Some Philly schools closing early today due to heat

💰 Bank Settles Philly Redlining Lawsuit

ESSA Bank & Trust has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a federal lawsuit alleging it discriminated against people in majority-Black and Hispanic neighborhoods in the Philadelphia area. Most of the settlement will go into a loan subsidy fund, designed to make it easier for residents of these same neighborhoods to get mortgages and home improvement loans. [WHYY]

🏫 Some Schools Closing Early Today Due to Heat

With temperatures spiking, 91 of the School District of Philadelphia’s buildings will close two hours early today. Schools with air-conditioning will remain open. District officials say they’re working toward installing cooling systems in every Philly school, but that won’t happen until 2027. The main challenge? Many school buildings are old and have poor electrical service. [Inquirer 🔒]

🦋 Former Bug Museum Vandalized

The Philadelphia Insectarium & Butterfly Pavilion permanently closed its doors this week. After decades of operation, the museum was evicted from its building for failing to make mortgage payments. On Tuesday, a lawyer representing the mortgage holder discovered extensive vandalism to the Northeast Philly property. He blamed outgoing staff for wreaking havoc. [WHYY]

🌎 12-Foot Tall Puppet to Visit Philly

Little Amal, a giant puppet of a young female Syrian refugee, will visit Philadelphia from Sept. 13-14 as part of a national tour. The puppet’s visit falls during Welcoming Week, a national initiative that aims to cultivate connections among immigrants, refugees, and native-born citizens. This year, Philadelphia became a ‘Welcoming City.’ What does this mean for our immigrant communities? [City Cast Philly 🎧]

🖼️ Plexiglass Portraits | Friday | 5 p.m.

Head to The Fabric Workshop and Museum to work with ink and Plexiglass to create works of art. [$5-$10, Center City]

🫘 Ancient Food | Saturday | 10 a.m.

Be among the first visitors to see the newest exhibit at the Penn Museum, called Ancient Food & Flavor. Explore prehistoric food and plant remains and what they can tell us about ancient diets and ways of life. [$13-$18, University City]

🎶 Porchfest | Saturday | 12 p.m.

Head to Baltimore Avenue to start your day at West Philly’s annual DIY music festival, featuring musicians of all types playing free shows on porches throughout the neighborhood. [free, West Philly]

🏳️‍🌈 Pride Party | Saturday | 1 p.m.

Join Dock Street Brewery for special cocktails, live music and dancing, raffles, and a chance to support LGBTQ art vendors. [pay-as-you-go, South Philly]

🪩 Sweat Philly | Saturday | 3 p.m.

Wear your most vibrant outfit and head to Cavanaugh’s River Deck for an outdoor festival celebrating LGBTQ diversity. Enjoy live music, performances, food and drinks, giveaways, and more. [$30-35, Penn’s Landing]

🛼 Pride Skate | Saturday | 6 p.m.

Grab your skates and head to Dilworth Park to glide for Pride Month. Enjoy interactive drag performances on the rink, themed decorations, a live DJ, and a special menu. Rainbow-colored outfits are encouraged! [pay-as-you-go, Center City]

• Here’s your ultimate guide to skating in Philly 🎧

🎥 Philly Green Reels | Sunday | 10:30 a.m.

Join the Academy of Natural Sciences and watch films about environmental activism based in Philadelphia. [free, Logan Square]

🇲🇱 Omo Kulu Mele | Sunday | 2 p.m.

Head to the Performance Garage for a traditional West African dance recital. [$15-$25, North Philly]

🎪 Circus Festival | Through Sunday | Various times

Join FringeArts on the Delaware River Waterfront for a contemporary circus arts festival featuring clowning, acrobatics, juggling, and more. [$20-$30, Penn’s Landing]

🎭 Beetlejuice | Through June 11 | Various times

Have a scary good time watching this hilarious musical based on Tim Burton’s cult-classic film Beetlejuice. [$25-$149, Avenue of the Arts]

Last week, I posted this photo of a basketball-related mural, and asked you to locate it. Hey Philly reader Ben P. was correct: it’s on 13th and Vine in Chinatown.

Ben let me do the honors this week of choosing a new photo challenge. This is one of my favorite Philly sculptures. It reminds me that humans grow in phases. Send me the right location and you can choose next week’s photo.

Philly Pride, New Safety Plan at Temple, Free Sunscreen at Parks

It’s the Friday news roundup! Host Trenae Nuri is joined by City Cast Philly arts & culture contributor, Charles Tyson Jr., and PhillyVoice staff writer Maggie Mancini. They discuss Philly Pride festivities, Temple University’s new public safety plan, and a free sunscreen program now at Pennsylvania state parks.