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It’s almost time for Halloween, and attractions around the city are hosting spooktacular celebrations from the epic Terror Behind the Walls to parties at restaurants and bars to kid-friendly festivals. (Photo courtesy Eastern State)

From the colonial streets still haunted by the ghosts of America’s Founding Fathers, to Eastern State Penitentiary’s award-winning fright fest Terror Behind The Walls, Philadelphia has more than its share of things that go bump in the night.

So to celebrate the most bone-chilling weekend of the year, we’ve selected our top picks for activities and festivities Friday through Monday, October 28-31.

First off, check out our Halloween roundup of haunted houses, frightening festivals, spooky shows and terrifying tours offered all season long; and reference Visit Philly’s Halloween itinerary for even more options.

As for Halloween weekend proper, our top picks for how to celebrate, below:

Restaurants and Bars

• “Heroween” Celebration at City Tap House: Saturday, October 29. Enjoy the ghoulish atmosphere of the City Tap House at the 1st annual Heroween event to benefit the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. Featuring DJ, dancing, raffles and a Halloween fashion show. There will be prizes for best costume, best team costume and highest fundraiser. A $10 donation will be collected at the door.

• Mischief and Martinis at Hotel Palomar: Friday, October 28, 8-11 p.m. The Young Friends of the Foundation for Breast and Prostate Health (FBPH) are hosting “Mischief and Martinis” from 8-11 p.m., where guests will enjoy cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Tickets are $75 a person, with 100% of the proceeds going to the FBPH. An exclusive after party will follow at Tryst, downstairs at Le Bec-Fin.

• Halloween Thrills at Varga Bar: Saturday, October 29, 9 p.m. Think 80′s movie costume party, Flying Fish brewmaster Casey Hughes birthday bash, specials on Great Lakes beer and whiskey and DJ all night.

• 4th Annual Ghosts + Goblins Halloween Party at Manayunk Brewery: Saturday, October 29, 8 p.m. Tickets range from $8-$22.50 (with some proceeds going to P.A.W.S.) and costumes are encouraged. If you’re one of the best of the best, you’ll get the chance to be voted on by the crowd just after midnight to win one of three prizes valued in total over $1,000!

• Halloween, Tryst Le Bar Style: Monday, October 31, doors open at 5 p.m., contest begins at 9 p.m. Join Tryst, downstairs at Le Bec-Fin, for an elegant night of Halloween festivities, including all night drink specials and a Costume Contest, the winner of which will take home a $100 gift card.

• Hollywood Halloween Costume Bash at South Philly Bar & Grill: Friday, October 28. There will be a celebrity look-a-like contest, music and video by DJ Perry Angelozzi, plus great specials. $50 gift certificate goes to the 1st place male and 1st place female. Best costume wins an iPod shuffle!

Dozens more options, below.

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The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts kicks off the second season of its popular PAFA After Dark series with “Homegrown,” this Thursday, October 27.

Not to be confused with Philly Homegrown, although of the same local bent, the event grants you after-hours access to the PAFA galleries, in addition to food, music and drinks, all with a local twist for this edition of the event.

Rock out with the Delaware Valley self-proclaimed “dork-rock duo” Hot Breakfast. Meet the folks from Greensgrow Farm and pick up some pointers on how to keep Philadelphia beautiful.

Sip on local beer brewed by the masters at Yards. Investigate the lure of the local with artists from PAFA’s brand new here. exhibition and find out what it is about the places they come from that inspires their art.

PAFA After Dark takes place on four Thursdays each year from 6 to 9 p.m. Don’t miss the season’s inaugural installment.

You can get tickets online.

PAFA After Dark: Homegrown
When: Thursday, October 27, 6-9 p.m.
Where: Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118-128 N. Broad Street
Cost: Free for PAFA members, $10 advance tickets, $15 at the door
More info: www.pafa.org/afterdark

DOOP! The Philadelphia Union return home this Sunday afternoon for the team's first playoff game ever. PPL Park is going to be rocking, with supporters fired up to cheer on the blue and gold. Go Union! (Photos courtesy Philadelphia Union)

In only their second season in Major League Soccer, the Philadelphia Union are headed to the playoffs.

The Union are the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference and will host the Houston Dynamo this Sunday, October 30, at 4 p.m. at PPL Park.

It’s the first leg of their two-match conference semifinal vs. Houston; the team scoring the most total goals over the two games will advance to the Eastern Conference Championship. (See full playoff bracket below.)

Tickets for game one at PPL Park on Sunday are on sale now.

The Union, who finished the regular season with a 11-8-15 record, are 2-0-2 all-time against Houston, having tied both games at PPL Park and won both at Robertson Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Union’s playoff game is only part one of an epic Philadelphia vs. Texas sports showdown set for this Sunday.

The Eagles will then take on their arch rival Dallas Cowboys on national television at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday Night Football.

It’s shaping up to be a beautiful Sunday. Go Eagles! Go Union!!

Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamos
When: Sunday, October 30, 4 p.m.
Where: PPL Park
More info: philadelphiaunion.com

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The 2.75-acre Shoemaker Green will unite the brand new Penn Park with the rest of the school's campus, boasting native landscaping, porous pavers and ample open green space for large events plus daily lounging. (Image courtesy the University of Pennsylvania)

Penn Park, a brand new 24-acre park and green space on the eastern edge of Penn’s campus, is officially open, an awesome addition to Philadelphia’s green scene and the centerpiece of the university’s 30-year master development plan Penn Connects­.

Now, in an effort to connect Penn’s central campus to Penn Park, construction has begun on Shoemaker Green, an $8 million open space project off 33rd Street between Franklin Field and the Palestra.

The 2.75-acre site was the former home to a tennis court complex, which has been relocated to Penn Park. Shoemaker Green was originally called Palestra Green in the PennConnects plan, but was renamed to honor Class of 1960 Wharton grad Alvin Shoemaker when he became an emeritus trustee in October 2008.

Sustainable design aspects of the project, created by landscape architectural firm Andropogon Associates, include: a rain garden, porous pavers, a cistern for rainwater reuse and silva cell tree trenches.

Classified as a “grey field,” or previously urbanized land, Shoemaker Green will capture and control storm water, plus increase local biodiversity with the planting of native species. By replacing paved surfaces with landscaping, it will also help to reduce urban heat island effect.

According to the Daily Pennsylvanian, as part of the construction, tables and chairs will be placed outside Hutchinson Gym and a new crosswalk will be added on 33rd Street.

As a new public commons area, the open center lawn will be able to adapt to a variety of uses, such as special events like commencement and Penn Relays. Meanwhile, the surrounding secluded spots can be used for outdoor classes or a quiet daytime respite.

Fun fact: Shoemaker Green was chosen as one of more than 150 pilot projects around the globe to test a new Sustainable Sites Initiative rating system for landscapes, anticipated to be analogous to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building ratings. SITES is the first set of national voluntary guidelines and performance benchmarks for the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of landscapes.

Shoemaker Green is expected to be completed by Fall 2012. Check out a few more images of what the space will look like, below.

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Families visit Delaware County’s 300-acre Linvilla Orchards all year long to pick their own in-season fruits and vegetables. Around Halloween, Linvilla hosts Pumpkinland, a festival that includes hayrides, a jack o’ lantern exhibit, face painting, pony rides, costume parade and plenty of pumpkins. (Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

Now through November 6, Linvilla Orchards in Delaware County is hosting their annual Pumpkinland Harvest Festival.

Perfect for all ages, Pumpkinland has endless activities for children and a farm market with seasonal items for adults.

Every day, the festival has live music, straw bale and corn mazes, a costume shop, endless amounts of pumpkins, caramel apple stands and much more. Visitors can also purchase tickets for hayrides, train rides and pony rides.

Upcoming events at Pumpkinland include a jack-o-lantern exhibit designed and carved by Linvilla staff on view until October 30, all-you-can-carry pumpkins for $19.99 on October 30, and face painting all day until 5 p.m. on Halloween night.

Luckily, if you forget to pick up snacks for Halloween, the food market is open until 6 p.m. on Halloween as well.

Stop by Linvilla Orchards for a festive and wicked time for your entire family; and check out our coverage on other Halloween happenings here.

Linvilla Orchards Pumpkinland Festival
When: Now-November 6; Sunday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Where: 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.linvilla.com

The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s singular exhibition, Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus, is closing this weekend, so if you haven’t had a chance to catch it, now is the time.

This is the first Rembrandt exhibition in Philadelphia since 1932. It also reunites a rare series of portraits of Christ for the first time since 1656.

Never before have so many of Rembrandt’s finest paintings, etchings and drawings that depict Jesus Christ and events of his life been assembled for an exhibition.

Fun fact: in our chat with Haley Joel Osment, who’s in town starring in Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Red, he told us visiting the Philadelphia Museum Of Art was on the top of his to-do list while he’s here. So you might catch a glimpse of him while you’re taking in the works of the Dutch master!

You can get tickets online.

Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus
Where: Philadelphia Museum Of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
When: August 3-October 30
Cost: Adults $25, Seniors $23, Students and kids 13-18 $20, Kids 5-12 $12, Kids 4 and under Free
More info: www.philamuseum.org

Previously: The Philadelphia Museum Of Art Presents Rembrandt And The Face Of Jesus, On Display Beginning August 3

The next Philadelphia International Flower Show is set for March 4-11, 2012 packed with more than 10 acres of floral displays and tons of interactive programming. (Photo by R. Kennedy for GPTMC)

The 2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show will be a trip to a tropical heaven.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has announced that the theme of the 2012 Flower Show will be “Islands of Aloha,” bringing the balmy winds of tranquil paradise to Philadelphia from March 4-11, 2012.

