RITTENHOUSE ROW SPRING FESTIVAL 2024

WHAT’S HAPPENING WHERE

WHO
Rittenhouse Row invites the public. Rittenhouse Row is the 501-C6 non-profit organization that is a catalyst for commerce and community in the commercial district around Rittenhouse Square. We present an appealing and upscale neighborhood experience characterized by a deeply engaged commercial community.  

Our job is to market the consumer-facing businesses of the Rittenhouse district, including restaurants, stores, salons, hotels, galleries, fitness and wellness studios and cultural institutions.

For more than two decades, we have served as the voice of the neighborhood and the voice of Rittenhouse retail and hospitality businesses. The Rittenhouse Row commercial district includes the area from Broad Street to the Schuylkill River, from the Parkway to South Street, and everything in between. 

WHAT
The annual Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival event brought more than 50,000 people to Rittenhouse Row annually. Arranged as a sophisticated and upscale festival, the event features local businesses selling and promoting their brand alongside national brand activations, live entertainment, fashion and extraordinary food and beverage from top Philadelphia restaurants. The spirit of the day is accessible luxury—a way for the community, suburbanites and out of town visitors connect with all the upscale experiences that the businesses of Rittenhouse Row offer. This is the only event where Walnut Street is closed to automotive traffic. The event was paused in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and relaunched last year .The Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival  been a staple event in the area since Rittenhouse Row was founded in the late 1990s.  The festival is a Philadelphia tradition with new elements, new energy and many first-time participants each year.

WHEN
Saturday, May 4, 2024, from noon to 5:00 p.m., rain or shine. The date was chosen deliberately to allow greater attendance without interfering with people’s personal plans around Mother’s Day and graduations, and before the university crowd from Penn, Drexel and Temple returns home for the year.

WHERE
Walnut Street from 15th to 19th Streets, 18th Street from Locust to Sansom Street.
Walnut Street is closed on each block, 15th, 16th, 17th and 19th Streets are open.

 WHY
The Festival is intended to provide a one-day welcome back to office workers, suburbanites, visiting friends and relatives and others who forget how much they love the energy and vibrancy of the Rittenhouse lifestyle. Member businesses create an affordable and approachable presentation to give festivalgoers a sample of their offerings. 

FOOD + DRINK  HIGHLIGHTS

·      a bar + a Kitchen: Chef Eli Collins’ Best of Philly-winning burgers, Don Julio margaritas

·      Bar Bombon: Walking tacos, street corn, classic and salted grapefruit margaritas

·      Barclay Prime: Wagyu sliders and lobster rolls, Pink Dove cocktails 

·      Bluecoat Lounge: Parkside cocktail garden with signature cocktails like the red, white and blue Betsy Ross and Gin Punch and décor from Triple Tree Flowers

·      Butcher & Singer: Crabcake sliders and beef brochette skewers, and mint juleps

·      Café Click: Ham and cheese sandwiches and Café Click spritzes

·      Continental Mid-Town: Tuna tostadas, Frozen Astronaut and Cosmo Spacely cocktails

·      The Dandelion: crab croquettes and triple cooked chips, Poppy Squash cocktail 

·      Devon: Mint juleps and lobster and crab rolls

·      El Merkury: Churros, street corn, horchata and cucumber lemonade

·      El Rey: Chile spiced popcorn, frozen guava margaritas

·      Happy Rooster: Lobster rolls, sliders, Stateside frozen lemonades 

·      Jet Wine Bar:  Ceviches, guacamole.  Pama sangria 

·      Lacroix: Boudin blanc with braised cabbage

·      Oyster House: shrimp cocktail and oysters shucked on-site

·      Parc: Homemade ice cream in mini cups and pints, frose and frozen juleps

·      Patchwork:  Roast pork shoulder sandwiches, succotash

·      Pizzata Pizzeria: Roman Al Taglio slices to go

·      Pizzeria Salvy: Pizza

·      Restaurant Aleksander:  Pierogis

·      Revolution Taco: Tacos and the Revolution bike

·      Scarpetta: Caprese salad

·      Sisterly Love Collective members including Art by Alicia, Attic Brewing Company, Cake Life Bake Shop, Daisy Lane Studio, El Merkury, Jet Wine Bar 

·      Lily Lough Jewelry, Maker Missya, Perade, Elizabeth Peyton Creations, Poppa’s Custard, Revolution Taco, Sugar Bottom Hemp,  Unruly Nature

·      Spice Finch: Chicken kebabs, cucumber tomato salad, green hummus and crudites

·      Two Robbers: full collection of Two Robbers cans from the Philly-founded brand

·      Walnut Garden: Mini brisket cheesesteak, cold sesame noodle salad

·      Wilder: Italian sandwich, shrimp ceviche, strawberry  tres leches cake, wine, strawberry rhubarb tequila mules 

·      Vinyl: Dance party cocktail garden, featuring Red Bull

·      AND MORE.

