PIFA 2016 Finale Street Fair 250
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts announces the return of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), taking place across the venues of the Kimmel Center’s campus, as well as select locations throughout the city, from April 8 through April 23, 2016. A 16-day celebration of art and community, PIFA showcases innovation and a breadth of local and international performances and installations, all curated by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. With more than 60 events across genres and art forms, PIFA is bookended by Article 13 – a grand-scale fire and sand installation that tells the story of immigrants around the world – which serves as the grand opening of the Festival and culminates with the celebrated PIFA Street Fair.
In this third installment of PIFA, the curatorial vision illustrates the concept “We Are What We Make.” The Festival will explore how our humanity is shaped, changed, inspired, and challenged by the world we create, all displayed through a variety of performing and visual arts. A massive installation by Mimi Lien – recipient of a 2015 MacArthur Genius Award – will consume the lobby of the Kimmel Center, bringing this vision to life and will be on display throughout the Festival.
PIFA’s highly anticipated finale transforms six blocks of Broad Street (between Chestnut and South Streets) into Philadelphia’s ultimate FREE block party. Featuring dozens of performances, rides, a zip line, popular food vendors, and this year’s centerpiece – an enormous waterfall in the center of Broad Street.
PERFORMER HIGHLIGHTS
Squonk – Pittsburgh’s Squonk Opera presents Lady Pneumatica, a 40-foot tall inflatable accordion sculpture of a woman that plays music.
Flippen Out – Extreme trampoline athletes/acrobats/artists performing high-energy stunt shows.
The Living Vines – Back by popular demand from the 2011 PIFA Street Fair, the Living Vines performers walk around on stilts, dressed in vine and flower costumes camouflaging themselves as part of their surroundings.
Golden Mantises – Also back by popular demand from the 2013 PIFA Street Fair these beautiful, larger-than-human bugs with costumes made from handmade wicker baskets delight audiences.
Cirikli Birds – Colorfully plumed wooden puppet birds controlled by stilt performers who interact with the audience.
Wheelmen – Old-timey characters on old-fashioned bicycles.
PIFA 2016 Finale Street Fair 250
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts announces the return of the Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts (PIFA), taking place across the venues of the Kimmel Center’s campus, as well as select locations throughout the city, from April 8 through April 23, 2016. A 16-day celebration of art and community, PIFA showcases innovation and a breadth of local and international performances and installations, all curated by the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. With more than 60 events across genres and art forms, PIFA is bookended by Article 13 – a grand-scale fire and sand installation that tells the story of immigrants around the world – which serves as the grand opening of the Festival and culminates with the celebrated PIFA Street Fair.
In this third installment of PIFA, the curatorial vision illustrates the concept “We Are What We Make.” The Festival will explore how our humanity is shaped, changed, inspired, and challenged by the world we create, all displayed through a variety of performing and visual arts. A massive installation by Mimi Lien – recipient of a 2015 MacArthur Genius Award – will consume the lobby of the Kimmel Center, bringing this vision to life and will be on display throughout the Festival.
PIFA’s highly anticipated finale transforms six blocks of Broad Street (between Chestnut and South Streets) into Philadelphia’s ultimate FREE block party. Featuring dozens of performances, rides, a zip line, popular food vendors, and this year’s centerpiece – an enormous waterfall in the center of Broad Street.
PERFORMER HIGHLIGHTS
Squonk – Pittsburgh’s Squonk Opera presents Lady Pneumatica, a 40-foot tall inflatable accordion sculpture of a woman that plays music.
Flippen Out – Extreme trampoline athletes/acrobats/artists performing high-energy stunt shows.
The Living Vines – Back by popular demand from the 2011 PIFA Street Fair, the Living Vines performers walk around on stilts, dressed in vine and flower costumes camouflaging themselves as part of their surroundings.
Golden Mantises – Also back by popular demand from the 2013 PIFA Street Fair these beautiful, larger-than-human bugs with costumes made from handmade wicker baskets delight audiences.
Cirikli Birds – Colorfully plumed wooden puppet birds controlled by stilt performers who interact with the audience.
Wheelmen – Old-timey characters on old-fashioned bicycles.