​​🍹 Our favorite Philly rooftop bars| Things to Do

The sun is out, the temperature is rising, and these days all I’m looking for is a reliable spot to grab drinks or a bite on a rooftop with a nice view. Where’s your favorite place for drinking outdoors? Do you have a go-to rooftop bar for the summer? Let me know!

This week’s lineup:

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at [email protected])

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Bok Bar isn’t the only hit hangout spot in the city where you can get good drinks and an even better view. Head to Rittenhouse to try El Techo, try snagging a seat at Old City’s Revolution House, or stretch out on the lawn at West Philly’s Sunset Social. Find the right rooftop vibe for you.

💃 Time to dance: Celebrate 50 years of music, dance, culture, and food from the African diaspora at South Street’s annual Odunde Festival on Sunday. It opens with a river procession at the Schuylkill and showcases more than 100 vendors with jewelry, clothing, art, and more treasures. Also, keep an eye out for my coworker Earl Hopkins’ deep dive into the festival’s history.

🇺🇸 They’re a revolutionary: A new walking tour from the Museum of the American Revolution focuses on a nonbinary historical figure called the Public Universal Friend. It’s a revelatory look at someone who refused to compromise their genderqueer identity some 250 years ago.

🎞️ Under the stars: Outdoor movie season is gearing up this month with several parks and rooftops screening family-friendly titles all summer long. Catch Moana 2, Wicked, National Treasure, Men in Black, and other great flicks; see the full lineup here.

🎥 Extra, extra: Kevin Hart’s new Netflix film 72 Hours plans to shoot in New Jersey later this month and the production is looking for extras. See if you’d make the cut.

🐱 Totes adorbs: Have you met Philly’s famous shop cats? Seven cats have become the poster children for local shops with their own line of tote bags showcasing a whole lotta kitty sass.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, Baltimore Ave Dollar Stroll, Elfreth’s Alley Day

Forbidden queer love takes the spotlight at Bartram’s Garden next week with a cello concert at sunset from Philadelphia musician-composer Daniel de Jesús. The dinner concert series Table Sessions presents de Jesús’ bilingual show on two nights (June 11-12) with a Spanish dinner from Sandra’s Kitchen. The cello trio will perform a composition based on the sonnets of Federico García Lorca, a 20th century poet who wrote about desire and unrequited love in pre-Civil War Spain; the dinner centers on dishes from Lorca’s hometown Granada. Joining de Jesús are Carolina Diazgranados and Mel Hsu, and all three will be wearing period costumes.

​🍻 Celebrity appearance: Jason Kelce is back again this year to bartend for a good cause in Sea Isle as part of a two-day (June 25-26) fundraiser for the Eagles Autism Foundation. It includes the notorious drinking game competition Beer Bowl where fans can also participate — and Kelce says he’s competing again.

🏈 Speaking of the Birds: The Eagles released their 2025 schedule a few weeks back and the question on everyone’s mind is how and when to get them. Here’s what you should know.

🍳 New bites: From the team behind Forin cafés, Percy opened recently in Fishtown with a focus on brunch and late-night bites.

🍺 Suburban gems: The Main Line is home to a number of great craft breweries offering innovative hops, patio dining, live music, and more. These are eight of our favorite breweries.

🌳 Wild sights: Wissahickon Valley Park is a wonderful place to hike or run through nature trails, but recently there have been sightings of coyotes. Here’s what we know so far.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca breaks down the best upcoming shows:

🎸 Friday: The trio of marquee nights at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion in Camden begins on Friday with Luke Bryan. You’ve watched him banter with Lionel Richie on American Idol, now see him sing the bro-country songs from a nearly 20-year career on his awkwardly named “Country Song Came on Tour.” He’s been named CMA Entertainer of the Year five times.

🎤 Saturday: Next at FMP, it’s New Jersey’s own Halsey. The Middlesex County changeling pop star’s “For My Last Trick” tour follows her 2024 genre-fluid album, The Great Impersonator, on which she worked with a number of collaborators, including Philly indie rock heroes Alex G. and Alvvays. Hope Tala opens.

🎸 Also Saturday: The Tisburys play MilkBoy Philly. It’s the slightly-delayed Philly release party for A Still Life Revisited, the April release from indie rock and power pop band fronted by Tyler Asay.

🎸 Tuesday: Another notable night in Camden, this time with Hozier, the tall and talented Irishman who first made his name a decade ago with the spiritual love song “Take Me to Church.” He has been riding higher than ever on the strength of his 2024 smash hit “Too Sweet.” New Jersey breakout indie-pop singer Gigi Perez opens.

🎤 Also Tuesday: Santigold — the Mount Airy-raised high-level conceptualist born Santi White, who has long blended rock, R&B, reggae, and dub into her uniquely savvy personal style — makes a rare stop at the TLA on Tuesday. The Noble Champions podcast host’s most recent album is 2022’s underappreciated Spirituals.

Read more music picks.

This week I jumped into a new fantasy world in R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War series. What’s your beach read this summer? Let me know!