🔍 A weekend of mysteries awaits | Things to do

You’re in for a mystery this weekend.

I’m talking three days of movies, history, and adventure in honor of National Treasure, the 2004 blockbuster that has Nicholas Cage stealing one of the nations’ most prized founding documents.

I won’t tell you what, when, or where just yet. You will have to scroll down and find out about the details.

Your search may open up other interesting attractions — like Pirate Day at Fort Mifflin, for example.

That’s enough hints. Read below to find a treasure trove of events and attractions happening this week:

• National Treasure Weekend commences
• Rush hits the stage at Xfinity Mobile Arena
• The Ukrainian Independence Folk Festival celebrates traditional food, music, and dance
• Transport to the 1700s during Pirate Day at Fort Mifflin

— Earl Hopkins (@earlhopkins_, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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‘National Treasure’ Weekend at Independence Mall

No, it doesn’t involve stealing the Declaration of Independence. But this weekend, the Independence Visitor Center is dedicating an entire weekend to National Treasure, the 2004 blockbuster starring Nicholas Cage.

The three-day celebration kicks off with Heist Night on Thursday. Guests will team up at Carpenters’ Hall to solve clues, crack ciphers, and locate missing pieces of history.

On Friday, fans can sit in on a live taping of the National Treasure Hunt podcast. Producer and director Jon Turteltaub will tell behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the high-action adventure.

There will also be walking tours of the filming site, self-guided photo hunts, historic district activations, and outdoor screenings of the original movie on Friday and Saturday night.

Click here to uncover everything happening at National Treasure Weekend.

The best things to do this week

📚 Grab a tote: Hey fellow book nerds — the annual Philly Bookstore Crawl is back. The celebration of the city’s vibrant bookstore scene will offer discounted titles, author signings, and giveaways.

🕺🏽 Rave at Love City Gardens: On Saturday, break out into genre-fluid dance, techno, house, and global club fun at Love City Gardens. This nomadic party series, presented by Hospitality Haus, will feature artists such as Ariel Zatina, HVNLEE, and Sweater.

🇺🇦 A taste of Ukrainian culture: The Ukrainian Independence Folk Festival returns for a celebration of traditional Ukrainian music, food, and crafts from noon to 8 p.m. Children 15 and under enter for free, and every $2 from admission supports humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

🦐 Grab a bib: Who says crayfish (aka crawfish) parties only happened in the Louisiana bayou? Far from it. The Nordic tradition started back in the 1500s, and the American Swedish Historical Museum is putting on a full-on crawfish party this Friday.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Wine and Gems, Lucky Girl Market, Hike at Lloyd Hall. Here’s our full list for the week.

Rush takes over Xfinity Mobile Arena this weekend

Canadian rock band Rush is on tour for the first time in 11 years, and the first without legendary drummer Neil Peart, who died in 2020.

While there was cynicism about the prog-rock band’s return without Peart’s technical proficiency on the sticks, it has since evaporated, writes pop music critic Dan Deluca.

That’s because the band found Anika Nilles, the woman who now sits atop the Rush drum throne.

Nilles has received praise from Rush’s male-dominated audience on the band’s “Fifty Something Tour,” which kicked off at Inglewood’s Kia Forum on June 7.

She and her band mates Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson will play two shows at Xfinity Mobile Arena. One on Friday and another on Sunday before jetting to Detroit on Aug. 26.

Grab your tickets to see the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band in action.

Summer fun this week and beyond

🏴‍☠️ Ayo, matey!: Apparently, English pirate Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, wrecked port cities along the Delaware River some 300 years ago. Fort Mifflin was built to safeguard 18th-century Philly, and now it’s the site of Pirate Day. Fans of centuries-old piracy can enjoy weapon demos, a treasure hunt, and historical re-enactments.

🎭 A celebration and call to reflection: Stop by Malcolm X Park for a free staging of the play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf. Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs (BYOC) and soak up the pre-show block-party energy for the Theatre in the X show, running through Sunday.

🥁 Thursdays aren’t so bad after all: It’s Third Thursday at the Navy Yard. The monthly series will once again take place at Chapel Plaza, a 35,000-square-foot outdoor space. This week’s lineup will feature floating food trucks, live music, drink vendors, and more. If you can’t make it on Thursday, don’t fret. The series runs through October.

🎾 Rack up the competition: It may have taken on a new name, but the same top-end competition remains. Professional women’s tennis returns to Philadelphia for the inaugural Ennoble Care Philly Open. The weeklong tournament, formerly known as the Philadelphia Tennis Classic, will see competitors Liudmila Samsonova, Ashlyn Krueger, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, and others duke it out on the court.

Staffer picks

Here’s pop music critic Dan DeLuca’s list of the best concerts this weekend.

🎤 Thursday: Isaiah Rashad is fresh off his fourth album, It’s Been Awful, and is back on the touring circuit. The Chattanooga-raised emcee will hit the Fillmore Philly stage on Thursday.

🎷 Friday: Masego, a global maestro of trap house jazz best known for 2017’s “Tadow,” will perform at the Met Philadelphia in support of his newest album, Fix Your Face.

🎶 Friday and Saturday: Motown queen Diana Ross, whose hits have endeared generations of music fans, is on her “Diana In Motion” tour. She will perform at Atlantic City’s Ocean Casino Resort on Friday, then hit the stage at the Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem on Saturday.

🎸 Saturday: There will be a triple bill of melodic power pop bands, headlined by San Francisco’s Chime School. The group will be joined by Philly’s Hurry and South Jersey’s Te Vista. The show takes place at a South Philly typewriter shop. Yes, that’s right (or write?).

🎼 Tuesday: Esperanza Spalding, the Grammy-winning jazz bassist and composer who bested Justin Bieber for best new artist at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, will perform back-to-back shows at City Winery starting Tuesday.

Check out Dan’s full concert list here.

❓Pop quiz

The 2004 blockbuster ‘Natural Treasure’ was filmed inside Independence Hall. But the film also filmed inside a replica of the landmark building — where?

A) New York City

B) Atlanta

C) Los Angeles

D) Washington DC

Here’s the answer to last week’s question: The Philadelphia Folk Festival is one of the nation’s longest-running folk music festivals. What year did it start? Answer: 1962

Ask Earl anything

Many of you have questions about each week’s listings, and others about Philly’s arts, culture, and entertainment scene.

I have you covered. Have a question? Email me for a chance to have it answered in an upcoming newsletter.

As most fans of mystery and piracy know, “X marks the spot.” Now that you’re here, I hope you found all you need for another incredible summer weekend in Philly. I know I have.

— Earl Hopkins

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