PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It's fall in Philadelphia and the Center City District is celebrating at Dilworth Park over the weekend. For a lot of people, however, there is still no sense of normalcy as we head into the fall holidays.
10-year-old Hamish McIsaac took a lap or two on the lawn at Dilworth Park.
"They set up a hay maze. It was really fun," he said.
It's part of the district's Harvest Weekend celebration. Michelle Shannon with the Center City District said the festival was a way to activate the space.
"We love the idea of people shopping in Center City, eating out," she said.
The Made in Philadelphia Fall Market also brings fall-themed food, shopping and music to the plaza, as well as pumpkin painting. But the highlight, she said, has been the hay maze, standing two bales high and made up of over 500 bales.
Matt Paoli stumbled upon the set-up while coming to City Hall with his wife and 20-month-old twins to vote. He said he was very conscious of health protocols, particularly at events like this.
"The maze is pretty great," he remarked. "It's pretty wide open, there are not a lot of people in here. There's signage to keep space."
And while some things feel familiar, Paoli admitted even festivities like this one coming this year seem a little odd.
"It definitely feels like the harvest season. I don't know, Halloween is going to be a little challenging this year," he said. "Nothing about this year has been typical."
Larry Jordan came to check it out from South Philadelphia, and echoed that sentiment.
"It's definitely different. We're kind of tossing it back and forth whether we're going to go out walk around, even though it is allowed. Everything just kind of feels out of the norm," he said.
He also brought along his 2 1/2-year-old, Cyrus.
"He's having fun playing with the hay, playing with the birds. I'm trying to tire him out before naptime."