PARTICIPANTS + LOCATIONS

1500 Block of Walnut Street 
For the first time at the festival, Vinyl brings their night time ambiance and vibe outdoors. Vinyl and Rob Paine host Taking it to the Streets, featuring DJ sets from Lady Alma, Pete Moss, Rob Paine, John Raffaele, Dev, and Jack Stanley, sponsored by Red Bull

Organized by James Beard nominee and Rittenhouse Row member Ellen Yin

Sisterly Love Collective’s Rittenhouse Market features Jet Wine Bar’s Pama Sangria Garden at Syndenham Street, made to order churros from El Merkury’s new churro cart, and tacos from Revolution Taco. 15 Sisterly Love Collective women epicurean entrepreneurs will be selling gourmet and craft items

Oyster House will be shucking fresh oysters and serving shrimp cocktail  

BOTLD will be sampling their only at BOTLD spirits

Ensemble Arts Philly, Jessup House, 210 S. 12th Street, Hosts for Hospitals will also be exhibiting on this block

1600 Block of Walnut Street 
Family entertainment and activities inside and outside the Capital One Café at the top of the block, featuring games, giveaways and DJ Dave Mass

Outside we'll have a live DJ, free swag giveaways, Ice Cream Giveaways, fun and engaging games for families and guests. Inside we'll have interactive games where you learn about Capital One’s services and programs, Spin The Wheel with Giveaways and much more

Live music from talented youth from the Paul Green Rock Academy and Paul Green’s adult group, Rittenhouse Row’s favorite cover band, Huge in Europe. Paul Green is the original founder of School of Rock, about whom the hit movie starring Jack Black was made

The Rittenhouse Square Flower Market’s 100-year tradition of supporting children’s charities has been reimagined as a Rittenhouse Row festival zone for families in support of the Greenfield School. We will be raising funds for our neighborhood public school with flower sales, make and take flower crafts and previews for the schools upcoming auction

Free Face painting from Philly Living 

Debuting at the festival, Marc Vetri’s Pizzeria Salvy will be on Walnut for the first time

Food and drink on this block features Patchwork, Spice Finch and lobster rolls from Happy Rooster

Rittenhouse-founded beverage brand Two Robbers will selling their canned cocktails 

Also on this block, our own “better than Amazon” start-up The Rounds, Scully Company’s Icon, Avenir and The Sansom apartment buildings, and brand-new women’s fashion boutique, Pretty on You Adolf Biecker, Club Pilates, Green Mountain Energy and Rittenhouse Women’s Wellness Center 

1700 Block of Walnut Street 
The top of the block will feature family friendly activities from TD Bank and Xfinity

Festival favorite live music from the Main Line’s Valley Road and Rittenhouse’s own Pheedback. This stage is sure to please festivalgoers with covers of music from Dave Matthews Band, Neil Young, Pearl Jam, The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, Stone Temple Pilots, Chris Cornell, The Who, Oasis, Phish, Goose and the Grateful Dead.  

Walnut Garden’s debut at the festival, offering a spacious, family friendly beer garden setting right on Walnut Street 

Delicious café fare from Lacroix, Scarpetta, and to go slices from Pizzata Pizzeria 

Preview new apartment building The Muse

Debuting at the festival, highly anticipated fitness member Equinox, will be meeting the community in anticipation of their Fall opening

Photo booth from DiBruno Bros., and invitations to their Mangia Madness event, held from 3-6 at the store on Chestnut

Free spirits tastings from BOTLD and cocktail gardens from Bar Bombon and Wilder

Creative Outfit, Skin House Facial Bar, The Rittenhouse Spa and Club, European Wax Center, Green Mountain Energy, Innervision, Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia Runner will also be on this block

1800 Block of Walnut Street 
Starr Restaurants will offer delectable and iconic food and cocktail selections from their Rittenhouse Row properties including Barclay Prime, Butcher & Singer, Café Click, Continental Mid-Town, El Rey, Parc and The Dandelion

Starr will feature three of their talented colleague’s artistic and design endeavors:

Ebb N Flow Design - Jenna Antonelli, STARR's Ecommerce and Production Manager, will be showing her handmade decor and jewelry designs, inspired by fish and flowers.

Ivey League Design - A design company founded by Jason Ivey, STARR’s IT Manager, that blends the timeless essence of classic Americana with workwear elements. Founded on the principles of quality craftsmanship and timeless style, Ivey League pulls from modern classics and brands he grew up with. 

Tiny Magic - A delightful pop-up curated by Samantha Fryzol, the Senior Marketing Manager at STARR Restaurants. Charm necklaces, lightly worn clothes, and an array of fun and eclectic items.

Other activations on this block include The Sporting Club at the Bellevue, giveaways, gifts and consults from the gorgeous new Rescue featuring owner Danuta Mieloch’s founded in Rittenhouse Danucera skincare line, and a photo booth from The McCann Collective

The block will be set to festive music from The Laurel’s VIP Lounge, featuring music by DJ Eddie Tully. 

At the top of the block, cross under the balloon arch to find Firstrust Bank’s welcome booth at 19th and Walnut

18th Street 
Philadelphia Distilling will host a park side garden lounge with Bluecoat cocktails and garden décor from Triple Tree Flowers

You’ll find festival treats at Parc, Devon and a. Kitchen. Parc will be serving frose, and a. Kitchen will be serving Chef Eli Collins Best of Philly winning burgers and Don Julio margaritas and Devon will get into the Derby Day spirit with mint juleps, and lobster and crab rolls