Two big indie music festivals announced for late September in Philly.

 Not sure whose idea it was, if anyone's, but these two festivals will be going head to head with each other at least on the 23rd and 24th of September.

The first is the 2nd annual Philadelphia Film & Music Festival, or F/M Fest.  It will be held from September 22nd to the 25th at venues large and small, featuring both reputed local and national acts.  The list so far includes:
Dead Milkmen, The Head and The Heart (who recently played at the XPN's Non-Comm in Wilmington), Sharon Von Etten, Jukebox the Ghost, Hezekiah Jones, Hoots & Hellmouth (also their cd release show), Buried Beds, Reading Rainbow, The Get Down Stay Down, and more.   Tickets are $80 for a one day pass or $100 for a full 4 day pass.  http://www.phillyfmfest.com/  (click on the 'buy tickets' link there for an easier-to-read full line-up). 

The second is the Popped Fest, which ran for a couple of years, stopped for a couple of years, and is now back with bigger names than ever.   This one will be held on September 23rd and 24th at FDR Park, by the stadiums.  The line-up includes: The Shins, Panda Bear, Cage The Elephant, The Hold Steady, Girl Talk, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, The Budos Band, Mates of State, and more.  This one is $110 for a 2-day pass (no 1-day passes are being sold).  http://poppedphiladelphia.com/

Weekday shows and events of note, 6/20-6/23:

Monday:

• Start of summer studio classes at Delaware Art Museum.
• Eastern Conference Champions (ex-Laguardia) and local faves Illinois at Johnny Brenda's.  21+, doors at 8, $10.
• Porterhead (not to be confused with 'Portishead'), from Ireland, at the North Star Bar.  I see fiddle and two types of accordian in their promo pic - I'm in: http://www.portherhead.com/ .  21+, doors at 8, free.
• "Groove night" and 4W5 acoustic jam, different parts of the Queen Theatre.  7pm.  Free.

Tuesday:

• Junior Mance Quintet at the Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, 8pm.  Free.
• Don't try to get tickets for the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy show at the Queen - sale has been "stopped", which I assume means 'sold out'.   UPDATE:  Not sold out, just postponed.  Future date tba.

Wednesday:

• Ninety Miles featuring Stefon Harris, David Sanchez & Christian Scott.  Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, 8pm.  Free.
• White Denim at Johnny Brenda's, with Mazes (oh, the influx of band names that are pluralized common nouns, sans 'The', and sometimes with an extra vowel in the middle.  Nautical and astrological themes are frequent.   'Islands'.  'Waves'.  'Wavves'.  'Suuns'.  'Stars'. 'Cults'.  Previously it was animal names, and any phrase with the words "Deer" or "National".  Why do band names run in packs like this?). 21+, doors at 8, $10.
• Free show Wednesday at Mojo Main with Case Closed, Dunebuggy Attack, and Batallion.  Free for 21+, 9pm.

Thursday:

• Soul Of Summer at the Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, 8pm.  Free.
• Screening of documentary "Meet Me On South St.: The Story of J.C. Dobbs" at the Franklin Institute.  Afterwards will be a Q&A session and performances by  Tommy Conwell, Greg Davis, Nik Everett, Skip Denenberg, and Jeff Washington 7pm, $11.50. 
• Mitch Fiction (former members of Dr. Dog, National Eye, and Like Moving Insects) with The Roadside Graves, Joshua Marcus and Brandon Morsberger.  The M Room, doors at 8.
• David Bazan (ex-Pedro the Lion) at Johnny Brenda's.  21+, doors at 8, $12.
• "Nothing" release show at Kung Fu Necktie with Creepoid, Arc In Round, and Instamatic (all acclaimed Philly bands).  21+, doors at 7:30, $10.
• Rap and karaoke at Mojo Main. 
• In the 'gotta smile at the names' (and actually these are all reputable bands) department: The Tough Shits, The Coathangers, Slutever, and Mean Streets at the Barbary.  ? ages (I'd call The Barbary), doors at 6, $10.

Two job opportunities in the arts:

Via the Delaware Division of the Arts:

"Pegasus ArtWorks is looking for teaching artists for their fall programming! Pegasus is the after school Art program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware. They provide services and opportunities for club youth ages 5-16 to work with professional teaching artists. Pegasus works to inspire and enable young people to realize their full potential and to prepare youth for successful adulthood through access to the arts."

