This year’s Sing Us Home festival will feature founders Dave and Tim Hause, Scranton pop-punk band the Menzingers, prolific indie rockers the Mountain Goats, punk veteran Ted Leo, and a certain late night TV comedian and political commentator playing drums.
In its fourth year, Sing Us Home will be staged on Venice Island in Manayunk from May 1-3. It will again take its place as the opening event of Philadelphia’s outdoor music festival season.
Produced by Ardmore-based music promoters Rising Sun Presents, the fest will kick of on a Friday night with its traditional opening set billed as the Hause Family Campfire. That includes Roxborough-raised Dave Hause joined by Leo, Will Hoge, and Jenny Owen Youngs, with all four songwriters on stage at once, sharing songs and stories.
Along with the aforementioned headliners and Dave Hause & the Mermaid, the three-day fest also includes Tim Hause & the Pre-Existing Conditions, fronted by Hause’s younger brother and festival cofounder.
The lineup for the 2026 Sing Us Home Festival.
The lineup also features blues guitarist Emily Wolfe, Canadian punks the Flatliners, New York indie rockers Augustines, New Jersey band Church and State™, Philly singer Moustapha Noumbissi, Lancaster folk-punk band Apes of the State, singer-songwriters Katacombs and Laney Lebo, and horn happy outfit Big Boy Brass, who will parade the grounds.
The political pundit funnyman playing the drums will be Jon Stewart, who sits on the throne behind his kit with Church and State™, the new band with whom he has played only a handful of gigs.
Last month, he told the audience on the Daily Show that he picked up the stick after failing to master the guitar or piano, and that playing in his first band at age 63 was extremely fun.
The number of people doing gig work has increased significantly over the past few years. It was more than 76 million people in the U.S. last year, according to recent reports.
And the work can pay well. Almost 5 million freelancers are earning more than $100,000 per year, according to freelancer site Upwork. These side gigs can include everything from driving an Uber and running an Airbnb to managing websites, tutoring, or even walking a dog.
Benefits to this kind of work include flexibility, control, independence, variety, and the ability to make extra money outside a day job.
But having a successful side gig isn’t easy.
Marketing yourself and getting work is a topic for a different day. But before you get to that — and yes, you will need to — here are a few things you should know.
It’s a business
Your side gig is a business, so make sure you’re treating it like one. You are an independent contractor and the company owner.
You will need to track your costs and revenues separately from your personal life. You should probably have a separate bank account so funds aren’t intermingled.
You may need insurance. This not only gives your business credibility, but it also makes it easier for companies to hire you as an independent contractor rather than classifying you as an employee.
A proper contractor is “really someone already running their own business — they provide the service to a number of other companies,” said Sarah Holmes, a small-business attorney based in Ardmore.
It helps to set up a corporation or limited liability company, said Jeff Burke, a partner at law firm McElroy Harvey in West Chester.
“If you set up a corporation or an LLC and you’re doing a business-to-business contract, you are way more likely to pass muster,” Burke said. “A freelancer should have some written proof — business cards, advertisements, websites — that shows you’re actually out in the marketplace.”
No matter what the business, you always have to remember that “you’re the owner,” Uber and Lyft driver Joseph Casasanto told me.
“As drivers, we are independent business contractors,” he says. “So that means everything is our responsibility, like gas, oil changes, alignments, tires, repairs, miles, depreciation, etc.”
Don’t ignore the paperwork
As a business, you’ll need to make sure you’ve filed the right paperwork and take your taxes seriously. This means either reporting your income and expenses on the Schedule C to your individual tax return or setting up your business separately as an LLC, corporation, or other entity recognized for both federal and state purposes.
Because your customers don’t withhold taxes like an employer does, you’ll need to pay in estimated taxes to avoid penalties and interest for underpaying throughout the year.
Experienced freelancers, like part-time Uber driver Jason Napolitan, are scrupulous about tracking their expenses separately and keeping good tax records.
“My expenses are not only the obvious ones like gas and insurance but also tires and wear and tear on my vehicle.” he said. “For example, I always make sure to track my mileage for the IRS allowance given on my taxes.”
As a freelancer, you should have an agreement in writing that stipulates the services provided and is clear about your role, so that you’re in compliance with federal and state worker classification rules.
Guidance around independent contractor rules has been shifting, said Josh Ganz, a labor and employment attorney at Duffy North in Hatboro. But there is a baseline to follow.
Important questions to consider, he said, are: “Is your client or customer controlling your entire day? Do they tell you where to be and provide the tools for you?”
Set boundaries
Having a side gig should never affect your primary job. Make sure you have clear boundaries and there are no conflicts so you don’t get into trouble with your primary employer.
Running a side gig means you’ll have a lot to juggle between your personal life, your job, and your business. So it’s important to create a schedule. Your customers will want to know when you’re available and so will your family.
It’s important to set goals as to how much you want to earn and stick to those parameters. It’s easy to get caught up in doing the extra work but it can also quickly take up your time.
“If you want to do this full time, you have to set goals,” Lyft driver Kendra Brigman said. “You have to have a good attitude when you’re doing your side gig and provide great service. But your availability is also very important.”
Be smart about pricing
If you’re doing freelance work for an established company like Uber or Lyft, those rates are usually set for you. Others, like Airbnb, can suggest rates based on your local market. But the rest will be up to you.
Setting a price too low may set a precedent that becomes unprofitable over the long term. Charging too much may turn off potential customers. You’ll need to research the competition and make a few mistakes over time to learn the right balance.
It’s also important to know your limitations.
For example, Airbnb host Julie Seda said, “We are always up-front to prospective guests that our house is not suitable for people with mobility restraints.”
Lyft driver Brigman said knowing your pricing and comparing it with what you’re being asked to do can make a big difference, and it’s important to figure out what’s worth your time.
