Philly AIDS Thrift to Present Fall Fest and Block Party With Carnival, Pie Eating Contest, Dunk Tank, and More

Philly AIDS Thrift will bring back their beloved block party and fall festival with a full day of free, family and fido friendly fun!  Philly AIDS Thrift 18th Anniversary Block Party will take place at the 700 blocks of S. 5th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue (between Bainbridge St. and Monroe St.) on Saturday, September 30th, 2023, with the streets opening at 12:00pm and closing at 6:00pm. Enjoy a celebrity dunk tank, moonbounce, games, face painting, food trucks, carnival games, magicians, shopping, pie eating contest, dozens of craft vendors, and more. 

Look for Peabody Award-winning radio host and producer at WXPN, DJ Robert Drake – who will be emcee and spinning tunes all day for everyone dancing in the streets. Other entertainment includes live performances by Rockers Galore, Sug Daniels, Tony and The Kiki, Double Dutch Meetup and more to be announced. In addition to commemorating eighteen successful years, the block party kicks off the Halloween season, which is the busiest time for the non-profit organization that has become known as one of the largest retail stores and destinations for costumes, accessories, and decorations during the spooky season each and every year. For more information about Philly AIDS Thrift, visit http://www.phillyaidsthrift.com/.

"We are so excited for our annual outdoor block party for 2023.” said Philly AIDS Thrift's Co-Founder/Executive Director Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou. "Whether it's to listen to great music, watch people shove pie into their faces as fast as humanly possible, dare to Double Dutch, or simply dance in the middle of the street, everyone who stops by helps us raise even more money for local HIV/AIDS service organizations."

She added, "We have been raising millions of dollars for eighteen years. I am so proud of the bonds and relationships that we have built with our amazing shoppers, the wonderful donors, our irreplaceable volunteers, and the crucial service-providing organizations. I am simply filled with gratitude. We look forward to the years to come supporting local HIV/AIDS organizations and serving the community by selling interesting and affordable items through our fabulous thrift stores!”

18TH ANNIVERSARY BLOCK PARTY

Philly AIDS Thrift 18th Anniversary Block Party will take place at the 700 blocks of S. 5th Street and E. Passyunk Avenue (between Bainbridge St. and Monroe St.) on Saturday, September 30th, 2023, with the streets opening at 12:00pm and closing at 6:00pm. The celebration will include live music, food trucks, celebrity dunk tank, carnival games, craft/vintage vendors, pie eating contest, Double Dutch, balloon artists, and dancing in the street! Look for Peabody Award-winning radio host and producer at WXPN, DJ Robert Drake – who will be emcee and spinning tunes all day for everyone dancing in the streets.

Live performances will include: 

Rockers Galore

Playing an aggressive mix of Hip-hop, Rock, Reggae, Haitian, and other Caribbean styles.  When asked what influences such a stylistic mix, Blayer says, “I grew up with a lot of first-generation Americans.  We all came from different backgrounds but we learned to respect each others' cultures.  I try to mix the genres in an effort to bring everyone together.”

Sug Daniels

Sug Daniels is a Philadelphia based, singer-songwriter, story teller, and producer who is using the tools around her to capture the emotions of an era. Daniels' work is as colorful, vulnerable, and charismatic as her personality. She thoughtfully combines elements of folk, R&B, and soul alternatives to create personal and tender music interlaced with messages of truth and positive change.

Tony & The Kik 

Tony & The Kiki exploded into existence seemingly fully formed like a butterfly busting out of it's chrysalis. Their witchy glam anthems, cheeky covers, and soul soaking live shows garnered them praise from new fans in their native New York City, nationally & internationally. They've caught the eye of rock legends like Grace Slick and Fred Durst and have been lauded by media outlets like Queerty, LogoTV, Pancakes & Whiskey, El Diario among others.

The Kiki is a collective of some of NYC's most ferocious players, but the crown jewel of this group is its lead singer and namesake, Anthony Alfaro (aka Tony). Alfaro's vocals and presence defy gender, genre & sometimes…logic. Together Tony & The Kiki are a coven hellbent on the vibrational lift of the collective through the yassifacation of rock and roll. And they have one question for you…”DO YOU DARE TO KIKI?"

Double Dutch Meetup

An inclusive fun activity that aims to empower community building and promote fitness. Show off your skills or learn some and get to know your community when the Double Dutch Meetup shows up! All are welcome to join, ropes are provided!
Philly AIDS Thrift will also be hosting its 4th Annual Pie Eating Contest, emceed by CBS 3's Jim Donovan. The contest is open to everyone; however, spots are limited. In partnership with MANNA, the berry pies will be graciously provided by the wonderful organization, in correlation to their annual fundraiser, Pie In The Sky, which begins on October 1st.

