Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Tag: Ardmore

  • In search of a crafty holiday gift? Here’s where to look in Lower Merion.

    In search of a crafty holiday gift? Here’s where to look in Lower Merion.

    The jingle bells are ringing, the Hanukkah party guest list is filling up, and you still don’t have a present for the coolest, artsiest person on your shopping list.

    Looking for a kooky snow globe? Bespoke Eagles memorabilia? An art print unlike any other? Don’t worry! If you’re living on (or traveling to) the Main Line, here’s where you should be shopping for crafty presents.

    Sweet Mabel Gallery

    Narberth’s Sweet Mabel Gallery is an iconic local business, run by husband-and-wife duo David Stehman and Tracy Tumolo. Sweet Mabel got its start in 2005 when Tumolo took over her grandfather’s former barbershop in Narberth. She and Stehman, who were graphic designers, decided to turn the barbershop into a local gallery and store stocked with colorful American and Canadian folk art.

    To celebrate the shop’s 20th anniversary, Sweet Mabel is displaying and selling works from local artists, all under $100. An anniversary ceremony will be held on Dec. 5 from 6-9 p.m. at the storefront on Haverford Avenue. Plus, if you find the perfect gift, Sweet Mabel will wrap it for free.

    Ardmore Holiday Market

    Art Star, a Philadelphia gallery and boutique, is bringing a collection of bespoke craft vendors to Ardmore for two weekends this month. The Ardmore Holiday Market, organized in partnership with the Ardmore Initiative, will take place Dec. 6 and 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Schauffele Plaza.

    Ardmore Holiday Market attendees can look out for Philly-area artists like Lauren Delk Ceramics, Mahika Market, Fwens, and Leann the Illustrator. Peruse the booths, listen to live music, and, if you have time, stop by Suburban Square for a free photo with Santa from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Past Present Future

    Looking for a funky snow globe? A one-of-a-kind charm necklace? Day of the Dead inspired earrings? Ardmore’s Past Present Future is a portal into the world of eclectic antiques and crafts, from embroidered cat-themed pillows to hand-painted ceramic dishes. Sherry Tillman started Past Present Future in Philadelphia in 1976, drawing on her “long-held ties to the local arts and crafts community” to procure unique goods.

    Past Present Future is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (or later — “If we are still standing, we are still open,” the shop’s Facebook page reads).

    Something Different by Eric

    Eric Wells‘ store, Something Different by Eric, isn’t just a gift shop, it’s a hub for people with disabilities on the Main Line.

    Wells and his mom, Bernadette Wheeler, started the Bryn Mawr store in 2015. The nonprofit shop is staffed entirely by volunteers, including Haverford College students and special education advocates. Wheeler has said Something Different by Eric is part of a larger effort to “educate the community” and help people “see disabled individuals in action.”

    In addition to selling unique housewares, Philly- and Main Line-themed trinkets, sports memorabilia, baby gifts, and greeting cards, Something Different by Eric is stocked with books about mental and physical disabilities.

    The shop is open from noon to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • 20 local holiday events to add to your calendar | Inquirer Lower Merion

    20 local holiday events to add to your calendar | Inquirer Lower Merion

    Hi, Lower Merion! 👋

    Happy Thanksgiving! While all eyes are on Turkey Day today, the winter holidays aren’t far behind. We’ve rounded up 20 events you’ll want to add to your calendar. Also this week, the former business manager of a Bala Cynwyd church has been charged with stealing over $1.1 million, a Bryn Mawr birth center is closing its doors, plus SEPTA will get new funding to tackle its Regional Rail car repairs.

    If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

    20 holiday events you won’t want to miss this season

    Santa will make stops throughout Lower Merion this year, including at Suburban Square.

    The holiday season is officially upon us and with it, a slew of festive events. Whether you’re looking to snag a picture with Santa Claus, catch an ice skating show, see a menorah lighting, or tour a decked-out historic house, there’s no shortage of things to do in Lower Merion.

    We’ve rounded up 20 holiday festivities this season, including shopping pop-ups, holiday movie screenings, festivals, and more.

    See the full list of holiday events here.