Visit for complete details: http://bgclubs.org/opportunities.aspx

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Also, the Grand Opera House is still searching for a full-time marketing associate:

"The Marketing Associate is a newly created full-time position at The Grand intended to develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy for Community Engagement programs. Community Engagement is the department of The Grand charged with creating stronger relationships with the community through arts education and enrichment programs."

This is only the first paragraph of the job description, to read the rest, visit:
http://www.thegrandwilmington.org/About/Employment

Schedule for the Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, which starts today.

From http://www.cliffordbrownjazzfest.com/Schedule-2011 :

Sunday, June 19, 2011:

5:00 pm- Jazz Vespers (at the Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew, 8th & Shipley Streets).  This is a free event with first come, first serve seating.

Monday, June 20, 2011:

Phase III Dedication, Clifford Brown Garden- details to follow

Concerts start in Rodney Square on Tuesday- see below:

Tuesday, June 21, 2011:

800 pm- Junior Mance Quintet6:00 pm- Manifest 3

Wednesday, June 22, 2011:

8:00 pm- Ninety Miles featuring Stefon Harris, David Sanchez & Christian Scott6:00 pm- The Avery Sharpe Quintet

Thursday, June 23, 2011:

8:00 pm- Soul of Summer featuring Jonathan Butler, Eric Darius & Maysa6:00 pm- The Ronny Jordan Full Band

Friday, June 24, 2011:

8:30 pm- Take 66:45 pm- Tizer featuring Chieli Minucci & Karen Briggs5:00 pm- The Metta Quintet

Saturday, June 25, 2011:

9:00 pm- TBA7:00 pm- Rufus Reid's Out Front Quintet featuring Rufus Reid- Bass, Steve Allee- Piano, Duduka da Fonseca- Drums, Freddie Hendrix- Trumpet & J.D. Allen- Tenor Sax
5:00 pm- Rene Marie "Voice of My Beautiful County" tour featuring Rene Marie- vocals, Kevin Bales- piano, Kevin Hamilton- bass & Quentin Baxter- drums
3:30 pm- The Captain Black Big Band
1:00 pm- Masterclass with Rufus Reid: Understanding Swing, Jazz, BeBop and Beyond. Christina Cultural Arts Center 705- 707 N. Market Street
11:00 am- Ninety Miles A film by Devin Dehaven (62 minutes, not rated)
Free at Theatre N. Reserve your seat online

Sunday, June 26th, 2011:

The concert at the Grand Opera House has been postponed until later this year.

[Ed. note: I hope the cancellations and TBAs don't portend bad things for this festival.  It's imperfect - I'm still not a fan of this line-up - but it's a great festival for the city, and it's free].

Where I'd eat tonight if I hadn't been eating out too much lately:

Deep Blue.  This is what's on their menu tonight (from their social media page):

Saturday night, the lobster menu (3 courses for $29) is no doubt Festa-inspired: Italian Wedding Soup - lobster “meatballs,” spinach and lobster broth; Lobster Puttanesca - tomatoes, olives, capers and pickled peppers over spaghetti; Grilled Lobster Tail with pesto potatoes and tomato cream.

Not bad for $29.  I do not work for Deep Blue, nor do I know anyone who does.  I haven't been there in about 3 years.  I just like the sound of this lobster menu.

Outdoor farmers' markets reminder:

Caveat:  I actually typed this up before the Spark came out this week.  So no, I'm not just copying content from Spark.  Their list does have more state-wide markets, so consult the Spark if you're looking for a farmers' market not mentioned here.  Actually... I found at least one mistake in their list (the Carousel Park market is definitely on Fridays, not Mondays). 

The Wilmington Farmers' Market takes place every Wednesday afternoon, on Rodney Square, 10am-2pm.  Now through mid-October.

The Little Italy Farmers' Market takes place every Saturday, 9-1pm, at 4th & Bancroft, now through late September.  There is also one in Cool Springs every Thursday from 3-8, but it apparently won't start until mid-July.

The Newark Farmers' Market takes place every Sunday, at the Newark Natural Foods Co-op, 10am-2pm.  Now through late November.