Joining us in our Celebrity Dunk Tank include Philly's very own, 'The Chicken Man' Alex Tominsky, the guy who ate 40 rotisserie chickens in 40 days, becoming a local Philly celebrity by completing his mission in an abandoned pier in South Philly, with hundreds of followers gathered to watch and cheer him on to victory and Stefanie Jolles from Philly's Premier Punk Rock N Roll Shop, Crash Bang Boom. You will also be able to have the chance to dunk the fabulous staff and volunteers of Philly AIDS Thrift.

There will also be over 30 craft and vintage vendors, including: 

South Street Art Mart: (@southstreetartmart): artist-run retail shop home to the works of over 180 Philly-area artists and makers
Crash Bang Boom: (@crashbangboomphilly): Philadelphia's premier “Punk Rock N Roll” shop featuring apparel for punks, goths, metalheads, and rockers
De'von Downes: (@downes_art): Local artist creating watercolor fine art and wire-wrapped jewelry

Imogen X Liu-Johnston: Artist and Engineer creating dark, surrealist, fine art pieces with sustainability and resourcefulness using thrifted, lost, and discarded materials

Skullduggery Studios: Handmade jewelry, upcycled apparel using original artwork and vintage fabrics, stickers, prints, and zines. All works are inspired by Ray Lapinski's experience with queerness, disability, and trauma and informed by pop culture, subculture, and nostalgia.

Food trucks and outdoor mobile vendors will include: 
Algorithm - All vegan, all delicious! 
Evil Genius Beer Company - Delicious craft beers with very silly names
More to be announced! 
The block party has been going on for nine years, with thousands of people expected during the all day, all ages event. 

HELPING HIV/AIDS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

During its most recent grant cycle, Philly AIDS Thrift was able to award $370,000 to 27 local organizations in 2023, including:

Action Wellness
African Family Health Organization -AFAHO
AIDS Delaware
AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
AIM - Angels In Motion
Ark of Safety
Bebashi - Transition to Hope
Black and Latinx Community Control of Health
Camp Dreamcatcher
CATA - Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas
Dorothy Mann Center – Drexel
Drexel University
Family Service of Chester County
Family Services of Montgomery County
Galaei
MANNA - Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance
Neighborhood United Against Drugs
One Day At A Time
Philadelphia Black Pride
Pink and Blues
Planned Parenthood Keystone
Prevention Meets Fashion
Prevention Point Philadelphia
Morris Home
Safehouse
Serenity House
Siloam Wellness
SOL Collective
The Attic Youth Center
The COLOURS Organization
UNAIDS at Penn
William Way LGBT Community Center

"We all have days we look forward to every year, and our Block Party is one of mine! Embracing all that makes us great, staff, volunteers, donors, but mostly community. Community supporting community while having a really great time! Don't forget to keep a lookout for our next grant cycle which opens on October 1st. Thanks for supporting us for 18 years - and here's to the next 18!” ‐  Philly AIDS Thrift Board President Michael Byrne
 

ABOUT PHILLY AIDS THRIFT

Philly AIDS Thrift is a 501(c)(3) non-profit thrift store benefiting HIV/AIDS service organizations. Originally located on Bainbridge Street in the fall of 2005, Philly AIDS Thrift expanded to additional warehouse space in 2007. In 2011, PAT's operations moved under one bigger and better roof at 710 S. 5th Street. In the fall of 2014, PAT added a second location when it took over the longest running LGBT bookstore Giovanni's Room at 12th and Pine, which it now operates as Philly AIDS Thrift @Giovanni's Room and just celebrated it's 50 Year Anniversary.

The store is run with support from amazing volunteers and is successful with donations from the public for thrift items to sell and the shoppers that buy those items. Philly AIDS Thrift distributes funds through their annual grant-giving program and to date has awarded over 40 local HIV/AIDS service organizations 4.1 million dollars.

In addition to cash contributions, Philly AIDS Thrift provides free store vouchers to Philly area HIV/AIDS service providers for distribution to clients in need of clothing assistance and household necessities.

The organization also has a donation center 40 feet to the left of the main entrance. Donation days are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (Noon to 7:00pm).

Shopping hours for the store are Monday to Saturday, from 11:00am to 8:00pm, and Sunday 11:00am to 7:00pm.

LOCATION

Philly AIDS Thrift
710 S. 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19147
Cell: 267-575-3255
www.phillyaidsthrift.com

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