“Sometimes the miles requested doesn’t equate with the amount of money I would like to earn,” she said. “I’ve learned to turn down those jobs.”
By the end of thisyear, Montgomery County will have three emergency short-term shelters with beds for 190 people in Pottstown, Lansdale, and Norristown.
In late 2024, it had zero full-time shelters, even as homelessness soared to new heightsin the county — Pennsylvania’ssecond wealthiest.
The three-member board of commissioners is currently composed of two Democrats and one Republican, but in the past year they have operated with an unusual degree of cohesion on both the challenge of homelessness and on a county budget that included a small property tax increase.
“We came in with similar goals around addressing the homeless problem throughout the county,” said Tom DiBello, the Republican commissioner. “We all heard it when we were campaigning [in 2023] and when we got elected, we felt that we needed to do something. We can’t continue doing it the way it’s always been done in the past, where people just kept talking about it.”
Although the Montgomery County commissioners have formed a united front on many issues last year, housing policy issues are more likely to divide them in 2026.
But the Democrat commissioners, Neil Makhija and Jamila Winder, have ideas about how to get around those limitations to directly fund more affordable housing and encourage local governments to allow more building.
DiBello is not excited about many of the proposals being considered by the two Democrats. He opposes creating new county-level taxes and says zoning powers should be left to localities.
Still, DiBello has further housing policy goals he would like to pursue — such asdeveloping more affordable homes for senior citizens.
As the county releases its 2026 housing blueprint, expected early this year, the first round of these debates will begin in earnest. This planning document, created by county government staff with commissioner feedback, lays out goals for the county based on a comprehensive housing policy — the first its seen in recent memory, Makhija says.
“It’s going to be the first time that the entire board has had a voice and a view on what our role is to address a crisis in the cost of housing,” said Makhija. “There are things we can do to help people.”
How the shelters got built
Making policy to address homelessness is difficult because many municipalities and community groups fight against having shelters placed in their neighborhoods.
The number of people in Montgomery County experiencing homelessnesshas grown with the cost of housing. In 2024, there were 435 people living without a roof over their heads. In 2025, the number grew to 534.
Meanwhile, Montgomery County’s last full-service homeless shelter closed in 2022.
Opposition to new shelters or affordable housing bloomed in Norristown, where officials said the rowhouse-dominated municipality was already asked to shoulder too many social services, and in Lower Providence where the local government denied a shelter application (the legal fallout is ongoing).
The county commissioners decided to get involved by courting local governments and personally attending zoning hearings about potential placements. DiBello attended meetings in Pottstown, near where he lives. Winder went to hearings in Norristown, including one that stretched past midnight, then stuck around to discuss neighbors’ concerns.
A homeless encampment near the Schuylkill River Trail and Norristown in Montgomery County.
In some parts of the county, efforts to address the issue overcame opposition.
Communities like East Norriton have established more code blue shelters, which only operate during freezing weather, and inwealthy Lower Merion, a new affordable housing complex for seniors and people with disabilities, called Ardmore House II, is under construction.
“It takes political courage in these moments,” Winder said,referring to local officials who have embraced shelters and affordable housing. “Sometimes you have loud voices in the room and just have to say, well, this is the right thing to do.”
The commissioners provided $5.3 million in county funding for the shelters. The county also provided a quarter of Ardmore House II’s $20 million budget. And as federal funding cuts loom under President Donald Trump’s administration, the commissioners have also been engaging with philanthropists and foundations.
Earlier this month, Nand Todi, president of Montgomery County-based Penn Manufacturing Industries, announced a $1 million donation to the Lansdale shelter.
Nand Todi, president of Montgomery County-based Penn Manufacturing Industries, and County Commissioner Neil Makhija at a walk-through of the completed Lansdale shelter.
Winder hopes this example of generosity is just the beginning.
“I come from the private sector, so I believe in public-private partnerships,” said Winder. “We’re home to some of the largest corporations in the southeast area. We know that companies have social responsibility goals. So how do we partner with corporations?”
What can a county government do?
Thisyear, the commissioners want to continue to tackle housing issues.
But county-level politicians do not have large budgets at their command, and unlike their municipal-level counterparts, they do not set zoning policy.
Makhija and Winder wantto push those limits.
For example, the county dispenses infrastructure grants, and Makhija says the rules around that funding could be rewritten to incentivize municipalities to reform their zoning codes, perhaps using model ordinances established by the county.
Such ordinances could, for example, allow more transit-oriented development. Or they could legalize accessory dwelling units — small living spaces such as a garage apartment or in-law suite that can be rented out.
“If you have a grant program and it says these are the requirements, then people are going to prioritize getting those things done,” said Makhija, though, he said, he still has to make the case to his colleagues.
He also noted that county planning staff can help implement new municipality policies.
DiBello is skeptical of the county getting involved in local zoning policy.
“The governing structure in Pennsylvania is that municipalities are autonomous to county and state when it comes to zoning,” said DiBello. “It’s up to the communities.”
The Democrats would also like to find revenue sources to pay for more housing projects without increasing the property tax, which would cut against their goal of affordability.
“There are opportunities for us to advocate to the state legislature, to give counties like ours other means to generate revenue,” said Winder. “It’s not sustainable to continue to burden taxpayers by increasing property taxes, and we can’t fund these programs unless we have the money to do so.”
DiBello is also opposed to creating new taxes (if Harrisburg allows it), and doesn’t want to see more property tax increases either. But he still wants to see proactive housing investments by county government.
These debates will unfold next year as the housing blueprint dominates the commissioners’ agenda.
“We’re the second wealthiest county in Pennsylvania, and people struggling to find housing can be quite invisible in these communities,” said Winder. “We’ve got an embarrassment of riches, but there are people that are struggling and so we’re trying to be on the ground helping to solve these issues.”
