Live Entertainment

BYO Is the Way to Go! Second Friday Jazz at Moonstone Arts

BYO Is the Way to Go! Second Friday Jazz at Moonstone Arts

Hello readers and friends. Some of you might have noticed that I haven’t been as diligent about bringing you new cheap date ideas quite as often over the last several weeks. I wanted to assure you that there’s a lot more coming your way soon so keep checking back! And once a month look for my column at Drink Philly about a boozy cheap date. This month I wrote about BYO Second Fridays at Moonstone Art Center featuring eclectic and excellent Jazz performances curated by Lucky Old Souls. Read the full review here! Thank you for your continued readership and support! XOXO, J.S. Cheapdater

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Find Lights, Music & Action at Fishtown’s Johnny Brenda’s

Wye Oak

Going to see a band play can make for a great date. It can also make for a very expensive date, depending on the venue and the band. There are times when it’s fun to splurge on $50+ tickets to see a band you love (Phoenix at the Tower last year, anyone?) but that’s certainly not a cheap date. So where can you see consistently good bands at affordable prices that also has a decent date atmosphere? My go-to venue is Fishtown’s Johnny Brenda’s. How cheap we talkin’? Look for a show that’s $10-$12 at the door. True, that won’t leave much leftover for eating or drinking, but there’s always at least the $3 Kenzingers. Why this will impress your date: Show off your good taste by introducing your date to a new band that you think they will love. That’s what happened on this date, and I was definitely...

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Street Fairs & Fests

Street Fairs & Fests

Last year, I recommended going to one of Philly’s many street fairs and festivals, as a great cheap date idea: There’s (usually) no cost for entry, there’s (almost always) live music or entertainment to enjoy, and there’s lots of cool stuff to look at and fun foods to try! Of course, if you don’t want to spend date money at the food stands you can always bring your own and dine picnic style – and bringing your own water anyway is a smart (and cost-saving) move. In short, Philly’s festivals come in all shapes and sizes, and they are a great opportunity to venture out to a different park or neighborhood, mingle with a new crowd, get some sun and some exercise, see some great live music, meet up with friends, or just enjoy the company of your date. Like last year, I’ve again compiled a list of upcoming street...

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Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll is Tonight!

Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll is Tonight!

Once a month, starting tonight, June 2nd, take your date and a fistfull of dollars to Baltimore Avenue in West Philadelphia for the second (now) annual Dollar Stroll! Featuring live music, street performers, sidewalk vendors and $1 deals on everything from ice cream to samosas to theater tickets, it’s going to be hard to find more bang for your buck anywhere in the city tonight. This event turns Baltimore Avenue into a delightful open-air parade of sights, smells, and sounds, but as I learned last year, the lines do get long.  My advice for making it a great date: go early (the event runs from 5:30-8:30pm), don’t try to hit every venue, and use this handy vendor list to plan your route! Note: If you miss tonight’s stroll, there are 3 more this season. Pencil in your next date for July 7th, August 4th, or September 1st!

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THANK GOODNESS ITS FIRST FRIDAY!

THANK GOODNESS ITS FIRST FRIDAY!

On the first Friday of every month, Philadelphia’s art galleries stay open late and welcome everyone — from casual passerby to serious collectors — to come in and peruse their current curations.  The aptly dubbed “First Friday” has been happening, rain or shine, since 1991, and has become one of the city’s most visible and popular events.  Although historically focused on the 40+ galleries between Front and Vine and Market and 3rd streets in Old City, First Friday open houses are now hosted by galleries all over the city, from Space 1026 in Chinatown to the Projects Gallery in Northern Liberties to Highwire in Fishtown.  The best thing about this expansion is that, even though every First Friday shares the same core elements, depending on who’s showing what where, you can have a radically different experience every single time. How cheap we talkin’: FREE! Why this will impress your date: Because you can show...

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Weekend Jazz Nights at Bob & Barbara’s

Weekend Jazz Nights at Bob & Barbara’s

Bob & Barbara’s, located at 1509 South Street, is not only a classic dive bar, but practically a Philadelphia historic landmark. If you haven’t been there yet, chances are you’ve at least heard of it, and if you’re the one introducing your date to Bob and Barbara’s for the first time, it’s going to be a date to remember. With walls heavy with vintage Pabst’s Blue Ribbon beer paraphernalia, a rowdy bar, and a venerable jazz tradition going back over twenty years, weekends at Bob and Barbara’s may feel more like a rite of passage than a date.  For example, a PBR pounder and shot of Jim Bean might not be the classiest of choices on most dates, but at Bob and Barbara’s it’s just what you order – every time.  It’s also a great spot for a group date, as my cohort discovered on a recent Friday night. How cheap we talkin’: Entry is...

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