    💡 Community News

    🏫 Schools Briefing

    • Schools are closed today and tomorrow for Thanksgiving. LMHS is hosting its “Maroon Madness” on Tuesday ahead of the winter Keystone testing window, which starts Wednesday and continues until Dec. 17. See the district’s full calendar here.
    • The Education Foundation of Lower Merion is seeking new members to join its board of directors for three-year terms. Learn more here.

    🍽️ On our Plate

    • Mama’s Pizzeria in Bala Cynwyd is closing its doors this week after 65 years in business. The shop, known for its signature cheesesteak, plans to shutter Friday or Saturday.
    • Mexican fast-casual chain Chipotle opened at 229 City Ave. in Merion Station earlier this month, where it has a drive-thru pick-up lane.
    • Earlier this month, Fox29’s Morgan Parrish visited The Brew Room in Ardmore to chat with the husband-and-wife team behind the specialty Greek café and what inspired them to bring the flavors of the Mediterranean to the Main Line. See the segment here.

    🎳 Things to Do

    🍬 Day After Thanksgiving Edible Art Camp: Kids ages 5 to 12 will make four winter-themed edible treats. ⏰ Friday, Nov. 28, 10-11 a.m. 💵 $21.20 📍 The Candy Lab

    🍿 Zootopia: Catch a screening of the 2016 animated film about Zootopia’s first bunny on the police force, who partners with a fox to solve a case. ⏰ Friday, Nov. 28, 1-3 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Penn Wynne Library

    👸 Cinderella: Catch a screening of the ultimate Disney classic. There will be a second screening on Dec. 13. ⏰ Saturday, Nov. 29, 11 a.m. 💵 $6.75-$7.75 📍 Bryn Mawr Film Institute

    🩰 Israeli Dancing: This drop-in class will teach you some moves set to traditional Israeli music. ⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 3, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 💵 $15 📍 Kaiserman JCC

    ✡️ Hanukkah Crafternoon: Kids can create a holiday-themed craft during this drop-in event. ⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 3, 3-5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Gladwyne Library

    🏡 On the Market

    A stately six-bedroom center hall home

    The home’s entry is flanked by two-story columns.

    This six-bedroom brick Gladwyne home exudes old world vibes thanks to its center hall layout and two-story pillar columns. Inside, the home feels contemporary. Some features include a formal living room with a double-sided gas fireplace, a formal dining room, an eat-in kitchen, and a first floor primary suite. The finished basement also has a fireplace and an ensuite bedroom. There’s an open house on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m.

    See more photos of the home here.

    Price: $1.399M | Size: 4,258 SF | Acreage: 0.83

    🗞️ What other Lower Merion residents are reading this week:

    By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • 20 holiday events in Lower Merion you won’t want to miss this season

    20 holiday events in Lower Merion you won’t want to miss this season

    The holiday season is officially upon us and with it, a slew of festive events. From Santa sightings to a menorah lighting, here’s how and where to celebrate around Lower Merion.

    Schauffele Plaza Holiday Tree Lighting

    Santa will come to town on a fire truck for the tree lighting at Schauffele Plaza, where there will also be hot chocolate, cookies, and photo ops with St. Nick.

    ⏰ Friday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Schauffele Plaza, Lancaster and Cricket Avenues, Ardmore

    Suburban Square Christmas Tree Lighting

    Santa will light the tree at Suburban Square, where there will also be festive music, carolers, and other family-friendly activities.

    ⏰ Saturday, Nov. 29, 4-7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Suburban Square, Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore

    Ludington Library Holiday Craft Fair

    Shop an array of goods from local small businesses and artisans at this one-day event.

    ⏰ Sunday, Nov. 30, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Ludington Library, 5 S. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr

    “It’s a Wonderful Life“

    Catch a screening of the 1946 holiday classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. A cocktail is included with the ticket purchase for those 21 and over.

    ⏰ Thursday, Dec. 4, 7:15 p.m. 💵 $17.75 📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr

    Gladwyne Library Holiday Craft Fair Markets

    Shop local vendors selling everything from crocheted and knitted items to ceramics and jewelry. There will also be crafts and seasonal treats.

    ⏰ Friday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Gladwyne Library, 362 Righters Mill Rd., Gladwyne

    Rankin/Bass Holiday Specials

    Catch screenings of your favorite animated holiday classics The Year Without a Santa Claus, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, and ’Twas the Night Before Christmas during two matinee showings.

