Block parties are one of the things I miss the most from my childhood. I've been to many in my adult life, too, but as we've grown physically apart in the last ten years, it's easy to lose touch with whatever that essence is that makes block parties reinvigorating. The kinetic energy, the sounds of upbeat chatter and laughter, the music thumping the pavement, and the wafts of smokey barbecue—it's the neighborhood auteur's symphony for the senses. This week features a handful of block parties that will definitely evoke the nostalgia, including the ODUNDE Festival, West Park Arts Fest, and the Rail Park Block Party (featured in this week's roundup).
However, if being in large groups of people still isn't your thing (it's still not quite mine, either), then maybe something more intimate like Tommie Waheed-Evans' softly, as I leave you will do the trick.
Be safe, Philly. With love.