A popular gluten-free bakery is coming to the Main Line.
Flakely is moving from behind the bright pink door at 220 Krams Ave. in Manayunk to a Bryn Mawr storefront in early February, said owner Lila Colello. The new takeout-only bakery will replace a hookah lounge at 1007 W. Lancaster Ave.
“We’ve really outgrown our space,” Colello told The Inquirer. Manayunk “wasn’t ever meant to be for retail.”
A trained pastry chef who worked for the Ritz Carlton and Wolfgang Puck Catering, Colello was afraid she’d have to give up the best things in life — bread and her career — when she was diagnosed in 2010 with celiac disease, an inflammatory autoimmune and intestinal disorder triggered by eating gluten.
Instead, Colello spent the next seven years finding ways to get around gluten, a protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley (and thus most breads, bagels, and pastries). She perfected kettle-boiled bagels and pastry lamination before starting Flakely in 2017 as a wholesaler.
Colello moved into the commercial kitchen at Krams Avenue in 2021, where customers have spent the last four years picking up buttery chocolate croissants, brown sugar morning buns, and crusty-yet-chewy bagels from a takeout window in an industrial parking lot. Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan has called Colello’s bagels “the best he’s tasted outside of New York,” and in 2024, Flakely was voted one of the best gluten-free bakeries in the United States by USA Today.
Lila Colello, owner and head baker at Flakely, helped patent a way to laminate gluten free dough for croissants.
Flakely’s industrial Manayunk location has required some concessions, Colello said: The majority of their goodies are par-baked and frozen by Colello and three full-time employees for customers to take and bake at home. Otherwise, Colello explained, the lack of steady foot traffic would lead to lots of wasted product.
In Bryn Mawr, Flakely will be a fully functional takeout bakery with a pastry case full of fresh-baked goods, from full-sized baguettes and browned butter chocolate chip cookies to danishes and Colello’s signature sweet-and-savory croissants. A freezer will also include packs of Flakely’s take-and-bake doughs, bagels, and eventually, custom cake orders.
Once she’s settled in, Colello said, she hopes to run gluten-free baking classes and pop-up dinners out of the storefront — offerings (besides the ingredients) that she hopes will differentiate her from other bakeries in the area.
“My vision is for this to be a magical space where people can come in and leave with a fresh croissant, which people can’t really do” when they’re gluten-free, said Colello, who lives in Havertown. “We offer our customers things they miss. That’s kind of our thing.”
Flakely owner Lila Colello poses in front of one of Flakely’s pink gluten free pastry ATMs, which vend take-and-bake goods at four locations in the Philly area.
What about the pastry ATMs?
The permanent storefront does not mean Flakely’s signature pink pastry ATMs will disappear, said Colello. But they will move.
Colello installed Flakely’s first pastry vending machine inside South Philly’s now-shuttered Salt & Vinegar. With the tap or swipe of a credit card, the smart freezer would open to let customers choose their own take-and-bake pack of croissants, pop-tarts, muffins, or danishes. Using it felt like a sweet glimpse into the future.
Flakely currently operates pastry ATMs inside Collingswood grocer Haddon Culinary, the Weaver’s Way Co-op in Ambler, Ardmore smoke shop Free Will Collective, and Irv’s Ice Cream in South Philly, where enterprising customers top their pastries with scoops fresh out the freezer.
Irv’s ATM will make the move to Reap Wellness in Fishtown on Jan. 5 when the ice cream shop closes for the season, Colello said. And come February, the smoke shop’s ATM will transition to Lucky’s Trading Co., a food hall at 5154 Ridge Ave. in Roxborough. The hope, Colello said, is to space the locations out enough so she’s not competing with herself.
“We’re finally in the middle of where everything is,” Colello said. “And that’s kind of the goal.”
Flakely, 1007 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 484-450-6576. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
This week in Philly music is all about the plentiful live music options on New Year’s Eve, including LL Cool J, Snacktime, Ben Arnold, Low Cut Connie, and Kindred the Family Soul.
But before we get to the final blowout of 2025, there’s also some action with touring and local Philly bands in the days after Christmas. Not to mention: Wayne Newton!
Friday, Dec. 26
Wayne Newton
Center City will become Sin City with this rare Philly appearance by the longtime denizen of the Las Vegas Strip. “Wayne Newton, Mr. Las Vegas: Memories and Melodies” is how the 83-year-old entertainer who released 165 albums in his day — and scored a signature hit in 1963 with “Danke Schoen” — bills the show he’s bringing to City Winery for two nights. (7 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., CityWinery.com/philadelphia)
Saturday, Dec. 27
Jealousy Curve / John Faye
On Saturday at Underground Arts, Philly rock band Jealousy Curve shares a bill with John Faye, the longtime musician on the local scene. Faye played reunion dates with his ‘90s alt-rock band the Caulfields last month and was on stage at last week’s Pierre Robert tribute at the Fillmore as a member of David Uosikkinen’s band, In The Pocket. Faye’s latest is The Long Game, released on Uosikkinen’s ITP Entertainment last year. (8 p.m., Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org)
Gogol Bordello play the Archer Music Hall in Allentown on Dec. 28.
