PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After two years of virtual programming due to the pandemic, Odunde, the country's largest African American festival returned to the Graduate Hospital neighborhood — but it wasn't without a heavy police presence.
Odunde was founded in 1975, and typically takes over a 15-block radius in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood, centered around 23rd and South streets. This year's street festival capped off a week of programming, including workshops, tastings and networking events.
Trash trucks blocked off the streets to through traffic for this year's festival and police officers were stationed throughout.
That's something Andre James didn't mind, considering the gun violence along South Street just over a week ago.
"You can tell the routes are more secure, you see a lot more law enforcement presence," said James. "I feel that because you have a mixture of diversity out here that people will have an open eye, an open concern, will speak up and say something."
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His wife Josephine was enjoying the day. "A lot of love, a lot of friendly faces and everyone's saying hello and speaking," she observed.
Vendor Mike Mohammad was enjoying the celebration as well.
"You can close your eyes and feel safe," he said. "Somebody can lay down and take a nap out here."
Many were checking out the traditional African clothing, jewelry and wooden carvings for sale.
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And what's a festival without food? Heather Byrd said Odunde had that covered. "The food is really good," she said. "We just stopped at Tropical Treats, that was really good. The water ice is really good."
"I feel like everybody is happy to be out," said Josephine James.
"We just had a rough couple of years with the pandemic and it's just like, 'Oh, we can all be outside together now.' It's a great time."