    ⏰ Saturdays, Dec. 6 and 20, 11 a.m. 💵 $6.75-$7.75 📍Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr

    Santa will be at Suburban Square on select days this season.

    Saturdays with Santa

    Santa will be visiting Suburban Square and posing for photos three days in December, when there will also be carolers and live music. Little ones can also drop off letters to Santa.

    ⏰ Saturdays, Dec. 6, 13, and 20, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Suburban Square, Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore

    Ardmore Holiday Market

    Over 20 vendors will be selling handcrafted goods at this inaugural event.

    ⏰ Saturdays, Dec. 6 and 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Schauffele Plaza, Lancaster and Cricket Avenues, Ardmore

    Riverbend Makers Market

    Shop an array of vendors selling things like coffee, jewelry, florals, skincare, pottery, and food. You can also try your hand at wreath-making and roast s’mores over a fire. Advanced registration is encouraged.

    ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Riverbend Environmental Education Center, 1950 Spring Mill Rd., Gladwyne

    Belmont Hills Library Holiday Markets

    Shop a selection of vendors offering items like ceramics, candles, jewelry, fine art, and sweet treats.

    ⏰ Saturdays, Dec. 6 and 13, 2-7 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Belmont Hills Library, 120 Mary Waters Ford Rd., Bala Cynwyd

    PSCHS Holiday Show

    Watch as favorite holiday toys come to life on the ice.

    ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 6, 6 p.m. 💵 $10 📍Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society, 220 Holland Ave., Ardmore

    Victorian carolers set the mood for the annual Narberth Dickens Festival.

    Narberth Dickens Festival

    Wander around Narberth as it’s transformed into an 1840s Charles Dickens-themed London, complete with characters from A Christmas Carol. Period vendors, carolers, crafts, food, drinks, and a scavenger hunt round out the event.

    ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 7, noon-4 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Downtown Narberth

    The Landing Kitchen Christmas Tree Lighting

    See the Christmas tree at The Landing Kitchen light up for the season, with help from Santa, who will arrive by way of a fire truck.

    ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 13, 5-7 p.m. 💵 Free 📍The Landing Kitchen, 617 Righters Ferry Rd., Bala Cynwyd

    The home at Stoneleigh is decked out for the holidays.

    Home for the Holidays

    Take a look inside the main house at Stoneleigh as it’s decked out for the holidays.

    ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 13-Sunday, Dec. 14 and Saturday, Dec. 20-Sunday, Dec. 21, times vary 💵 $15 for Natural Lands members and $20 for nonmembers 📍 Stoneleigh, 1829 County Line Rd., Villanova

    Funky Brunch: Holiday Edition

    Shop local vendors while sipping beer and enjoying brunch at this family-friendly event.

    ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E Lancaster Ave., Ardmore

    Suburban Square Menorah Lighting

    Celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with a lighting of the giant menorah at Suburban Square. There will also be food, drinks, and activities like donut decorating.

    ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 14, 5 p.m. 💵 Free 📍Suburban Square, Anderson and Coulter Avenues, Ardmore

    Hanukkah Brunch and Sing Along

    Enjoy a kosher brunch and live entertainment from The Singulars: Ron Schaumburg, Rusty Forman, Bob Tinsman, and Paul Mamolou.

    ⏰ Tuesday, Dec. 16, 1:30-3 p.m. 💵 $18 📍Kaiserman JCC, 45 Haverford Rd., Penn Wynne

    Cirque du Chanukah

    Celebrate Hanukkah by watching an acrobatic performance and enjoying dinner at this all-ages event.

    ⏰ Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:45-9:30 p.m. 💵 $10-$60 📍Kaiserman JCC, 45 Haverford Rd., Penn Wynne

    Klezmer Jam

    Listen or play along with this fusion of Ashkenazi Jewish and Eastern European folk music.

    ⏰ Sunday, Dec. 21, 4-6 p.m. 💵 $10 📍Kaiserman JCC, 45 Haverford Rd., Penn Wynne

    Catch one of two movies at this year’s Laughter and Lo Mein event.

    Laughter and Lo Mein

    Enjoy a meal and a movie during this longtime tradition. There will be a family-friendly movie option (Happy Feet) as well as a dark comedy for adults (Bad Shabbos).

