Philly AIDS Thrift’s 20th anniversary block party draws a big crowd

Philly AIDS Thrift celebrated its years of turning secondhand treasures into life-saving advocacy on Saturday What began in as a tiny storefront originally on Bainbridge Street founded by longtime AIDS activists and lovers of junk Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou and Tom Brennan has grown into a local landmark complete with a second home at Giovanni s Room the nation s oldest LGBTQ and feminist bookstore And this weekend s event drew a throng The crowd is almost twice the size of any other year and we couldn t be more pleased Kallas-Saritsoglou declared Philly AIDS Thrift has perpetually been more than a store it has also served as a lifeline for local HIV AIDS organizations and as a beacon of creativity and self-reliance within the queer population With staff and contributors it s now a sizable small business too The shop s quirky d cor racks of clothing and shelves of books share space with free in-store rapid HIV testing offered in a non-clinical and stigma-free habitat that reflects the organization s care-first principle Over the past two decades Philly AIDS Thrift has donated more than million according to Kallas-Saritsoglou to more than HIV AIDS operation organizations across the Philadelphia region thus funding prevention outreach testing teaching and care Every vintage T-shirt dog-eared book mismatched bowl or funky knickknack donated and sold has fueled this mission This year s th anniversary Block Party was both a joyful birthday bash and a heartfelt thank-you to the neighborhood that has sustained this storefront s mission Attendees shop and mingle at the Philly AIDS Thrift celebration Hanbit Kwon From noon to p m on the block of South th Street Philly AIDS Thrift took over the neighborhood for its th annual fundraiser-turned-milestone celebration The day transformed the street into a lively festival filled with food trucks craft beer and more than artisan and vintage vendors including South Street Art Mart Crash Bang Boom and South Fellini Families friends and longtime supporters packed the block to celebrate with laughter connection and plenty of Philly flair The Positive Movement Entertainment PME Drumline is consistently a fan favorite Hanbit Kwon The entertainment lineup featured performers as eclectic as the store itself The Positive Movement Entertainment Drumline brought smiles and cheers to the crowd Live music was headlined by Philadelphia-born vocalist Marcus G and Queens N Y -based glam rock band Tony The Kiki DJ Robert Drake of WXPN kept the beats flowing and encouraged dancing in the streets Tony The Kiki took the stage at the th annual Philly AIDS Thrift Block Party Hanbit Kwon Twelve festivalgoers joined in a fast-paced and frantic pie-eating contest in partnership with MANNA and a large number of more lined up for per toss to try to submerge the brave participants sitting in the celebrity dunk tank where local icons took an icy plunge on this steamy September day Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou co-founder and executive director of Philly AIDS Thrift Hanbit Kwon This year is the first year I didn t have to obsessively worry about hurricanes and rain We couldn t have demanded for better weather Kallas-Saritsoglou announced Indeed the streets and the interior of Philly AIDS Thrift were both packed throughout the event Familiar faces at the dunk tank included Philly Pride founder Tyrell Brown bike messenger Joe Cox founder of the Positive Mental Attitude Bike Ride Stefanie Jolles co-owner of Crash Bang Boom and Tony Trov co-founder of South Fellini Employees and participants from Philly AIDS Thrift also braved the tank adding to the day s sense of shared mission and camaraderie Ready and willing bicycle safety advocate Joe Cox took to the dunk tank Hanbit Kwon tickets earned you a chance to dunk a celeb pop a balloon or strike a hammer to win a prize Hanbit Kwon Proceeds from the festivities supported local organizations such as the Attic Youth Center Mazzoni Center MANNA William Way LGBT Population Center Planned Parenthood and Bebashi Transition to Hope ensuring that the day s elation translated into an ongoing impact Wawa- and Tastykake-inspired art might be the preponderance Philly art available Hanbit Kwon Sun protection played an major and fashionable role on this day with degree plus temperatures Hanbit Kwon Stuffed animals donated to Philly AIDS Thrift were amongst the more-coveted prizes available to winners Hanbit Kwon A young spectator takes a turn and secures a dunk Hanbit Kwon Face painting was popular for all ages Hanbit Kwon DJ Robert Drake spinning tunes on Saturday Hanbit Kwon The post Philly AIDS Thrift s th anniversary block party draws a big crowd appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY