One Philly Music Festival brings artists, audiences together in Center City
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Artists representing nearly a dozen musical genres took the stage at the 23rd Street Armory for the second annual One Philly Music Festival, a free event aimed at bringing Philadelphia residents together through music.
The festival featured live performances, games and free food and was designed to be inclusive for people of all ages.
David Edwards, CEO of the One Philly Music Festival, said the event's mission is to unite the city by showcasing a wide range of musical styles.
"This festival is meant to bring the city of Philadelphia together, so the best thing we did this year is bring 11 of the best musical genres we can think of all under one house," Edwards said.
Organizers also hope the event can help local artists gain visibility and advance their careers.
"We're really looking for this to be the way that artists, no matter what type of music you are, springboard their careers into stardom because they've been saying there's nothing in Philly like it," Edwards said.
Host Lacinda Trotter, known as PhillyWonderWoman, said music can serve as a unifying force for the community.
"I think it's important to bring people together for music because that makes people happy," Trotter said.
Performers included singer Felicia Punzo, who said appearing on stage remains a rewarding experience.
"Performing on stage is something that I always love to do," Punzo said.
Punzo said the festival provides an opportunity for local artists to showcase their talents.
"Everyone in Philadelphia who is an artist can have their platform to shine. Philly has so much to offer with musicians, and I think this is a really great festival to show everyone's talent," she said.
Beyond entertainment, the event also collected money for charities that support at-risk youth. Organizers said giving back to the community was an important part of the festival's mission.
"Our world today is very dark. It's who you vote for, what's your sexual orientation, all of this stuff; we just want to bring people together, so I'm using something that's brought people together since the beginning of time. Music," Edwards said.
