Type Cultural, commercial 2016 date June 12 (2016-06-12) 2018 date June 10 (2018-06-10) | Date Second Sunday in June 2017 date June 11 (2017-06-11) | |
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Observed by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA | ||
The Odunde Festival is a one-day festival and mostly a street market catered to African-American interests and the African diaspora. It is derived from the tradition of the Yoruba people of Nigeria in celebration of the new year. It is centered at the intersection of Grays Ferry Avenue and South Street in the U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
History
The Odunde festival started in Philadelphia in 1975. Lois Fernandez established the festival with $100 from neighborhood donations. The celebration is now the largest African celebration on the east coast of the United States. It is held in the month of June. The festival brings in Africans from all parts of the world, including Africa, Brazil, and other places around the United States. According to WXPN, "... beginning with an all-inclusive spiritual procession to the Schuylkill River, the festival carries on from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., filling the day with vibrant traditional clothing, African food, and art and craft vendors from around the world."