May 24, 2018
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts/for PhillyVoice
Over 11 days, there will be more than 50 performances, plus one huge block party.
The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA) returns Friday, June 1, through Sunday, June 10.
During the 11-day festival there will be more than 50 performances, curated by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, taking place throughout the city.
There will also be a huge, free street fair, which is a PIFA tradition.
The Kimmel Center is calling this year's epic party on Broad Street "the largest one ever."
It will take place Saturday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Broad, from City Hall to South Street, there will be dozens of performances, interactive experiences, food and drink.
Some exciting things to look out for include a Ferris wheel, a river where you can sail your own paper boat, an obstacle course, camels, a super slide and a high dive show where acrobats dive into a pool.
Broad Street will close on Friday, June 8 at 7 p.m. from Chestnut to South Street – including Spruce Street, Locust Street and Sansom Street – for the PIFA Street Fair. Walnut Street, Pine Street, and Lombard Street will close Saturday, June 9 at 6:30 a.m.
All roads will reopen on Sunday, June 10 at 3 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to use public transportation.
As for other festival highlights, below are 10 can't-miss shows from the 2018 PIFA lineup.
“Cristal Palace” is a gravity-defying dance party. Aerial performers will dangle hundreds of feet in the air on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Fairmont Park.
• "Cristal Palace" – Outdoor dance party on the banks of the Schuylkill River featuring musicians and acrobats on a giant chandelier
• "My Organ My Seoul" – World premiere from former K-pop artists
• "Tape Riot" – Audiences will be guided on an urban dance journey around Philadelphia
• "Doggie Hamlet" – Outdoor performance at Belmont Plateau in Fairmount Park featuring five performers, three dogs, and a flock of sheep
• "SEA (Singular Extreme Actions)" – Acrobatics and daredevil stunt work
• "Water on Mars" – Kids' show featuring talented acrobats
• "The Planets" – Space exploration film accompanied by the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia
• "The Fever" – Theater show about human connection and disconnection
• "The Joke Is Mightier than the Sword" – Bassem Youssef, former host of a popular political satire TV show in the Middle East, will share personal stories
• "A 24-Decade History of Popular Music" – Explores history, music and theater in two 12-hour shows
Friday, June 1 through Sunday, June 10
Ticket prices vary | Various locations in Philadelphia
Saturday, June 9
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Free
Broad Street, from City Hall to South Street
