Our office is absolutely FALLing in love with all the spectacular events Philly has in store for you this month. One event that we definitely “donut” want to miss is Federal Donuts Block Party! This Sunday, October 1��, Federal Donuts is hosting its first ever block party taking over Sansom Street between 16�� and 17�� Streets, with live music, fried chicken sandwiches and, you guessed it, donuts! On Thursday, October 5��, Food Trust Night Market makes its final stop in South Philly’s Italian Market, as they highlight the renowned strip of immigrant-owned restaurants and businesses. Make sure to come hungry, as this is the LAST Night Market of the season! Check out Midtown Village’s annual Fall Festival on October 7��, complete with live entertainment, food and beverage sampling, merchant and vendor displays, crafters, children’s activities and so much more in the unique enclave of boutiques and restaurants. Did you know October is LGBT History Month? Kick off the celebration of gay rights and civil rights movement at the annual LGBT History Month Flag Raising 4PM Friday October 6��, at City Hall North Apron. The celebration continues into the weekend on Sunday, October 8�� at OutFest 2017, the single largest LGBT event in Philadelphia. There are TONS of other great events this month, so make sure to check out our backpage calendar and our website calendar for even more details! Check out our brand new Flickr page where we will begin hosting ALL our special event and office photography. Photo by: Kelly A. Burkhardt OSE Spotlight on Domestic Violence Awareness Month By: The Office of Domestic Violence Strategies If you keep your eyes peeled during October you might find an increase in the amount of purple you see – on social media; around the city; and across the nation – because October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Across the country, advocates who are working to end domestic violence, also called intimate partner violence, will observe the month with diverse programming aimed at: mourning those who have died due to domestic violence; celebrating those who have survived abuse; and connecting those who work to end violence. Luckily, to get involved in this national movement you don’t have to look farther than here in our own city. Last year during October, Mayor Kenny established a new office within the Managing Director’s Office. Since then, the Office of Domestic Violence Strategies has worked to help coordinate and improve the City’s response to domestic violence. It is a small office of just two individuals, but their work operates on a large scale trying to connect institutions from around the city to better address domestic violence. The office works very closely with the five domestic violence agencies here in Philadelphia: Congreso de Latinos Unidos; Lutheran Settlement House; Menergy; Women Against Abuse; and Women in Transition, most of which will be holding events during this month. Kicking off the month on October 4��, is Women Against Abuse’s iPledge Campaign. Entering its 10�� year, Women Against Abuse’s iPledge campaign calls upon Philadelphians to pledge to speak out when they hear or witness violence. Over 3,800 Philadelphians have already taken the pledge and you can too! Join us in Painting Philly Purple on October 5��! Philadelphia City Council will read their proclamation in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Share your pictures wearing purple or share why ending domestic violence is important to you on social media with the #DVAM2017 and #PaintPhillyPurple. On October 11��, Lutheran Settlement House is once again holding their annual Men Can Rally on Thomas Paine Plaza. This rally honors men of Philadelphia who speak out against violence helping to break the stigma of Domestic Violence as just a women’s issue. Women in Transition in conjunction with poets from around the city will hold their event, Amplifying Our Voices, on October 18��. The event is designed to begin conversations, spread awareness of resources and bring domestic violence out of the dark. Ending the month, on October 26��, Congreso de Latinos Unidos’ Latina Domestic Violence Program will be continuing their annual candlelight vigil and monologue performance. The monologues, performed in both English and Spanish, represent individuals lived experiences of violence, survival, and empowerment. If you are not able to attend any of these events but would like to support initiatives to stop domestic violence, you can visit the new blog page of the City’s DV Office to learn about resources available. As Seen in the Streets The month of September brought us plenty of warm memories to last through the coming colder months of the year. We had the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day weekend Made in America festival, where stars like Jay Z (pictured below), J. Cole, and