Berks Jazz Fest continues, plus theater, muscle cars, home show and more [Events roundup] (2024)

The following events are planned for the week ahead throughout the region:

• The 33rd annual Boscov’s Berks Jazz Fest continues through Sunday at various venues in and around Reading. Highlights of the weekend include the Chuck Loeb Memorial All Star Jam on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Ballroom; the West Coast Jam featuring Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Peter White and the West Coast Horns on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, West Reading; the Grammy-nominated Baylor Project on Friday at 6 p.m. in the Miller Center for the Arts at Reading Area Community College; Remembering Grover Washington Jr. featuring Kirk Whalum, Kim Waters, Everette Harp and Gerald Veasley on Friday at 9:30 p.m. in the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Ballroom; Reading Blues Day on Saturday featuring Craig Thatcher & Friends’ Eric Clapton Retrospective at 12:30 p.m. and Danielle Nicole at 8 p.m., both in the DoubleTree by Hilton Small Ballroom; Joey Alexander with Tuck and Patti at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Miller Center for the Arts; a jazz brunch with Brian Bromberg & Friends at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Ballroom; Brian Culbertson at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Scottish Rite Cathedral; and “REWIND: A Journey to Motown and Beyond” featuring Jerome Collins of Straight No Chaser at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Miller Center for the Arts. For more information and ticketing options, see berksjazzfest.com.

• SALT Performing Arts will stage the musical comedy “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for best book, from Friday through April 25 at its West Chester location at 19 Hagerty Blvd. The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in a geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the bee, run by three equally quirky grown-ups. This weekend’s show times are 7 p.m. Friday (Dressy Attire & Champagne Opening Night), 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For tickets and more information, visit saltpa.com/spellingbee.

• Santander Performing Arts Center, Reading, presents “Randy Rainbow for President” on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., comedian Tom Papa’s “Good Stuff Tour” on Friday at 8 p.m. and the Classic Rock Show on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Randy Rainbow is a four-time Emmy and Grammy-nominated comedian and New York Times bestselling author, best known for his popular web series, “The Randy Rainbow Show.” His musical parodies and political spoofs have garnered him worldwide acclaim and Emmy nominations for Outstanding Short-Form Variety Series. Papa released his third book, “We’re All In This Together…So Make Some Room,” last June. The book compiles comedic essays that aim to unite us through our stupidity. In December 2022, he released his fifth one-hour Netflix special, “Tom Papa: What A Day!” His highly rated podcast, “Breaking Bread with Tom Papa,” features Papa and his guest eating, drinking and celebrating the true meaning of breaking bread with insightful, revealing and always funny conversations. The Classic Rock Show features note-for-note precision, bringing original iconic and era-defining recordings back to life on stage, with an amazing sound and light show to match. For tickets and more information, see santander-arena.com.

• Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Berks County, will be the first stop of Hemmings’ Musclepalooza on Saturday as its celebrates its 70th anniversary. “America’s Celebration of Vintage and Modern Muscle Cars” runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Participants and spectators alike will experience top-speed drag racing, professionally judged car shows and more. “Musclepalooza has been a highly anticipated event for owners of muscle and performance cars since 2004 and we look forward to the growth of these great events as part of our 70th anniversary celebration,” said Jonathan Shaw, president of Hemmings. The show is open to vintage and modern muscle cars, muscle trucks, hot rods and drag cars. For tickets, information and to register as a participant, visit Hemmings.com/Musclepalooza.

• The Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia, a celebration of Japanese arts and culture alongside the blossoming cherry trees, will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park Horticulture Center and the Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center. This free festival will include music and dance performances, activities for the whole family, an artists’ market, food vendors, a beer garden and more. Over a dozen local food and merchandise vendors are scheduled to participate. For more information, see japanphilly.org.

• The Southeastern Pennsylvania Home & Garden Show will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Leesport Market. The show features experts in home improvements and outdoor living, an art, gift and gourmet marketplace, food trucks and family entertainment. Admission is free. For more information, see showtechnology.com.

• The Berks Heritage Council will hold its inaugural Berks History Day Event on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nicholas Stoltzfus Homestead, 1700 Tulpehocken Road, Wyomissing. Berks History Day is being developed and hosted by over 20 museums and historic sites from across Berks County. The event will feature displays of unique historic artifacts, participatory activities appropriate for all ages, merchandise available for purchase, a scavenger hunt, food vendors, prizes and a bounce house. Additionally, knowledgeable guides will be offering tours of the Nicholas Stoltzfus house, a stone-built English colonial-style house built in the early 1700s. The event is free of charge and will be held rain or shine.

• Chestnut Hill Clover Market will be held Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in historic downtown Chestnut Hill. This Market will feature more than 90 curated vendors with a wide variety of handmade and vintage goods along with food trucks, live music and an abundance of shopping options in the charming, cobblestone-lined streets. The market is free to attend and family-friendly. On-leash, well-socialized dogs are welcome. For more information, see theclovermarket.com/pages/chestnuthillmarket.

• The Daniel Boone Homestead Associates will hold a History Hike on Sunday at 10 a.m., exploring the history of the Daniel Boone Homestead, Exeter Township, and its historic and cultural landscapes. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring water. There is no fee for this program. Friendly dogs are welcome to join on the hike and must be kept on a leash at all times. Animals are not permitted in the historic buildings. The Daniel Boone Homestead is the birthplace of the famed frontiersman, born in 1734.