Arts and Culture has played a major role in the revitalization of West Oak Lane. Early on, we recognized that drawing people here from beyond the immediate neighborhood is absolutely essential to ensure the vitality and sustainability of the community and its commercial corridor. We believe in the transformative power of the arts, and the impact it can have.
OARC’s West Oak Lane Jazz and Arts Festival, Philadelphia’s premier music and culture event, has been an effective tool in rebuilding the community and bringing attention to everything West Oak Lane has to offer. Originally developed as a means to showcase and market OARC’s accomplishments, the Festival played an enormous role in rebranding West Oak Lane as a destination community of choice. Since the Festival began in 2004, new families have moved here in record numbers, and we’ve been able to attract retail and commercial businesses to the area as well. All of this has helped to create a tremendous sense of pride here.
In the past the West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival would take place on the 7100-7400 blocks of Ogontz Avenue and was transformed into a huge outdoor event to promote West Oak Lane community and the Ogontz Avenue commercial corridor, a major thoroughfare in Northwest Philadelphia.
As the event became more popular and greatly attended, we calculated over a half million people (500,000) attended this event from 2004 to 2013! The attendance of the event created revenue to the commercial corridors, the City of Philadelphia and provided world class attraction to the neighborhood of West Oak Lane. This event was a yearly landing site for family reunions and family vacations!!
Although due to funding we have not been able to produce this event since 2013, our goal in 2023 is to bring the event back and welcome new and old friends! So stay tuned and look for announcements regarding fundraising request! In the interim enjoy pictures of some of the best of The West Oak Lane Jazz & Arts Festival. Do you remember when Teena Marie jumped off the stage and walked throughout the crowd? How about the Whispers or War? Or the wonderful Art, Food and Clothing vendors throughout the area?
Mark Your Calendars for this incredible future event!
