Odunde 50
This year is the 50th celebration of the Odunde Festival, the longest running African American cultural event in the city of Philadelphia.
This year is the 50th celebration of the Odunde Festival, the longest running African American cultural event in the city of Philadelphia. With attendees in the hundreds of thousands and festivities stretching across a dozen city blocks, Odunde has grown from a small communal gathering in a Southwest Philly neighborhood to one of the premiere cultural events for the city.
Odunde was founded by Lois Fernadez following a visit to West Africa. Inspired by the Nigerian New Year celebrations of Yoruba people, she returned to create the Odunde festival, a celebration of the Black diaspora.
Fernandez, a former social worker working in Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services, partnered with Ruth Arthur. What started with a $100 grant and a gathering of neighbors in Southwest Philly in 1975 has become the largest African American street festival in the nation. The festival is now globally recognized as a model for Black festivals nationwide.
Now Odunde is led by Lois’ daughter, president and CEO of Odunde, Oshunbumi Fernandez-West, who has already made a massive impact. Beyond the festival, the spirit of Odunde lives on throughout the year in Odunde365, a series of programming centering the African diaspora.
As a commitment to the community, any funds raised from the Odunde festival go directly to support this programming. Created by Fernandez-West in 2011, Odunde365 focuses on the culture and wellness of Black people across the globe and activities range from African dance courses and drumming classes to educational opportunities and entrepreneurship programs.
As the organization prepares for the 50th celebration of Odunde, they recently announced a new era of leadership.This year, it was announced that Fernandez-West eldest son, Adeniyi Ogundana, is taking leadership reins of his own by accepting the role of chief operating officer for the festival.
Ogundana is preserving his family's legacy while looking to what is next. In addition to leading Odunde’s marketing initiatives and social media, Ogundana announced the next endeavor for the festival, Odunde Sports. After receiving a grant to support this initiative, Ogundana is planning a soccer lounge during this year’s festival and will be located on 17th and South streets.
Odunde has become more than a mere festival. It is a celebration of all that Black folk are. It is a collision of past and present while carrying the hopes of our future. Learn more about Odunde and its efforts all year long here.
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Whitney Roberts
Whitney Roberts is a Philadelphia writer, podcaster, and content creator featured by the NAACP, Wired, NBC, and more. She contributes to outlets like TheRoot and NPR, amplifying diverse voices and stories.