The Chainsmokers headlined the 6�� Annual music festival. There was also the 2ⁿ� Annual Neighborhood to Neighborhood Festival which paid tribute to the one and only Prince this year, and featured artists Photo by: O. Gillison like Sheila E (pictured below), Questlove, PnB Rock and many more. Featured in our banner is a scene from the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade. Many of the Philadelphia City Council members came out to support the annual community event and advocate for donations in wake of Hurricane Maria. Finally, OSE staff members Robert Allen, Olivia Gillison and Natalie Faragalli went to Tucson, Arizona to represent Philadelphia as we were awarded the International Festival & Event Association, World Festival and Event City award for the 4�� consecutive year! They are featured below with the IFEA World President Steven Schmader, as they accepted the award. The Long & Short of September Photo by: M. Sabb September has the ability to be the perfect bridge between summer and fall. The events taking place definitely reflect that ability. From beginning to end, we saw events that were filled with fun times all around. Face painting, food trucks, bounce houses, and more were seen at events and festivals throughout the city. There’s no better time to bring the kids out with you and Photo by: N. Hovde enjoy the wonderful change in weather as we move into fall. Meet us at Philly Free Streets Saturday, October 28��! For More information visit their website: http://www.phillyfreestreets.com/ October 1��– 7�� October 15�� – 21�� Federal Donuts Block Party – 1600 Sansom St (10/1) Liberti Block Party – 1600 Sansom St (10/15) St. Nicholas of Tolentine Italian Festival – 1600-1800 S. 9�� St (10/1) AIDS Walk/Run Philly 5K – Eakins Oval / MLK Drive (10/15) Annual Pulaski Day Parade – Start/End: Logan Circle (10/1) Mayfair CDC Night Out – 3500 Ryan Ave (10/19) Tacony Holmesburg Town Watch 35�� Birthday Party – Russo Park Spiral Q Parade – 50�� & Walnut Sts (10/21) (10/1) Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Flea Market – 900 S Water St (10/21) The Peoples Repbulic of China Flag Raising – North Apron (10/2) Harry Potter Festival – 7600-8700 Germantown Ave (10/21) John Fryer / AIDS Library Historic Marker – 1300 Locust St (10/3) LaSalle Health Fair – 5301 Chew Ave (10/21) Kirkbride Mural Dedication – 4631 Lancaster Ave (10/3) Reading Terminal Harvest Festival – 1100 Filbert St (10/21) Shepard Recreation Center Boxing Gym Ribbon Cutting – 5700 Haverford Ave (10/4) October 22ⁿ� – 31�� Night Market South Philly – 800-1000 Washington Ave (10/5) PAWS on the Pavement – 0-100 E. Mt. Airy Ave (10/22) Mayfair CDC Night Out – 3500 Ryan Ave (10/5) Chiefs Night – 1100 Filbert St (10/23) AmeriCorps Launch 2017 – Thomas Paine Plaza (10/6) St. Vincent & The Grenadines Flag Raising – North Apron 8th Annual Rainbow Flag Raising – North Apron (10/6) (10/27) Yards Brewing Animal Fundraiser – 100 Poplar St (10/6) Fall Festival & Halloween Party – 1500 E Passyunk Ave (10/28) Philadelphia International Dragon Boat Festival – Kelly Drive (10/7) The Head of Schuylkill Regatta – Boathouse Row (10/28-29) Spiritual Health & Welness Walk-a-thon – MLK Drive (10/7) The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk – Miles for Migraine – Forbidden Drive (10/7) Eakins Oval / Art Museum Steps (10/28) Midtown Village Festival – 1200-1300 Chestnut St (10/7) Chinatown Sidewalk Stories – Start: 10�� & Vine/ End: 7�� & Roxtoberfest – 6000-6200 Ridge Ave (10/7) Race Sts (10/29) New Energy LIVE Music Festival – Stinger Square Park (10/7) 26�� Annual Lupus Loop 5K Run & 2.5 Mile Walk – Memorial Lancaster Ave Day – 4238 Lancaster Ave (10/7) Hall Course (10/29) Olney Arts Youth Festival – 500 Chew Ave (10/7) Revolutionary War Reenactment – 6400 Germantown Ave (10/7) For the complete list of upcoming events, please October 8�� – 14�� check out event calendar on our website! Old City Festival – 200-400 Arch St (10/8) OutFest: National Coming Out Day Block Party – 1100-1300 Spruce St (10/8) 5000 Yard Dash – 900 Delaware Ave (10/8) Pizzeria Stella Anniversary Party – 400 S 2ⁿ� St (10/9) UArts Day – 1400 Pine St (10/10) 2017 City Wide Home Fire Drill – 700 Knorr St (10/11) Out and Equal Summit Night Out – 1100 Filbert St (10/11) Ye Shi Night Market – 900-1100 Race St (10/12) Nigeria Flag Raising – North Apron (10/13) Harvest Festival – 300 Lombard St (10/13) 20�� Annual Great Eastern State Breakout Race – (10/14) Manayunk Harvest Festival – Pretzel Park (10/14) Photo via The Glow: A Jack-O-Lantern Harvest Festival – 2200 Snyder Ave (10/14) Experience St. Mary’s Harvest Festival – 400 Locust St (10/14) River City Festival Festival – Penn Treaty Park (10/14) West Girard Avenue Festival – 2600-2800 W. Girard Ave (10/14) Bloktoberfest – 1400-1800 South St (10/14) Friends of Rittenhouse Dining Out – 200 S 18�� St (10/14).