CultureFest Embodies All the Best things about Philly in the Summer
What happens when you combine the joy of a block party, the style of a fashion show, the feels of a family reunion, and all wrapped up into a full-out celebration of Black culture?
What happens when you combine the joy of a block party, the style of a fashion show, the feels of a family reunion, and wrap it up into a full-out celebration of Black culture?
You get CultureFest, an event that embodies all of the best things about summertime in Philly. Good music, good food, good location with some good folk? Sounds like the ideal way to spend a summer evening.
Held at Penn’s Landing’s Liberty Point on Saturday, July 27th, the inaugural event was a sold-out and much-needed expression of joy, heritage, and cultural pride.
The 21-and-up-only event boasted a curated menu of food and drinks, a marketplace featuring various Black-owned businesses, live art activations, interactive activities such as a coloring station hosted by local artists, and photo installations for the folks who love to pose for the camera (flick, flick!).
Like any good gathering of folks in the summertime, a central feature of Culturefest was music. DJ sets paired with live performances by artists like stilt performer Mafalda Thomas-Bouzy and Sunflower Grimes kept the energy going. Needless to say, line dances were a definite.
Culturefest culminated with a moment to honor local tastemakers and influencers making a difference and cultural impact in Philadelphia. Among those honored for their contributions to Philly, Oshunbumi Fernandez-West, CEO of the Odunde Festival, the largest street festival celebrating Black Culture in the country, received her much-due flowers.
According to Sonia “Sunny” Blount, CEO of Kabila Events, that was intentional. “CultureFest serves as a creative medium to support and spotlight cultural influencers in the city and engage diverse audiences through culturally relevant entertainment, food, art, and activations,” said Blount. “We strive to promote collaboration and community engagement.”
Kabila Events are the same minds behind the popular Philadelphia Black Wine Festival and various partnerships with local organizations and institutions, including Temple University, The Sixers, and the Philadelphia Film Festival.
As a native Philadelphian, Blount’s passion for the City of Brotherly Love, curating joyful spaces for its people, and supporting all things Black-owned is palpable, especially in CultureFest. “I believe CultureFest fills our human need to be connected and experience love,” said Blount. “We package it with culturally relevant music and experiences but the overall goal not only for this event but the mission of the company is to provide a space for people to connect.”
CultureFest was anything but another street party in the summer, but an intentional celebration and full embrace of all things Black and Philly. After witnessing the absolute joy of CultureFest, we certainly hope this is just the beginning.
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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.