The U of D Farmers' Market (including ice cream from the new UD Creamery) takes place every Thursday, next to the Morris Library, 11am - 2pm.  Now through end of summer.

The Carousel Park Farmers' Market takes place every Friday (not Monday, as the Spark makes it appear), from 2-6pm, on the Limestone Rd. side of Carousel Park.  Now through mid-September.  [Ed. note:  patronize the Maiale guy.  He puts his heart and soul into those sausages.  Patronize the produce place on the far right (not the Amish, the other ones) ONLY if they have something you really need.  In other words, don't be like me and buy expensive blueberries because you really just want to patronize farmers.  Because the rudest little girl I have ever met in three decades on this earth works there.  It was a half hour before closing, and her every interaction with us said "You are preventing me from leaving here and going out with my friends".  Everything she did from having to bark out the price of the unmarked blueberries, to 'allowing' me to give her my money (after her sister at the cash register walked away from us to do something else), to saying not a word of thanks but angrily yanking my money out of my hands, broadcast that we were putting her out by buying.  Never again].

The Kennett Square Farmers' Market takes place every Friday from 2-6pm, at the middle of the main street in Kennett.  Now through October. 

For beachgoers, there's a farmer's market in Lewes every Saturday from 8-12 (probably the most interesting/scenic in the state, but also one of the most expensive, frankly), and a farmers' market in Rehoboth every Tuesday from noon-4, next to the Commerce building on lower Rehoboth Ave.

Summer studio art classes start Monday at the Delaware Art Museum.

Classes are for adults only.  Full course catalogue can be found here: http://www.delart.org/education/studio_program/schedule_at_a_glance.html

Social media post of the week:

"I should be posting a photo of the new Sesame Chicken salad we have on the menu, but I ate it instead!" - Johnny Brenda's (music venue and gastropub in Fishtown, Philly)

Birdie Busch's version of "City Of Brotherly Love", originally by The Soul Survivors.

Catch Birdie tonight at The Queen, as part of the Carole King tribute show.  9pm, $17.

If this is a little sparse for your tastes, skip ahead towards the end - it really pays off at about the 3 minute mark. 



This weekend, 6/17-6/19:

I'm trying something different this week.  Since there have been a lot of weekend events lately, and 5ks and music shows and classes are all getting mashed up together, I'm going to separate the lists into "Non-Music Edition" and "Music Edition".  So if listening to music in clubs isn't your bag, you can skip right to the other stuff.  And vice versa.  Although note that there are a couple of classical concerts in the music listings this week. 

This weekend, Non-Music Edition:

Friday:

• UPDATE: Cancelled until July 5th.  Kayak the Christina River with the Delaware Nature Society.  2-6pm.  http://www.delawarenaturesociety.org/

• Italian Festival.  5:30-10:30.  http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/st-anthonys-italian-festival-sunday-to.html

• Chinese Festival, Hockessin.  5-9pm Friday. Also runs Saturday and Sunday. http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/almost-forgot-about-chinese-festival.html

• Opening night for "The Tempest", Shakespeare play performed by the Arden Shakespeare Gild, on the Arden Green next to Gild Hall.  This Friday through next Friday, 7:30pm except for a Sunday matinee.  $10 adults, $5 kids.  For complete show times: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=213642435327463

• Opening night for "Ragtime: The Musical" at the DuPont Theatre.  Presented by the Delaware All-State Theatre Co.  Tickets are $15-$45.  Show starts at 8:00 on Friday, but runs for two weekends.

Saturday:

• Noon today: Middletown's 150th anniversary celebration.  Parade, re-enactors, "old time activities", walking tours.  The funny thing is that the actual anniversary was in February, but they decided to postpone it several months for warmer weather.  I wonder if they realized how saturated this weekend is with New Castle county festivals.  Newark Post article: http://www.newarkpostonline.com/articles/2011/06/17/news/doc4dfa1feb2c2e7806728234.txt

• Italian Festival.  2-10:30pm.   http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/st-anthonys-italian-festival-sunday-to.html

• Chinese Festival.  11-9 Saturday.  Also runs Sunday.  http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/almost-forgot-about-chinese-festival.html

• Delaware Humane Associations's monthly traveling "Wellness Clinic".  Discounted shots and microchips for cats and dogs, as well as licensing.  10am-noon at the Fox Run Shopping Center in Bear. http://www.dehumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=wellnessclinics

• Fireworks at Hagley Museum (this was scheduled for Friday but has been post-poned until Saturday).  The only other detail I have is that you need to call 302-658-2400 for info and advance tickets.   Or you can always do the 'park on the side of the road somewhere nearby' trick. 