    ⏰ Wednesday, Dec. 24, 3-6 p.m. 💵 $10-$18 📍Kaiserman JCC, 45 Haverford Rd., Penn Wynne

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Lower Merion may raise parking meter rates for the first time since 1999

    Lower Merion may raise parking meter rates for the first time since 1999

    Lower Merion’s board of commissioners is set to put multiple new ordinances on the books next month, including policies raising parking meter rates for the first time since 1999, lowering the speed limit on parts of Lancaster Avenue, and regulating where smoke and vape shops can open in the township.

    The smoke and vape shop regulation moved ahead last month, and the commissioners advanced the parking meter and speed limit changes Wednesday evening. Lower Merion’s assistant township manager, Brandon Ford, said the commissioners are poised to formally vote on all three proposals in December. Here’s everything you need to know.

    Parking meter rate may go up

    Commissioners on Wednesday moved forward an ordinance that would raise parking meter rates across Lower Merion for the first time in more than 25 years.

    Under the proposed ordinance, parking would increase from 50 cents per hour to $1 per hour across the township, with the exception of six locations in Ardmore. Parking would go up to $1.50 per hour at Rittenhouse Place, Cricket Avenue, Cricket Terrace, and township-owned parking lots five (Cricket Terrace) and six (Schauffele Plaza). The Cricket Avenue Parking Garage would stay at 50 cents per hour.

    Township staff say the proposed meter rate increase would generate around $900,000 annually and would likely drive quicker turnover in Lower Merion’s commercial corridor, generating more economic activity for local businesses.

    “The rates that we are charging have not kept up with the overall cost for maintaining those parking meters, as well as our overall parking services program,” Ford said during a Nov. 5 meeting.

    The ordinance, if passed, would not change how parking meter fees are collected. The township collects parking fees through meters, kiosks, and a mobile app.

    Commissioner Scott Zelov, who represents Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Gladwyne, said: “It certainly is time to do this.”

    Anderson Avenue near Suburban Square on June 8. A proposed Lower Merion ordinance would increase parking meter rates across the township in hopes of raising revenue and spurring economic activity in places like downtown Ardmore.

    Lancaster Avenue speed limit reduction

    Lower Merion is set to reduce the speed limit on parts of Lancaster Avenue from 40 mph to 35 mph, bringing township code in compliance with an earlier speed limit change by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

    PennDot has already placed 35-mph speed limit signs on the selected strip of Lancaster Avenue. The board’s approval will bring the township in line with the state and allow township police to start enforcing the reduced speed limit. The speed limit change is the latest development in a major redesign of Lancaster Avenue by the state and the township.

    A study conducted by PennDot earlier this year found that, out of nearly 20,000 vehicles traveling on Lancaster Avenue between Wynnewood Road and City Avenue during a 24-hour period, only 57% were driving at or below the 40-mph speed limit. PennDot considers the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road to be a “high crash location.”

    The ordinance, approved for advertisement on Wednesday, also bans right turns on red at three intersections: Lancaster Avenue and Remington Road for eastbound traffic, Lancaster Avenue and Haverford Station Road for westbound traffic, and Montgomery Avenue and Airdale Road for east-west traffic.

    The township aims to place automated red-light cameras at all three intersections. The first red-light camera, at Remington Road and Lancaster Avenue, is in the process of being installed. Andy Block, Lower Merion’s superintendent of police, said the camera should be up and running by the end of the year.

    Red-light enforcement cameras set to come to Lower Merion

    Smoke and vape shop zoning

    Following a lengthy discussion that stretched across two meetings, the board of commissioners on Oct. 22 moved forward an ordinance that would decide where tobacco and vape shops can operate in Lower Merion.

    Under the proposed ordinance, if a tobacco or vape shop wanted to open in Lower Merion, it would have to be situated at least 1,000 feet from any other tobacco or vape shop and 1,000 feet from any public or private school. The rule would also apply to hookah lounges.

    Township staff said the 1,000-foot buffer would dramatically decrease the opportunity for smoke shops to operate in Lower Merion. Ford said there are currently around 1,000 properties in Lower Merion where smoke shops could operate. If the buffer ordinance were to be implemented, that number would drop to 300.

    While some commissioners inquired about creating a larger buffer, officials said doing so would likely zone smoke shops out of Lower Merion entirely, which would give smoke shop owners the legal claim to build anywhere in the community.

    During an Oct. 17 discussion of the ordinance, Commissioner Anthony Stevenson, who represents Ardmore and Haverford, said: “We need to avoid the continuation of making our township, and particularly in the Ardmore area, a vape central.”

    This suburban content is produced with support from the Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Editorial content is created independently of the project donors. Gifts to support The Inquirer’s high-impact journalism can be made at inquirer.com/donate. A list of Lenfest Institute donors can be found at lenfestinstitute.org/supporters.

  • Philly Music this week with Grammy nominees Leon Thomas and Dijon, plus ‘The Boy Is Mine’ tour in Atlantic City

    Philly Music this week with Grammy nominees Leon Thomas and Dijon, plus ‘The Boy Is Mine’ tour in Atlantic City

    This week in Philly music kicks off in Fishtown with six-time Grammy nominee Leon Thomas, continues in Atlantic City with a Brandy and Monica throwback pop double bill, and continues in North Philly with rising R&B singer and Justin Bieber producer Dijon.

    Austin, Texas, hard rock band Die Spitz play the First Unitarian Church on Wednesday.

    Wednesday, Nov. 19

    Die Spitz

    The music gets started on Wednesday with the four women of Austin, Texas. hard rock foursome Die Spitz, who recorded their unrelenting new album Something to Consume at Studio 4 in Conshohocken with producer Will Yip. Boone, N.C., queer punk duo Babe Haven opens. (8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com)

    Leon Thomas

    There weren’t a lot of surprises among the big names with the most nominations when the Grammys were announced this month. Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga topped the list, but Leon Thomas, who got six nods along with Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter, was the surprise underdog.

    The crooner and producer, who got his start as a Broadway child actor and star of Nickelodeon’s Victorious, is up for album of the year for Mutt, as well as best new artist and R&B performance for his viral NPR Tiny Desk version of the album’s title song — in which he compares himself unfavorably to a dog. His “Mutts Don’t Heel” tour comes to the Fillmore on Wednesday. (8 p.m., the Fillmore, 29 E. Allen St., livenation.com)

    Library Mixtape

    The free Library Mixtape: A Vinyl Record Listening Club meetup in the music department of the Parkway Central Library on Wednesday is hosted by Alexa Colas, the Clubfriends Radio & Records founder who moved her living room sound system to the Design Philadelphia Center last month. Bring your own vinyl. (5:30-7:30 p.m., 1901 Vine St.)

    Also: There’s live music at Old City vinyl listening room 48 Record Bar. James Everhart of Cosmic Guilt teams with New York songwriter Keenan O’Meara on Wednesday; Hannah Taylor sings and Jake Zubkoff plays keys on Sunday.

    Hannah Cohen plays Johnny Brenda’s on Thursday. Her new album is “Earthstar Mountain.”

    Thursday, Nov. 20

    Hannah Cohen

    Hannah Cohen’s Earthstar Mountain is a dreamy, pastoral album that also delivers a sweet kick. She recorded it with producer partner Sam Evian at their studio in a barn in upstate New York. With Sufjan Stevens and Clairo guesting, it’s a 2025 standout releaser. (Salami Rose Joe Louis opens. 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com)

    The New Mastersounds

    British funkateers the New Mastersounds are saying goodbye — at least for a while. The band whose tight Hammond organ-heavy soul-jazz sound bears the influences of Philly keyboard greats Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, plays its “Ta-Ta for Now” tour on Thursday. (8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, tixr.com)

    Friday, Nov. 21

    Ron Gallo

    Ron Gallo made headlines this year by posting protest songs on an almost daily basis in the early days of the second Trump administration. He called it 7AM Songs of Resistance for the Internet.

    Now, Gallo has a new album that takes him in a more personal direction, called Checkmate, his second on the Kill Rock Stars label. It’s filled with subtly evocative folk-flavored, even jazzy, music that detours from the bruising garage rock he’s become known for. Gallo plays Free at Noon at Ardmore Music Hall. (Noon, Ardmore Music Hall, eventbrite.com)

    He comes back for a second Philly gig at the First Unitarian Church next Friday.

    Brandy and Monica performing in Indianapolis in October on “The Boy Is Mine Tour,” which comes to Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall on Saturday.

    Bar Italia

    This month’s edition of David Pianka’s Making Time dance party has an intriguing live band headliner in Bar Italia, the London-based trio named after an iconic Soho coffee bar. The band’s new album, Some Like It Hot, wears the influence of Brit-pop band Pulp on its sleeve. New York rock band Voyeur also plays, along with sets by Dave P., Mario Cotto, Shai FM, and K Wata. (9 p.m., Warehouse on Watts, 923 N. Watts St., wowphilly.com)

    Stinking Lizaveta

    Longstanding West Philly doom metal trio Stinking Lizaveta‘s name was inspired by a character in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov. The band released its 1996 album Hopelessness and Shame — recorded by the late Steve Albini — on vinyl for the first time this March. On Friday, they headline Johnny Brenda’s with Deathbird Earth and Channls. (8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com)

    Tom Morello

    Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello plays the Music Box at the Borgata in Atlantic City. It will be an agit-pop act of resistance in a hotel casino within earshot of chiming slot machines. Morello’s repertoire is made up of roiling Rage songs, Woody Guthrie, MC5, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono covers, plus originals in his rabble-rousing folk singer mode as the Nightwatchman. He’ll have a full band behind him, plus the help of San Diego hip-hop group the Neighborhood Kids as his special guests. (9 p.m., Music Box at the Borgata, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City, ticketmaster.com)

    Saturday, Nov. 22

    Mo Lowda & the Humble

    Philly quarter Mo Lowda & the Humble closes out a five-month North American tour for its new album, Tailing the Ghost, with a hometown show. (8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., utphilly.com)

    Brandy and Monica

    Back in 1988, Brandy and Monica played out a feud over a dude in the worldwide hit “The Boy Is Mine,” which was cowritten and coproduced by South Jersey’s Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. Twenty-seven years later, the pop-R&B singers are on a concert tour together that also features Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland, Muni Long, and 2025 American Idol winner Jamal Roberts. The tour is presented by the Black Promoters Collective. (8 p.m., Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, 2301 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, boardwalkhall.com)

    Grammy-nominated singer and producer Dijon plays the Met Philly on Sunday.

    Sunday, Nov. 23

    Dijon

    Dijon released his debut Absolutely in 2021 and has quickly made his mark. He regularly works with Mk.gee, the guitarist and songwriter with whom he shares a twitchy, low-fi sensibility. He’s also teamed with Bon Iver and Justin Bieber and is up for producer of the year and album of the year at the Grammys. Sometimes, he sounds like Prince.

    His new album Baby! is a joyous, shape-shifting adventure. Two measures of how hip he is at the moment: He’s among the musicians with roles in Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another, and on Dec. 6 will be musical guest on Saturday Night Live. He plays the Met Philly on Sunday. (8 p.m., Met Philly, 858 N. Broad St., ticketmaster.com)

    Amy LaVere and Will Sexton

    Memphis wife-and-husband duo Amy LaVere and Will Sexton are Americana artists who specialize in a brand of smoky Southern noir, perhaps best exemplified by LaVere’s “Killing Him,” about trying to rid oneself of a bad boyfriend only to find that he comes back to haunt you. (8 p.m., 118 North, 118 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, tixr.com)

  • The Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, Mother Bethel A.M.E.’s first female pastor, reflects on her first year

    The Rev. Carolyn Cavaness, Mother Bethel A.M.E.’s first female pastor, reflects on her first year

    The Rev. Carolyn Cavaness is adjusting to her new life as a celebrity.

    Any pastor of the historic Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church might get stopped and asked for a picture while walking down the street, as she sometimes does. The church is a national historic landmark, long celebrated for its role as a hub for Black activism and the oldest church property in the United States to be owned continuously by Black people.

    But in November, Cavaness, 42, was appointed as the first female pastor in the church’s 238-year history. She is a fourth-generation A.M.E. preacher from Newark, N.J., and previously led the Bethel A.M.E. Church of Ardmore for 10 years, also serving as its first woman pastor. Cavaness took over for the Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, who had left Mother Bethel after 16 years.

    “Some days I have this moment where I say, ‘Wow, Carolyn, you are the pastor of Mother Bethel. You’re in the big chair. What if somebody else was in this spot? What would they be doing in this moment?’” she said.

    While Cavaness brings a new perspective, she is also focused on honoring the legacy of the 52 pastors and their congregations who came before. She said that the church’s first members knew immediately that they were “a big deal” who would matter greatly to the Black community. Two centuries later, that is still the case.

    “Here I am in this 21st century and having to be the caretaker, but also being called to action,” Cavaness said.

    “So what becomes our contribution?”

    Cavaness spoke with The Inquirer about her first year at Mother Bethel, what it has meant to take on her trailblazing role, and how the church’s tradition of resilience inspires her and the congregation.

    This conversation has been edited for clarity.

    Your first sermon at Mother Bethel was an emotional one, about your family’s deep Philly roots and great achievements born out of the Black struggle, even though you were only notified about your appointment just the day before. What do you remember about that day? What have you learned about what Mother Bethel means to people over the past year?

    It was surreal. I mean I literally found out less than 24 hours before. But that is being an itinerant preacher [of] Methodist tradition. You’re here to serve.

    I had very much the sentiment of “I wish my dad and my grandmothers were here to see this.”

    I think about when I walked into the pulpit for the first time, how the congregation stood up. I think about the smiles, the hugs. I think about the flowers they gave me. And the sacred trust that I’ve been given.

    The congregation sings as Rev. Carolyn Cavaness (not shown) celebrates her first worship service on Nov. 10, 2024.

    It’s been an amazing first year, definitely life-transforming, being entrusted with this national, this international treasure. I have just been captivated by the testament and the hope that she bears.

    There’s this connection, this affinity for her. We’ve gotta be intentional about being the light, about being a place of love, sanctuary, refuge, that people feel safe. That’s a real thing for me.

    The people I’ve come to know, the smiles, their new sense of hope — it is possible, you know? People have a sense of joy, and you can feel that and see that. Sometimes when you’re a leader, you’re in a vacuum. And so to hear and to see people smiling more, that does something. As a pastor, that’s a gift. You feel that you’re making a difference.

    You are the first woman pastor at Mother Bethel A.M.E. How has it felt to hold that distinction, and how have people received you?

    People have been very supportive. It’s about building trust and relationships. All I knew, I could only be Carolyn. I can’t be anybody I’m not. I like to laugh, I like to joke. I think I have surprised people by being accessible.

    Rev. Carolyn Cavaness holds 2-year-old Kylo Banks as she greets members of the congregation after her first service.

    Many people have reminded me, “You know, reverend, you’re a historical figure. Amongst the 53, there’s gonna be that picture of you.” It’s very humbling.

    I went to New Orleans and an older gentleman walked up and he said, “Hello, good to meet you. You’re pastor of Mother Bethel.” Fifty years ago, that would have been a different conversation.

    I have two twin nephews. They had a women’s history project, and they wrote about me being the pastor of Mother Bethel. My 5-year-old nephews are esteeming me. That was special.

    When you were appointed last year, Donald Trump had just won the election, and many of your congregation were fearful of what was to come. What is Mother Bethel’s role during this time?

    We are resilient people. This is not the first time that we have had pharaohs and tyrants and dictators.

    Here is an institution providing, a way in which government ought to, esteem and affirm and care for [people]. Democracy has ideals, but here, this place, Mother Bethel, is where it’s realized. Where you’re a safe haven and a sanctuary. The principles and the ideals of the Free African Society. We come from that legacy, from that line where we have always taken care. We have always filled a gap. We’ve always been out front.

    The Rev. Carolyn Cavaness celebrates her first worship service.

    Another has definitely been around how we honor our history and legacy. I was honored to give the eulogy for Ruby Boyd — she was the first African American librarian in the city of Philadelphia. She lived to be 105, and she’s one noted for putting into a book, On This Rock, of Mother Bethel, the history of many of the stained glass window collection, pictures and little vignettes about the pastors. And so in my eulogy, I talked about that we have a responsibility to tell the story and to make it accessible.

    This regime of erasure has really amplified my efforts as the spiritual leader and also just how important Mother Bethel is.

    What are you looking forward to in year two?

    I’m looking forward to the [Semiquincentennial], the 250th. Definitely the larger preservation plan, there are some conversations that we as a congregation are gonna be having about her preservation and how accessible [it is]. And to continue to tell this story.

    I think also around community engagement. Just seeing people becoming more strengthened in their sense of witness.

    The Rev. Carolyn Cavaness (center) at the Independence Visitor Center during a September Semiquincentennial event.