South Street Spring Festival Announces 40 bands, 30 restaurants, Maifest at Brauhaus Schmitz, Family Fun, more

Philadelphia’s largest new outdoor block party returns with eight blocks of food, drink, entertainment, music, arts, family fun, shopping and more 

South Street Spring Festival celebrates the best tastes, sips, sounds and sights of South Street Headhouse District. On Saturday, May 3, 2014, from 11:00am to 8:00pm, enjoy a free, all-ages outdoor party that will close down South Street (between Front and 8th), and also run along the 2nd Street Plaza (between South and Lombard). Forty bands and performers will take to three main stages, as well as eight other performance areas. Thirty restaurants and bars will serve food, cocktails and special brews. Brauhaus Schmitz will host the second annual German Maifest with German beers, dancers and even a May pole. Children will enjoy FREE family fun in the Kids Zone storytelling, arts, crafts, music and performances. Forty artists, crafters and retail vendors will cater to your shopping needs. The Heroes Zone will salute both public service and hometown heroes. South Street Spring Festival is FREE and open to the public (ages 21 and up with identification to drink). For more information, visit www.southstreet.com and follow @officialsouthst #SouthStFest on Twitter.

MAIFEST BY BRAUHAUS SCHMITZ

On the 700 block of South Street, Brauhaus Schmitz will present the second annual German Maifest. Get ready to celebrate a time when flowers are starting to bloom, the winter chill is fading, and consumption of copious amounts of beer is highly encouraged—at least it is in Germany. Strap on your lederhosen and dirndl, and get ready to enjoy this traditional Deutsch festival with:

• May Pole with authentic German dancers between 2:00pm to 6:00pm
• Main Spring Fest stage outside Brauhaus to feature Heimat Klange between 1:30pm and 6:00pm
• In conjunction with Art/Gage and Philadelphia Magic Gardens, make your own fresh flower headbands from 2:00pm to 5:00pm and 6:00pm to 7:00pm (Donation suggested)
• Food will include roasted pork sandwiches, large pretzels, German potato salad, sauerkraut, Bratwurst sandwiches
• Three beer stations will feature six to eight selections of authentic German styles
• Special liter mugs are free when you buy $60 worth of food or drink
• Schnapps station outside with ski plank shots
• Round tables (with umbrellas) for plentiful seating to enjoy entertainment, food and drink
• Special VIP packages for special access to food, drink and inside festivities – this includes access to spring imports!
• All food and drink for Maifest are pay-as-you-go to general public, special pricing/access with VIP ticket

MUSIC

This year’s South Street Spring Festival raises the bar even higher on the quantity and quality of musical acts performing at this free all-day, outdoor music fest.   Music will be heard on three main stages (at 2nd, 5th, and 8th Streets) as well as on every block of the festival at eight street performance locations.  The street will be filled with sounds ranging from accordions, New Orleans jazz, funk and soul, bluegrass, southern rock, indie rock, and blues, to name just a few.  Curated by The Legendary Dobbs, The Twisted Tail and Brauhaus Schmitz, this line-up of musical talent has something for everyone.  If you enjoy great music and dancing in the street this is THE place to be. Over 40 popular local music acts will perform from 11:00am to 8:00pm, including:

2nd Street Stage

• Rowboat Casino
• Kid Felix
• The Great SOCIO
• Zymotic Flow
• Footwork
• The Quixote Project
• Modern Colour
• Downtown Shimmy
• April Mae and the June Bugs 

5th Street Stage

• Stolen Rhodes
• John the Conqueror
• Sweet Leda
• Johnny Popcorn
•  BAAM!
• Cold Roses
• Laura Cheadle
• Gypsy Joe Alves and the Groove Prophets
• Steve Cal Band 

8th Street Stage by Brauhaus Schmitz

• Heimatklange

Performers in other performance areas:

• A Day Without Love (Brian Walker)
• Bastards of Earle
• Ben Abrams
• Blackstars
• Brooks Long
• Cole Campbell
• Cookie Rabinowitz
• Craig / Berto (Great SOCIO)
• Daniel de Jesus
• Greg Sover
• Gypsy Joe Alves and the Groove Prophets
• Joe Jordan
• Justin Gonzalez
• Justin Phillippi
• marc lancaster
• Mike Pays Heat
• Montgomery Streets
• My Man Shafe
• out of the beardspace
• Ovi Horta
• paul st John
• Rachel Schain
• Seth Adam
• skip denenberg
• Tess Emma
• Vanity Plates / Jim Feigan
• Wooden Hez
• xap

FOOD AND DRINK

Spring Festival will close South Street to traffic, and transform this historic business district into one of the city’s largest block parties. At least 30 restaurants, bars, cafes and food trucks will come outside to serve signature food, drinks, and cuisine from around the world. Look for everything from free samples, to special one-off dishes, to signature favorites, to specially priced grab-and-go. Pricing will vary by vendor and ranges from free samples to pay-as-you-go. Participants include: 

• Bistro Romano
• Boyler Room
• Brauhaus Schmitz
• Bridget Foy’s
• Cavanaugh’s Headhouse
• Copabanana
• Delicias
• Fat Tuesday’s
• Headhouse Crab & Oyster Company
• Hot Diggity
• Jon’s Bar & Grille
• Las Bugambilias
• Legendary Dobbs
• Leziz Turkish Cuisine
• The Lite Choice
• Lovash
• Manny Browns
•  O’Neals Pub
• Paddy Whacks
• Pizzeria Stella
• Primo Hoagies
• Redwood
• The Reef
• Rita’s Water Ice
• Steaks on South
• Supper
• The Twisted Tail 
• Woolly Mammoth

FREE FAMILY FUN  

The Kids Zone (located in the 200 block of South Street) will feature engaging activities for the young and the young at heart from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Let your young artists express themselves with hands-on art and craft projects by our community partners, or have a seat for storybook reading. There’s something for everyone, of all ages, in the Kids Zone. The line-up includes:

• Liberty Bellows accordion band
• Performance by Philadelphia Dance Academy
• Martial arts demonstrations by Gracie Academy
• “Discover Your Inner Artist” chalk area
• Storytelling
• Face Painting by Freckles
• Arts and crafts by Fleisher Art Memorial and Queen Village Art Center
• Readings and activities from the Art Sanctuary
• Sand castle art projects
• More to be announced

HEROES ZONE

Join us as we salute both public service and hometown heroes in the Heroes Zone (located in the 600 block of South Street) from 11:00am to 5:00pm, including:

•  Philadelphia Police Department
• Philadelphia Fire Department
• U.S. Coast Guard
• U.S. Air Force
• Civil Air Patrol
• Homeland Security
• American Red Cross
• Local Cub Scouts and civic associations

ART/GAGE BY PHILADELPHIA MAGIC GARDENS

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens can’t wait to show its Philly pride for the seventh year with its ART/GAGE initiative! Since 2007, PMG’s ART/GAGE initiative has offered interactive experiences outside of the museum and classroom to enGAGE a diverse audience with ART, furthering PMG’s mission to inspire creativity and community engagement.

Many arts experiences will be scattered throughout Spring Festival to provide an engaging break between the array of street vendors. PMG exhibiting artist Joel Garcia, all the way from Mexico City, will demonstrate his master papier-mâché skills. Francesca Rivetti from Follicle Studio and Conrad Booker will show off their hair-expertise with a live interactive demonstration of fashion and hair wizardry. 

Feeling thirsty? Stop by Brauhaus Schmitz, grab a drink, and create your own flower head-wreath or painted mug while you sip. The Neighborland project will get festival-goers thinking about South Street’s potential with an interactive endeavor that all are encouraged to take part in. Participants can also create their wheat-paste masterpiece to contribute to a community collage. Last but not least, don’t forget to bring a blank t-shirt and create your own Philly-inspired screen-printed fashion statement with Camden Printworks.

During the festival, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens will also be open to the general public to enter its glittering space. Guided tours will take place at 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Call 215-733-0390 to make your reservation!

SHOPPING

Over 40 artists, crafters, and retailers of all kinds will fill the street and our Artisan fair to serve your shopping needs. District merchants from South Street, Headhouse, Fabric Row and more will offer day of specials and other promotions. 

