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It's the final day of August, and it's a gorgeous one: toast to the summer and the weather with an outdoor bite or drink this evening. (Photo credits: top by B. Krist for GPTMC, bottom right by G. Widman for GPTMC, bottom left courtesy Square 1682)

[Summer in Philadelphia is action-packed, and we want to help you cherry-pick from all the events and activities going on. On certain days that promise particularly bustling evenings, we'll be rounding up our selections for the most can't-miss pursuits with which to fill your schedule. See you out there!]

It’s absolutely gorgeous outside, a fitting setting for this evening, a night of many summer lasts. It’s your last chance to try Oyster House’s Twin Lobster Wednesday special, enjoy awesome happy hour deals through Center City for Center City Sips, catch an outdoor movie in Headhouse Square and more.

All our top picks for how to spend this glorious evening, the last in August 2011, below:

• Twin Lobster Wednesdays at Oyster House: Last One!: Enjoy a pair of one-pound lobsters flown in fresh from Maine’s Ready Seafood, steamed and served with butter and corn on the cob, all for just $26.

Where: 1516 Sansom Street
When: Wednesdays in August, 5-10 p.m.
Cost: $26

• Center City Sips: Last One!: The summer’s happiest happy hour returns, with $4 cocktails, $3 wine, $2 beer and half-price appetizers at more than 80 bars.

When: Wednesdays through August 31, 5–7 p.m.
Where: 83 bars in Center City
Cost: $4 cocktails, $3 wine, $2 beer and half-price appetizers

• South Street Headhouse Summer Indie Film Series: Last One!: The weekly outdoor movie screening series concludes this evening with the fashion month-appropriate The September Issue. BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair)!

When: Wednesday evenings through August 31, 8 p.m.
Where: Headhouse Square, 2nd Street between Pine and Lombard Streets
Cost: Free

• Korean Fried Chicken at Meritage: It’s the last week to chow down on this mouth-watering special, including $3 Sly Fox cans. Enjoy it tonight and tomorrow.

When: Wednesday and Thursday, August 31-September 1
Where: 500 S. 20th Street
Cost: $18, plus 3 Sly Fox cans

• International House Philadelphia Outdoor Movie Screenings: Watch The Secret of NIMH in the IHP courtyard. This adaptation of Robert C. O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a cult classic. Shy mouse Mrs. Brisby enlists the help of a group of rats in saving her family.

Where: 3701 Chestnut Street
When: August 31, 8 p.m.
Cost: Free

• “Summer In Provence” Wine Dinner at Barbuzzo: This is going to be something special. Much-buzzed-about Barbuzzo is hosting a five-course “Summer In Provence” wine dinner tonight, with each course, heavy on the fresh and locally sourced ingredients, paired with a delicious wine.

Where: 110 S. 13th Street
When: August 31
Cost: $55

• Happy Hour at Frankford Hall Beer Garden: Stephen Starr’s Frankford Hall has just introduced a brand new weekday happy hour with some awesome specials. We’re talking about $8 for a beer and sausage combo: 1/2 liter of any draft beer plus your choice of any sausage. That means you can enjoy a delicious Stoudt’s Karnival Kolcsh along with a Hot Bauernwurst for a steal of a price of just $8.

Where: 1210 Frankford Avenue
When: Tuesday–Friday, 4-7 p.m.
Cost: Pay as you go

For the 26th year, the festival glorifies the humble fungi with three days of live entertainment, a mushroom soup cook-off, live cooking demos by top chefs like Jose Garces and Kevin Sbraga, old-fashioned carnival and much more. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Mushroom lovers across the nation will converge once again in historic Kennett Square for the annual Kennett Square Mushroom Festival, September 9-11.

For the 26th year running, the festival celebrates everything and anything mushroom. Why Kennett Square? It’s the “Mushroom Capital of the World.” The Chester County town grows an incredible 65% of the nation’s mushroom crop. There’s no other region in the entire world that grows as many mushrooms in a concentrated area.

We’ll be posting an in-depth guide to all things Mushroom Festival soon — schedule of events, how to get there, where to park and more — so stay tuned.

But for now, check out a video below of Kennett Square mushroom mavens, everyone from the Talula’s Table chef explaining how he makes his mushroom soup, to Kathi Lafferty of The Mushroom Cap shop.

