Illustration by Anne Lambelet
1. It’s time to weed again!
Even if you don’t have a garden plot, you probably have a walkway or patio that could use some attention. Don’t let the grass go to seed, or you’ll never keep up!
2. Listen to some tunes
The XPoNential Music Fest is at the end of the month, July 28 to 30 at the Camden Waterfront. And save the date for the BlackStar Film Festival: It’s Aug. 3 to 6.
3. Pick a perennial
Adding one or two higher-cost perennials to your collection each year means lower annual cost. Consider shopping now for something that will bloom and give you fall color.
4. Take off to the woods
Some of us just aren’t water people, and prefer the cool shade of the woods to a trip down the shore. If you’d rather camp than kayak, we’ve got three places just an hour outside the city where you can find some respite. Some of them also offer access to the water, just in case you’re traveling with someone who just has to get their H2O fix.
5. Head to the oval
If your kids are ready to expend some energy outside, you’ll all have fun on the Parkway’s Eakins Oval, where 8 acres of green space offer games for kids, with a beer garden to boot. Opens July 20.
6. Keep up with your harvest
It’s a true privilege to have a spot in a community garden (or any place to grow food), especially if you can afford to buy fresh produce. So make a commitment: No tomato left behind! If you find yourself unable to keep up with the food you’ve harvested, surprise your co workers or give a treat to a neighbor. A neglected plot is a sad sight!
7. Find the perfect place for fireworks
No one celebrates the Fourth like Philly. The biggest display will be on the Parkway at 10 p.m. on July Fourth for the Welcome America concert. But Penn’s Landing also offers two viewings, on June 30 and July 1, both at 9:30 p.m.
8. Drain the swamp
Mosquitoes are even more dangerous now that Zika has hit the U.S. Just a bottle cap of water can allow them to breed, so do a quick check on your patio or yard.
9. Get some new veggies in the ground
Gardening isn’t a “one-and-done” proposition. Now that July has rolled around, it’s time to find some room in your plot for kale, carrots, beets and chard.
10. Celebrate in a smaller crowd
If the July Fourth madness isn’t your thing, you can still celebrate independence by joining a Bastille Day celebration. Check out the festivities at Eastern State Penitentiary on July 15, where Marie Antoinette will let you eat (Tasty)cakes thrown to the crowd.
