By mid-November, Philly families can sense the excitement of the holidays. So, does our Events Calendar, as it is jam-packed with events celebrating the season. Santa has arrived at the mall and holiday shows have already hit the stage.

However, if you aren't quite ready to delve into the holidays, there are tons of wonderful non-holiday events this weekend. Attend the National Dog Show at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. Learn about the Native Americans at Great Valley Nature Center's Lenape Festival. Or, hear the West Philadelphia Orchestra at its free concert, held at Philadelphia's Central Library.

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November brings kids playing in piles of colorful leaves, crispy cool mornings, Thanksgiving Day and lyrics from Guns-N-Roses' November Rain to my mind. But, the reality is that the first two weeks of the month provide a brief pause for Philly families before the hustle and bustle of the holidays set in.

If you are looking to spend some QT with the family, there are many options going on throughout the Delaware Valley this weekend. Explore an art museum, see a show, go outside and embrace nature or celebrate a Veteran.

Read on to find our top picks for the weekend but make certain to browse through our recently published November Go List as well as the entire Events Calendar. However you enjoy the weekend, make it a great one!

Throughout Philadelphia, you can feel the excitement. At long last, Halloween weekend is here! Kids anxiously await their door-to-door journey to gather treats, while parents secretly hope the children return with their favorite candy. But, the best news of all is the extra hour we get from Daylight Savings Time. Make the most of that extra 60 minutes with fun found on our Events Calendar.

Explore Mütter Museum, Penn Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art and Lancaster Museum of Art as they each celebrate Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Watch a show such as The Media Theater's A Tale of Beauty and The Beast or Hedgerow Theatre's Storytime! King Arthur. Or, take the family to see Adventure Aquarium's Weeki Wachee Mermaids do their underwater acrobatics.

Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter which is delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday morning. And, don't forget to turn back your clocks. I'll be enjoy my extra hour raiding my kids' candy stash.