Odunde Festival 2025: What to know about Philly’s 50th annual African cultural celebration
The Odunde Festival celebrates 50 years in Philly on Sunday, June 8, with live music, African and Caribbean food, a river procession, road closures, and two performance stages.
What started as a small block gathering with a $100 grant is now turning 50.
The Odunde Festival — one of the largest African American street festivals in the country — returns to South Philadelphia on Sunday, June 8, to mark its milestone year with a daylong celebration of African culture, community, and tradition.
The free event draws as many as 500,000 attendees each year, transforming South Street and the surrounding area into a vibrant showcase of live music, dance, art, and food from across the African diaspora.
The festival was founded in 1975 by Lois Fernandez, a Philadelphia social worker inspired by a Yoruba pilgrimage she took to Nigeria. Now led by her daughter, Oshunbumi Fernandez-West, Odunde has grown into a 15-block cultural institution — one that continues to honor its roots while evolving with the city it calls home.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s golden anniversary celebration.
When is the Odunde Festival?
This year’s 50th annual Odunde Festival takes place on Sunday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Festivities begin at noon with a vibrant procession, and then the streets fill with celebration. Two live performance stages — one at 23rd and South Streets and another at Grays Ferry Avenue and Catherine Street — will feature a full day of music and dance.
The Odunde procession
The festival begins at noon with a spiritual procession that starts at 23rd and South Streets, and moves toward the Schuylkill, where participants make traditional offerings — including fruit and flowers — to Oshun, the Yoruba goddess of the river. The ritual, which honors the festival’s West African roots, is open to all and serves as the cultural and spiritual kickoff to the day’s events.
Events and performers at the Odunde Festival
Two main stages — one at 23rd and South Streets and another at Grays Ferry Avenue and Catherine Street — will feature a full day of live music, dance, and cultural performances.
This year’s headliners include hip-hop legends Rakim and Doug E. Fresh, who will take the 23rd Street stage at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. Expect high-energy sets that blend old-school beats with the celebratory spirit of the festival’s 50th anniversary.
Arts and crafts vendors
More than 100 vendors will line the streets, offering handmade goods like jewelry, clothing, art, and natural body care products. The African marketplace also features authentic wares from Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, making it one of the most vibrant and diverse shopping experiences in the city.
Will there be food and drinks?
The festival brings African, Caribbean, soul, and Brazilian food to Philadelphia. There will be food vendors all over the 16 blocks of the festival.
Road closures
The following roads will be closed from 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 8, to 1 a.m. on Monday, June 9, and will be marked as temporary no-parking zones:
South Street, from 15th Street to South Bambrey Street
23rd Street, from Lombard Street to Grays Ferry Avenue
22nd Street, from Lombard Street to Bainbridge Street
Grays Ferry Avenue, from South Street to Fitzwater Street
If you’re worried about parking, check out The Inquirer’s guide on parking near Philly’s biggest attractions.
How to get to the Odunde Festival
Your best bet is to take public transit — driving and parking will be tricky due to street closures.
SEPTA’s B-Line subway (formerly the Broad Street Line) drops you just a few blocks from the action at Lombard-South Station. You can also take Regional Rail to Suburban Station or hop on a trolley and walk from City Hall.
Several bus routes — including the 7, 12, 17, and 40 — normally stop near the festival footprint. But keep in mind: All four will be on detour starting at 5 a.m. Sunday, June 8, through midnight due to street closures.
🧭 Tip: Use SEPTA’s Trip Planner at plan.septa.org or the Transit app to plan your route before heading out.
Where does the money go?
Odunde is a nonprofit organization. The funds generated by the festival will go toward Odunde 365, a program that provides yoga, dance, fashion, karate, fitness, videography, and other programs for Philadelphia youth.