🦖 Academy of Natural Sciences cuts hours & staff

🏛️ Academy of Natural Sciences Cuts Back Hours

Drexel University’s Academy of Natural Sciences will cut staff and open only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays beginning this week, with its CEO citing federal funding cuts and lower visitation rates. School field trips will be on Thursdays and Fridays. [WHYY]

• Related: Here are other kid-friendly museums to support in the city. [📝 Hey Philly]

❤️‍🩹 Shootings in Philly Fall With Disproportionate Success

Philadelphia is seeing far less gun violence compared to the 1,294 shootings in 2015. And yet neighborhoods that had the highest rates of gun violence a decade ago are still the bloodiest today. [The Trace]

• Related: Philadelphia passed an unusual law to prevent illegal gun sales and reduce gun violence. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🚗 City Avenue Traffic Will Get Worse for a Long Time

If you use this road to commute between Philadelphia and Montgomery County, your trip will feel different for the next two years. A $22 million repair project will reduce the road to single lanes on both sides as workers rehabilitate the bridge, repair its sidewalks, and replace utility lines. [NBC10]

🩸 New Initiative To Combat Period Poverty

The city is expanding access to menstrual products by partnering with Aunt Flow to install free dispensers in city libraries, recreation centers, and schools. [West Philly Local]

⚽ Go to a Union Game for Free

A lot of the local sports talk is centered around baseball and football right now, but don’t sleep on soccer. In fact the Philadelphia Union is trying to hype up new soccer fans by offering free tickets to those attending a game for the first time. [🔒 The Inquirer]

Depending on what’s on your calendar in October, you might want to grab a Phillies cap, cowboy hat, or your scariest costume. From Halloween haunts to street fests, we have you covered with the best events to keep you busy this month.

⏰ Last Chance

With over 70 vendors to pick from, grab a bite at the Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park. The last day of the season is Oct. 25.

🍁 Celebrate the Fall Harvest or Get Spooked

This month is jam-packed with so many fall festivals, Oktoberfests, and Halloween parties that we can’t name them all. But we at least tried. If you’re stuck deciding where to go, be sure not to miss:

• East Passyunk’s Fall Fest on Oct. 25 and Witch Craft Crawl on Oct. 26
• Halloween bars at Craftsman Row Saloon, Tinsel, the Halloween Haunt Bar at Bridget Foy’s, and Freakshow at Uptown Beer Garden

If you’re up for a roadtrip, you can also visit some haunting sites just right outside the city.

🎸 Rock Out

Bust out your moves and dancing shoes, because there’s plenty of live music to hear this month.

The city has launched a new initiative, Tuesday Nights Live, to boost nightlife and support the city’s hospitality industry. Now until Jan. 20, free performances will take place in the lobbies of select Center City hotels.

On Oct. 4, the Tacony Creek Park Music & Arts and Music Festival will be jamming in Olney from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Take bike rides on the trail, stock up on seasonal veggies from the farmer’s market, and enjoy live music.

You don’t even have to leave your porch to attend a concert. The RoxYunk Porchfest is a DIY music festival taking place in the Roxborough and Manayunk neighborhoods. A Porchfest Eve party will be at Fat Lady Brewing on Oct. 10 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. No cover to enter. The neighborhood-wide event is on Oct. 11, with a rain date on Oct. 12.

Philly Music Fest is a non-profit music festival supporting Philly musicians and youth music education programs. The festival takes place Oct. 13-15 with performances at Ardmore Music Hall the first two days and at Johnny Brenda’s on the last day.

Travel back to medieval times and channel the “dancing mania” that took over European towns. Instead of dancing in Strausburg, France, dance the night away at the Mütter Museum for Choreomania on Oct. 30. Dress up in themed costumes and enjoy rare collections, specialty cocktails, and surprise performances.