Deshong Park Commemoration Day Saturday

Chester, PA – The 2^nd Annual Deshong Park Commemoration Day (DPCD) will take place Saturday September 27, 2014 at Deshong Park - 11^th Street & Avenue of the States on the grounds of Deshong Park. 

“Spiritual Rebirth” – Unity in the Community is the theme for this year’s DPCD. 

The 2013 Deshong Park Commemoration Day-Inaugural Celebration was selected for the 2014 Heritage Commission of Delaware County (HCDC) Preservation Award for Special Projects.  The DPCD is being presented by the City of Chester, Widener University, Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC), and Chester Arts Alive!

DPCD is a celebration of the generous gifts of Alfred O. Deshong to Chester City and its community.  

DPCD will highlight the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the city of Chester and its surrounding communities.  This festival will bring the residents of Chester and Delaware County together, old and young, on the property intended as Deshong’s legacy to the city and its people.  

At last year’s inaugural 100 year celebration, Mayor Linder read and presented a Proclamation that institutionalized “Deshong Park Comemmoration Day” to be an Annual Event the 4^th Saturday in September.

The commemoration activities begin at 11:30am with Sistah Mafalda & Kuumba (African Drums, Dance, and Stilt Walker) joining Mayor Linder along with Chester and surrounding communities for a symbolic “unity and cultural walk” to “clear the path” for “Spiritual Rebirth, Unity, Restoration, and Celebration”.  

The “walk” will be from 9^th to 11^th Street on the Avenue of States and on to the grounds of Deshong Park.  Hedgerow Theater will make a special performance presentation featuring the “Deshong Park Seniors”.  The celebration will continue with music, dance which will feature Angela “Sadio” Watson – “Healing African Dance” (Angela Watson’s presentation is a program of the Pennsylvania Humanities Council supported in part by National Endowment for the Humanities), and poetry including a performance by poets “Soulo/Pharaoh/Apollo”,        visual arts exhibition and children’s art display, Café Entertainment, Food & Craft vendors.                                                      

For Vendor and more information please call 610.613.4133.