Center City Comedy at The Raven Lounge
Thursday, Feb. 7
9 P.M.
Free, 21+
The Raven Lounge
1718 Sansom St.
Cheap laughs aren’t necessarily a bad thing.
Originally founded and hosted by Chris Cotton, H. Foley and Conrad Roth, Center City Comedy presents a variety of acts every Thursday at the most affordable price there is – free.
The show is broken down into three sections running from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and if you want to see the best of the best, you’re not going to want to be late. Unlike concerts, there is no opening act; the guys with the best material go on first. Also, the room will fill up quickly and seating can be hard to come by so show up early.
The first part of the show is kicked off by host Ryan Shaner and continues on to showcase some of Philly’s best comics, as well as the up-and-comers of the Philly comedy scene who have been performing well of late. In addition to the local acts, nationally headlining performers such as Godfrey, Amy Schumer and Hannibal Buress have been known to drop in and perform a set.
Following the more established comics and a 10-minute intermission, the middle segment of the show features newer comics still trying to make a name for themselves. After another brief intermission, the show concludes with an open mic night segment.
The stage is open to anyone brave enough to step onto it, as sign-ups for the open mic run from 8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sign-ups are cut off once there are 35 participants. Although open mic nights can sometimes be more painful to watch than funny, former Center City Comedy host Tom Cassidy claims that isn’t the case.
“I’ve performed in a lot of parts of the country including Los Angeles and New York,” Cassidy said. “In regards to open mics, I would say Center City Comedy at the Raven Lounge is the best in the country.”
The show also has a personal feel to it, with most of the comics hanging around after they’ve performed to mingle with the crowd.
In addition to it being a free show, The Raven Lounge offers a variety of drink specials that vary from week to week, as well as a $5 Citywide Special – a 16 oz. Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and a shot of bourbon.
Sensible Nonsense
Wednesday, Feb. 6
6 P.M.
Free
University of Pennsylvania – Kelly Writers House
3805 Locust Walk
The Sensible Nonsense Project allows adults to get in touch with their inner child by revisiting their favorite children’s books. Speakers take part in lighthearted discussions about the lessons and morals gained from the stories of their youth, and talk about how those stories have shaped who they are today. Spectators can join in on the conversation by submitting an essay on their own favorite book prior to the lecture at sensiblenonsense.us.
Colonial Chocolate Making
Feb 9-10.
11 A.M.
Free with admission
Betsy Ross House
239 Arch St.
For one weekend, the Betsy Ross House will be swapping out the symbol of America for the celebration of Valentine’s Day. Visitors to the historic house will be treated to a colonial chocolate –making demonstration, and they will get to indulge in the final products.
Love Train and Tour Reception
Sunday, Feb. 10
2 P.M.
$25
SEPTA Headquarters
1234 Market St.
The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, in conjunction with SEPTA and Wired 96.5, is offering a chartered El tour of West Philadelphia’s “A Love Letter For You Project” murals. The guided tour works as a nice pre-Valentine’s Day outing for both couples and singles alike, offering a romantic ride for couples and a post-tour “Singles Looking to Mingle with Tingle” event at SEPTA headquarters hosted by Wired 96.5 personality Steve Tingle.
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