Before you head out to Main Street for some First Friday sipping and strolling this spring, take a trip over to our next-door neighbor, Roxborough, which is welcoming the return of its own monthly celebration. First Friday festivities will be held at Roxborough’s new Pocket Park, just about a mile from your Isle apartment. While you can certainly drive or hop SEPTA to get there, taking a leisurely walk to the park will take you less than a half-hour—and, along the way, you get to see all the spring sights abounding in both Manayunk and Roxborough.

Springtime is in full bloom once you get to Roxborough Pocket Park as well. The dog-friendly community park is brimming with flowering plants and trees, making it a great spot for a Friday evening gathering—however, there will be lots more going on at Pocket Park than just the sights and smells of spring. From 5-8 p.m. every first Friday through the end of the summer (May 3, June 7, July 5, Aug. 2 and Sept. 6), locals are invited to kick off the weekend at the park for a night of food, drinks, music, dancing, games and more.

The park will welcome local food trucks and beer and wine vendors from the area to keep guests full and hydrated! Tables with craft vendors, fresh produce, community resources and much more will ring the park, while you can relax on benches or in the grass and take in new performers each month. Best of all, the laidback event is an opportunity to socialize with your neighbors both in Manayunk and nearby Roxborough, and it attracts a great mix of the melting pot that both areas are known for.

The spirit behind the event matches the mission of Roxborough Pocket Park, which opened just last year. At the prompting of the local community, the park was transformed from a vacant lot into the thriving open, green space it is today. The park is uniquely designed to manage stormwater, while also giving the neighborhood a space for community events like movie screenings, festivals, concerts, farmers markets and more. The First Friday festivities continue that commitment to making the park a community-first space—a mission all of us here in Manayunk can get behind!

Roxborough Pocket Park

6170 Ridge Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19128