September 05, 2023
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Philadelphia's Welcoming Week, a celebration of the city's immigrant communities, returns Sept. 8 with 10 days of cultural festivals and an appearance from Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee child.
Each September, the City of Philadelphia honors the contributions made by immigrant communities by hosting festivals and events focused on promoting unity and celebrating cultural traditions from around the world.
Welcoming Week returns Friday, Sept. 8 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 17. All events are free and open to the public, though some require registration. A full list of events can be found on the Office of Immigrant Affairs' website.
Things kick off on Friday with a literacy and cooking class for adult English learners held at the Northeast Regional Library from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Classes will continue to be held on Fridays through Oct. 13, and virtual classes are available on Tuesdays.
There will be four festivals honoring different cultures through food, art and entertainment on Sunday, Sept. 10. South Philly's Fleisher Art Memorial will host the Indonesian Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Celebrate Asia Festival will be held at LOVE Park from 12-5 p.m. The Latin American Feria del Barrio will take place at 2600 N. 5th St. between Huntingdon and Somerset streets in Fairhill from 1-5 p.m., and from 2-8 p.m., the Plaza at Penn's Landing will host the Mexican Independence Day Festival.
On Sept. 14, Little Amal, the 12-foot puppet of a Syrian refugee girl that is touring the U.S., will journey from the Rodin Museum and Benjamin Franklin Parkway to LOVE Park. She will receive a heart-shaped necklace made by Philly artists, and visitors can take home a paper necklace of their own.
The Free Library of Philadelphia will host a global food festival on Sept. 15 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., which will give attendees an opportunity to connect through culinary traditions.
To close out the 10-day event, residents can join a bus tour of the city's Haitian mural arts scene on Sept. 16. Buses will bring participants from Northeast Philly to North Philly, Southwest Philly, Germantown and Spring Garden before ending at North Philly's Super Star Barber Shop, where guests can eat traditional Haitian cuisine.
Friday, Sept. 8 through Sunday, Sept. 17
Times vary | Free, registration required for some events
Various locations throughout Philadelphia
