Music, art, dance and community will all come together on Saturday, May 19 for the second annual PHILADELPHIA ON PARADE, the Mann’s free “family, friends and fun festival” from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Mann’s campus in Fairmount Park.   Funded through the PNC Foundation, which supports PNC Arts Alive programs, PHILADELPHIA ON PARADE highlights the diversity of world music with a line-up of more than 800 performers that includes everything from classical, gospel, spoken word, funk and swing to Irish clogging, African dance and drum, jazz, blues and reggae.

The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. with an opening parade featuring the 130-member marching band from the Girard Academic Music Program (GAMP).  From there, the festival explodes throughout the Mann with artists and acts scheduled across five stages.  The performances range from 30 to 60 minutes – perfect for the young and young at heart – and are staggered to ensure that audience members can catch as many shows throughout the day as possible. 

In addition to music, the CIGNA Children’s Pavilion will feature storytellers, jugglers, face painters, a mini- circus and arts and crafts stations, as well as interactive demonstrations to get little ones dancing, singing and exercising, too.  In the Health Pavilion, presented by Independence Blue Cross in cooperation with the Parkside Association of Philadelphia, guests can try yoga, zumba and massage, learn about life-saving CPR techniques, check their blood pressure and pick up healthy diet and nutrition tips.  Artists and crafters will display their creations for sale in the Marketplace, and more than 15 area community groups will be on site to share information about their organizations. 

Fun festival foods and concessions will be available throughout the Mann, and families are also welcome to bring picnics to enjoy.

 “Gather your kids, neighbors, friends and family and join us at the Mann for our second annual, free, all-day music and arts festival, PHILADELPHIA ON PARADE!  We are so proud to present a day at the Mann that belongs to families and friends of all ages and from all walks of life,” said Catherine M. Cahill, president and CEO of the Mann.  “The Mann is known as Philadelphia’s summer music home and what better way to get the season started than by opening our doors – for free! – to the entire Philadelphia region for a day filled with music, dance and art. 

“We are especially pleased that the PNC Arts Alive program has embraced PHILADELPHIA ON PARADE and is back supporting us for our second year of this festival,” said Cahill.  “Certainly, the generosity of PNC and of our returning Children’s Pavilion partner, CIGNA, is helping us extend the reach and access for an event like this and helping us to further our community engagement work, which annually impacts more than 50,000 children in the tri-state region.  We are also thankful for the involvement this year of so many important community groups, including our neighbor, the Parkside Association of Philadelphia under the direction of Lucinda Hudson. Parkside Association of Philadelphia supports the West Parkside community, which is home to the Mann.”

“The PNC Foundation has a long history of providing grants to non-profit organizations that strengthen and enrich the lives of our neighbors,” said Bill Mills, regional president of PNC for Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. “We understand the valuable return that investing in the arts can deliver. Today more than ever, the businesses we attract, the jobs we create and the visitors who extend their stay are drawn by what the Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region has to offer.”

Here is a partial list of artists who are scheduled to appear at the Mann’s Philadelphia on Parade!

- Bernard Samuel Quartet

- Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra

- Cintron Latino Ensemble

- Coyle School of Irish Dance

- GAMP 130-member Marching Band

- Justin Faulkner Ensemble

- Kule Mele African Dance and Drum Ensemble

- Minas Brazilian Ensemble

- Philadelphia Keystone Boys Choir

- Play on Philly!

- Rock School for Dance Education

- Sharon Katz and the Peace Train

- Sinfonia Youth Orchestra

- Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble

- Zen One Dance Collective

Please note that the rain date for PHILADELPHIA ON PARADE is Sunday, May 20.

Performer bios and photos are available on request.    For more information on the Mann’s 2012 summer season, please visit www.manncenter.org.

About PNC Arts Alive

The PNC Arts Alive program is a five-year, $5 million investment from the PNC Foundation that supports visual and performing arts groups with the goal of increasing arts access and engagement.   The Mann is in the second year of its PNC Arts Alive grant.  The Mann was selected as one of just 26 arts organizations in 2011 in the Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey region for its bold thinking around increasing arts access and engagement for the region.  For more information on PNC Arts Alive and the grant recipients, visit www.PNCARTSALIVE.com.