The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) has returned! The popular art festival has returned to the Kimmel Center campus with its 16 day celebration of art and community, PIFA showcases innovation and a breadth of local and international performances and installations, all curated by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. With more than 60 events, PIFA is illustrated by a grand-scale fire and sand installation that tells the story of immigrants around the world. This appears as the grand opening of the Festival and starts the celebrated PIFA Street Fair.
This year’s festival is the 3rd installment of the concept “We Are What We Make”, which explores how our humanity has been shaped, changed, and inspired by the world we have created. This is all displayed through a variety of performing and visual arts. One of the more popular events of PIFA is the street fair! This takes place on the last day of the festival from 11am to 7pm, and it is PIFA’s highly anticipated finale. It transforms six blocks of Broad Street into Philadelphia’s ultimate free art party. Featuring dozens of performances, rides, a zip line, and many popular food vendors. This year, there is a special centerpiece – a waterfall in the center of Broad Street. The performances include Flippen out, high performance trampoline athletes who put on an energetic show. The Living Vines are also there, performers who walk around on stilts dressed in vine and flower costumes to act as camouflage.
The street fair is open to the public, and the atmosphere is what influences most people to go. With great food, great performances and great interaction, it is an event that you won’t want to miss. Although the arts festival has already started, you have until the 23rd to make a visit to the usual performances. It is highly recommended that you make it to the street festival finale.