-Courtesy of Aversa PR & Events
East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District presents the inaugural East Passyunk Music Festival, sponsored by Samuels Seafood, Giordano Garden Groceries, Penn Beer and WXPN, on Sunday, September 10, 2023, from 11:00am to 6:00pm. The all day, all ages family-friendly music and food festival will take over East Passyunk from Broad to Dickinson streets. Enjoy a full day of live music paired with award-winning food and seasonal sips all under the beautiful end of summer skies.
Over two dozen artists and bands will perform at five stages and performance areas, with genres spanning from jazz, indie rock, world beats, funk horns, reggae, salsa, hip hop, country, opera and more. Early artists announced include South Philly’s own Cosmo Baker, DJ Diamond Kuts, the Avenue’s long-time favorite Brown Sugar, the East Passyunk Opera Project, the beats of Batala Philly, plus Korine, the Paul Green Rock Academy, City Rhythm, Lady HD, Jimmy Jorge and the Latin Express, Shakoor Hakeem, and Guachinangos. Restaurants serving outdoors will include Bing Bing Dim Sum, Ember & Ash, Barcelona, Pistola’s del Sur, Cantina Los Caballitos, LaScala’s Birra, plus many more to be announced maker and vintage pop-up market curated by Nice Things Handmade, Amelie’s Bark Shop new dog truck, family fun, face painting, balloon animals, bounce house, stilt-walkers, goat rescue, arts and crafts, shopping, retail specials, pop-up events and more. The event is free and open to the public, with food and drink pay-as-you-go. For more information, visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com and follow @eastpassyunk.
“We are excited to debut the first-ever East Passyunk Music Festival featuring more than two dozen top bands, musicians, live performers and DJs – including South Philly favorite Cosmo Baker and MTV’s DJ Diamond Kuts,” said new EPABID Executive Director Rebecca O’Leary. “This new event will be the first cross-cultural music festival on East Passyunk Avenue. We will pair some of the very best and biggest entertainers in the region with our nationally recognized food scene. Come out and enjoy a day of great music, delicious food and cold seasonal sips while strolling and shopping on East Passyunk. Bring the family- this event is for everyone.”
She added, “We are excited to host this inaugural all day event and move the needle with impactful, multicultural and multigenerational programming to attract more people from across the region to visit, shop and live on East Passyunk. We want to celebrate the best of the Avenue and all we are known for, but we also want to shine the spotlight on lesser-known elements of the Avenue, our amazing retail and small business mix, and our growing music scene. We hope to see our South Philly familiar faces, but also new faces from Center City, South Jersey, the Main Line and the farther suburbs. This is going to be a memorable event with top quality talent lighting up our stages – we hope to see you dancing in the street like only we do down here on East Passyunk!”
MUSIC LINE-UP
For the Avenue’s history-making first music festival, EPABID and O’Leary tapped into the many talents of Pete Spina – who is chairing the festival music committee. Spina is known around the region as one of the founders of City Rhythm Orchestra. Spina also has many ties to South Philly, where he also serves as Music Director at St. Nicholas Church. Spina and the festival committee have been working hard for months to curate the perfect mix for the stages that will feature South Philly and Philadelphia favorites, mixed with up-and-coming new artists who work in a wide range of styles and genres, as listed below (MC’d by Joe Conklin).