Sunday, Dec. 28
Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello, and its charismatic Ukrainian American lead singer, Eugene Hutz, have a long tradition of playing Philly shows in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. This time, the New York punk band, which mixes Romani and traditional Ukrainian music into their raucous blend, is bound for a different Pennsylvania location with a date at Archer Music Hall, the new Live Nation venue in Allentown. (8 p.m. Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton St., Allentown, archermusichall.com)
A Jam Without Borders
Yesseh Furaha-Ali of Snacktime, Camden trumpeter Arnetta Johnson, and the Bul Bey are among the artists who’ll be playing at Ortlieb’s at this event hosted by Corey Bernhard and Friends. It’s a fundraiser for Philadelphia families impacted by ICE. (8 p.m., Ortlieb’s, 847 N. Third St., ortliebsphilly.com)
Monday, Dec. 29
“Fear of Heights”
Philly rocker Alan Mann regularly played South Street clubs like J.C. Dobbs and Ripley Music Hall before his death in 1987. Rich Murray, who directed the video for Mann’s song “Christmas on the Block,” which became the first indie video played on MTV and a subsequent Philly holiday music favorite, has made a documentary about his relationship with Mann and his legacy. Called Fear of Heights, the movie, which begins with a 2015 clip of the late DJ Pierre Robert dropping the needle on “Christmas on the Block” on WMMR-FM (93.3), will have its Philly premiere at Film Society East. It will be followed by a discussion with Murray and his co-filmmakers moderated by WMGK-FM DJ Cindy Drue. (7 p.m., Film Society East, 125 S. Second St., filmadelphia.org)
Low Cut Connie at Concerts Under the Stars in King of Prussia on Aug. 1, 2025. Left to right: Rich Stanley, Nick Perri, Adam Weiner, Jarae Lewis (on drums, partially hidden), Amanda “Rocky” Bullwinkel, and Kelsey Cork. The band will play Ardmore Music Hall on Dec. 30 and 31.
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Dark Star Orchestra
The longstanding Grateful Dead tribute band is marking the transition from 2025 to 2026 on a short East Coast tour, which includes a date at Franklin Music Hall on NYE’s eve. (8 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 N. Seventh St., franklinmusichall.com)
The Samples
And for a further jam band experience, veteran Colorado 10-piece band the Samples, which blends a Dead influence with more pop-rock shadings, does two nights at 118 North in Wayne. (8 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, 118 NorthWayne.com)
Low Cut Connie
Adam Weiner and Miss Rocky of Low Cut Connie distinguished themselves with their take on David Bowie’s “Young Americans” at last week’s Pierre Robert tribute. Let’s hope they put it in the playlist for their two end-of-the-year blowouts on Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve.
The band didn’t put out a new album this year but had an eventful 2025, getting caught up in to pop-and-politics brouhahas in D.C. and Luzerne County, and releasing some high-quality protest songs. Bluegrass band Shelby Means Trio, led by the eponymous bassist formerly in Molly Tuttle’s band, opens on Tuesday, and Philly rock and roller Roberta Faceplant opens Wednesday. (8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, ardmoremusichall.com)
LL Cool J will headline a free concert on the Ben Franklin Parkway on New Year’s Eve. The show will also feature DJ Jazzy Jeff, Adam Blackstone, and Dorothy.
Wednesday, Dec. 31
LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Adam Blackstone
This is the big new party on the Parkway and maybe the start of a new Philadelphia tradition? The city will officially usher in the year of the Semiquicentennial with its first-ever free NYE music and fireworks spectacle. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and “Mama Said Knock You Out” hitmaker LL Cool J is making good on his commitment to play Philly after he opted out of this year’s July 4 Welcome America show in solidarity with striking municipal city workers. DJ Jazzy Jeff is, of course, the master of the Wheel of Steel, and Adam Blackstone has become one of the leading ambassadors for Philly music, and plans to debut a new civic pride song called “Brotherly Love” at the show. Dorothy and Technician the DJ are also on the bill. (8 p.m., Benjamin Franklin Parkway, phila.gov)
Snacktime
Philly R&B and soul party band par excellence Snacktime is the NYE Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia house band. This is the third consecutive year that the horn-happy outfit has closed out the season at the Fishtown bowling alley/music venue. The band that started out busking in Rittenhouse Square during the pandemic has a new single. It is a sweetly sung and inventively arranged version of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows.” (8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia)
Ben Arnold
Ben Arnold was another standout at this month’s tribute to the late Pierre Robert. The Philly songwriter covered Robert Hazard’s “Change Reaction” and then led a singalong finale of the Youngbloods’ “Get Together.” Arnold put out a top-shelf album called XI this year, featuring the terrific single “Catch the Lightning,” and also toured Europe with the band U.S. Rails. He’ll be singing his own songs and some by U.S. Rails at his Kelly Center NYE show in Havertown. (7:30 p.m., Kelly Center, 4 E. Eagle Road, Havertown, kellycenter.org.)
Kindred the Family Soul performs on the Presser Stage during The Roots Picnic Day 2 at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts on June 4, 2023. The group will do two shows at the City Winery Philadelphia on New Year’s Eve.
Kindred the Family Soul
The wife-and-husband team of Aja Graydon and Fatin Dantzler appeared last month at the Met Philly with John Legend, with whom they shared salad days at the Black Lily showcases in the early 00s. The veteran neo-soul act is back as City Winery NYE headliners, playing early and late shows at the Filbert Street club on Thursday. (7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., citywinery.com/philadelphia)
Felice Brothers plays Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia on Jan. 2.
Friday, Jan. 2
Felice Bros.
Upstate New York-born sibling act the Felice Brothers’ winning, ramshackle sound has mixed folk and rock and roll into a satisfying blend over the course of 10 albums. The most recent is 2024’s The Valley of Abandoned Songs. Brother Ian and James Felice make their annual holiday season stop at Brooklyn Bowl Philly on Friday, with Canadian songwriter Charlotte Cornfield opening. (8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia)
Candy Volcano
Philly Loves Bowie Week will kick off with two shows by tribute band Candy Volcano at Ardmore Music Hall. The first show will be at WXPN-FM Free at Noon, and then a nighttime show at the venue in which the band will cover Bowie’s 1976 album Station to Station. (Noon, Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, xpn.org/freeatnoon, and 8 p.m., ardmoremusichall.com)
Township commissioners recently passed the 2026 budget, which includes a tax hike. Here’s what you need to know. And with the new year just over a week away, we’ve rounded up nearly a dozen ways to celebrate 2026 in and around town.
