revival temple that houses the Second Bank of the United States may be the most imposing building in Independence National Historical Park. Though it hasn't been a bank since 1836, thanks to Andrew Jackson, it still houses treasures: More than 100 portraits of "worthy personages," many of them done by Charles Willson Peale that formerly hung in his museum on the second floor of Independence Hall. The Portrait Gallery has been closed for cleaning and conservation work, but it reopens Saturday.- M.H.

OUTDOOR FUN

Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest
1 to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Blue Cross RiverRink, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. Admission is free; skating $3, skate rental $10. 215-925-7465.

Sure, it's too warm for ice, but that doesn't mean we can't skate. Lace up those roller skates for the Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest, with the formerly icy venue repurposed, and even including a leafy "island" to grab some shade. The lodge has become a boathouse - air-conditioned, yay - with rocking chairs on the porch affording great views of the Delaware. There's also a play area for the kids, and food and drink. Sounds like a good place for a staycation! Opening weekend festivities include a set from DJ Jazzy Jeff (9-11 p.m., Friday) and the debut of Chickie's and Pete's Waterfront Crabshack.- M.H.

Memorial Day Weekend at Bartram's Garden
Movie night, 8 p.m. Friday; boating, 11 a.m. Saturday, Bartram's Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd. Admission is free. 215-729-5281.

Bartram's Garden, whose grounds are always free to visit, will host two free outdoor, family oriented events this weekend. On Friday, watch Pixar's futuristic flick Wall-E. Saturday morning, both experienced sailors and first-time seafarers alike are welcome to join a boating outing to experience a section of the Schuylkill in kayaks or rowboats. Life jackets provided. Both events are all ages and require no registration.- S.B.

MOVIES

Smoke Signals
7 p.m. Friday at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. $9; $7 seniors and students. 215-387-5125.

With a screenplay by Sherman Alexie and featuring the great Gary Farmer in a pivotal role, this 1998 dark comedy follows two mismatched buddies from "The Rez" as they confront Native American identity and the nature of memory while traveling from Idaho to Arizona following the death of an elder.- M.H.

LAST CHANCE

"A Single Shard"
8 p.m. Friday, 2 & 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, People's Light, 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern. $37; $27 ages 17 and under. 610-644-3500

Robert Schenkkan's stage adaptation of Linda Sue Park's fine novel ends its run at People's Light this weekend. Set in 12th-century Korea, it's the story of a young orphan who finds himself indentured to a village potter and undertakes a journey in which wisdom and bravery are discovered. - M.H.

FESTIVALS

Collingswood May Fair
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 678 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, N.J. 856-854-0720.

More than 200 artists show off their work along Haddon Avenue for the 37th annual fair. Check out the classic car and Harley-Davidson section, live music, and the usual festival food fare, along with the open-air Collingswood Farmers Market. It's the kids who really hit the jackpot here: The children's area has pony rides. - Rachel Vigoda

Downingtown Fine Arts Festival
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; 202 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, Pa. 610-486-6393.

Cosponsor Victory Brewing Company plans to set up its Brewpub on Wheels at the second Downingtown Fine Arts Festival, which also will include food, live music, and nothing useful for sale: The organizers decided to deviate from the typical outdoor arts fest and decreed "no functional crafts," keeping this one all about the pleasure of admiring fine art. - R.V.

Devon Horse Show and Country Fair
8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through June 5 (except Sunday, when gates open at 11 a.m.), Devon Horse Show Grounds, 23 Dorset Rd, Devon, Pa. $15; $5 children and seniors.

Looking for somewhere to wear your new, oversize garden party hat? The horse show offers equestrian events in more than 10 different categories, while the fair offers vendors selling everything from artisan coffee to needlepoint (and yes, those giant hats). The Devon Horse Show and Country Fair has pledged to donate $2 million to Bryn Mawr Hospital within five years, and proceeds from the fair go toward that goal. - S.B.

CLASSICAL

Philly Pops: Memorial Salute
7 p.m. Saturday, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave. $15 to $20

The Philly Pops pay tribute to service members, musically. Broadway vocalists Allison Blackwell and Hugh Panaro will accompany the Pops. Two thousand veterans, active military, Philadelphia police officers, firefighters, and their families will receive free tickets in recognition of their service. It all takes place on the Great Lawn, so bring a blanket and pack a dinner.- S.B.

MUSIC

Queen Of Jeans / Vita and the Woolf / Abi Reimold
9 p.m. Friday, Bourbon & Branch, 705 N. 2nd St. $8-$10. 215-238-0660.

South Philadelphia garage-rock girl group Queen of Jeans - singer Miriam Devora, guitarist Matheson Glass, and bassist Nina Scotto, plus drummer (and Eagles blogger) Patrick Wall - complete their B&B residency Friday. The last in their rotating cast of openers lands on two winners: Vita and the Woolf, the rock duo led by Downingtown-bred songwriter (and Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West fan) Jennifer Pague, plus local singer-songwriter Abi Reimold, making a name for herself with the raw, emotional album Wriggling- Dan DeLuca

The Monkees

8 p.m. Saturday, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside. $49.50 to $99.50 advance; $52 to $102 day of. 215-572-7650.

A half-century ago, the Monkees debuted with "Last Train to Clarksville" and a hit TV show. Over three years, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork released a string of influential hits before the band splintered and the TV show ended. That influence is evident in their surprisingly vital new album, Good Times!, produced by Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger, with songs written for the band by acolytes such as Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, and XTC's Andy Partridge. All four Monkees are on the disc - the late Davy Jones sings the Neil Diamond-penned "Love To Love," one of a handful of vintage tracks - but Nesmith is sitting out the tour.- Steve Klinge

Hamilton Leithauser & Paul Maroon
9 p.m. Wednesday, Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St. $18.

The Walkmen went on hiatus in 2014 but band members continue to collaborate. Singer Hamilton Leithauser, one of indie rock's great vocalists, released a solo album in 2014 that featured guitarist/keyboardist Paul Maroon; the two put out an EP and a vinyl-only album last year. The latter is the impetus for this show. Dear God is full of woozy, reverb-drenched ballads. The record - nine originals and four covers - should please most Walkmen fans. - S.K.