ODUNDE, the nation's largest African American cultural street festival, is back on the streets of Philadelphia in 2023.
Mayor Jim Kenney along with other Philadelphia leaders and organizers of the ODUNDE festival announced the return of celebrations for the long-running cultural festival Tuesday, May 30.
"I couldn't be more excited for this year's festival. I look forward to many more years of ODUNDE. We're going to celebrate each other's different cultures but we're all the same because we all come from Philadelphia," Kenney said.
Spanning more than 15-city blocks along South Street and Greys Ferry Avenue, the 48th edition of festival will return June 11 with over 100 arts and crafts and food vendors, and live performances. Chrisette Michele will headline the South Street Stage for the 2023 festival. Past ODUNDE performers include KRS-One and Floetry.
Get Philly local news, weather forecasts, sports and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters.
The fun begins before the large festival. ODUNDE will be hosting a week of activities starting June 5, 2023. Activities leading up to the big festival include a business roundtable, yoga and a t-shirt giveaway.
Nearly 500,000 people have attended the street festival in year's past, bringing in millions of dollars to the city, according to organizers.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Lois Fernandez started the festival in 1975 with a $100 grant and the help of South Philadelphians to celebrate African and African American culture.
Road closures, parking restriction, SEPTA detours on June 11, 2023
The City of Philadelphia revealed these road closures from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday, June 11:
- 1700 to 2400 blocks of South Street, between 17th St. and S. Bambrey St.
- 500 to 600 blocks of 23rd Street, between Lombard St. and South St.
- 500 to 600 blocks of 22nd Street, between Lombard St. and Bainbridge St.
- 2200 to 2500 blocks of Grays Ferry Avenue, between South St. and Carpenter St.
Expect parking restrictions in the festival zone during the same 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. time period: "Vehicles parked in these locations during posted hours will be relocated," the City said. "If you believe your car has been relocated, call the police district of the area where your car was parked."
SEPTA's 7, 12, 17 and 40 bus routes will be detoured from 5 a.m. Sunday to midnight.
