Odunde Festival
| Odunde Festival | |
|---|---|
 Odunde Festival celebrated in Southwest Center City in Philadelphia | |
| Observed by | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Type | Cultural, commercial |
| Date | Second Sunday in June |
| 2015 date | June 14 |
| 2016 date | June 12 |
| 2017 date | June 11 |
| 2018 date | June 10 |
| Frequency | annual |
The Odunde Festival is a one-day festival and mostly a street market catered to African-American interests and the African diaspora. It is derived from the tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria in celebration of the new year. It is centered at the intersection of Grays Ferry Avenue and South Street in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
History
The Odunde festival started in Philadelphia in 1975. Lois Fernandez established the festival with $100 from neighborhood donations.[1] The celebration is now the largest African celebration on the east coast of the United States. It is held in the month of June. The festival brings in Africans from all parts of the world, including Africa, Brazil, and other places around the United States.[2] According to WXPN, "... beginning with an all-inclusive spiritual procession to the Schuylkill River, the festival carries on from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., filling the day with vibrant traditional clothing, African food, and art and craft vendors from around the world."[3]
Odunde Festival 2013 on Grays Ferry Avenue
See also
- African-American neighborhood
- Hillbilly Days, a similar festival in Kentucky
References
- ↑ "Oshunbumi Fernandez, Caring Through Culture and Odunde 365".
- ↑ "Our Guide To The Odunde Festival, Set To Bring A Celebration Of African-American Culture To South Street West This Sunday, June 9".
- ↑ "Odunde Festival closes the streets for its 38th anniversary".
