Odunde Festival

Location: 23rd and South Streets to the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia, PA

 

“ODUNDE was created in 1975 by Lois Fernandez and Ruth Arthur. The festival   attracts UP TO 500,000  people annually and is the largest African American street  festivals held in the country.The festival, whose concept originates from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, West Africa, celebrates the coming of another year for  African Americans and Africanized people around the world.  It is an  occasion highlighted by a colorful procession from  23rd and South Streets to the Schuylkill River where an offering of  fruit and flowers is made to Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of the river.   ODUNDE is also known for its authentic African  marketplace featuring vendors from around the  world selling merchandise  from many African nations, the Caribbean and Brazil. Each year, the second Sunday  in June, ODUNDE takes place covering 12 city blocks.” https://www.odundefestival.org/

Photo credit: https://whyy.org/