South Street Spring Festival is free and open to the public. For the full schedule and roster of events, visit www.southstreet.com and follow @officialsouthst #SouthStFest on Twitter. 
 

East Passyunk's Flavors of the Avenue Returns with a Top Chef, New Restaurants, VIP Perks and More

Flavors of the Avenue is back and bigger than ever! East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District (EPABID) welcomes a record-setting 27 restaurants to South Philadelphia’s largest outdoor food and drink festival on Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

Enjoy a true taste of East Passyunk as award-winning restaurants and bars offer samples of their signature dishes and drinks under the cover of a big top tent between Morris and Dickinson streets. Exciting debuts this year include Laurel BYOB by Top Chef Nicholas Elmi, plus previews of yet-to-open restaurants Townsend and Brigantessa. Outside the Flavors tent, guests will enjoy a free street festival with vendors and live music. At the Singing Fountain, Crafty Balboa presents the annual April Showers craft market from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. The event is rain or shine. VIP tickets are $50 per person and include early access and special perks.  General admission tickets are $30.  Tickets are on sale today at www.visiteastpassyunk.com/flavors.htm or by calling (215) 336-1455. Save $5.00 off each ticket when purchased before March 19, 2014 at 11:59pm.  The event sold out last year, so act fast!  

In 2014, Flavors of the Avenue will feature more food and drink than ever before from an expanded roster of restaurants that include:

*  Belle Cakery 
*  Birra 
*  Brigantessa (debut)
*  Cantina Los Caballitos 
*  Chiarella's 
*  El Zarape 
*  Fond 
*  Fuel 
*  Garage
*  Ippolito’s
*  Izumi 
*  Laurel BYOB (debut)
*  Le Virtù  
*  Lucky 13 
*  Mamma Maria Ristorante 
*  Marra’s 
*  Ms. Goody Cupcake 
*  Noir 
*  Noord 
*  Paradiso 
*  Plenty
*  POPE (debut)
*  Stateside
*  Stogie Joe’s
*  Townsend (debut)
*  Tre Scalini 
*  Will BYOB 

Four restaurants will make their Flavors debut, including the yet-to-open Brigantessa and Townsend, as well as recently opened Laurel BYOB by Bravo’s Top Chef Nicholas Elmi.  POPE will also join the Flavors fun for the first time this year.

In addition to the above line-up, EPABID Executive Director Renee Gilinger says, “Stay tuned for an exciting surprise announcement. Guest chef? Special collaboration? New restaurant? You’ll have to wait and see!”

Other exciting news for this year includes an extra 100 VIP tickets on sale, bringing the total to 400 for the first time. VIP perks include early access to the main tent, all-day access to a new VIP-only tent sponsored by Beneficial Bank, plus premium menu items, Pollyodd liqueur samples, and Pinnacle Vodka and Bai cocktails.  VIP tickets are $50 each and include access from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.  As of today, more than 50% of VIP tickets are already sold as a result of EPABID’s Top Chef Finale “Twitter Party.”

Free valet parking for VIP ticket holders will make the food fun even easier, courtesy of ParkOps. The valet stand at East Passyunk Avenue at Morris Street will also be open for general admission ticket holders for only $8.00.

General admission tickets are $30 each and include access from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. All tickets are $5.00 off when purchased before 11:59pm on March 19, 2014 at www.visiteastpassyunk.com/flavors.htm. This event is rain or shine.

In conjunction with Flavors of the Avenue, Crafty Balboa will preset April Showers craft market at the Singing Fountain between 12:00pm and 5:00pm.  Crafty Balboa will feature a record-breakig 40 crafters and artisans this year.

Flavors of the Avenue is an annual benefit to raise funds for EPABID’s public safety programs.  Special thanks to our sponsors Olitsky Family Foundation, Aversa PR & Events, Bai, Beneficial Bank, Gold Medal, Origlio Beverage, ParkOps, Philadelphia Weekly, Pinnacle Vodka, Skinny Girl Wine, South Philly Review, Urban Jungle, UBER, Where Magazine and Yelp.

For more information and directions, like East Passyunk Avenue on Facebook, follow @epassyunkave on Twitter, pin East Passyunk Avenue on Pinterest, visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com or call 215-336-1455.