Kennett Square Mushroom Festival
When: September 9-11
Where: 14 W. State Street, Kennett Square
Cost: $2 (ages 12 and up)
More info: www.mushroomfestival.org

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It's time to get your Oktoberfest on — The Cannstatter Volkfest returns to Northeast Philadelphia this weekend with three days full of great food, fantastic entertainment, prizes and much more. (Top left photo courtesy Cannstatter)

Start your Labor Day Weekend and Oktoberfest celebrations off right with the annual Cannstatter Volkfest, a three-day celebration of food, music, beer and more straight from Germany.

With either a 1-, 2- or 3-day pass, you’ll be entertained at the Cannstatter Volksfest Verein by two live bands, including one from Germany, plus delicious food, prizes, vendors, rides for the kids and much more.

Enjoy German beer and wine, German-American singing and dancing, and pick up souvenirs and German clothing to take home a piece of the fest. It’s truly an authentic Oktoberfest atmosphere.

Food highlights include: Frankfurters, Bratwurst, Bauernwurst (Beef Sausage), Spätzle (Home Made Pasta Noodles), Schnitzel (Breaded Veal Cutlet), 1/2 Gebratenes Hänchen (1/2 Roasted Chicken), Kartoffelpuffer (Potato Pancakes), Heisser Zwiebelkuchen (Hot Onion Tart), Sauer Braten (Marinated Roast beef), Heisser Leberkäse (Grilled Veal Loaf), Kassler Rippchen (Grilled Smoked Pork Chops), Kartoffel Salat (German Potato Salad), Maultaschen (Ravioli with Meat Filling) and much more. It’s going to be delicious.

Directions to the Cannstatter Club, one of the oldest and largest German/American cultural organizations in Philadelphia, are available online.

Cannstatter Volksfest
When: Saturday-Monday, September 3-5, park opens at noon
Where: 9130 Academy Road in Northeast Philadelphia
Cost: $6 for one day, $9 for two day pass, $11 for three day pass, Children under 12 Free
More info: www.cvvphilly.com

After last year’s sold-out performances, The Groundswell Players are returning to the Fringe with their newest creation, The Speed of Surprise!, taking audiences back to “the silver screen days of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.”

The show tells the tale of four intergalactic assassins zooming through the void. Watch as the team negotiates the cosmos in a vintage sci-fi tale sure to satisfy audiences of all stripes.

Word of warning: the play will feature a giant laser gun, crab men and sleeping pods, so get your spacesuit ready.

Helmed by director Charlotte Ford, staged at the Adrienne Theater September 2-10 in collaboration with The Hacktory, the show is a can’t-miss Fringe Pick.

You can get tickets online.

The Speed of Surprise! at the Philly Fringe Festival
When: September 2-10
Where: Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom Street
Cost: $15
More info: www.groundswellplayers.com

The Wells Fargo Center has become one of the most popular venues in the world for top-notch entertainment, sports and special events. (Photo credits clockwise from top: courtesy Wells Fargo Center, courtesy Flyers, courtesy Sixers)

Today, August 31, is the 15th anniversary of the Wells Fargo Center, home to the Philadelphia Sixers and Flyers, as well as the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League and the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.

The state-of-the-art sports arena in South Philly opened its doors for the first time with the World Cup of Hockey on August 31, 1996. Since then, it’s hosted a variety of nationally-followed events, including the 1998 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, 2001 NBA Finals, 2001 and 2002 ESPN X-Games, 2002 NBA All-Star Weekend, the 2008 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, the 2009 NCAA Men’s First and Second Round Tournament Games, the 2010 Stanley Cup Final and the 2011 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Some fun facts about the Wells Fargo Center, during its first 15 years:

• 6,645,300: Soft Pretzels Consumed

• 2,591,728: Hot Dogs Devoured

• 639,634: Philadelphia cheesesteaks eaten

• 679,537: Bags of popcorn purchased

• 21,305: Largest One-Day Attendance for a Sixers Game (vs. Chicago Bulls, April 17, 1998)

• 20,327: Largest One-Day Attendance for a Flyers Game (vs. Chicago Blackhawks, June 9, 2010)

• 18: The most sellouts by one artist or act: Billy Joel

• 1,755: Goals Scored by Flyers Players

Lots more, below.

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An ESPN Mobile poll just named Chickie’s & Pete’s the best sports bar in all of North America.

In past years it was rated the 3rd best in the country by ESPN; now it’s snagged the top spot.

And for good reason: the South Philly flagship location has got four giant bars, huge TVs (we’re talking 12-foot HD projectors), 25+ beers on tap (including a vast local selection) and a famous seafood menu. Crab fries? A must-try for any Philadelphia visitor or local.

According to ESPN, Chickie’s & Pete’s is “THE destination for not only fans of Philly but fans from EVERY visiting team.”

