30 Events in May to Spend Your Time Culturally and Creatively
Indie films, music festivals, psychological performances, immersive exhibitions, creative workshops, open-air gala dinners, and deep dives into Philly’s creative community.
In May, the city is fully alive — and so are you
SHOWS
May 2
5 pm - 9 pm
Check the website
The monthly art crawl through the galleries and studios of Philly’s historic district. Perfect excuse to meet local artists, see what’s cooking in their studios, and maybe find something you didn’t even know you were looking for. Check the website for gallery addresses and the whole map.

Place:
Old City District
May 2
5 pm - 9 pm
Free admission
As part of the city’s beloved First Friday, Arch Enemy Arts rolls out fresh work from contemporary artists diving into surrealism, fantasy, and conceptual painting. New exhibits open their doors, artists appear, and Old City buzzes with art vibes you can’t fake.
May 1-7
$29
Can you box up pure, untouchable protest street art inside four walls and start charging admission? It looks like you can. Rebellion always sells. Using different genres of art: videos, digital installations, VR, and multimedia, this show doesn't let you pass by without seeing. It is the last week of this show. Don't miss a great opportunity to go through the entire history of Banksy art.

Place:
Fashion District Philadelphia
Enter the experience through our street-level entry at Market Street 901
May 8
10 am - 5 pm
Free admission
Let’s spot the living, breathing young artists now — while they’re still broke and brilliant. Give them a shot to go big before the world catches up. Expect new styles, fresh takes on existence, and a raw honesty you won’t find hanging in some dusty vintage shop. The best work is gathered for PAFA’s iconic student art show.

Place:
Broad Street Studio Frances M. Maguire Gallery
All May
10 am - 5 pm
Free admission
You can catch a rare exhibition by Kurt Vonnegut, the king of satire and dark humor, all month long. Yep, the guy could draw too — and now you get to dive into his sketches, wander through his mind, and maybe walk away a little more inspired. Easily one of the most unusual shows this month.

Place:
3142 Market Street, PA, Drexel University
May 2
5 pm - 9 pm
$5-30
This is the first significant exhibition in Philly by British painter Cecily Brown. The show digs deep into themes of life and death through energetic paintings that blur the line between abstraction and figuration. Expect it to land somewhere between a dream and a gut punch.
And hey — even if the art doesn't completely knock you over, you’ll still get to soak up the beauty of the Barnes in full spring mode.

Place:
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
THEATRE/PERFORMANCES
May 1- 4
7 pm
From $25
A contemporary play by Rajiv Joseph is about young revolutionaries whose reckless moves sparked the start of World War I. The show blends dark humor, tense drama, heavy thoughts on fate, randomness, and the messy way history actually happens.

Place:
Wilma Theater, 265 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
May 20-31

Some Like It Hot / Forrest Theatreuman Horse / Sawubona Creativity Project
$28–$121
A high-energy musical based on the classic Billy Wilder comedy. Expect bold numbers, dazzling costumes, and all the charm of old-school showbiz.
Place:
Forrest Theatre
May 1-31

1776 The Musical / Walnut Street Theatre
from $116 (avg. $139)
A bold retelling of America’s founding through song and story. Politics, passion, and powdered wigs.

Place:
Walnut Street Theatre
May 1-31

Shen Yun Performing Arts / Miller Theater
$117–$173
A visually stunning celebration of classical Chinese dance and music, blending history, elegance, and special effects.

Place:
Miller Theater
May 17
9 pm
From $20
This experimental performance is at the crossroads of theater, music, and visual art. The project explores the physical nature of movement, the bond between human and animal, and the raw idea of inner strength through a mix of unexpected, original forms.

Place:
Sawubona Creativity Project, 1935 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
CINEMA
May 8-12

From $12
When every story starts to blur together, you know it’s time for something real.
Head to PIFF for a lineup of the best indie films — short films, documentaries, and visual experiments that dare to say something new.
This festival is all about fresh voices, bold storytelling, and the stubborn belief that cinema still has some wild cards left.

Place:
Wilma Theater, 265 S Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA
May 25 - June 6

Free, Need registration
A full-on celebration of Latin American cinema — screenings, panel talks, and workshops that pull you deeper than surface-level stories. Check the full program on their site, show up curious, and get ready for an emotional and intellectual ride with a few new friends along the way.

Place:
Sawubona Creativity Project, 1935 E Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148
ART MEETINGS AND PARTIES
May 12
6 pm

From $40
A spring night under the stars honoring Carole Haas Gravagno — a powerhouse patron of the arts in Philly. Expect a VIP dinner, open bar, live music, artistic performances, and a charity auction. Because sometimes, celebrating creativity means throwing a party that matters.

Place:
Ridgeland Mansion, 4100 Chamounix Dr, Philadelphia, PA
May 9
6:30 PM
From $50
This year, the annual Wall Ball gala by Mural Arts, spotlighting the Restorative Justice program — using art to rebuild lives, restore dignity, and crack open new hope across Philly. Expect moving speeches, artist honors, and the night that reminds you why public art still matters.

Place:
1009 Canal St, Philadelphia, PA 19123
May 15
7:30 pm
From $45
An evening that brings together Philly’s artists, musicians, and cultural movers and shakers.
This annual benefit supports free legal services for creatives and nonprofits. Expect a night of art exhibits, performances, a solid buffet, a bar, and enough networking to make your business cards sweat. All proceeds go to keeping the arts protected, where they belong.