Sunday:

• Last day of Italian Festival.  2-8:30pm.  http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/st-anthonys-italian-festival-sunday-to.html

• Last day of Chinese Festival in Hockessin.  12-6 Sunday.  http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/almost-forgot-about-chinese-festival.html

• Summer Festival at the Co-Op Farmer's Market in Newark.  10am-2pm, Newark Natural Foods, 280 E. Main St.

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This weekend, Music Edition:

Friday:

• Free lunchtime show upstairs at The Queen:  Tim Hein, noon, free.

• Delaware Chamber Festival concert at Music School of DE: Pieces by Couperin, Ravel and LeClair performed by the Serafin chamber group.  7:30 pm, $22.

• 40th Anniversary of Carole King's seminal album Tapestry, at The Queen, featuring acclaimed Philly songstress Birdie Busch, Brittany Ann, Natalie Accianni, and Vanessa Redin.  9pm, $17. 

• Round 3 of the local Musikarmaggedon contest, at Logan House this time.  Modern Exile vs. Steampunk Willie.  8:30 pm. 

• Guided By Voices with Wavves at Penn's Landing. $30+.  All ages, doors at 6:30pm. 

• Yeasayer at the Trocadero.  All ages, doors at 8pm, $29. 

• The Feelies at World Cafe Live (Philly).  All ages, doors at 8, $20+. 

Saturday:

• Southern Shore Music Festival, 12-8pm, Cumberland Co. Fairgrounds (NJ).  Deer Tick, Justin Townes Earl, Leon Russell, Sharon Little, and more.   Tickets are $30-$50. http://www.southernshoremusicfest.com/

• US Air Guitar Regional Championships at Johnny Brenda's.  21+, doors at 8pm, $10.

• Architecture in Helsinki at World Cafe Live (Philly), with Norwegian Arms.  All ages, doors at 8, $15+.

• 618 Fest, an electronic music festival at Penn's Landing.  1-10pm, with after party from 10-2 at Grey Social Lounge.  Tickets start at $49.52. Apparently this is the big festival replacement for Jam On The River, which I didn't even realize had not run since 2007.  Featuring Shwayze, some Diplo collaborator or some such, I don't know - I have no clue about this kind of music.  Maybe you'd better just read the line-up on the website (warning: slightly annoying): http://618fest.com/ 

• Frank Zappa tribute band at The Note in West Chester.  21+, doors at 8, $12. 

Sunday:

• Delaware Chamber Festival concert at Music School of DE: Romantic pieces by Whitman, Chopin and Brahms performed by the festival quartet.  3pm, $22.

• Benefit for animal rescue "PAWS" at Mojo Main (sorry, they're not saying what this entails, exactly.  But I never met an animal benefit I didn't feel like publicizing).  4-8pm, $10.   UPDATE:
  "All-Star cast of musicians again, just like our kick-off back in December! So far, Keli Vale, Rick Fusco, Alisa B, Mike DiEleuterio, How's My Hat, Still Moon Servants, Paul Lennon, Gina Degnars, POSSIBLY Hyjinx, Geoff Giordano, etc... etc... etc... Raffles, 50/50"

Almost forgot about the Chinese Festival this year - Friday through Sunday

The Chinese Festival is one of the smaller ethnic festivals in the county, and it's usually overshadowed by the Greek, Italian, and Jazz festivals that sandwich it, but it's still well the trip to Hockessin.  Apparently the dragon dance that kicks off the festival is one of the highlights, though I've always managed to miss it.  What I go for is the chance to get some Chinese food that you wouldn't ordinarily find in local Chinese restaurants.   (And there's beer, if that's a deciding factor for anyone).  Ah, but what if you get your fill of dinner but don't care for the dessert options?  No problem - Woodside Farms Creamery is a block away.  DONE.   To me, that's reason enough for a trip out that way. 