Further proof that Philadelphia is the Sports Capital of the World. You can still vote!

Winning Bar: Chickie’s & Pete’s [ESPN Mobile]

Calling all photographers (both budding and professional): submit your best shot of the 2011 Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe to be entered to win an all-access pass to the 2012 Fringe.

Philly Fun Guide, with PNC Arts Alive, is running the contest. You’ll be able to vote for your favorite photos, whether you took them or not, on the Philly Fun Guide site starting this Friday, September 2, day one of the Fringe. Voting ends September 24.

Prizes will be awarded in three categories:

• A photo of a Fringe or Live Arts performer or group
• A photo at the Festival Box Office
• A photo at the Festival Bar

A grand prize winner will get a 2012 Fringe All Festival Pass ($400 Value); second prize is four tickets to the 2012 festival; third prize is two tickets. There will also be a Special Artist Prize for the artist/performer featured in the most popular photo: artist registration and marketing fee waived for the 2012 Festival.

Note that photos must NOT be taken during actual performances without explicit permission from the performer(s) and venue.

Enter your photos, and vote, here.

Fringe Photo Contest [Philly Fun Guide]

Rachel Ray brought her whole show down to South Philadelphia yesterday for a special grill-off; among the special guests were Patti LaBelle, Boyz II Men, and Ty Pennington. (Photo credits clockwise from top left: courtesy @TyPennington, courtesy NewsWorks, courtesy Rachael Ray's Food Team, courtesy Rachael Ray Show)

The Rachael Ray Show came to Philadelphia yesterday, with more than just a camera crew and boom mikes.

Not only did Rachael film an awesome Philly Grill-Off with locals competing against each other, the producers of her lifestyle talk show had an urban garden built at the corner of Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue, where the show was taped.

In just five days, 16 raised beds, a vertical flowerbed, 2,869-gallon rainwater cisterns and an iron fence were erected across from Pat’s Steaks.

The community garden is staying put (it will be managed by the Camden City Garden Club) even though Rachael already left town — but not before she dined at Barbuzzo with Valerie Safran and Chef Marcie Turney themselves (see below).

Other notables — Boyz II Men, Ty Pennington, Patti LaBelle — made appearances at the taping as well.

See below for a photo of Rachael Ray with Valerie Safran and Chef Marcie Turney. The Philly episode will run in late September when Rachael’s new season begins.

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Enjoy Pitchers & Platters on the restaurant's newly resurfaced and upgraded patio along Sansom Street. (Photo courtesy Square 1682)

Hotel Palomar’s chic restaurant Square 1682 has a great new laid-back menu featuring perfect-for-sharing small bites and drinks.

Called “Pitchers & Platters,” the menu is available indoors or outside on the sidewalk patio. It’s a great place to grub as the summer sunshine fades into crisp fall breezes.

There are three pitcher options ($22) each: Nectar Margarita, Philadelphia Fish House Punch and Watermelon Sangria.

There are four platters ($18 each): Crispy Fried Cauliflower, Lemon Scented Hummus with herb and garlic naan bread, Grilled Vegetabes with pesto brushed toast and a Pickle Plate with carrots, beets, fennel, goat cheese and frisée.

The promotion is available while outdoor seating is set up. Enjoy!

Square 1682
121 S. 17th Street
www.square1682.com

Fly with the Green Fairy as she presents aerial and acrobatic feats, plus comedy, juggling and more. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia School of Circus Arts)

Look up! Coming off a sold-out run at the Kimmel Center during PIFA, the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts is bringing back its super popular show The Green Fairy Cabaret, on stage for just four shows, September 8-10.

The 60-minute performance hearkens back to Paris in the 1900s, when the city sparkled with five circuses. Night after night, Picasso, Leger, Apollinaire and other artists watched the shows and mingled after hours with the jugglers, clowns, harlequins and acrobats, fortified by the popular (and controversial) drink absinthe, nicknamed the Green Fairy.

It’s an exotic and dazzling performance, a fitting match for Philly’s experimental Fringe Festival. Tickets are available online.

Bonus: don’t forget you can enter our contest to win pair of passes to three different Live Arts and Fringe shows, including Green Fairy Cabaret. Today is your last day to enter!

The Green Fairy Cabaret at the Philly Fringe Festival
When: September 8, 8 p.m., September 9, 8 p.m., September 10, noon and 9 p.m.
Where: Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, 5900 Greene Street, Unit A
Cost: $15 for children (12 and older), $20 for adults
More info: www.ticketing.theatrealliance.org