For immediate release: Monday, September 27, 2021

Contact: Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Maita Soukup, maita.soukup@phila.gov, 302-593-2749
Magic Makers, Haniyyah Sharpe-Brown, Principal@onpointcomms.com, 267-324-8839

LOVE Park ushers in fall with pop-up market, free programming, and performances from Black Music City 

The Pop-Up Marketplace in LOVE Park opens October 2 and will feature diverse local creators

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Parks & Recreation today announced a new outdoor fall marketplace launching in LOVE Park (1600 JFK Boulevard) on Saturday, October 2. The Pop-Up Marketplace in LOVE Park is a four weekend outdoor experience beginning Saturday, October 2 through Sunday, October 24, 2021 featuring opportunities to socialize in the open air and shop diverse local vendors representing various neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

The Pop Up Marketplace will feature diverse local businesses and entrepreneurs selling a range of goods from apparel and accessories, to health and wellness, packaged foods, art, pottery and more. Pop up vendors will include: Sable Collective, Gynger Tea, Wildflower Herbs, justKEEBS, Nubian K. Essentials, She’s Phenomenal Fashions and Marlie D’apparel.

The Greater Philadelphia African-American and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce will host storefronts that feature a rotating selection of goods from their retail members. Their storefronts will operate out of repurposed shipping containers, with the exteriors featuring a floral motif designed by muralist, Malachi Floyd, in collaboration with Mural Arts Philadelphia. The Pop-Up Marketplace in LOVE Park is a partnership between the Magic Makers Marketing Collective, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and Mural Arts Philadelphia.

The pop-up experience will also feature free programming, including free community yoga and meditation classes on Sundays; live entertainment via WRTI, WXPN & REC Philly’s Black Music City initiative, with support from the City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, and family friendly activities that will create memorable experiences for all ages.

“LOVE Park is ready to welcome Philadelphians back to Center City,” said Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, “We are excited to welcome small businesses back to LOVE Park, and are excited to offer Philadelphians safe, fun opportunities to shop locally this fall.”

“Small businesses play a vital role in the Greater Philadelphia economy and we know the benefits of shopping locally,” said Regina A. Hairston, President and Chief Executive Officer at the African-American Chamber of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. “When we invest in our local businesses, we are each doing our part to contribute to economic recovery, promote local shopper engagement and keep our neighbors employed in these tough times.”

“The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GPHCC) is honored to be a partner for the launch of the Pop-Up Marketplace in LOVE Park,” said Jennifer Rodríguez, MCP, President and CEO at the  Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This initiative provides our organization with another opportunity to highlight the significant contributions of the Latino/x businesses while also bolstering businesses for families and our community.

The Pop-Up Marketplace in LOVE Park will run for the first four weekends in October, beginning Saturday October 2 through Sunday October 24, 2021 from 11am to 6pm. For more information and to find out how to become a featured vendor please visit: https://www.phila.gov/spotlight/fall-in-love-2021/.

While visiting the Pop-Up Marketplace, also check out:

Mural Arts Philadelphia

Mural Arts will provide art activities for all ages on Sunday, October 3rd in LOVE Park. Come join us for some fall-themed arts and crafts activities, decorating baby pumpkins, and sidewalk chalk art.

Sunday, October 3, 2021
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Black Music City

This series of performances will recognize and honor Philadelphia’s rich Black music history. Black Music City is a collaboration between public radio stations WRTI and WXPN and talent incubator REC Philly. The Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and the Department of Parks & Recreation are excited to support the artists in presenting and performing their inspired works in LOVE Park this October.

Get details about the Black Music City artist and DJ performance lineup in LOVE Park.

Saturdays, October 2 – 23, 2021
12 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Free Meditation + Yoga 

On Sundays from 11:15am-12pm, you can join other participants for a free 45-min class of meditation and beginners yoga by local instructors. See the schedule below:

• October 3: Kiera Smalls
• October 10: Jean Jacques Gabriel
• October 17: Ash Tryba
• October 24: Adriana Adelé

Light Box

Klip Collective’s four-story light installation, LightBox, at the Philadelphia Family Court on 1501 Arch Street illuminates the night with color and motion every night starting at 5:30pm. Programmed LEDs dance along the multicolored, patterned hallways overlooking Love Park, creating a rich and dynamic color play. This project is a product of the City’s Percent for Art program which helps fund permanent site-specific public art that is community-driven and is a true reflection of the unique people and culture of Philadelphia.

Daily, Starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Lawn at Loveluck 

Residents and visitors returning to Center City this fall should bring their appetites. The Lawn at Loveluck is a new park pop-up restaurant from Safran Turney Hospitality. The Lawn is now open Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Visit now to preview the full-service LOVE Luck experience coming soon to the LOVE Park Welcome Center!

Get details about Loveluck in LOVE Park

September 21- October 31, 2021
Tuesdays – Fridays, 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturdays + Sundays, 12 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Monumental Tour

Kindred Arts presents acclaimed American artists Arthur Jafa, Coby Kennedy, Christopher Myers & Hank Willis Thomas in a group showing of sculptures across the city of Philadelphia. The titans of contemporary art appear as a part of Monumental Tour, a traveling outdoor art exhibit empowering social change through the arts. The works will be on display Sept 22, 2021  – Jan 31, 2022  at four locations along the length of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and across to the Delaware River Waterfront.

Get details about the Monumental Tour sculptures, locations, and self-guided walking, audio tours

September 22, 2021 – January 31, 2022

NOTE TO EDITORS:
Stay up to date on what’s happening at LOVE Park this fall.

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About the Pop Up Marketplace Muralist, Malachi Floyd is a local Philadelphia-native multi-media artist with a background in graphic design, sculpture, glassblowing, sewing, and screen-printing. His personal work is a fusion of spiritual themes, realism, gestural and technical art styles. A self-taught painter, Malachi loves creating art in any medium and enjoys including elements of nature in his work, bright colors and often uses found and recycled materials in some pieces of work. He has been working with Mural Arts since he was a student in their Art Education summer program over a decade ago. After graduating, he has since worked with Mural Arts as an Assistant Teaching Artist, an Assistant Muralist, a Restoration Artist and is an emerging Lead Muralist.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of its people through intentional and sustained stewardship of nearly 10,200 acres of public land and waterways as well as through hundreds of safe, stimulating recreation, environmental and cultural centers. PPR promotes the well-being and growth of the city’s residents by connecting them to the natural world around them, to each other and to fun, physical and social opportunities. PPR is responsible for the upkeep of historically significant Philadelphia events and specialty venues, and works collaboratively with communities and organizations in leading capital projects and the introduction of inventive programming. To learn more about Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, visit us at www.phila.gov/parksandrec, and follow @philaparkandrec on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram

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