Hours are 5-9 Friday, 11-9 Saturday, and 12-6 Sunday.  Parking is $5.   The festival is held at the Chinese American Community Center at 1313 Little Baltimore Rd., Hockessin.  For more info:
http://www.chinesefestival.org/

Delaware Center for Horticulture posts video of early progress in one of their urban gardens.

This particular garden is located at 13th & Brandywine.  Looking good. 

While the central location for the DCH is located on DuPont St. in Trolley Square (a block and a half behind Logan House - really gorgeous spot, too), they operate these urban gardens in rougher neighborhoods, and teach residents of those neighborhoods how to take care of them.  It's a pretty awesome program.  For more info about the Delaware Center for Horticulture, visit: http://www.thedch.org/

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By the way, for job seekers: they're looking for someone to work part-time this summer in teaching 8th graders how to garden.  Here's the description: http://www.thedch.org/who-we-are/careers-internships/help-assistant

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And don't forget that the deadline to enter the City Gardens Contest is Friday.  View my previous post on the contest: http://wilmingtonic.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-city-dwellers-with-gardens-deadline.html

This week at Theatre N: 5 different movie choices.

I don't have time this week to do more than copy and paste the descriptions.  Probably better that way, anyway. 

L'Amour Fou
In French with English subtitles.  Friday at 8, Saturday at 5, Sunday at noon.  $5 & $7.  Theatre N's description:

"The public life of Yves Saint Laurent was as extravagant as it was decadent, as a design prodigy and then the grand coutourier of an fashion empire he influenced fifty years of style — but few are familiar with the private life of the legend. In Pierre Thoretton’s L’AMOUR FOU, Pierre Bergé, the man with which YSL shared four decades of his life and love, reflects on the equally extravagant history of their personal relationship. Framed around the 2009 auction of the priceless, elaborate art collection amassed by Yves and Pierre personally over several decades, this extraordinary documentary provides an unprecedented look at the life of a mythic personality, whose personal life matched his public for elegance, extravagance and passion.

An official selection of the Toronto and TriBeCa Film Festivals, L’AMOUR FOU is an un-missable film event for fans of documentary film and fashion die-hards alike."

Road To Nowhere
Friday at 1pm, Saturday at 2:15 & 8, Sunday at 6:30.  $5 & $7.  Theatre N's description:

There's a murky tenuous balance between reality and fiction; particularly when it involves a beautiful young woman, murder, a powerful politico, a missing fortune and suicide.

A passionate filmmaker, creating a film based upon a true crime, casts an unknown mysterious young woman bearing a disturbing resemblance to the femme fatale in the story. He finds himself unsuspectingly drawn into a complex web of haunting intrigue, obsessed with the woman, the crime, her possibly notorious past and the disturbing complexity between art and truth.

From the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina to Verona, Rome and London, new truths are revealed and clues to other crimes and passions, darker and even more complex are uncovered.

Toast
This film also had one showing last weekend.  One showing only this weekend, Friday at 3:30pm, $7.  Theatre N's description:

Nigel Slater is keen on cooking while his mother (Victoria Hamilton) is a poor cook with chronic asthma. As her illness worsens, so does Nigel's relationship with his father (Ken Stott). After Nigel's mother dies, his father begins to spend his evenings with newly divorced cleaner Mrs Potter (Helena Bonham Carter), whose signature lemon meringue pie is a hit with Mr Slater. The two embark on a relationship, and soon move to the country with Nigel, who dislikes his father's new partner.

Nigel finds solace in home economics classes at school, and uses his improved culinary skills to gain his father's affections, thus becoming Mrs Potter's rival. The excessive food causes Mr Slater to gain weight and become more temperamental. Nigel soon lands a job in the kitchen of his local pub to avoid Mrs Potter, and falls in love with the landlady's son; the relationship is cut short when the latter leaves town.

When Mr Slater dies, Nigel's mind is set as he packs a bag for London, leaving Mrs Potter behind, and arrives at The Savoy Hotel where he is offered a job as a chef.

Opera In Cinema: Macbeth, a Verdi opera
Performed at the Royal Opera House, London, England, on Monday, June 13, 2011.  Sung in Italian with English subtitles.  Shown with one intermission.  One showing only, Sunday at 2:30.  $20. 

