PHILADELPHIA – The Midtown Village Merchant’s Association has decided to cancel the fall festival for 2025.
What we know:
The Midtown Village Merchant’s Association posted the news on its website, stating in part, “The Midtown Village Fall Festival is taking the year off due to rising costs and corporate sponsorships being down.”
It started in 2004.
What they’re saying:
“I am sad and disappointed. It was actually our first event and first thing we ever did in this neighborhood,” said Jeff Newman. He is the owner and chef at Hilo Taco at 11th and Walnut. He opened at this location in November 2023, a month after the Midtown Village fall Festival that year.
“We actually weren’t even open in this restaurant yet, but we still participated because we were opening in a few months,” he said. But since then, the festival has proven to be a success for Newman and his business.
“We got a lot of our regulars and first guests from it,” he said.
Fergus Carey is the president of Midtown Village Merchant’s Association and owner of Fergie’s Pub on Sansom Street.
“The city had become much more expensive, especially the police bill. We still owe money from last year. We throw a big party, and we thought well we should not really throw a big party if we have not paid for last year’s party. And that was mostly the decision,” he said.
He says it is happening everywhere.
“A lot of other festivals are being canceled and stuff,” he said.
Carey says they still owe more than 20,000 dollars from last year’s festival and the year before they had a leftover bill of $12,000 which he says the Sixers stepped in and covered.
He hopes talks with the city will lead to a solution.
“Oh, here’s a grant so we can do this or we’ll take care of the cost of policing and emergency services for the day. Stuff like that,” he said.
The Source: The information in this story is from MidtownVillagePhilly.com and The Midtown Village Merchant’s Association.
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