This is our final Inquirer Lower Merion newsletter of 2025, but we’ll be back in your inboxes on Jan. 8. Thanks for reading and happy new year!
Lower Merion officials recently approved a tax hike for 2026.
Lower Merion residents can expect to see their property taxes go up in 2026 after the township’s board of commissioners approved an 8% increase in the upcoming budget.
Commissioners said the increase was necessary following 13 years of stagnant tax revenue from 2011 to 2024, when there were no increases. Property taxes went up 6.5% in 2025 and commissioners acknowledged next year’s increase comes with some “sticker shock,” The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner reports.
Still, it’s not as high as an initially proposed 9.5% hike. The township taxes will come on top of a 4% tax increase recently passed by Montgomery County officials.
Ardmore cocktail bar Izzy’s will have a special menu and champagne toast to ring in the new year.
The countdown to 2026 is on and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another.
We’ve rounded up 11 celebrations in and around Lower Merion, including noontime events for kids, specialty and buffet dinners, plus concerts for kids and adults.
Trash and recycling dates will have altered schedules due to Christmas and New Year’s Day. See how your household is impacted here. The township also released its 2026 collection schedule, which you can see here.
Narberth passed its 2026 budget last week, which includes a higher earned income tax. The EIT will jump from 0.75% this year to 1% next year and is aimed at improving the borough’s capital fund. The new budget also adjusts solid waste fees so that condos and apartments pay a flat $250 per living unit. Sewer fees are also set to rise from $5.25 to $6 per 1,000 gallons. See the full budget here.
Narberth council has also voted to make permanent the no-parking zone pilot at the intersection of Price and Essex Avenues. Signage is expected to be installed in January and February, with painting set for spring.
Bryn Mawr Hospital is among the quietest hospitals in the region at night, according to newly released federal data. Patients from October 2023 to September 2024 reported Bryn Mawr being “always quiet” overnight 61% of the time, “usually quiet” 29% of the time, and “sometimes or never quiet” 10% of the time. See how Bryn Mawr compares to other regional hospitals.
A Bala Cynwyd dad launched a program in 2024 after seeing demand for Cub Scout activities on non-Sabbath days. Philadelphia Jewish Exponent recently profiled Michael Kopinsky about his inspiration and how the program quickly gained popularity among Orthodox and Sabbath-observant Jewish families.
🏫 Schools Briefing
Winter break is officially here, with students and staff returning Jan. 5. The school district’s offices will be closed Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1-2 during the break. Lower Merion High School’s pool will be closed those same days, as well as on Dec. 31.
Lower Merion High School skating duo Justin and Suri Lue took home third place in the regional level of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Nevada last month, and sixth place nationally in the intermediate division.
Johnny’s Pizza in Bryn Mawr has some of the best takeout pizza in the Philadelphia suburbs, according to The Keystone. The outlet noted that “once you start eating it, it’s going to be hard to stop.”
🎳 Things to Do
🎤 Start Making Sense: Hear the seven-piece Talking Heads tribute band perform. ⏰ Friday, Dec. 26, 8 p.m. 💵 $33.38 📍 Ardmore Music Hall
🐑 Meet the Menagerie: Meet some of Harriton House’s farmstead animals. There will also be hot chocolate and s’mores available for purchase. ⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 30, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Harriton House
The home spans nearly 6,700 square feet and has a distinctive turret.
This Merion Station property, built in 1888, is reminiscent of a castle. The home has a modern interior while paying homage to its roots by way of exposed stone walls, fireplaces, millwork, and stained glass windows. Some of its features include a curved tower, a formal dining room, and an eat-in kitchen with a large island. It also has seven bedrooms spread across the second and third floors. Outside, there’s an in-ground saltwater pool, a basketball court, multiple covered sitting areas, and a deck with a built-in kitchen.
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The countdown to 2026 is on, and there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the end of one year and the start of another. From New Year’s Eve dinner specials to adults-only celebrations and family-friendly gatherings, here’s how to ring in the new year in and around Lower Merion.
New Year’s Eve Events for Adults
Low Cut Connie is headlining two nights at Ardmore Music Hall.
The local band is performing for two nights, including on New Year’s Eve. There are open bar and dinner options for both.
⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 30, 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. 💵 $56.93, plus $112.82 to add on an open bar and food service 📍Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
Alex and the Kaleidoscope, an interactive band geared toward kids ages 4 to 8, will perform at Ardmore Music Hall. There will also be arts and crafts, brunch, and a countdown to noon.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 11 a.m. 💵 $29.50 📍Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
Enjoy a buffet, cookies, hot chocolate, and a sparkling cider or champagne toast at this family-friendly afternoon event, where there will also be a DJ. Kids can decorate cookies and color their own New Year’s Eve hat and glasses, too.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, noon-2 p.m. 💵 $18 for kids, $39 for adults 📍Lola’s Garden, 51 Saint Georges Rd., Ardmore
Ardmore cocktail bar Izzy’s is offering a seven-course meal featuring items like lobster, wagyu beef, and caviar for $165. Add a beverage pairing for another $60. Ripplewood will offer its regular menu alongside specials, and both will have champagne toasts at midnight.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 4 p.m.-midnight 💵 Prices vary📍 Izzy’s, 35 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, and Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft, 29 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
One of the dining areas at Triple Crown features a bar.
The Main Line newcomer is offering two ways to dine New Year’s Eve. For $125, there will be a buffet in the Secretariat room, including charcuterie, salads, a carving station, sides, and a dessert table from 5 to 10 p.m. The Greg Farnese Trio will perform throughout the night. Or for à la carte options, the main dining room will be open, also from 5 to 10 p.m.
⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 31, 5-10 p.m. 💵 Prices vary📍 Triple Crown, 593 E. Lancaster Ave., St. Davids
White Dog Cafe is hosting a New Year’s Day “pajama brunch,” where attendees are encouraged to where their PJs.
On New Year’s Day, White Dog Cafe is again hosting its Pajama Brunch, which encourages attendees to wear their PJs to the restaurant, where an à la carte menu will be available. Reservations are encouraged.
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Executives at Happy Bear, which has sold coffee online for the past two years, said they recently signed a lease for a 3,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of 1201 Normandy Place, a mixed-use lab building optimized for life-science tenants, including those who do gene and cell therapy research and development.
The Happy Bear cafe is set to serve coffee, wine, and grab-and-go food, including sandwiches, breakfast items, soups, salads, flatbreads, and tomato pie made in partnership with Carlino’s, the Ardmore-based specialty-food purveyor.
A Saquon hoagie special at Carlino’s Market in Ardmore. The specialty-food purveyor’s food will be available at the the Happy Bear Coffee Company’s first physical store at the Navy Yard.
The cafe will have indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the five-acre Central Green Park, and provide “a versatile setting for morning coffee, a quick lunch, or an evening glass of wine,” according to the news release.
“We wanted to create a place that feels like a daily ritual and a small retreat all in one,” Happy Bear cofounder Dan Kredensor said in a statement.
“With Carlino’s expertise as one of our culinary partners, we’re building a cafe that brings together wonderful specialty coffee, great flavors, and a welcoming atmosphere, right in the heart of the Navy Yard’s most exciting new district.”
An artist’s rendering shows an aerial view of the proposed development plan for the Navy Yard.
Ensemble Real Estate Investments, of California, and Philly’s Mosaic Development Partners were selected in 2020 to lead an estimated $2.5 billion redevelopment of 109 acres of the former base.
Construction of 1201 Normandy was part of Ensemble/Mosaic’s first phase of redevelopment, which was estimated to cost $400 million.
“Happy Bear represents the type of dynamic, community-focused retail that will define the Navy Yard as it enters its next phase of growth,” said Nelson Way, vice president of leasing and development for Ensemble.
Happy Bear was founded by longtime friends Kredensor and Frank Orman, who bonded by exploring Philly’s coffee shops during their college years.
The pair’s first cafe will be near a 12-acre section of the Navy Yard that’s being called the Historic Core District, combining historic buildings with new construction.
An artist’s rendering of PIDC’s vision for the Navy Yard Historic District Core district, which would combine historic buildings and new construction.
In the same area, developers have built more than 600 apartments in a mixed-use community called AVE Navy Yard, which is expected to open next year.
The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), an independent nonprofit, manages the Navy Yard on the city’s behalf. It has owned the 1,200-acre site since the U.S. Defense Department decommissioned it as a military base in 2000.
The Navy Yard is home to 150 companies that employ 16,000 people, according to its online directory. Its tenants include Urban Outfitters, which is headquartered at the site, and Jefferson Health.
The property also has a Courtyard Marriott, several daytime food options, and a full-service restaurant called the Gatehouse.
Navy Yard stakeholders want the campus to eventually have nearly 4,000 new apartments; 235,000 square feet of retail; and more than 4.2 million square-feet of office, research and development, and manufacturing space, according to its 2022 redevelopment plan. Developers also want to bring another hotel to the site.
This week in Philly music features hometown shows by two reunited Philadelphia pop-punk bands in the Starting Line and Algernon Cadwallader, plus South Philly arena dates with the artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly and the all-star Jingle Ball tour. Also on tap: Club shows with the Dream Syndicate, Rhett Miller, and Greg Mendez.
Pittstown, N.J.-born and Philly-based pop-rock quartet the Happy Fits headline the Fillmore on Thursday. The band, fronted by singer and electric cellist Calvin Longman, is on tour for Lovesick, their snappy fourth album, and first since founding member Ross Monteith left the band and new members Nico Rose and Raina Mullen (who sings lead on the title track) joined up.
The ‘60s and early ‘70s live in the music of the Heavy Heavy, the Brighton, England, duo of Will Turner and Georgie Fuller, whose songs stand on their own while being unashamed for their affections for counterculture-era rock sounds.
Will Turner and Georgie Fuller of England’s the Heavy Heavy play Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday.
JD McPherson’s most recent album of rockabilly and old school R&B-influenced originals was last year’s Nite Owls. Hopefully, the Oklahoma singer-guitarist will dip into his entire discography, but his show Thursday night at Arden Gild Hall in Wilmington is a “A Rock ’N’ Roll Christmas Tour” stop centered on the songs on his 2017 album Socks.
Algernon Cadwallader play Union Transfer on Dec. 13.
King Mala is Los Angeles alt-pop artist Areli Lopez, the El Paso native who’s touring behind her Billie Eiish-ish moody full-length debut And You Who Drowned in the Grief of a Golden Thing. She’s at Nikki Lopez on South Street with Dezi opening.
If Steve Wynn isn’t touring doing solo shows, or playing with indie supergroups Gutterball and the Baseball Project (the latter with whom he was in Philly in September), he’s on the road with the Dream Syndicate, the band that emerged from the 1980s Los Angeles psychedelic rock scene known as the Paisley Underground.
The band’s 1984 album Medicine Show mixed neo-noir mystery and Southern literary flair on epic guitar tracks like “John Coltrane Stereo Blues.” They’ll open with a set that surveys their career before playing Medicine Show in its entirety at Johnny Brenda’s on Friday.
