Bookish Events in Philadelphia: February 13th – 19th
Dear readers: this chilly Valentine’s weekend, you have literary events to help you put the “boo” in bookish, to show your love for social justice, or to laugh your exes away, as well as an interactive poetry sculpture exhibit and the return of Laser Life, a queer sci-fi reading series.
Tonight, take your love poems out for a spin before your try them on your Valentine at The FUZE Open Mic and Slam. Slow jams provided by hip-hop collective Sela. Cash prize! Studio 34, 8-11 p.m.
Spread the literary love at the Books Through Bars Valentine’s Day Pack-a-thon. Incarcerated people are waiting for books; bring your date, your friends, or your family to enjoy snacks and music and help send stories and hope their way. 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. at the A-Space on Baltimore Ave.
Come commiserate and laugh your ass off at The 5th Annual "Ex-Files" StorySlam from First Person Arts. Ten storytellers will be selected from audience volunteers to tell personal stories on the theme "Ex-Files". Underground Arts at 12th and Callowhill, 8 p.m.
This Wednesday, the Pearlstein Gallery at Drexel presents Verbal Sculpture, a slam poetry gallery tour conceived by the current Pearlstein Poets in Residence: The Philly Pigeon! There’s a writer’s open studio at 6:30 p.m. and a 7:00 p.m. performance of work by The Philly Pigeon’s slam winners of work inspired by the current exhibition Are we there yet? by Chakaia Booker. Pearlstein Gallery, 3401 Filbert St. 6:30 p.m.
Calling all sci-fi lovers: check out LASER LIFE: A Queer Sci-fi Reading at the A-Space, a series of readings designed “to make real the shaman's holler, the mystic's clamour, the soothsayer's griot-speak– all that was falsely remembered as unreal.” This reading series is always packed so get there early! 7:00 p.m. A-Space Anarchist Community Center.
