Play in West Oak Lane - Northwest Philadelphia

Play in West Oak Lane and Northwest Philadelphia

When it’s time to have fun, what better place to have it than in West Oak Lane and Northwest Philadelphia!

For those who love the outdoors, explore the many trails at Awbury Arboretum, a beautiful 55-acre park located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. If sports is on your agenda, The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Recreation has three recreation centers in the area, with programs geared toward staying physically fit.  For the history buff, there are the many nationally certified historic sites along Germantown Avenue—Cliveden, where Revolutionary War battles were fought, and the Johnson House, built more than 300 years ago and used as a stop on the Underground Railroad.  Browse at the many shops in the diverse business districts of West Oak Lane, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill.  If it’s fine dining and around-the-world cuisine you crave, there are a variety of restaurants throughout the area sure to satisfy any appetite.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people gather together for OARC’s signature event, the West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival.  Every June, visitors from around the country and as far away as Europe converge on Ogontz Avenue, our commercial corridor, for a weekend of music, food, and arts and crafts.  In 2008, the Festival drew more than 500,000 men, women, and children to the area.  Billed as the nation’s largest free festival, this year’s line-up included The O’Jays, The Benny Golson Quartet, Ashford & Simpson, Kevin Eubanks, Pieces of A Dream, The Whispers and WAR. The Festival also featured renowned visual artists Poncho Brown, Charles Bibbs, and Paul Goodnight.

If you are a senior citizen, stop by the West Oak Lane Senior Center to take part in any number of activities there. The Senior Center is located at 7210 Ogontz Avenue in Philadelphia. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, except Thursday, when the Center is open until 7:30 p.m.  Here is a list of weekly events happening there:

  • Education—Courses in Computers, Financial Education (retirement planning, budgeting, long term care options), and Writing
  • Healthy Living—Yoga, Line Dancing, Belly Dancing, Health Screenings (blood pressure, diabetes), and Personal Safety
  • Recreation—Billiards, Arts & Crafts, Theater & Restaurant Trips, Parties, and Music
  • Social Services – Counseling, Entitlement Services (utility assistance, PACE, rent rebates), and Referral Services (government, employment, housing)

For more information, please call the Senior Center at 215-685-3513.

If you or someone in your family is interested in taking music lessons, the Eva Donaldson School of Music has what you’re looking for. Located at 7308 Ogontz Avenue in Philadelphia, the School offers instructions in a variety of musical instruments. For more information, please contact the School at 215-424-5672.

When the sun goes down, West Oak Lane comes alive with weekly entertainment at two of our most popular venues:

  • Sadiki’s Restaurant—Start the week off with a free buffet and drink specials, as you watch Monday Night Football on our wide screen TVs. On Wednesdays you can catch up-and-coming musicians and singers compete at our Rising Star Talent Search, where the audience votes for the winners. One lucky contestant will go on to perform at next year’s West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival. Come the weekend, put on your dancing shoes! There’s always a DJ at Sadiki’s on Fridays for the mature after-work and evening party crowd. On Saturdays, there’s live jazz or R&B from some of Philly’s best bands. Relax on Sundays, and have a delicious dinner from Sadiki’s outstanding menu.

    Sadiki’s is located at 7152 Ogontz Avenue in Philadelphia. For more information, please call 215-276-0170, or go to www.sadikis.com.
  • Art Noir Custom Framing & Gallery—Thursday evenings feature Lyrical Word at Art Noir, with Open Mic. Poets, authors, dancers, and musicians all take the stage, followed by a jam session that gets everyone involved. Guest artists appear each week. Art Noir houses one of the finest collections of African American art on the East Coast. Have your checkbook ready, because you may decide to take a painting or sculpture home with you.

Art Noir is located at 7175 Ogontz Avenue in Philadelphia. Please call 215-548-2445 for more information, or visit them online at www.artnoirstyle.com.