To give you a taste of what to expect come this spring, we have a few highlights to share. When you enter the show, you’ll be welcomed to the Hawaiian Islands, a.k.a the Pennsylvania Convention Center, through a giant wave of orchids arching over the entrance.

Tropical plants will rise around cascades of towering waterfalls. All six Big Islands will be represented in showcase gardens that highlight each unique culture through flowers, plants, stories entertainment and vibrant art.

The show will be rife with interactive elements, as the goal for the show is to completely immerse you. A Hawaiian Village and Marketplace will entice visitors to watch artists and craftspeople working on-site. Guests will also be invited to a traditional Hawaiian luau, featuring hula dancing, music and more.

The Philadelphia International Flower Show raises significant funds to support PHS’s community greening programs and other civic initiatives in Philadelphia.

Click here to purchase tickets, available now!

2012 Philadelphia International Flower Show
When: March 4-11, 2012
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, 12th and Arch Streets
Cost: Tickets start at $15
More info: www.theflowershow.com

Just in time for the cooler fall temps, there's a new player in the coffee game in town. (Photo by Jason Varney courtesy Rival Bros)

Food trucks are all the rage in Philadelphia, and now two Philly natives are on the cutting edge of a new “drink truck” trend, with their coffee truck, launching in Love Park later this week.

Jonathan Adams, executive chef of both Pub & Kitchen and The Diving Horse in Avalon, NJ, and Damien Pileggi, an artisanal coffee expert, have teamed up to launch Rival Bros Coffee, a small-batch, custom coffee roaster that encompasses an e-store and mobile coffee shop, The Rival Bros Truck.

The two childhood pals (they grew up in Bucks County and first started working together at Davio’s and Brasserie Perrier) have spent years working to perfect their coffee.

As Pileggi says, “It probably sounds a little fanatical, but we sample each and every varietal that goes into our blends, then we adjust the ratios and the depth of the roasts to achieve our predetermined flavor profile.” His work with La Colombe is true testament to his coffee mastery.

The Rival Bros Truck, a “coffee shop on wheels,” set to open later this week, will feature the best coffee and espresso machines available, including built-in pour-over stations, a La Marzocco two-group espresso machine with pre-infusion paddles, a Fetco extractor brewer and Italian-made Mazzer espresso coffee grinders.

Adams and Pileggi plan to man the truck themselves, hand-pulling espresso shots and choosing the music for guests to enjoy while they wait for their drinks.

Homesick for Philly or too far from Love Park to make it over in the mornings? The Rival Bros Coffee beans can be ordered online (starting now!) and shipped anywhere in the country. There are four standard blends: Whistle & Cuss, an espresso blend; Revolver, a Latin American-based drip coffee; Featherweight, the lightest roast; and Palooka, a decaf coffee.

Follow Rival Bros on Twitter for updates on the truck. It’s set to be open in Love Park Monday through Friday, 7-10:30 a.m.

Rival Bros Coffee
www.rivalbros.com

The Penn Museum has sponsored more than 400 worldwide scientific expeditions, which yielded many of the artifacts now on view as part of 'Human Evolution.' (Photo courtesy Penn Museum)

The ongoing story of human evolution, which scientists trace back more than 200 million years, is the subject of the Penn Museum’s latest long-term exhibition, on view now.

Human Evolution: The First 200 Million Years invites visitors to explore the fascinating process of evolution and its profound impact on humans.

The interactive exhibit features multimedia programs, as well as more than 100 touchable casts of fossil bones from primate and human evolutionary records.

Human Evolution invites visitors to explore key fossils archeologists and other scientists have discovered around the world and continue to interpret in an effort to better understand our ancient past and the intricate evolutionary processes in our everyday lives.

Be sure to also check out the awesome interactive website accompanying the exhibition.

And click here to check out our coverage of other events going on at the museum.

Human Evolution: The First 200 Million Years
When: On long-term view now
Where: Penn Museum, 3260 South Street
Cost: $10 adults; $7 senior citizens (65+); $6 students and children; free for children under 6 and PennCard holders
More info: www.penn.museum

What do local craft beer, delicious fall-flavored warm doughnuts and the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) have in common?

They’re all of a piece for a tasty foodie fundraising event tomorrow, Tuesday, October 25.

Head to Devil’s Den in South Philly any time tomorrow to enjoy the three delectable pairings featuring Krispy Kreme’s baked pieces of heaven: the Original Glazed Donut with Philadelphia Brewing Company’s Joe Porter; Cinnamon Bun Doughnut with Yards’ Thomas Jefferson Ale; and the Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnut with Weyerbacher’s Verboten.

Each flight, which includes all three pairings, is available for $10, with $4 from each sale going to PAWS.

Devil’s Den and Krispy Kreme’s Doughnut and Craft Beer Tasting for PAWS
Where: Devil’s Den, 1148 S. 11th Street
When: Tuesday, October 25, all day
Cost: $10 per flight
More info: www.phillypaws.org