Fishtown Fall Feastivale is back with food, drinks, and live performances

Fishtown’s quasi-Oktoberfest food festival and flea market mixed with a family-fun carnival is back and bigger this year.

On Saturday, Sept. 23, from noon to 8 p.m., the Fishtown Fall Feastivale is coming to Frankford Avenue for a six-block party featuring the neighborhood’s restaurants, brewers, and artisans.

What started as two separate events more than a decade ago, the Fishtown Festivale hosted by the business association Fishtown District and Frankford Hall’s Oktoberfest drinking celebration, are now combined into one event in the heart of Fishtown.

“We wanted to shift the event to be less alcohol-focused and more food-focused to really celebrate a lot of the restaurants that are in the area, especially right after the summer months when restaurants tend to slow down here in Philly,” said Kea Anderson, director of operations at Fishtown District. “The event is now part Oktoberfest, part food festival, and really just a huge celebration of everything that you can find here in Fishtown.”

More than 30,000 attendees descend upon Frankford Avenue between Girard Avenue and Palmer Street each year. For the adults, it’s a day for great local beers, retail shopping, and attractions like axe-throwing. The families are treated to inflatable attractions, carnival games, and the chance to soak a Fishtown celebrity in a dunk tank — rumor has it that Councilman Mark Squilla may return to the tank like last year, according to Anderson.

The main course is over 100 vendors serving food and drink and selling wares, from clothing and jewelry to art and craft items. Anderson said the highlight of this festival is showcasing the restaurants Fishtown residents have come to love and putting a spotlight on the places that have yet to open.

Be on the lookout for two soon-to-be restaurants on the Ave: Molto Bene, currently a ravioli and pasta food truck, and Fiore Fine Foods, a Queen Village Italian restaurant soon relocating to East Kensington. Also, check out Fishtown’s tried-and-true staples with LMNO, a Stephen Starr project, and Bottle Bar East, the all-in-one eatery, bar, and takeout joint.

The must-see performance of the day will be Fabrika, the local burlesque dinner theater, with its own stage at the festival. Additionally, a German folk band will be at Frankford Hall near Girard Avenue, and DJs from watering holes like Johnny Brenda’s will be staged throughout the event.

Entry to the festival is free and the event is pay-as-you-go.

Anderson said the best way to get to Fishtown Fall Feastivale is to take public transit, rideshare, or ride a bike — it’s Fishtown, there’s barely any parking on a Tuesday afternoon, let alone for a neighborhood-wide celebration.

A good bet is to take the El and get off at Girard or Berks Station or use the city’s Indigo Bike Share; there will be a docking station at the festival grounds and plenty of bike racks for bike riders.

For drivers, accessible and general parking options will be available at paid parking lots, the closest being at 1320 N. Front St.

Keep in mind, the following streets will be blocked off for the event:

Finally, you can bring your furry friends — if they are well-behaved and leashed. You might want to pack an umbrella or raincoat — the Feastivale is rain-or-shine.