Shop Penn

Spring is the perfect time to get out of the house and enjoy everything that the City of Brotherly (& Sisterly!) Love has to offer. There is something for everyone including history, dance, music, and outdoor festivals. #ShopPenn is here for you with all the best exhibits, events, and shows to check out throughout the month of May. Find out everything happening with the latest edition of the “Shop Penn Playlist,” a snapshot of the top events being offered around the Penn campus all month.

Novelty Candle Experience – Cork & Candles
All Month

The Cork & Candles Novelty Experiences invites you to transform wax into unique realistic candles inspired by favorite themes such as food, decadent sweets and desserts, refreshing beverages, seasonal nostalgia, and household décor. Each month, they introduce an exclusive new candle design, giving you the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and explore advanced candle-making techniques in this unique educational and playful experience. For the month of May, they offer a Margarita candle. Dye your drink to match your favorite margarita flavor, add a rim of crystalized salt, and choose your own fruity garnishes. Top it off with the umbrella of your choice and let the tropical summer vibes begin!

Malandain Ballet Biarritz: The Seasons – Penn Live Arts
May 2-3

France’s prestigious Malandain Ballet Biarritz performs in Philadelphia for the very first time in The Seasons, a full-length work set to The Four Seasons, both Vivaldi’s masterpiece and the lesser-known composition of the same name by Giovanni Antonio Guido. While drastically different, both works are a celebration of nature, and this is eloquently explored in choreographer Thierry Malandain’s masterful fusion of classical and contemporary styles.

Philadelphia Children’s Festival – Penn Live Arts
May 4-6

The Philadelphia Children's Festival is turning 40! Established in 1985 as the first festival of its kind in the country, we are thrilled to celebrate four decades of welcoming generations of families to enjoy the best in performing arts for young audiences. With a supercharged circus of extreme sports, a refugee's powerful memoir brought to life onstage, and a story of friendship and plucky determination told through vibrant visuals and puppetry, the Children's Festival is packed with fun for the whole family. Plus, enjoy the outdoor PLAYground with hands-on activities and entertainment by the Dirty Sock Funtime Band. The Children's Festival is rain or shine.

Tea & Tour of Scattered Earth, Sounded Depth – Arthur Ross Gallery
May 9

Join the Friends of the Arthur Ross Gallery for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Scattered Earth, Sounded Depth: The University of Pennsylvania MFA Thesis Exhibition led by Emily Zimmerman, Director of Exhibitions and Curatorial Affairs. Featuring the work of Alvin Luong and Eissa Attar, Scattered Earth, Sounded Depth explores themes of ecological memory, human and natural migration, as well as cycles of consumption and transformation through diverse media including installation, video, and sculpture. Enjoy a curated selection of teas, refreshments, and great conversation in a relaxed and welcoming setting.

Shallow Alcove – World Café Live
May 9

Shallow Alcove is a band of friends fronted by Grace Krichbaum and Dan Harris, with Peter Groppe, Jack Harrington, and Noah Dadaris. They combine stacked vocal harmonies, catchy guitar riffs, and diary-like lyrics to form a tender soundtrack to young adulthood. Shallow Alcoveʼs music is based in their love of DIY folk music and colored with narratives of friendship, the changing of the seasons, bad haircuts, and the ache of growing up. 

Adventure Mode Activated: A Minecraft-Inspired Program – Penn Museum
May 10, May 24

Did you know the hit game Minecraft takes its cues from real history? From pickaxes to pyramids, the blocky world is packed with tools, materials, and ideas borrowed from ancient civilizations. Come along on a kid-friendly guided tour of Penn Museum where you will explore the real-world artifacts and cultures behind Minecraft’s most iconic elements. Unearth ancient tools from Africa, journey through the vibrant cities of Mesoamerica, and check out the battle-ready armor worn by Greek hoplites. Then, get creative in the hands-on workshop, where you’ll make your own dazzling paper mosaic using colorful tiles—an original form of pixel art that goes back thousands of years.

The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble – Penn Live Arts
May 10

Philadelphia’s own all-women tap company, The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble, “is a powerhouse of technique, joy, and passion” (ThINKingDance). The 2025 Spring Concert Series features innovative choreography by Michael J. Love and Dolores Sanchez, audience favorites by Katie Budris and Kat Echevarría Richter, and a world premiere by renowned Chicago tap artist Star Dixon.

Penn Alumni Weekend Events – Penn Museum
May 16-17

Calling all Penn Alumni! Penn Museum can’t wait to see you when you’re back on campus for Alumni Weekend. In addition to free admission all weekend for Penn Alumni and their guests, check out all the Alumni Weekend events happening at the Penn Museum, May 16-19. Events include a Gallery Hop, the Franklin Fest All Alumni Kickoff, the Best of the Penn Museum Alumni Tour, and the Ancient Egypt Family Activity.

Carsie Blanton – World Café Live
May 23

Carsie Blanton is a songwriter with hooks, chutzpah, and revolutionary optimism. Inspired by artist-activists including Nina Simone and Woody Guthrie, her catalog careens through American popular song from folk and swing to pop-punk protest anthems. With her unique mix of humor, soul, and political wit, and fifteen-plus years on the road, Blanton has amassed a dedicated fan base and a small menagerie of viral hits (Rich People, Shit List, Fishinʼ With You).

Maggie May Album Release Party – World Café Live
May 30

Maggie Mae is the Queen of funky female-fronted folk, soul, and rock & roll and a Philadelphia-based force to be reckoned with. Combining genuine, heartfelt lyrics with catchy, cutting guitar riffs, her songs can either touch your soul or make you want to get up and dance. She has been described as “poppy, polished, talented, & promising,” by XPN’s The Key’s John Vettese, and been noted for her ability to effortlessly blend genres, her bands' tight musicianship, and their innovative covers (The Jamwich, 2019).