Foodies, chefs and entrepreneurs gather in South Philadelphia for annual Flavors on the Avenue festival
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Sunday's sunny weather brought countless families and their dogs to East Passayunk Avenue as a food festival returned for its 18th year.
Flavors on the Avenue is a foodie's dream. All sorts of easy-to-hold bites and treats were on offer, from freshly made pizza to refreshing fruit drinks to Philadelphia staples.
The block party ran from Broad Street to Dickinson Street.
"We live in Philly," Steph Kaufmann said. "We love Philly. It's a foodie city. We're here to celebrate this foodie event. This is what it's all about."
"It's the nicest day we've had in 18 years," P'unk Burger owner Marlo Dilks said.
"The weather, I mean, who could ask for better weather?" Kaufmann said.
Liz MacLean and Kaufmann said they live in the neighborhood and couldn't pass up the taste-testing opportunities.
"It's been a lot of street foods, like dumplings and things in hand, pies," MacLean said. "We got Milk Jawn ice cream."
White tents lined the sidewalks as people shopped for handmade creations and unique jewelry.
In between checking out the more than 100 vendors, larger crowds gathered to take in the live music while others watched artists create masterpieces in real time.
Dilks said it's all part of the important event for local businesses.
"It brings in our regular customers which is amazing, but it also brings in a lot of new people from different neighborhoods and it really just celebrates East Passyunk Avenue," Dilks said.
Organizers said they expect this to be one of the largest events in East Passyunk.
"I would definitely say this is probably our biggest and best Flavors on the Avenue ever," organizer Michelle Gillen-Doobrajh said. "We have record crowds. It's just a place where everyone is welcomed."
It's a South Philly tradition that's giving more meaning to the area being known as an "Ave for All."