A stretch of Walnut Street turned into a car-free holiday corridor Sunday as the winter edition of West Walnut Open Streets brought music, shopping and festive entertainment to Center City from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The event closed Walnut Street from Broad to 19th Streets, allowing families, shoppers and tourists to walk freely among performances, outdoor dining, and special programming meant to boost foot traffic for local businesses during the holiday season.
“It’s really lovely to see that there are no cars out there, and everyone is just out for the holidays,” shopper Lucy Shen said. “I’m a huge brick-and-mortar person … I think the in-store experience is unparalleled.”
Center City District officials said that’s exactly the goal.
“It’s easier maybe to shop online, but we encourage people to come down here, feel like you’re part of the community,” said Giavana Pruiti, Center City District’s director of promotions and activations.
One of the event’s biggest attractions was a baby grand piano carved entirely from ice by West Philadelphia sculptor Peter Slavin. Using 300-pound blocks of frozen Philadelphia tap water, Slavin said crafting the icy artwork is a multi-day process.
“It takes about three days to make the blocks,” Slavin said. “It’s something that a lot of people don’t see. I want them to go, ‘Wow, that’s magic!’ And it fits the season.”
Among the families who stumbled onto the festival was Jamie Rose and her family, who had just left church nearby.
“When we walked out the doors today, the streets were closed,” she said. “We just thought it was too festive and beautiful to go back to West Philly right away.”
The event also brought a boost for retailers along the corridor. Philadelphia Runner assistant manager Annika Alderfer Fisher said Open Streets days consistently bring more people into the store.
“Anything that’s decentering cars and making it easier to walk around the city is awesome,” she said. “Runners and walkers are our clientele.”
Shopper Deke Bowman, who made a purchase at Philadelphia Runner, said buying local feels especially meaningful during the holidays.
“Being from Philadelphia and buying from local shops gets you out, which is a good thing for our community,” he said. “It reinforces small business and being part of the community both through the marketplace and being a member of our city.”
Sunday marked the final West Walnut Open Streets event of the season.
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