uwishunu: Tonight Picks: University City Dining Days Kicks Off and More

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By Jillian Willson

The weather this evening is seriously perfect, making for an ideal opportunity to take advantage of the numerous alfresco events on tap for the next few hours.

Summer in the city means free outdoor movies, and tonight there will be crowds taking over public spaces for screenings all around town. At Clark Park, The Awesome Fest and the BlackStar Film Festival team up to host a free screening of the Philadelphia premiere Death Metal Angola. Screenings Under the Stars at Penn’s Landing presents a screening of Academy Award-winning film, Gravity and the Grays Ferry Crescent at the Schuylkill Banks takes us back to the ’80s with a screening of Back to the Future.

It’s also night one of University City Dining Days, dinner deals at more than 20 restaurants throughout West Philly. Grab an alfresco seat at participating restaurants like City Tap House, Dock Street Brewery or Han Dynasty and call it a night.

Outdoor drinks are the name of the game at numerous spots across the city, including all of the city’s great beer gardens, including Spruce Street Harbor Park, The Oval, Memphis Taproom and Independence Beer Garden.

Our top picks for tonight, below.

• University City Dining Days: It’s night one of University City Dining Days, super-affordable dinner deals at more than 20 restaurants throughout West Philly. Depending on the restaurant, meals ring in at $15, $25 or $35 price points. Participating restaurants include Han Dynasty, Pod, Distrito, Dock Street Brewery, Sabrinas Cafe and White Dog Cafe. The full list of participating restaurants and their Dining Days menu is available right here.

When: Thursday, July 17
Where: Participating Restaurants
Cost: $15, $25 or $35, Depending on the restaurant

• Free Screening of Death Metal Angola at Clark Park: Presented by The Awesome Fest and the BlackStar Film Festival, Clark Park hosts a free outdoor screening of Death Metal Angola, a Philadelphia premiere about the African hardcore music scene in Angola. The film screening begins at 9 p.m. in the bowl in Clark Park. Plus, it’s a perfect evening to catch an alfresco film — have you been outside?

When: Thursday, July 17, 9 p.m.
Where: Clark Park, 4398 Chester Avenue
Cost: Free

• Free Screening of Back to the Future at Grays Ferry Crescent: Tonight, Grays Ferry Crescent — at the Schuylkill Banks by Wharton Street — hosts a free screening of classic flick Back to the Future. Set to begin at 8:15 p.m., guests are invited to make their way to the park before the screening for free food, drinks and a free raffle.

When: Thursday, July 17, 8:15 p.m.
Where: Grays Ferry Crescent Esplanade, Schuylkill River by Wharton Street
Cost: Free

• Free Screening of Gravity at Penn’s Landing: Catch a free screening of the Academy Award-winning film, Gravity tonight at Penn’s Landing for the DRWC’s Screenings Under the Stars event. The film screening is slated to begin at 8:30 p.m.

When: Thursday, July 17, 8:30 p.m.
Where: Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, Chestnut Street and Columbus Boulevard
Cost: Free

• Gorgeous Night for a Beer Garden: Within the past week there have been a number of brand-new additions to the beer garden scene including Independence Beer Garden, The Oval andFergie’s. The most recent openings come on top of more additions in the past few weeks, like thePHS Pop Up Garden and Spruce Street Harbor Park. Tonight’s weather couldn’t be more perfect for a beer or cocktail at one of the city’s new — or tried-and-true — beer gardens. Click here for our picks for the best beer gardens in Philadelphia.

When: Thursday, July 17
Where: Various locations
Cost: Pay as you go

• Beer Garden Quizzo at Memphis Taproom: More beer garden fun fills Memphis Taproom in Fishtown. Tonight, Memphis Taproom invites guests out to its backyard beer garden for a rousing game of quizzo led by host JB Farley. Bring your smartest friends as the winner receives beer garden bucks or movie passes from the Phildelphia Film Society.

When: Thursday, July 17, 6 p.m.
Where: Memphis Taproom, 2331 E. Cumberland Street
Cost: Pay as you go

• Innovation in the Park at Liberty Lands Park: Tonight, some of the city’s brightest minds take their science and technology specialties out of the labs and beyond the keyboards for the firstInnovation in the Park event, presented by AT&T. Kicking off at 3:30 p.m., hosts Technical.ly Philly, N3rd Street and AT&T invite folks to break out the lawn chairs and blankets and head to Liberty Lands Park in Northern Liberties to hear from a cast of talented local characters. Beginning at 4 p.m., a range of speakers from the local science and technology community take the outdoor stage. Guests can also expect food and drinks from mobile vendors.

When: Thursday, July 17, 3:30-6 p.m.
Where: Liberty Lands Park, N. 3rd and Poplar streets
Cost: Free

• Ambler Restaurant Week: Ambler Restaurant Week is in full swing with lunch and dinner deals at more than a dozen restaurants throughout the town. On deck are deals at top local spots like Bridget’s, KC’s Alley and Trax Restaurant and Café, as well as mainstays including From The Boot, Massa and Dettera. Guests can expect deals of $20 to $35 per person for dinner menus.

When: Thursday, July 17
Where: Downtown Ambler and surrounding areas
Cost: $20-$35

• Third Thursdee at Pizza Brain: For this month’s Third Thursdee event, Pizza Brain and Little Baby’s team up with local spirit company, Art in the Age, for plenty of good, boozy fun. Fill up on a Hawaiian pizza with an Art in the Age ROOT glaze, an Art in the Age RHUBARB strawberry tea ice cream and cocktails like SNAP and lemonade punch and SAGE and mint.

When: Thursday, July 17, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Pizza Brain, 2313 Frankford Avenue
Cost: Pay as you go

• 17th Annual Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam: For day two of the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam, the Zellerbach Theater at the University of Pennsylvania hosts Queeriosity: A Queer Questioning Open Mic from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

When: Thursday, July 17, 7-8:30 p.m.
Where: Zellerbach Theater at the University of Pennsylvania, 3680 Walnut Street
Cost: Free

• Grays Ferry Triangle Summer Music Series: Beginning at 6 p.m., get down to the sounds of a live band as the Grays Ferry Triangle hosts its weekly free alfresco concert. Following the concert, follow Grays Ferry Avenue to Wharton Street and catch the free screening of Back to the Future.

When: Thursday, July 17, 6 p.m.
Where: Grays Ferry Triangle, 23rd and South Streets
Cost: Free

• Free Beer and Cheese Happy Hour at Di Bruno Bros. at The Franklin: Di Bruno Bros. at The Franklin keeps up its Thursday tradition as it serves up free beer and cheese from 5 to 7 p.m. Tonight, sample beer and cheese from all over the country. Sample cheese from Wisconsin and beer from Maine to Oregon (and Philly, too!).

When: Thursday, July 17, 5-7 p.m.
Where: Di Bruno Bros at The Franklin, 834 Chestnut Street
Cost: Free

• South Philly Review’s Pizza Olympics: Pizza fans, this one’s for you. The South Philly Review hosts its annual Pizza Olympics tonight at Penn’s Landing Caterers. From 6 to 9 p.m., fill up on pizza from a number of the city’s favorite spots like Cacia’s Bakery, Gennaro’s Tomato Pie, Slice and more. Tickets, $15, grant you all-you-can-eat pizza. After fill up on ‘za, vote for your favorite in a number of categories. Online ticket sales ahve ended, but tickets will be available at the door.

When: Thursday, July 17, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Penn’s Landing Caterers, 1301 Columbus Boulevard
Cost: $15