Thursday, December 5
DRINK: It’s Repeal Day, that wonderful day when America prohibited prohibition once and for all. To celebrate, Jack Rose is hosting its third annual ’30s-style party, featuring burlesque dancers and specials on prohibition-era cocktails, whiskeys, Prohibition Punch, cigars, and Champagne. Wear your best flapper dress or stylish suit and pretend you’re drinking illegally, for the night at least. 7 PM.
SHOW: You’ve seen The Princess Bride about a thousand times while flipping through the channels on a lazy Sunday, but you probably haven’t seen it performed, onstage, by one crazy guy. Part slapstick (think Star Wars Light Saber Kid), part love story, Joe Brack’s show, “My Princess Bride,” debuted at Fringe Festival, and has found new life afterward. Once you see it, watching 20 commercial-interrupted minutes of it on TV will never be the same. Tickets ($20) are available online. 8 PM at the Shop at Fort Fringe.
Friday, December 6
DANCE: Take things back to the ’70s with Moneytown at Little Miss Whiskey’s. DJ Nitekrawler spins funk, soul, and Latin throwbacks from his massive collection of 45s. Treat the slushies with caution and you’ll have a good night. Free. 10 PM.
PLAY: The good thing about Connect Four as a kid was if you were losing, you could just knock over the whole board and then claim you tied. That’s not the case at Penn Social’s Connect Four More tournament, which benefits Sports for Sharing, a charity that helps expose kids to games and sports. If you think you’re better than anyone else at lining up four red or black disks in a row before your opponent, give it a try. During the tournament, craft beers are $4, and before 7 a few draft beers are $3. Entrants get free appetizers, and the winner gets all sorts of things, including a Connect Four set. Tickets ($15) are available online. 6 PM.
CRAFT: They say it’s the thought that counts, and making a gift inherently requires way more thought than buying someone a Playstation 4. The S. Dillon Ripley Center hosts a DIY Holiday, where you’ll learn how to make holiday cards with stamping, calligraphy, and collage; fold origami Christmas tree ornaments; and decorate Christmas cookies like a pro. Soon maybe you won’t need stores at all and can cast off the trappings of modern life. Tickets ($45) are available online. 6:45 PM.
Saturday, December 7
FILM: The National Museum of African Art screens Punk in Africa, a movie by Jeffe Brown that explores the role punk rock has played in social and political movements in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. Brown will be there to answer questions about the film afterward, and South African punk band National Wake will perform following the film. Free. 2 PM.
DANCE: If I had space, I would put a moon bounce in my room, and you probably would too. Unfortunately, bounce castles aren’t practical, but you can move like you’re in one at Black Cat’s Moon/Bounce Affair, an every once-in-a-while dance night featuring early hip-hop, house, and ’90s music. $7. 10 PM.
SHOP: The House of Sweden hosts its annual Christmas Bazaar, which is worth attending just to check out the space itself (it’s beautiful). But there’s also Swedish crystals, textiles, food, chocolate, candy (hopefully of the “fish” variety), arts and crafts, and musical performances. Free. 11 to 5.
DANCE: Sixth & I Historic Synagogue’s annual Winter Informal Dance Party harks back to the days when awkward kids “danced” with one another at bar mitzvahs. Hopefully, with the addition of booze, subtraction of old weird relatives, and a competent deejay spinning tunes, the awkwardness will subside. Tickets are $6 online or $8 at the door. 7 PM.
SQUARE DANCE: If another type of awkward childhood dance is more your speed, St. Stephen’s Church hosts its occasional Great American Square Dance Revival potluck, a night of good old-fashioned hootin’, hollerin’, and do-si-dos. The Mostly Mountain Boys will provide the music, and Phil Jamison will be your dance caller. Bring food or drink to share. $5. 8:30 PM.
Sunday, December 8
SCRAP: The members of ScrapDC spend much of their time making old junk look way cooler than it ever was before it was junk. It’s a rare skill, but even if you don’t have it, you can appreciate it at their holiday open house and market, where you’ll find hundreds of cool things that used to be other things just waiting for you to snatch up. Free. Noon to 5.
SHOP: Just in time for Christmas comes Black Cat’s Rock-N-Shop, a rock-and-roll flea market that takes over the venue’s main room. Music shops, collectors, and artists will sell old and new vinyl, CDs, artwork, posters, and other memorabilia for the music nut in your life. As always, there’ll be cool tunes and booze to help fuel you while you shop. Free. 8 PM.
Know of something cool going on around town? E-mail Jason Koebler at jasontpkoebler@gmail.com, or find him on Twitter.
