Rich with historical attractions, large-scale community events, and Philly Cheesesteaks, Philadelphia is the perfect destination for a Pennsylvania vacation. The City of Brotherly Love features a variety of unique neighborhoods, each offering a unique set of activities such as the boutique shops in Old City and restaurants and bars in Rittenhouse Square. The city stood at the forefront of the American Revolution and historical sites such as Independence Hall, Franklin Court, and Congress Hall outlines the city’s rich history.
Bloktoberfest has been one of the top fall celebrations in the city for almost a decade, and it will take place October 14 on South Street West. Attendees will encounter the ultimate celebration of Philadelphia foods, beers, and music covering four city blocks. Local favorites like Baby Blues BBQ and My Four Suns will join a wide selection of excellent local food trucks and restaurants serving a spectrum of meals. Patrons can also purchase a variety of craft beers from breweries across the country. Nationally and locally recognized musicians such as Bent Knee and World Sound Soundsystem will perform live throughout the event on multiple stages. The event annually donates all of the proceeds that it doesn’t use for next year. Over the past eight years, they have donated more than $80,000 to local causes. ResortsandLodges.com interviewed Heather Davidson, a representative for the event to learn more about this great celebration.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event.
HD: Blok was formed in the back room of a local bar to help raise funds for a local park.
RAL: How long has the event been running?
HD: Blok has been in its current format for eight years, and 2017 marks our ninth year. We have been on South Street in Philadelphia since 2011.
RAL: How many annual participants do you draw?
HD: The numbers vary annually, but on average we draw between 10,000-15,000 people. Last year our estimate of attendance was between 13,000-15,000. The event is weather dependent, but we've operated in all types of weather.
RAL: What demographic does your event attract? Children? Families? Couples?
HD: We attract a wide variety of people, most years we have kids activities like face painting and games. The majority of our audience is between 24-40.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
HD: We are a non-profit, so all the money we raise that doesn’t go back into the event goes to local causes. We have given more than $80,000 back to local schools, parks, neighborhood associations, and other causes. Our mission is to serve craft beer and cider while raising money for local causes. We tend to focus on charities in the South Of South Street Neighborhood, but we also help fund other causes as well.
RAL: Take me through the activities of a day at the event.
HD: The live music takes place from noon to 8:00 p.m., beer sales begin at noon, and if attendees show up early they join one of our great restaurant partners for brunch.
RAL: What dining options will attendees encounter?
HD: We have several food trucks that come out to Blok, as well as several local restaurants along the South Street West corridor.
RAL: Tell us about the atmosphere.
HD: This is a casual event, and we focus on creating an environment where our attendees can have a safe and fantastic time while enjoying beer, music, and food. Some people take the Oktoberfest theme to heart and dress for it, but for the most part our patrons dress for the weather.
RAL: Does this drive business to your local economy?
HD: For many of our local bars and businesses Bloktoberfest is their busiest day of the year. We drive people to their restaurants and stores helping them generate profits and gain new customers and advocates for their business.
RAL: Does the event support a particular cause in the community?
HD: Depending on who applies for our grants, we support different causes each year. We are a 501(c)3, and we only keep enough money to put on Bloktoberfest next year.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
HD: Our event offers an excellent representation of Philly beers, food, and music! We are the only non-profit event of our size and type where the focus is on raising money to support local charities. No one gets paid in our volunteer group or board, we all do it because it is the right thing to do and you can’t have more fun raising money for good causes.
For more information about Bloktoberfest, please visit the event website.