Good news – it looks like Hurricane Matthew is heading out to sea and Old City Fest will be going off without a hitch on Sunday.

OLD CITY DISTRICT CELEBRATES ART AND DESIGN, FOOD AND FASHION, CREATIVITY AND CULTURE AT OLD CITY FEST ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2016

Philadelphia, PA — Old City District presents Old City Fest on Sunday, October 9, 2016, from 11:00am to 6:00pm, along N. 3rd Street (from Market to Race) and Arch Street (from 2nd to 4th). Activities will include a festival stage with live music, two runway fashion shows, a family fun zone, pop-up street performances and a wide array of food, beverages, art, craft and retail shopping, with 100+ Old City vendors participating. Admission is free, with food and drink pay-as-you-go

“Old City Fest highlights our region’s premier arts and design district, showcasing local designers, creative firms, restaurants, retailers, galleries, theater, culture, history and architecture,” said Old City District’s Executive Director, Job Itzkowitz. “Old City Fest was designed to be different.

The city has tons of amazing neighborhood-based festivals with food, drink and music. We wanted to take that one step farther and celebrate all that makes America’s most historic square mile unique. We curated the event to give Old City’s merchants, artists, makers and creative community a platform to shine for the region.”

Philadelphia Independents is sponsoring Independents Row, a special designated area featuring selected artists and makers. Meet the makers and peruse their handmade goods along 3rd Street in front of 35 N. 3rd Street. Independents Row will include:

As the Crow Flies
Betsy Ann Paper
Britta Keenan
The Golden Hen
Mason Made
The Nautical Rose
Philadelphia Independents
Pink Hammers (Family Fun Zone)
Saffron Creations
Sarah Draws Things
Stanley, Chester & Albert
Stitch Prism
Sweet Mama Lew (Family Fun Zone)
Threet Ceramics
Tim Eads
The Tin Goat

Old City District presents Old City Fest on Sunday, October 9, 2016, from 11:00am to 6:00pm, along N. 3rd Street (from Market to Race) and Arch Street (from 2nd to 4th). Activities will include a festival stage with live music, two runway fashion shows, a family fun zone, pop-up street performances and a wide array of food, beverages, art, craft and retail shopping, with 100+ Old City vendors participating. Admission is free, with food and drink pay-as-you-go. For more info, visit oldcitydistrict.org, tweet @OldCityDistrict or call (215) 592-7929. Old City Fest is produced by Old City District with support from major sponsors Bridge, Colonial Penn, Comcast, Mighty Engine, MRP Realty, Where Magazine, Xfinity, Yelp, plus other sponsors and contributors.

OLD CITY FASHION SHOW

Old City Fest will host two fashion shows (2:00pm and 3:30pm) beneath the fall foliage of 3rd and Cherry Streets in front of MADE Institute’s Design Studio to highlight the innovation and sophistication that is Old City Fashion. Reannin Celins, from Smak Parlou and Instagram Style Blogger, will serve as emcee. Our first show will feature one of a kind, handmade work from MADE Institute’s current students and members of their Designer Development Program, including Tienel and Harx Four. Wilhelmina models will take the stage once again in the afternoon to share new fall styles from local boutiques and design collectives that celebrate Independent Designers and Diversity through fashion. These boutiques include Smak Parlour, Fason De Viv and shared space boutique, 323 Arch Street Fashion Collective, who will be represented by the brands LELE and National Picnic. The show will be set to music mixed by Cosmo Baker of Philadelphia’s Scratch Academy. Hair and makeup will be provided by Old City’s own Lakshmi Hair Studio. Whether your taste is contemporary, edgy, glam, or bohemian, these shows will not disappoint!

There are lots of fun family events.

FAMILY FUN ZONE

The family fun zone will feature performances from the Give & Take Jugglers, Philadelphia Dance Academy, Music Monkey Jungle and many more. AMERICAN HERITAGE® Chocolate, the historic division of Mars Chocolate, will present the history and preparation of colonial chocolate at the Betsy Ross House. Stop by to experience chocolate the same way that 18th century chocolate maker, Mary Crathorne, did! Check in as special guests will visiting throughout the day. You might recognize some of America’s most famous neighbors!

