Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
Congratulations, you’ve survived the very first week of the semester. To celebrate, you can check out Swarthmore’s Large-Scale Event on Saturday night in LPAC, indie group “Broken Social Scene,” and head into Philly to check out alums and current Swatties in the Fringe Festival.
The Philadelphia Fringe Festival is a sixteen day event made up of a range of performances including dance, theater, puppetry, poetry, music, and experimental installations. The festival, which began on August 29, is a great opportunity to see new artists explore performance in unusual ways.
This year, Swarthmore is well connected to several shows. The Pig Iron Theatre Company, which was founded by Swarthmore students created “Sweet By-And-By” and members of the company can also be found in “Oedipus at FDR” and “The European Lesson.”
Several current students are involved in “The Destruction of the City, and Also an Itinerary for Visitors,” and alums appear in many dance performances, including the Green Chair Dance Group’s “Dances for the Naked Eye,” which was developed on campus and “Bodies in Urban Spaces,” which is a free dance event performed in Love Park.
Speaking of Love Park, the location is also a great one for music lovers who want to catch one of the final “Summer in Love Concert Series” performances, held Monday through Friday from 12 to 2 pm and Thursday nights at 5.
Another fine Philadelphia tradition for those hoping to catch a little culture is First Fridays, when Old City (check out the area between Front and Third, Market and Vine Streets) opens all of their art galleries from 5 until 9 pm. Very much a relaxed, see and be seen event, it’s also a great way to see the work of contemporary Philadelphia artists.
And one last tip for the weekend: for those hoping to really celebrate a new school year, this is the time to make your reservations for Restaurant Week 2008. From September 14 through 19, over one hundred restaurants in Center City offer a prix fixe menu at $35. You can check out the restaurants and make reservations online at http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?m=13&pid=95.
So go and enjoy yourself, you’ve absolutely earned it for transitioning from the quiet hum of summer to the whir and buzz of a new semester!
