PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The food, the clothing, the dances, the music — the Odunde Festival in Philadelphia is the largest African American street festival in the country, with a $30 million economic impact on the state of Pennsylvania and $28 million on the city.
Oshunbumi Fernandez-West sits at the helm of Odunde, which was founded by her mother.
“My mother loved Nigerian culture,” she said. “In 1972, she visited Nigeria and she experienced the Oshun festival. Three years later, she shared her idea with her friend Ruth Arthur, and together they co-founded Odunde in 1975.”
Odunde means “happy new year” in the Yoruba language, signifying renewal and celebration. Fernandez-West took over as CEO 30 years ago, and the 16-block outdoor extravaganza now draws hundreds of thousands of people to the region.
“It’s a wonderful experience,” she said. “People say that when they come to Odunde, it rejuvenates their spirit. Throughout the year, they’re worn down. And my mother created Odunde because she wanted to educate people about the importance of African and African American culture.”
The festival has been going strong for more than five decades.
“The only reason why Odunde has survived for 51 years is because of the community,” she added. “They come out, rain or shine. They support our vendors. They support the arts and crafts.”
Fernandez-West was not happy with engaging with the community once a year, so she developed year-round programming called Odunde 365.
“We cover all aspects — mentally, emotionally, spiritually — all aspects of your life to make sure that we deal as from a holistic point of view, and we would deal with the whole person.”
For her, Odunde is not just a festival; it’s spiritual.
“I am doing what God has ordained me to do. When God gives you an assignment, you have to fulfill it. Everybody wants to be in the spotlight. Everybody wants to be a game-changer, but it comes with responsibility.”
During Black History Month, KYW Newsradio’s GameChangers honors individuals or organizations that have made a significant, positive impact in communities of color in the greater Philadelphia region. View the 2026 honorees here.