The Easter holiday is right around the corner, and South Street Headhouse District has figured out a way to still celebrate the holiday, even without the traditional Promenade. In what would have been its 87th year, the Easter Promenade, a local and beloved tradition that has grown every year since its inception, is not happening for obvious circumstances. But there are still plenty of reasons to head to SSHD—25 reasons to be exact.
From March 29 to April 4, wooden eggs designed by local artists will be displayed in the windows of select businesses throughout the commercial corridor, kicking off the district’s first-ever Easter Egg Hunt.
“The goal was to give our community a safe, all-ages, fun activity that could be socially distanced and people could do it at their leisure. [This will] really spotlight how our community has come together during this pandemic,” explains Dana Feinburg, Project Coordinator for the South Street Headhouse District.
In all, the hunt has accumulated 25 different eggs from local businesses, artists and even students for its first year.
“We thought how great it would be to lean into our makers and creatives in our district?” continues Feinberg. “We only got green lights and ‘Wow, this sounds like so much fun’ from all of the artists and businesses. The idea was really about giving the district a fun, interactive, safe thing to do and to encourage folks to walk around the district, to look into the windows and to see all of the diversity and just the plethora of products and services that we have. Everything that you could possibly need is right here.”
The district recruited local creatives including Isaiah Zagar of Magic Gardens, Nicole Nikolich of Lace in the Moon, Marisa Velázquez-Rivas, BKLvisions, and more to take the flat uniform eggs and make them unique. The designs were also created by a few local businesses and students from The Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) as well.
“We felt pretty comfortable that the eggs would come back different and highlight the style of the artist…What I can tell you is no two eggs are remotely alike. The one thing I didn’t get back was an egg that looked like an egg,” says Feinberg.
There’s an incentive to find all of the eggs placed strategically around the district as well. Three winners will be randomly selected to win a $50 gift certificate to the South Street business of their choice for participating in the hunt and the more eggs you find, the greater your chances are of winning. All Philadelphians have to do is find the eggs with the official South Street Headhouse District Egg Hunt card next to them, snap some pictures and post them to social media with the hashtag #SouthStreetEggHunt. A map with hints and clues as to where the eggs are being displayed is available online.
The winners will be selected and announced Monday, April 5, on the SSHD’s Instagram page @southstreetphilly.
“We have them spread out on South Street from east to west and the numbered streets in our district going north to south,” says Feinberg. “I really do believe it’s festive, it’s safe and it will get our residents and visitors to really see the artistry that remains in our district and in Philadelphia. Community is everything and we’ve learned this even more during the pandemic. To have an activity where so many types of artists and businesses could be involved…It makes your heart happy to know that we’re working together as a community.”
With over 400 restaurants, retail shops and other businesses, South Street Headhouse District is the perfect example of a community of mom and pop shops that display just what Philly is all about.
“They are small businesses that have survived through this pandemic,” says Feinberg. “After the year we’ve had, we’re ready to spring into action and to highlight all of the different products and services we have in our district for everyone.”
For more information, visit southstreet.com
