When I think of Odunde, I think of Bumi Fernandez-West and her mom, Lois. These women have run this event for half a century. And, after speaking with Fernandez-West this week, I’m convinced the legacy will go on for another 50 years.
I grew up with Odunde. My dad used to have Alibaba Burger right on the corner of 23th and South streets, the heart of the festival, where he made veggie burgers. I remember Lois Fernandez hugging me as a kid, and seeing Biz Markie and Houdini there, along with Rakim, Brand Nubian and KRS-One, who are coming back to perform this year.
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Here in Philly, Odunde is the event that starts the summer. The city’s biggest African American street fair brings together half a million people to celebrate our heritage and community. The neighborhood where it takes place — Graduate Hospital — used to be the original Black Philadelphia.
Bumi Fernandez-West came to her first Odunde as a baby on her mom’s back, not long after her mom had returned home from a trip to Nigeria. Odunde means “Happy New Year” in Yoruba. Lois Fernandez dreamed of a free cultural gathering that would celebrate the African diaspora, honor the places we heard about growing up, but never learned about in school. The event would have live performances and art, food and fellowship. It was a revolutionary idea at the time.
“So many people laughed at my mom. So many people said, Lois, go ahead with that African stuff. And, They will never let you have a festival in this neighborhood,” says Fernandez-West. “I don’t think people know how much my mother sacrificed her health for Odunde.”
“I was my mother’s shadow,” she says. “Everywhere she went, I went.” Lois Fernandez got sick young and “passed the baton” to her daughter in 1992, when Bumi was 22. Ever since, it’s been Fernandez-West’s mission to keep the spirit and mission of Odunde going, not just during the 16-block festival, but year round.
“We’re in the schools. We’re in your community. We have African dance; we have yoga classes; we have entrepreneur programs,” she says. She understands the importance of Odunde to Black Philadelphia. “Many have come and gone,” she says, “but we are still here.” Today, her eldest son is Odunde’s CEO. Her second-eldest runs its website and social media.
Of all the things she tells me about the event — all the performers, the dozens of vendors from Nigeria, Jamaica, Mexico, selling global food, museum-quality art, children’s books, African artifacts, crafts, clothing, and yoga — she most expresses gratitude. “God saw a fit that Odunde lasted 50 years, so I’m thankful to God,” she says. “I’m thankful to all my ancestors who watch over who protect me and guide me. I’m thankful for my mother, Lois Fernandez — I am who I am, because of her, period.”
The spiritual highlight of the day is the noontime walk to the Schuylkill River to make offerings to the Yoruba goddess Oshun. “The procession is why Odunde has lasted 50 years,” she says.
“We have to be thankful. For us to be here is a testament to will, but most of all it’s a testament to what it looks like when you put all your faith in God. When you come to Odunde on Sunday, come with a good spirit. Come with a good vibe. Come and rejuvenate your spirit. Go to the river with us. Pray for your health, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. Just be thankful.”
The Odunde Festival takes place Sunday, June 8, 2025, from noon to 8pm on South Street between the Schuylkill River and Broad Street. Entry is free.
West Philly born and raised with a slosh of Brooklyn, Big Rube partnered with Mitchell & Ness in 2000 to help make it a global brand marketing and selling high-end throwback jerseys. He has been photographing Philly since 2009, including in a Daily News Column from 2011 to 2017. He’s also a chef, operating Chef Big Rube’s Kitchen seven days a week at Pitcher’s Pub in Manayunk, selling the best handmade food in a Main Street dive bar.
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