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Get Ready for the South Street Spring Festival With Over 30 Restaurants & a Philly Taco Eating Contest!
Get Ready for the South Street Spring Festival With Over 30 Restaurants & a Taco Eating Contest!
South Street Headhouse District serves up the best tastes and sips of the city during South Street Spring Festival, on Saturday, May 7, 2016, from 11:00am to 8:00pm. Philadelphia’s largest annual spring block party announces 30+ restaurants, bars, bakeries and food trucks that will fill the 12 blocks of South Street and surrounding streets. Brauhaus Schmitz will return with Maifest on the 700 block with with German beers, dancers, music, food, flower crowns and even a Maypole. The giant all-ages outdoor party will also include a new Philly Taco eating contest featuring a Jim’s Steaks cheesesteak wrapped in a giant slice of Lorenzo & Sons pizza. South Street Spring Festival is free and open to the public. Rain or shine. For the full schedule and roster of events, visit www.southstreet.com and follow @officialsouthst #SouthStFest on Twitter.
** FOOD AND DRINK
Spring Festival will close South Street to traffic and transform this historic business district into one of the city’s largest block parties. Enjoy al fresco dining and sips from 30+ restaurants, bars, vendors and food trucks. Look for everything from free samples, to special one-off dishes, to signature favorites, to specially priced grab-and-go. Pricing will vary by vendor and ranges from free samples to pay-as-you-go. The list of restaurants, bars and food trucks include:
* Bistro Romano – truffle pecorino mac & cheese, roasted tomato topped with candied pork & bacon, zeppole (warm Sicilian doughnuts with cane sugar & raspberry sauce)
* Boyler Room – fish tacos, roast pork sandwiches, chicken tenders, fruit salad, soda, beer
* Brauhaus Schmitz – sausage sandwich, roast pork sandwich, sauerkraut, potato salad (see full menu below under Maifest)
* Bridget Foy’s – cheeseburger slider, bratwurst, draft beer, sangria, margaritas, strawberry lemonade
* Cavanaugh’s Headhouse – chicken fingers, mac & cheese, hot dogs
* Chewy’s – Burgers, chicken and waffles, sandwiches, more
* Circles Thai – chicken satay, cheesesteak rolls, fried rice, pad thai
* Copabanana/ Hurricane Alley – hamburgers, french fries, draft beer, margaritas
* Cow & the Curd – cheese curds
* Fat Tuesday – daiquiris
* Gus’ Food Cart – sandwiches
* His & Hers Restaurant – lamb gyro and chicken gyro
* Jerky Hut – Various flavors of beef jerky
* Lil Pop Shop – ice-cream and non-dairy popsicles
* Little Bird Bakery – soft pretzels, pizza-stuffed pretzel sticks
* Lovash – Indian and Mexican specialties
* Milkboy – chicken cheesesteaks
* Mom Mom’s Polish Food – pierogis and Polish specialties
* Paddy Whacks Irish Sports Pub – beer
* Primo Hoagies – grilled chicken sandwich, hot sausage sandwich, soft pretzels, soft drinks, beer, cocktails
* Queen Village Food Market – frozen pineapple smoothies inside a real pineapple
* Rita’s – water ice
* Say Cheese Philly – unexpected and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches
* St. Lucifer Spice – local made spices
* Sweet Life Bakeshop – banana pudding, cupcakes, popcorn, bottled beverages
* The Bacon Jams – spreadable bacon in a jar
* Twisted Tail – hamburgers, sausage, corn on the cob, chicken skewers, grilled asparagus
* Whetstone – hamburgers, tiki punch
* Woodrow’s Sandwiches – Woodrow’s pork sandwich – aged provolone, broccoli rabe, long hot aioli
* Wooly Mammoth – draft beer, margaritas
** MAIFEST BY BRAUHAUS SCHMITZ
On the 700 block of South Street, Brauhaus Schmitz will present the fourth annual German Maifest. Get ready to celebrate a time when flowers are starting to bloom, the winter chill is fading, and consumption of copious amounts of beer is highly encouraged—at least it is in Germany. Strap on your lederhosen and dirndl, and get ready to enjoy this traditional Deutsch festival fueled by the best German beer list in the country, along with Chef Jeremy Nolen’s traditional Bavarian festival food.
Gather around Philadelphia’s largest maypole and feast on roast pork, pretzels, and saurkraut. While those 21 and over can enjoy German sips, kids can get their faces painted. Food and drink can be purchased pay-as-you-go.
The schedule for the Maifest stage at 8th and South streets is as follows:
2:00pm to 6:00pm HeimatKlange Live on Stage
2:00pm Ceremonial Keg Tapping
2:45pm Maitanz (Maypole Dance)
3:45pm Holzhacker (Chopping Wood Dance)
4:45pm Schuhplattler (Slapping Feet Dance)
Food and drink highlights include:
– Featured German beers, such as Hofbräu Maibock and Hacker Pschorr Hubertus Bock – two traditional Maifest beers – will be flowing all afternoon, along with other rare and imported beer offerings like Warsteiner and Paulaner.
– Food offerings will include large Bavarian pretzels; roast pork and sausage sandwiches, served with sauerkraut and available with Chef Nolen’s famous pork, marjoram, caraway and mace; bratwurst and his hickory-smoked bauernwurst, featuring pork and beef with garlic, pepper and mustard seed; and roast pork and sausage platters.
– New German long tables and benches have been imported from Germany this year for plentiful seating to enjoy entertainment, food and drink
– All food and drink for Maifest are pay-as-you-go to general public, and VIP experience packages are also available at www.brauhausschmitz.com
On top of pay-as-you-go a la carte options, festival-goers also have the options of purchasing VIP passes, which include access to the Brauer Bund Beer Hall, a complimentary appetizer buffet from 12-3 p.m., eight beer tickets, annual Maifest mug, private bathrooms, and more. VIP tickets are limited and can be purchased in advance for $100. For more information on Maifest or to purchase VIP tickets, visithttp://www.
** PHILLY TACO EATING CONTEST
South Street Headhouse District celebrates our love of pizza and cheesesteaks by hosting the first annual Philly Taco Eating Contest! The legendary challenge of many a late night on South Street, the Philly Taco combines an oversized Lorenzo & Sons pizza slice wrapped around a Jim’s Steaks cheesesteak. The contest, which will be open to the first 20 contestants to sign up, will be a simple race to the finish line for whoever can finish the mammoth meal the fastest. The prize: a year’s worth of cheesesteaks and pizza for the winner. The $10 entry fee, will be donated to a local school lunch program, and all contestants will received a free t-shirt courtesy Inskter Inc. The Philly Taco Challenge will kickoff at 5:00pm at the 5th Street Stage. To register in advance, email bill at southstreet dot com. On the day of the event, all participants must confirm at the 5th Street Stage between Noon and 2:00pm. Those not registered in advance can show up after 2:00pm to see if spots are still available.
** OTHER FUN!
On top of delicious eats and drinks, look for 40+ bands that will rock three stages and seven performance areas. Headhouse Plaza will be transformed into a giant lawn concert complete with grass, lawn chairs, games and beachballs. Twenty-four artists will sell their handmade wares and crafts. Children of all ages will enjoy free family fun in the Kids Zone. Over 100 boutiques, small businesses and other other retailers will cater to your style, beauty, health, fitness and other shopping needs. Outside of Atomic City Comics (638 South Street) look for free giveaways and character appearances during Free Comic Book Day and Atomic-con.