Rhett Miller divides his time between the Old ‘97s and his solo career. His ninth Rhett Miller album is the new A lifetime of riding by night, which is a stripped-down affair that was recorded before (successful) vocal surgery and captures him in a reflective, philosophical mood. He plays Free at Noon at Ardmore Music Hall on Friday, then heads down the road to play 118 North in Wayne that night.
Rhett Miller plays Free at Noon at Ardmore Music Hall on Friday and 118 North in Wayne later that night. The Old ’97s singer’s new solo album is “A lifetime of riding by night.”
Philly “apocolectric” folk-rock quartet Bums in the Attic celebrate the release of their The Denouement EP at Dawson Street Pub on Friday, with Ms. J & the Cresson Street Band and Anthony Baldini.
Philly pop-punkers the Starting Line — originally from Churchville in Bucks County — have released only three albums in an initial burst of activity that began with 2002’s release, Say It Like You Mean It.
Philly pop-punk band the Starting Line’s new album “Eternal Youth” is their first in 18 years. They play two nights at the Fillmore Philly on Friday and Saturday.
The band went on hiatus in 2008, but has regrouped for several tours throughout the years and got a boost in the pop cultural consciousness in 2024 when Taylor Swift name-checked them in “The Black Dog” fromThe Tortured Poets Department. Now they’re back in earnest with Eternal Youth, their first album in 18 years, and shows at the Fillmore on Friday and Saturday.
Jon Langford & Sally Timms of the Mekons return to the charming confines of Harmonie Hall in Manayunk on Saturday. Expect a survey from the 40-plus year career of the Leeds, England-born country-punk pioneers featuring the divine-voiced Timms and offhand brilliance of the prolific Langford, who will be coming back to Philly together with the full-sized Mekons at the Latvian Society in June.
Detroit rapper Danny Brown plays the Theatre of Living Arts on Saturday. His new album is “Starburst.”
Inspired and eccentric Detroit rapper Danny Brown plays the Theatre of Living Arts on South Street on Saturday. He’s touring behind his new album Stardust, which vividly chronicles his journey to sobriety.
Algernon Cadwallader hail from Yardley in Bucks County. But in a world of inscrutable micro-genres, they’re often labeled a “Midwest emo” band. After going their separate ways after their 2011 album Parrot Flies, the band that includes singer Peter Helmis and guitarist and Headroom Studio owner Joe Reinhart (also a member of Hop Along) got back together in 2022. Trying Not to Have a Thought, their first album in 14 years, came out in September, and they’re playing a hometown show at Union Transfer on Saturday, with Gladie and Snoozer opening.
Machine Gun Kelly gets slimed after performing “Cliche” during the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. The artist, now known as mgk, plays Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mgk isn’t just shorthand for Philly classic rock radio station WMGK-FM (102.9). It’s now the stage name of the artist formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly, who ditched his previous moniker in 2024 to disassociate himself from gun violence.
The rapper and singer is touring behind his new album, Lost Americana, which was released in June accompanied by a trailer narrated by none other than Bob Dylan, who is apparently his biggest fan. “From the glow of neon diners to the rumble of the motorcycles,” Dylan said. “This is music that celebrates the beauty found in the in-between spaces. Where the past is reimagined, and the future is forged on your own terms.” The “Lost Americana” tour comes to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Sunday.
Philly indie songwriter Greg Mendez is playing one more show in the super-intimate side chapel of the First Unitarian Church on Monday. This Mendez and Friends show features guest Amelia Cry Till I Die, Mary St. Mary and Shannen Moser singing traditional folk ballads. Most likely they will be making beautiful music together.
BigXthaPlug performs during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., on June 13, 2024. The Texas country rapper plays the Jingle Ball at Xfinity Mobil;e Arenea on Monday. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
On Monday, it’s the Jingle Ball. This year’s iHeart Radio package tour of hitmakers at Xfinity Mobile Arena runs alphabetically from AJR to Zara Larsson. The show presented by Q102 — Philly station WIOQ-FM (102.1) — serves up a crash course in contemporary pop with Alex Warren, BigXthaPlug, Laufey, Monsta X, Miles Smith and Raven Lenae, plus a KPop Demon Hunters sing-along.
Right now, any Philadelphian 21 or older can go online or walk into a regional smoke shop and buy a THC-infused drink as potent as products in legal dispensaries.
But soon, that might all change.
The billion-dollar intoxicating beverage industry exploded in recent years, with THC-infused seltzers, lemonades, and teas that resemble popular products like Surfsides or White Claws. Sold in local gas stations, smoke shops, and liquor stores outside of Pennsylvania, these weed drinks deliver a cannabis high that is infused into bubbly, sweet canned beverages.
While marijuana is still federally illegal, the hemp industry had found a way to manufacture and sell hemp-derived THC drinks across the country through a legal loophole that is soon closing.
Last month, Congress banned all intoxicating hemp products, a slew of THC-infused smokeable, vape-able, and edible products that are derived from hemp plants but could be mistaken for actual marijuana. In many cases, the drinks are just as potent as conventional weed.
Starting in 2027, almost all of them will be illegal, spurring a nationwide movement within the industry to save the burgeoning market.
Arthur Massolo, the vice president of national THC beverage brand Cycling Frog, which sells its wares locally, saidthese restrictions will have devastating effects on the producers of thousands of hemp-derived products, like THC, but also CBD, the non-intoxicating cannabinoid popular for treating anxiety, sleep, and pain.
Will Angelos, whose Ardmore smoke shop and wellness store, Free Will Collective, relies on THC drinks for nearly 40% of its business, is hoping for some saving grace. “We’re either looking to pivot or we’re disappearing,” he said.
Adults share Cycling Frog canned THC drinks in this marketing photo provided by Cycling Frog.
What are THC-infused drinks?
Seltzers, sodas, teas, mocktails, and lemonades all infused with THC — and sometimes non-intoxicating CBD — exploded onto the scene a few years ago and grew into a billion-dollar business, said hemp market analyst Beau Whitney.