In Our Name
One showing only, Saturday at noon.  $5.  Theatre N's description:

A sober portrait of a returning soldier who suffers from post-combat stress, "In Our Name" holds suspense without melodrama and features an outstanding performance as the British Army private by Joanne Froggatt. The actress, seen often on TV in series such as "Downton Abbey" (set for PBS in the New Year) and the BBC’s recent revival of Robin Hood, was named most promising newcomer at the recent British Independent Film Awards.
Froggatt plays a young medal-winning soldier named Suzy, who in the opening scenes returns with some trepidation from serving in the Middle East to her rundown estate in England’s North East.

Writer/director Brian Welsh, an established film editor, takes his time to show Suzy dealing with a heroine’s welcome by her family; the sexual hunger of husband Mark (Mel Raido), who is also in the army; and young daughter Cass (Chloe-Jayne Wilkinson), who is unhappy that her mother has been away so long.

Suzy’s traumatic state begins to show as the city’s urban decay starts to resemble bombed-out buildings and the sight of hooded teenaged boys huddling with nothing to do at night reminds her of men with guns and explosives.

Her increasing distance from her husband sparks frustration and aggression. The visit of one of her squad members, Paul (Andrew Knott), sends Mark into a jealous frenzy.

Welsh sets an even tone as the husband’s own deep trauma is revealed slowly as he harbors his memories of horrible deaths with considerable relish. Key scenes in a classroom when Suzy relates the death of a child and an encounter with a Muslim taxi driver set events in motion that lead to violence.

Froggatt conveys the woman’s preoccupation to suggest that whatever she’s looking at, she actually sees something entirely different. It’s a haunting performance aided by Sam Care’s patient cinematography and Stuart Earle’s music, which often hovers on one searing note, like the images in the woman’s mind.

Delaware Art Museum is looking for a full-time Graphic Designer for a 6-month temp position.

View the details here: http://www.delart.org/about/opportunities.html

For city dwellers with gardens: deadline to enter the City Garden Contest is Friday, 6/17

Judging will take place on July 9th, but if you want to enter your Wilmington city garden, enter by Friday, June 17th.  Participation is free. The contest is put on every year by the Delaware Center for Horticulture, with various prizes (best vegetable garden, best flower garden, etc.) .  I know people who've entered and won, so I will say: don't be intimidated if you're not exactly growing The Victory Garden out there on 4th street - it's not that hard to impress the judges. 

If you don't have a garden, or don't live in the city limits, and would still like to participate, you can apply to be a volunteer judge for the contest.  The deadline for that is July 24th. 

DCH's blurb:

"The Wilmington City Gardens Contest recognizes Wilmington gardeners for their contributions to a greener city. Volunteers can participate by either entering their gardens, or by judging. No previous experience is necessary. This event truly brings together the best of what Wilmington gardeners and judges have to offer. Refreshments are served during judging."

To enter the contest or to volunteer to be a judge, contact Marcia Stephenson at mstephenson@thedch.org .
You can also download forms to be an entrant or a judge at  http://www.thedch.org/activities-events/city-gardens-contest .

Budding designers: come to a meeting at DCAD to learn about the American Batik Design Competition

It's being held Thursday at 2pm, at the Delaware College of Art & Design on lower Market St.  I would assume admission is free, and it's open to the public.  DCAD's blurb:

"You are invited to learn about the American Batik Design Competition. Meet representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia and learn more about the competition and prizes. The competition is open to all designers and artists ages 16 and older!"

For more info about the competition:
http://americanbatik.embassyofindonesia.org/

For more info about DCAD: http://www.dcad.edu/

Tickets go on sale today for Saturday's "Tip-A-Canoe" day on the Brandywine, with performance by Hoots and Hellmouth.

Date: Saturday June 16, noon to 11pm.

This event benefits the Brandywine Conservancy, and is put on every year by the Young Friends of the Brandywine, which is an off-shoot of the Brandywine Conservancy.  From their social networking page:

"Tip-A-Canoe and Barbecue, too!, first held in 1999, has grown into the must-attend event of the summer. Attendees come from all over the country and Young Friends plan their vacations around the July weekend when hundreds take to the Brandywine River for a leisurely afternoon canoeing from West Chester to Chadds Ford. The day cumulates with an exuberant evening of barbecue, live music and dancing.

