The People’s Poetry and Jazz Festival (PPJF) is one of Philadelphia’s premier annual summer cultural arts events. Taking place on the third Saturday of every August, from 12noon until 8pm, at Vernon Park, 5800 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.
The PPJF is a full day of family entertainment and leisure. Featuring live Jazz and R&B from world-renowned artists. The PPJF attracts a diverse and intergenerational community of thousands from across the Philadelphia region while showcasing riveting spoken word and exhilarating African Dance and Drum routines.
A robust vendor marketplace provides an array of cultural, classic and vegetarian food. A wide variety of merchandise including custom designed clothing, handmade jewelry, authentic wood carvings, paintings, framed photographs, and unique specialty items are a mainstay at this free community festival.
Meet new friends and gather with old friends at the “People’s Poetry and Jazz Festival.”
Saturday, August 15, 2020
“There is nothing like Poetry and Jazz in the park, in the summertime ... ”
Countdown to our next festival!
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RAKIM, in full concert, headlined
Philadelphia's most prominent FREE community festival!The da y-long event was a tribute to Hip Hop and its Jazz Roots.
Live jazz with Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Keith Parker and Friends helped to make the day perfect! African Dance and Drumming with The Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble and The Tyehimba Drum and Dance Ensemble completed a lively show.
RAKIM was the recipient of this year's prestigious Living Legend Award.
We would like to thank again our committed sponsors for their unwavering support: PECO, City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Urban Affairs Coalition, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Wells Fargo Bank, Community College of Philadelphia and Brown’s ShopRite. A special thank you for the
partnership of OAK STREET HEALTH as our headline sponsor.
The People’s Poetry and Jazz Festival 2018 was another one for the history books! The incomparable jazz drummer Lenny White and Friends headlined a full day of divine entertainment including Cedric Napoleon and Friends, Instant Funk, Foundation Singers, Tyehimba Dance and Drum Ensemble and open mic poetry from some of the area’s best spoken word artists. The crowd was energetic and appreciative while Lenny White played into the night!
We would not have had the success without the partnerships of our committed sponsors: PECO, City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Urban Affairs Coalition, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Wells Fargo Bank, Community College of Philadelphia and Brown’s ShopRite.
Annually the “Living Legend Award” is presented to a Jazz or R-n-B great who is recognized for their outstanding leadership and innovative contribution to the music industry. Past recipients of this award include jazz bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke, jazz drummer Lenny White, and founders of Pieces of A Dream, James Lloyd and Curtis Harmon. For their immense contribution to the literary arts industry, Sonia Sanchez and the late Amiri Baraka were the first recipients of this award.
Enjoy a few fantastic PPJF photos from the past!
