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I'm just gonna go out on a limb here and guess that most people reading this don't frequent the Brewerytown neighborhood much. Perhaps you've caught a show at North Star Bar in nearby Fairmount but didn't make it up to Girard Avenue. Or you saw Philly Weekly's feature earlier this year that labeled Brewerytown the "epicenter" of Philadelphia soul food and swore you were gonna make it over there one day...though probably on a weekend, and probably while it's still daylight outside.
Phillyist forgives you, and your chance to redeem yourself rolls around this Saturday in the form of "Art + SoulFood," a block party in true Philadelphia fashion designed to showcase this historic neighborhood and its culinary and art contributions to the city. That's right, a block party so hip that they made "soul food" one word. The art will be provided by emerging artists who will stage exhibitions in vacant storefronts along Girard Avenue between 26th and 29th Streets (note: definitely check out the Megawords exhibition...always good). There will also be two stages for live music, one at the eastern end of the Avenue and one at the western end. Musical stylings will range from gospel to blues to R&B and funk.
The soulfood will be provided by Debroah's Kitchen and Butter's Soul Food, each giving out free samples during the festivities. Though the samples are free, don't cheap out on these family businesses. Start with a free drumstick, then go for the platter. You'll thank us later. Oh yeah, there will be free Rita's, too. What more could we possibly ask for?
The party is a group effort put on by local artists, property owners, restaurateurs and a local business association, so it is clearly a labor of love. It's true that West Girard Avenue isn't the rejuvenated hipster haven that its eastern counterpart is in Fishtown, but it remains a valued commercial corridor and with nearby attractions like the Art Museum, Girard College (see Hidden City art exhibition this weekend), Fairmount Park, and beautiful residential neighborhoods, you've got more than enough ingredients to mix together for a quality Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love.
Can't make it to the party? It's okay. The exhibitions will remain open for at least one month, and the restaurants, well, they're not going anywhere.
Art + SoulFood
June 13, 2009
6 - 9pm
2600-2900 blocks of West Girard Avenue
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