Tip-A-Canoe and Barbecue, too!, spotlights the Conservancy’s integral relationship with the Brandywine River. It is a family-friendly event for all ages. Back again this year will be the rambunctious energy of the popular band, Hoots and Hellmouth.

The funds raised from this event benefit the Brandywine Conservancy allowing us to continue to conserve the natural and cultural resources of the Brandywine River watershed. We invite you to join us".

UPDATE:  Tickets range from $55 - $90 depending on if you're a member or non-member, and depending on whether you want to participate in the canoeing or just in the BBQ/ Hoots concert.  here's the link for tickets:  http://brandywinemuseumshop.org/BrowsePage.aspx?searchtype=navitem&navitemid=1000056

Weekday shows and events of note, 6/13-6/16:

Monday:

• At the Queen: 4W5 acoustic jam, and also "Groove Night" - funk and r&b bands from the region.  Both events start at 7pm, on different stages, both happen every Monday night.  That's got to be an interesting clash of cultures in the beer line...

Tuesday:

• Those Darlins (their Daytrotter session: http://www.daytrotter.com/arr/those-darlins/3737841.html ) at Johnny Brenda's, with Natural Child and Tin Horses.  21+, doors at 8, $10-$12.

• Bird Of Maya at Kung Fu Necktie, with Milk Music and Home Blitz.  21+, doors at 7, $8.

• The Wonder Years at the Starlight Ballroom, with Mixtapes, Hostage Calm, and Fireworks. 21+, doors at 6:30, $13-$18.

Wednesday:

• The Smithereens at the Queen Theatre, with John & Brittany (John Faye's latest, with a press  photo that looks like a still from "16 & Pregnant" and belies his 20+ years in local music:  http://www.reverbnation.com/johnbrittany/ . ) Doors at 7, $31-$44.

• Free show Wednesday at Mojo Main: Universal Funk Order, TFMC, Poindexter, Proverbial.  I can't vouch for these bands, but you never know.  Free for 21+, show at 9pm. 

• R. Stevie Moore at Johnny Brenda's, with local stand-outs Creepoid and Far-Out Fangtooth.  [Ed. note: at a show in the south earlier this year, a bemusing boy much younger than myself was chatting me up and asked if I liked R. Stevie Moore.  I indicated that while I'd heard the name, I hadn't heard the music.  Aghast, he said "Well who DO you listen to??"]  21+, doors at 8, $10.

• Kathryn Calder of The New Pornographers, at Philly's World Cafe Live.  Show at 8, $15.

Thursday:

• The Sky Drops (a truly talented band from this state that is usually on tour elsewhere and rarely plays DE) at Mojo Main, with Troubled Hips and Sleepy Vikings.  21+, $5, show starts at 9.

• Prog/avant-garde fans may appreciate Fuzilla, at the North Star Bar ("ambient avant-garde to jazzy groove to funk to latin to agressive progressive rock fusion").  21+, doors at 8, $8.

• Original night at Logan House.  I could tell you who was playing if they kept their events calendar updated. 

St. Anthony's Italian Festival - Sunday to Sunday

2011 Festival June 12th - 19th

Mon - Fri             5:30 - 10:30PM

Sun 12th & Sat     2:00 - 10:30PM
Sun 19th             2:00 - 8:30PM

Admission: $5.  There are discounts for seniors and small children.  Visit the website for details.

The Italian Festival needs no introduction, and frankly, I'm on vacation, so here's the festival's latest newsletter, after the page break.  My personal recommendation would be to go at least once, because there's nothing quite like it the rest of the year in Delaware, and to get the half carafe of wine instead of individual glasses, because it's a much better deal.
Your best bet may be to visit http://www.stanthonysfestival.com/ , but the newsletter tells all about the foods available (including some new stuff this year):ere is a preview of some of the specials that will be offered in our cafes.

Coming next weekend: the Southern Shore Music Fest, in south Jersey.

The WXPN-sponsored Southern Shore Music Festival will take place at the Cumberland County Fairgrounds, on Saturday June 18, from noon to about 8pm.  Featured performers include Deer Tick, Justin Townes Earl, Leon Russell, and Sharon Little.   The fairgrounds are about an hour and 15 minutes from Wilmington, and halfway to Ocean City, NJ.  Tickets are $30-$50.

For the full schedule of events and more details:
http://www.southernshoremusicfest.com/