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**Listen to the 2nd Street Festival LIVE on iRadioPhilly. The 2nd Street Festival is proud to welcome iRadioPhilly to broadcast live from the Piazza Stage. Hear the entire performances by Lushlife, The Great Unknown and ManMan streamed LIVE on iRadioPhilly from 3 to 6 pm Sunday. To listen, visit www.iradiophilly.com or download the FREE iRadioPhilly app for iPhone or Android.**
PHILADELPHIA, PA– 2ND Street Festival today announced they will again partner with the Philadelphia Folksong Society (PFS), the nonprofit parent of the Philadelphia Folk Festival, for the 2nd Street Festival in Northern Liberties on August 5th. With the help of the PFS and the increased support of area businesses and sponsors, festival attendance nearly doubled last year to over 16,000. The festival will expand even beyond last year's footprint, but will again offer art and craft vendors, kids programs, on-street beer gardens, and four stages of roots, hip-hop, indie folk and rock, reggae, world music, DJs, and more. The initial lineup announced for August 5th includes:
Man Man - The Great Unknown - The Spinning Leaves - Blayer Pointdujour & The Rockers Galore - Auctioneer - Chris Kasper - The Kalob Griffin Band - The Doublewides - KC Jones - Norman Taylor - Mikey Jr. - DJ Matt Beck
"We are so delighted to be an honorary member of the Northern Liberties community," says Levi Landis, the PFS Executive Director. Everything about this festival stresses community. The programming is no exception." Indeed, the initial lineup is heavy in Philly bands making good on a national level. The eccentric, experimental folk band Man Man leads the charge, with four studio records, project collaborations with Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) and Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse), and numerous singles on TV and commercials. Landis adds, “Man Man has, quite simply, one of the most fascinating live performances in the country.” In addition to this initial lineup of regional musical delicacies, 2nd Street Festival will be announcing even more artists joining the bill and other news in July.
The focus on community goes beyond the bands on the stages. The 2nd Street Festival was founded by local proprietors Owen Kamihira, owner of Bar Ferdinand and El Camino Real, Oron Daskal of North Bowl, and William Reed of Standard Tap and Johnny Brenda’s. “When we started this festival four years ago, we just wanted to celebrate our neighborhood and have fun doing it,” recalls Oron Daskal. “It’s amazing how much interest it draws now and how much life it brings to 2nd Street.” Last year’s activities included kids’ music and crafts, a mobile band of local musicians leading a literal Philly Folk Parade, over 20 musical acts, and 100 vendors.
Point Entertainment, responsible for booking the Philadelphia Folk Festival each year in August, will also partner with PFS on the 2nd Street Festival, broadening the artistic mission for new audiences in the city. Northern Liberties’ own Electric Factory outfit will offer programming and production services for the Piazza Stage. “You just don’t see widespread organizational collaboration like this,” Landis admits. “It is uncommon and extremely refreshing.”
For more refreshment, the festival will offer gourmet food and beer gardens provided by the neighborhood’s most prominent restaurants, including Standard Tap, Bar Ferdinand, El Camino Real, Gunner’s Run, Cantina Dos Segundos, North Bowl, and more. Expect food and drink specials as well as special business-led community traditions and fanfare.
The 2nd Street Festival will take place on August 5th from noon until 10pm on 2nd Street from the 500 block (Spring Garden) to 1100 (Germantown) block of 2nd Street. Visit www.2ndStFestival.org or www.pfs.org to sign up as a vendor or volunteer.
About 2nd Street Festival
2nd Street Festival is a non-profit dedicated to community building in Northern Liberties and bringing high quality programming and recreation to 2nd Street. Visit www.2ndStFestival.org. The Northern Liberties Business Owners Association (NLBOA) helped in founding the festival, and assists local business to encourage growth and sustainability. Visit www.nolibs.com. The Northern Liberties Neighbors Association, another festival partner, can be found at www.NLNA.org.
About Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philadelphia Folk Festival will celebrate its 51st annual installment August 16-19 on the Old Pool Farm in Upper Salford. Artists announced so far include Lucinda Williams, Trombone Shorty, City and Colour, Steve Earle, John Hiatt and the Combo, and many more. Discounted tickets can be found at www.folkfest.org. The Philadelphia Folksong Society, the nonprofit parent of the festival, offers hundreds of concerts, classes, and workshops annually. Membership and event details at www.pfs.org.
For more information call Levi Landis at the PFS office at 1-800-556-FOLK or email:
Lisa Schwartz, Folk Festival Marketing Chair
Press@folkfest.org
Nicky Devine, 2nd Street Fest Coordinator
Info@2ndstfestival.org
