Watch CBS News

Odunde Festival Returns To South Philly To Celebrate A Milestone

By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Odunde Festival will take over 12 city blocks in South Philadelphia tomorrow. It's the country's largest African street festival and it's celebrating a milestone.

"Forty years, it's just amazing for me to say that. Forty years!"

Oshunbumi Fernandez was a baby strapped to her mother Lois' back when the first Odunde Festival took place.

Fast forward, 40 years, and the festival attracts tens of thousands from all over the city, brings in more than a hundred vendors, with multiple stages and free cultural performances.

"Joan Myers Brown is bring PhilaDanco to Odunde, we have kulu mele African heritage dancers and everything will culminate on South Street stage. We have hip hop legends Curtis Blow, we have Chubb Rock, Special Ed and Kwame."

Odunde runs from 20th and South Streets to 24th and South Streets, and from 23rd and Ordan Streets all the way to Grays Ferry.

The festival kicks off at noon tomorrow. More at odundefestival.org.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.