🚆 Good SEPTA news

🎵 $11 Opera?

Opera Philadelphia is shifting to a “pick your price” ticketing model — with a minimum cost of $11 — for the upcoming season. The company, which has been having some budget problems, is looking to make its performances more accessible. [WHYY]

• You can grab an $11 ticket here. [Opera Philadelphia]

🚆 More Regional Rail Service Coming

Many of SEPTA’s commuter trains will operate more frequently beginning Sept. 8, particularly on weekends and during off-peak hours. How long those service levels continue will depend on still-pending state funding. [Inquirer 🔒]

• See the schedule changes here. [SEPTA]

🎺 Temple Band To March in NYC in 2025

Over the weekend, the university’s Diamond Band announced that it’s one of the nine bands that have been selected to march in next year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. [PhillyVoice]

🚘 Plan Ahead for Labor Day Traffic

Traveling for the holiday weekend? You might want to get ready to sit in traffic for a long while … or plan things out so that you don’t have to. Here’s a list of the times when the roads are expected to be least congested. [Axios Philadelphia]

Good morning, and welcome back to our weekly public art challenge, where I show you a photo of some public art in Philly, and you guess where it is. Before I show you this week’s photo, let’s review where last week’s statue (pictured above) lives.

📍 Answer: You can find it at the intersection of Belmont and Parkside Avenues, inside of Philadelphia Stars Negro League Park.

⚾ Some context: Sculpted in bronze by Philly artist Phil Sumpter and erected in 2005, this seven-foot-tall statue memorializes Negro League baseball. In particular, it pays tribute to the Philadelphia Stars, a team that existed from 1933 to 1952 and played many of its games in West Philly.

In the immediate period following the statue’s dedication, the Phillies displayed it at Veterans Stadium. Meanwhile, the Business Association of West Parkside led a fundraising campaign to build this memorial park for it — on the same corner where the Stars used to play.

🎨 Bonus fun fact: It’s not shown in in this photo, but there’s actually a mural across the street also commemorating the team, which depicts several real-life players.

🏆 Congrats to all the Hey Philly readers who guessed the statue’s location correctly: Darlene L., Zakiya CP, Treshia H., Dolly M., Kenny W., Kyra B., Lisa F., Kate W., and our very on City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri. You guys really knocked it out of the park! (Ba dum tss 🥁)

Alright, no more corny jokes, I promise. This week, we’re back to murals. Today’s challenge was submitted by Hey Philly reader Kimiye M.:

Where in Philly can you find this? Send your guess to me by email, or submit it here.