12:00pm – Gymnastics presentation by students from Relentless Fitness
1:00pm – Arden Drama School
2:00pm – Pirates of Fortune’s Folly Stunt Show SpectaculARRRR!
3:00pm – Philadelphia Dance Academy
4:00pm – Music Monkey Jungle
5:00pm – Give & Take Jugglers

From its historic past to its artful present to its tech future, Old City is the place to be! Look for vibrant and diverse offerings that make the neighborhood the historic gem of Philadelphia. Old City staples lining the streets will include Buddakan, Continental, Cuba Libre, Franklin Fountain, Old City Coffee, Sassafras, Center for Art in Wood, Clay Studio, Smak Parlour, and Third Street Habit. Start-ups and newer businesses including Conversion, The Little Lion, People Prints and Select Shop 215 are just some of the more than 100 vendors. Mark your calendar, tell your friends and come prepared for a festival unlike any other. For a full list of activities, vendors, schedules and other information, see below or visit oldcitydistrict.org.

The lineup of Old City restaurants showcases the wide variety of styles and flavors while highlighting some of the best food and drinks. With more than two dozen food vendors setting up shop for the festival there is something for everyone. (*New to Old City Fest for 2016.)

MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE

Old City Fest will feature live performances from Worldtown Soundsystem, DJ D-ILL, Ernest Stuart and Hannah Taylor and the Rekardo Lee Trio on the main stage located at 4th and Arch Streets throughout the day. Plus, look out for Almanac Dance Circus Theatre and other pop-up performances throughout the festival footprint!

* Hannah Taylor and the Rekardo Lee Trio – 12:30pm

Hannah Taylor was born a little orphan girl to a black bear in the Upstate New York woods. She was raised on blackberries and moonshine. As an adult, following her stint as Aretha Franklin’s backup singer, she ventured to Philadelphia and fell in love with our city. Rockabilly, country and rock fans alike agree… Despite a lack of male pompadours, the band knows how to keep the dance floor hopping and the drinks flowing.

* Ernest Stuart – 2:00pm

Philadelphia native Ernest Stuart is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Center City Jazz Festival. Stuart is a graduate of Temple University where he earned a B.A. in Jazz Performance. While attending Temple University Ernest Stuart became known as a versatile trombonist who could play various styles of music from jazz, salsa, R&B, neo-soul to hip-hop.

* DJ D-ILL – 3:30pm

Dylan Curtis, a.k.a., DJ D-ILL was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the age of nine, D-ILL began to take an interest in DJ’ing.  His previous DJ engagements include; White House’s fifth annual Kids’ “State Dinner”, Host/DJ for Kid Zone at WAWA Welcome America Philadelphia on July 3rd & 4th, opening DJ for Andy Mineo Youth Concert, being host DJ for the 2016 DJ Independence Day and the 2016 Jubilee concert series, featured DJ for BoomBox Life on WildFire Internet Radio and Al Black’s Show on Blazin267 Internet radio, and performing at the Philly Hip Hop Indie Awards.

* Worldtown Sound System – 5:00pm

Worldtown Soundsystem is a unique, high-energy live music experience uniting the spheres of electronic dance music and world rhythms with live, organic instruments. Performing soulful, energizing house music compositions while showcasing influences from Afrobeat, Latin rhythms and classic funk, this electrifying 10-piece band boasts a seasoned cast of musicians from around the globe.

ABOUT OLD CITY DISTRICT

The Old City District is a special services district, managed by a board of directors drawn from area commercial property owners, business people and civic organizations.  Located in the most historic square mile of the United States, Old City is a unique blend of historic influence and modern lifestyles. Old City has reinvented itself from foundries, factories and warehouse spaces into the residential, retail, dining and cultural destination of the city with art galleries, restaurants, and upscale retail boutiques and historic tours. www.oldcitydistrict.org.

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