Place:
Cherry Street Pier, 121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106
May 23
7 pm
Art Battle Philadelphia
From $20
A live showdown where artists race the clock — and their nerves — to create a masterpiece right in front of your eyes. The crowd votes for the winner, but the real show is watching creativity hit the canvas in real time. It's messy. It's brilliant. It's pure adrenaline.

Place:
SPIN Philadelphia, 211 S 15th St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
FESTIVALS
May 3
12 - 5 pm

Free, Need registration
One of Philly’s biggest street festivals, mixing fashion, food, art, and music into a day that feels like the city showing off its best side. Outdoor boutiques, restaurant pop-ups, live music, art installations, fashion shows, and special deals from Rittenhouse’s best spots. Bring your curiosity — and maybe your shopping shoes.

Place:
Rittenhouse square
May 4
12 - 8 pm

Free admission
An annual festival where South Street turns into one long jam session — live music on open-air stages, street artists, art markets, food courts, and family activities. Expect local rock, jazz, funk, and indie bands to shake up the block all day.

Place:
South Street District, Philadelphia, PA (от Front до Broad Street)
May 18
11:00 am

Free admission
Think, live happily, and stay in harmony with the planet — without trashing your home.
At this annual eco-festival, you’ll find answers on how to live and create sustainably without giving up a good life. Check the full program online and register for workshops, art, eco-fashion, and creative hacks because saving the Earth shouldn't mean giving up a little hedonism.

Place:
Cherry Street Pier, 121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106
MUSIC
May 2-3
evening

$25
Ever wonder which rung of Maslow’s pyramid you’re hanging out on these days?
Dive into some self-reflection — and some serious art — with this music-poetry-visual performance inspired by Abraham Maslow’s theories. Introspective, emotional, and a little bit existential... just the way we like it.

Place:
5201 Parkside Avenue, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA 19131
May 9-10
7:30 pm
$15
Philly’s festival of minimalist and experimental sound.
Pure Lucia explores the slippery concepts of "quidditas" (the essence of things) and "suchness" through works by some of the boldest avant-garde composers.
Come if you’re ready to sit with something that doesn’t explain itself, but lingers.

Place:
The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
May 17
7 pm
Free admission
An open mic for poets, musicians, and storytellers in the cozy buzz of Two Locals Brewing.
Artists of all stripes step up to share something raw and honest.
No velvet ropes, no attitude — just a live crowd, a mic, and a night of honest connections over craft beer.

Place:
Two Locals Brewing Company, 3675 Market St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
May 23
7 pm
$35
Yannick Nézet-Séguin leads the Philadelphia Orchestra in Beethoven’s iconic Ninth.
Soloists Angela Meade (soprano), Tamara Mumford (mezzo-soprano), Ryan McKinny (baritone), and Russell Thomas (tenor) join for this monumental ode to joy — and all the chaos it took to get there.

Place:
Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
May 31 - June 1
all day
from $99
The Roots throw Philly’s finest music festival with a stacked lineup: D’Angelo, Meek Mill, Lenny Kravitz, and way more.
Expect jam sessions, unexpected collabs, and that perfect balance between massive energy and straight-up chill.

Place:
5201 Parkside Avenue, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA 19131
All May
Every Monday 7:30 pm
$10
Monday night jam sessions that feel like you stumbled into Philly’s coolest living room — one dripping in soft light, vinyl grooves, and sharp improvisations.
Up-and-coming and veteran jazz players trade stories in sound.
Best atmosphere in town if you’re looking to sip, listen, and maybe meet your next favorite artist.

Place:
Black Squirrel Club, 1500 Sansom St, Philadelphia, PA 19102
SKILLS
May 8, 18, 24

$50
A creative workshop led by artist and textile designer Rachel Watson, founder of Pulpery Studio.
Participants will learn to create original fabric patches, picking up basic embroidery and textile design techniques along the way.
Rachel’s work lives at the intersection of art, craft, and activism — focusing on identity, traditional techniques, and mindful consumption.
May 9
12 - 3 pm

Free, Need registration
A hybrid event focused on blending culture, art, and STEAM (science, tech, engineering, art, math) education, spotlighting BIPOC communities.
Expect talks, hands-on sessions, and honest conversations about cultural inclusivity in classrooms and labs — because innovation without culture is just noise.

Place:
Molefi Kete Asante Institute, 5535 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144
May 10
1 pm -3 pm
$15
A creative workshop with contemporary artists exploring big forms and collective artmaking.
Participants will dive into interactive tech — microcontrollers, circuits, sensors — and rethink technology as a tool for self-expression.
Part of Philly Tech Week. All materials provided, registration required.

Place:
Museum of Art
May 18
5 pm
Lu.ma Future of Art & AI
Free, Need registration
A panel and exhibition digging into how artificial intelligence is reshaping modern art.
Hear from artists, researchers, and tech folks as they unpack new media, AI ethics in the creative world, and showcase works made with (and sometimes against) machine logic.

Place:
813 Sansom St, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
ART FOR KIDS AND FAMILY
May 5
10 am - 5 pm

Free, Need registration
A free family day at the Barnes Foundation is held every month.
You can enjoy access to the museum’s permanent collection, hands-on art workshops, live music performances, and activities for kids of all ages.
Admission is free, but advance registration is required, because even creativity needs a headcount.

Place:
Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA
May 18
10 am - 5 pm
Free Admission
A spring festival under the open sky at PAFA’s outdoor plaza.
The day features live music, hands-on workshops for all ages, outdoor art projects, guided tours of the Academy’s exhibitions, and family-friendly activities.
It’s a full-on celebration of art, music, and community — right in the heart of Philly.

Place:
PAFA — Hamilton Building Outdoor Plaza, 128 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19102