On Sunday, tens of thousands of people flocked to Northern Liberties’ 2nd Street for a family-friendly event honoring neighborhood businesses and camaraderie. There were around two hundred vendors during the 14th annual 2nd Street Festival.
Tiffany Green, who owns the nearby company Dillonades and is from Philadelphia, was one of the merchants. She served a variety of fruity-flavored lemonades, including strawberry, pineapple, tropical, peach, and berry berry.
“There’s no preservatives, no artificial ingredients – we just freshly squeeze it and bottle it up,” Green stated. Named for Green’s son Dillon, Dillonades has come a long way from its modest beginnings during the pandemic.
“It was a hustle that I used to do for many, many years selling lemonade out of the trunk of my car, going around to different barbershops and hair salons,” Green said.
Green wanted to raise her brand’s visibility and find new avenues for business expansion at the festival on Sunday.
“This is our first time at this festival,” she stated.
Custom jewelry maker Elina Oehlert, who founded Yuuka Universe during the pandemic, was also featured at the event. Hand-sculpted polymer strawberry earrings and other unusual items could be found at Oehlert’s stand.
“My art is how I support myself and pay for my rent and my bills,” Oehlert stated.
She added that a crucial venue for customer interaction was offered by the event. Kechan Myers and other festival goers valued the chance to support regional companies.
South Philadelphia artist Tania Leon displayed her vibrant, hand-embroidered artwork, which highlights her Mexican background, at her vendor booth at Tenangos Philly.
“I’m so proud to bring this to America and show people about my culture,” she stated.
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Attendees of the festival expressed their happiness at being a part of a vibrant, flavor- and culture-rich community. Allen Choy, a local, said, “You see a lot of artists that are putting out their artwork that’s specific to Philly. There’s a lot of grittiness here, too, so I like how everyone is supporting each other.”
