RIVER CITY FESTIVAL FISHTOWN CELEBRATES THE WATERFRONT

Penn Treaty Park, Fishtown, Saturday, September 13, 2008 –

The Fishtown Neighbors Association is proud to host the 1st Annual River City Festival at Penn Treaty Park. The day's activities will include a 5K run through Fishtown, various area vendors, food served by local restaurants, music by local bands, an area for kids, historical tours of the park and a community stage. The River City Festival will highlight the many great attributes of the Fishtown neighborhood as well as serve to promote Philadelphia's largest, waterfront park on the Delaware River.

The festival will start at 9:00 a.m. with the professionally-timed River City Run, a 5K (3.1 mile), which begins and ends inside Penn Treaty Park. It will weave through the heart of Fishtown allowing runners to see the great strides the neighborhood has made in recent years. Runners are encouraged to register ahead of time at www.rivercityfestival.org/run.  Onsite registration will also be available.

The music stage will be set with the majestic Benjamin Franklin Bridge as the backdrop. A number of local musical acts will be providing the music for the duration of the day starting at 12 noon. Bands include:

Crow vs Lion

The Greyjacks

The Parsnip Revolt

Heirloom Projector

Dan Kauffman

Oud Blues

A representation of great local food will be an important basis of the River City Festival. Each establishment will bring an abbreviated menu of their signature items. Participants include: Paddy's Well, O'Reilly's, Otolith, Hinge Cafe, Johnny Brenda's, M Room, Cornerstone and Quince. With items ranging from BBQ brisket to crab chowder to stuffed grape leaves, there will be something for everyone!

Local artists and merchants will also be on hand to promote their businesses. A variety of craftspeople will be selling artwork, gifts, apparel and decorations. Our sponsors and other local businesses will also be educating festival visitors about the products and services that they offer.

Local history will be presented by two prominent local historians. Ken Milano, author of Remembering Kensington & Fishtown: Philadelphia's Riverward Neighborhoods, will be giving free historical tours of the Park during the day. John Connors, who runs the Penn Treaty Museum, will also be presenting a wealth of information about Penn Treaty Park. History will come alive thanks to members of the native Lenni Lenape tribe who will be on hand to give a special presentation.

The Kids' Corner will feature face painting, games and a whole host of other activities. The Zoo on Wheels will bring the excitement of the Philadelphia Zoo to Penn Treaty Park engaging kids of all ages in a fun interactive program.

The River City Festival will be a great experience for people of all ages to share in a celebration of the waterfront.

If you have any questions please contact:

Leo Voloshin - 215-880-2356 / leo@rivercityfestival.org

or visit us on the web at http://rivercityfestival.org