Juniper Street Stage / Giordano Garden Groceries Stage
11:00am Casey Parker Band – Popular Philly-scene singer brings a wide selection of covers and originals from Rock to Soul to Funk
12:00pm – Cordelia Blue – John Bickel and Luke Ferracone front an incredible 4-piece organ driven blues and soul experience
1:00pm – West Philadelphia Orchestra – An eclectic brass band inspired by Balkan, klezmer, free jazz, punk and more
2:00pm – Guachinangos – Exciting fusion of Mexican Jarocho and Colombian Cumbia rhythms and an electrifying stage energy
3:00pm – Shakoor Hakeem – Boundary-pushing percussionist & industrial sound architect draws on Afro-Cuban musical roots to create imaginative soundscapes
4:00pm – Paul Green Rock Academy -Rising stars presented by the man responsible for changing the way that rock music is taught internationally
5:00pm – Korine – Morgy Ramone and Trey Frye blend new wave, early emo, and punk contrasting upbeat rhythms against evocative lyrics
Watkins Street Stage
11:00am – Red Touch Black – Psychedelic melodies, fuzz heavy riffs and dreamy synth from South Philly
12:00pm – The Last Generation on Film – Philly based ambient synthpop sound led by Jeff Familetti and Ryan Bayle
1:00pm – Brown Sugar – Exciting Philadelphia based Rolling Stones Tribute Band
2:00pm – City Rhythm – Great music and great fun as the 11-piece group plays blues, funk and standards with their award winning horns & vocals
3:00pm – Francis Mbappe and the Tribe – Enthralling Afro Beat music with funk in its conception, rock in the attitude, swing in the movement and soul in the spirit
4:00pm – Lady HD – Ciaran Wall mixes his Peruvian Psychedlic roots and Trip Hop/Philly Soul influecnces for an exciting fusion he calls “Fuzz Funk”
5:00pm – Jimmy Jorge and the Latin Express – Philly’s top salsa band dazzles with their horns and captivating rhythms, plus a Latin dance lesson by the Society Hill Dance Academy
Mifflin Street Stage
11:30am – Matthew Gordon – Award winning Bluegrass duo
12:30pm – Valentina Janie – Captivating Philadelphia based singer-songwriter of rock, blues and soul
1:30pm – East Passyunk Opera Project – Bringing opera up close and personal to the community
2:30pm – Elegance String Quartet – Stunning renditions of classical music, acoustic covers of modern songs and rock tunes performed on electric string instruments
3:30pm – Batala Philly – Dazzling authentic Brazilian drums and costumes create a captivating performance
4:30pm – Mia Johnson – Popular Philly singer-songwriter also delivering pop favorites
Tasker Street Stage
Cosmo Baker – Globally known artist and top-tier DJ has toured 50 countries with his genre-spanning selection and explosive stage presence
Latchkey – Local DJs presented by fab Avenue shop
Lelu Lenore – Captivating performance to the tunes of Stevie Nicks
Moore Street
Presented by Flannel and Stogie Joe’s – Local favorites from mainstay music presenters on the avenue.
AWARD-WINNING FOOD AND DRINK
America’s Top 10 Foodie Street will have dozens of East Passyunk’s award-winning restaurants, bars, cafes and eateries serving out in the street under the blue skies. Look for everything from street food favorites, tasty handhelds, vegan delights, sweet and savory options, and South Philly classics.
ARTISTS, MAKERS, VINTAGE VENDORS
Nice Things Handmade (1731 East Passyunk) will present a curated selection of more than 80+ artists, makers and vintage vendors.
SHOPPING, VENDORS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS
Look for some of the biggest and most celebrated retail shops on East Passyunk to be out on the street with sidewalk sales, merchandise and signature items.
The festival footprint will also include dozens of community groups, sponsors and other booths, including PARC, Fulton Bank, WXPN and many more. Make sure not to miss limited edition concert posters and t-shirts designed by South Philly based artist, Martha Rich.
FAMILY FUN
Bring the entire family for all-ages family fun during the festival, including Philly Goat Project, face painting, balloon animals, bounce house, Bubble Lady, stilt walkers – and more to be announced closer to the festival.
East Passyunk Music Festival
Presented by East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District
Sunday, September 10, 2023
11:00am to 6:00pm
East Passyunk from Broad to Dickinson streets
Free to attend, food/drink pay-as-you-go
For more information, visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com and follow @eastpassyunk.
ABOUT EAST PASSYUNK BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District is home to 160+ independently owned shops and restaurants that perfectly balance the best of old and new. East Passyunk is a mile-long continuously walkable corridor mixing boutique shopping, world-class cuisine, and world-famous cheese steaks, with trendy shops, handmade arts, and popular events. More than 50 eateries offer a diverse array of dining options, from authentic traditional Italian, to fine contemporary American, to Mexican, Asian, gastropubs and more, including many regulars on Philly’s top best-of lists. Centered around the beautiful Singing Fountain, a communal gathering place on Tasker Street, this store-lined commercial corridor is a South Philly gem.
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