(PIFA) PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS STREET FAIR details – 4/23/16
Press Release from the Kimmel Center:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, April 1, 2016) –– The Kimmel
Center for the Performing Arts announced today the details of the
celebrated Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA)
Finale Street Fair. The culminating event
of the 16-day festival transforms six blocks of Broad Street (between
Chestnut and South Streets) into Philadelphia’s ultimate FREE block
party featuring dozens of performances, rides, a zip line, popular food
vendors, and this year’s centerpiece – an enormous
waterfall in the center of Broad Street across from the Academy of
Music. The 2016 PIFA Street Fair will take place on Saturday, April 23 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
“We are thrilled to share PIFA’s grand
finale, an amazing free event, and the Kimmel Center’s gift to
Philadelphia,” said Anne Ewers, President & CEO of the Kimmel Center
for the Performing Arts. “The Street Fair is an incredible opportunity
for the city to come together and enjoy the streets and sights they
know so well in a new way, all while interacting with international
performers, beloved local vendors, and one another!”
Dozens of performing troupes and entertainers, amusement rides, food vendors, and more will headline the PIFA Street Fair. Attendees can expect:
PERFORMER HIGHLIGHTS
Squonk – Pittsburgh’s Squonk Opera presents Lady Pneumatica, a 40-foot tall inflatable accordion sculpture of a woman that plays music.
Flippen Out – Extreme trampoline athletes/acrobats/artists performing high-energy stunt shows.
The Living Vines – Back by popular demand from the 2011 PIFA
Street Fair, the Living Vines performers walk around on stilts, dressed
in vine and flower costumes camouflaging themselves as part of their
surroundings.
Golden Mantises – Also back by popular demand from the 2013 PIFA Street Fair these beautiful, larger-than-human bugs with costumes made from handmade wicker baskets delight audiences.
Cirikli Birds – Colorfully plumed wooden puppet birds controlled by stilt performers who interact with the audience.
Wheelmen – Old-timey characters on old-fashioned bicycles.
INTERNATIONAL PERFORMERS
Kamchàtka – A Spanish troupe that
simulates a group of immigrants from 100 years ago who’ve just arrived
in a new land, with their suitcases in-hand. Watch these performers
discover their surroundings for the first time.
The Mamas – A group of North African
street performers who depict four giant mothers carrying their babies on
their backs with puppets and stilts, bejeweled and in colorful dresses.
Les Gonfles – French dancers who perform a beautiful choreographed routine in inflatable outfits.
Aerosculpture – Invented by French
artist Jean-Pierre David, the Aéroplume is an airship with fluttering
wings piloted by an individual performer that will “fly” around the
Kimmel Center.
AND MORE!
RIDES
Street Fair patrons can Zip Line down Broad Street and ride amusement attractions like the
Ferris Wheel, Swings, and The Tornado.
ATMOSPHERE, INTERACTION, AND DINING
Waterfall – In addition to several
grassy areas, trees, water fountains, and other natural elements, a
25-foot waterfall will be installed in the center of Broad Street,
across from the Academy of Music where patrons can
enjoy a picnic with a view.
Food Vendors – In addition to more
than 30 food vendors, Garces Events will have a beer garden set up on
Spruce Street, as well as a food stand, opposite the Kimmel Center. Food
vendors to include: The Cow and the Curd,
Scratch Biscuits, and Hai Street Kitchen.
The PIFA Street Fair is free and open to the public.
A 16-day celebration of art, PIFA showcases
innovation and a breadth of local and international performances and
installations, all curated by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
With more than 60 events across genres and art forms,
PIFA is bookended by Article 13 –
a grand-scale fire, sand, and water installation that tells the story
of migrants from around the world and serves as the grand opening of the
Festival – and the celebrated PIFA Street Fair.
KIMMEL CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center’s
mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages
and serves a broad audience through
diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel
Center campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
(Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck
Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music
(owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the University
of the Arts’ Merriam Theater. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of The Kimmel Center’s
2015-2016 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