“These drinks have transformed the hemp industry into this low-dose intoxicating health and wellness, alcohol-adjacent product,” said Massolo, who is also the president of U.S. Hemp Roundtable, a hemp business advocacy organization.
The THC-infused drinks sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and liquor stores are supposedly formulated using legally grown hemp, which is allowed to be grown under the 2018 Farm Bill that opened the door to hemp farming in the U.S.
Lawmakers carved out an exemption from federal drug laws for cannabis plants containing 0.3% or less of THC. These low-THC plants are considered “hemp” and are legal to grow. Cannabis plants over that THC threshold are considered marijuana and can carry felony charges if the plant is not being grown by state-licensed growers in places where adult use or medicinal marijuana is legal, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
While intoxicating hemp products have enjoyed consistent growth in the past years, these THC-infused drinks have increasingly appeared in aisles of liquor stores and supermarkets in some states, allowing adults who normally don’t visit dispensaries to pick up a bottle of infused wine in the same place they grab groceries, said New Jersey cannabis lawyer Steve Schain.
Hemp products photographed at the Philadelphia Inquirer, November 21, 2025.
The ease of access to THC drinks allowed the national market to grow to $1.3 billion in annual sales, and if access continues, Whitney said, that figure could reach $15 billion in the coming years.
This is all thanks to what Whitney calls the “FPS,” or “Female Power Shopper.” These women, ages 29 to 45, are the ones who are likely shopping for a household in grocery and liquor stores, and may jump at the chance to try cannabis products without diving headfirst into dispensaries, Whitney said.
Mary Ellen, 55, of Bucks County, who asked to not to be identified by her last name over concerns for her cannabis use and employment, said these THC drinks are the perfect way to unwind after a long day, especially for adults like her who choose not to drink alcohol. As a medical marijuana patient, she uses regulated cannabis for a variety of ailments, but also enjoys THC drinks like Nowadays’ infused mocktails that she buys at Angelos’ Ardmore store.
“I’d rather come home and have a glass of Nowadays. That’s a lot better than having a glass of vodka or a benzodiazepine,” she said. “I’m not going to forget what I did the night before, and I’m not going to wake up feeling crappy the next morning.”
City smoke shop exterior in the 1000 block of Chestnut Street Monday, July 21, 2025.
What are the concerns over THC drinks?
As the money started to roll in for THC drinks, fear among local communities and law enforcement began to grow. In the Philadelphia suburbs, the Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery County district attorneys’ offices finished a 10-month investigation into intoxicating hemp products and the local stores that sell them.
The 107-page grand jury report speaks of a public health crisis unfolding in “plain sight” across Pennsylvania, where retailers have little to no oversight, in some cases selling actual marijuana.
Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said the industry created a “Wild West situation” and urged state lawmakers to regulate the industry similarly to alcohol and tobacco, including age requirements, licensing, and mandatory lab testing.
Stakeholders in the industry support regulation of some kind. While hemp-derived THC companies fear the economic collapse of their industry, Massolo and Angelos say there is concern that these products will leave overt brick-and-mortar operations known by local officials for more covert, illicit operations, similar to how these products were purchased before the 2018 Farm Bill.
“We’ve basically traveled back to 10 seconds before the Farm Bill of 2018 was signed,” Schain said.
Mary Ellen says the lack of regulation is a major sticking point for consumers who flock to these products, but would like some reassurance on the drinks they are ingesting.
But, even if the ban goes into effect, she said, “people will just figure out another way for us to get it. It’ll be like a prohibition that we’ve seen in this country with alcohol and marijuana.”
THC and CBD-infused beverages on the shelves of Free Will Collective, an Ardmore smoke shop and wellness store owned by Will Angelos. As Congress moves to ban most intoxicating hemp products, business owners like Angelos aren’t sure they will be able to keep the doors open long past 2027 if current regulations go into effect.
Will THC-infused drinks be banned or saved by 2027?
Now, as the industry’s yearlong grace period begins before the ban takes effect, companies are scrambling.
The intoxicating hemp manufacturers and retailers who spoke to The Inquirer said the game plan is to offload all of the intoxicating hemp products in stock, including THC-infused drinks, flower, vapes, and even CBD products.
Some companies will see almost their entire product catalog become illegal, in some cases dwindling from 45 products on offer down to two, Whitney said of the firms he works with. The far-reaching impact will also hurt industrial hemp products, cannabis tourism, alcohol distributors, and even the legal cannabis industry, as some of their products, including CBD, will now have to contend with these new regulations, Schain and Whitney said.
At the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, Massolo is having daily board meetings, including on weekends, to coordinate a response to federal lawmakers. It’s now a race against the clock to remedy or claw back some of the new regulations before damage is done to the industry’s distribution pipelines, Massolo said. The group hopes to rally other industries, like traditional beverages, wellness products, and supplements, to bolster its case.
Among the U.S. Hemp Roundtable’s recommendations to lawmakers are an extension of the hemp ban grace period to two years, raising the limit on hemp-derived THC products, and allowing states to regulate these products as they see fit, to name a few.
Stakeholders say they want regulations to help legitimize this billion-dollar endeavor and save it from annihilation, but smaller operators like Angelos hope it’s not at the expense of small independent businesses.
While precautions like rigorous age verification systems and lab testing are necessary, Angelos said, if regulators “overtax, or over gate-keep,” many of the smaller retailers — who he said enjoy the benefit of knowing their local government officials and community — won’t be able to compete in the market.
“There obviously has to be standards, but I’m scared of an overcorrection,” Angelos said of the hemp ban. “It’s not just a singular choice. If you want your kids to be safe, have a mechanism where you can keep your eyes on the product.”
