🌼 Your guide to March in Philly

🌧️ Our Warm and Wet Winter

This year’s “meteorological winter” — which stretches from the beginning of December to the end of February — could be Philly’s ninth warmest and fifth wettest winter since record-taking started in the late 1800s. [WHYY]

• Related: How is climate change impacting Philadelphia? [City Cast Philly 🎧]

💬 Philly Official Will Respond to SOTU

Freshman Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke was selected to deliver the national Working Families Party’s response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address on Thursday. [KYW]

🍴 Streetery Convo Reignited in Council

Councilmember Rue Landau wants to hold hearings on the policies surrounding streeteries, the outdoor dining structures many restaurants put up earlier in the pandemic — but were largely dismantled after the city tightened regulations. [Billy Penn]

🚗 Another I-95 Heads Up

Prepare for overnight lane closures — from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., tonight through Thursday — on the southbound part of the highway. Find details here. [PennDOT]

☕ Ultimo Reaches Agreement with Union

The local coffee chain’s owners and employees came to a tentative agreement last Thursday, ending a one-day strike at two Ultimo locations. [Inquirer 🔒]

Spring is nearly upon us, and Philadelphia is full of events and things to do this month that will remind you of that. To help you make your March plans, the team at City Cast Philly has curated a list of ways you can have fun in and around the city this month. (Check out the City Cast Philly website for even more recommendations beyond the ones listed below.)

😋 Get Yourself A Little Treat!

• For years, Rita’s has been offering a free cup of water ice on the first day of spring (this year, it's March 19) to anyone willing to brave the line.
• FDR Park’s super popular Southeast Asian Market will kick off for the season on March 30. Make a weekend trip to South Philly for delicious eats like stuffed chicken wings, mango sticky rice, papaya salad, and fresh orange juice. Pro tip: Be sure to bring cash and something to sit on.

🍀 Get Lucky

• Check out the launch of Hatch Cover Philadelphia’s seafood-focused popup at the Lucky Well Incubator, a “shared kitchen project” at 10th and Spring Garden. On Wednesdays through Sundays from now through July 1, chef Elise Black will cook up scallop crudo, fried fish sandwiches, clam chowder, and more.
• Go bargain shopping at Hilltop Books’ Lucky Day Book Sale in Chestnut Hill on March 16. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can scour the bookstore’s sorting center for $2 paperbacks and $4 hardcovers.

🌼 Experience Spring

• Join the Philly Queer Birders for a free spring equinox walk at The Woodlands in West Philly on March 20 from 5:30–7 p.m.
• Keep your eye out for additional tickets to (maybe) drop for the Phillies’ home opener at Citizens Bank Park, which is happening March 28 at 3:05 p.m. (Or, check out SeatGeek.) Planning to go? Check out the City Cast Philly podcast’s guide to having a great experience at Citizens Bank Park 🎧
• Learn which weeds in your garden are safe to consume at the “Weeds to Know Before You Hoe” event in Norris Square Park on March 30. The 10 a.m.–2 p.m. event costs between $25 and $50, and lunch is provided.

🌎 Broaden Your Horizons

• Enjoy the sounds of classical music at one of the Curtis Institute of Music’s student recitals in Center City. Admission to the high-quality musical experiences is free, but make sure to register in advance.

Why More Philly Kids Are Being Raised By Grandparents

In Philly, 17,000 kids live in homes where their grandparents are primary caregivers, according to the nonprofit Generations United. City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri speaks with WHYY multiplatform producer Vicky Diaz-Camacho about the unique challenges faced by these “grandfamilies” and why their experience is becoming more common in the city.