Nanny Goat Fest
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Nanny Goat Fest commemorates the anti-Irish Kensington Riots of 1844 that changed Philadelphia forever.
Join us on May 9, 2026 for the historical marker dedication and celebration of community resilience on American Street.
☘️🐐✨ nannygoatfest.com
05/20/2026
Nanny Goat Fest 2026 was a rocket! 🚀
Where were you the day Philadelphia celebrated the resilience of the Kensington Irish 182 years after the Riots of 1844? Lucky if it was American Street! ☘️✨
The weather was good, the people were better, and the vibes were immaculate. Up the Nanny Goat! 🆙🐐
One more sleep ‘til Nanny Goat Fest! 🐐☘️✨
This calls for a director’s cut 🎬
See you tomorrow on American Street! Rain or shine, we’ll be feelin’ just fine 🎉🎸🎻
Nanny Goat Fest
May 9, 2026
Olde Kensington 🫡
05/08/2026
Come hungry. Come thirsty. 🐐☘️
More than 50 vendors will line American Street this Saturday for Nanny Goat Fest, from local breweries and food trucks to desserts, coffee, handmade goods, artists, vintage, and neighborhood favorites.
Scroll through for a few featured vendors, then explore the full list coming to American Street, carrying forward the spirit of the old Nanny Goat Market.
🍻
🍰
🍋
…and many more!
Live music all day, trad sessions, Irish dance, food, drink, the official dedication of Pennsylvania’s newest historical marker commemorating the Kensington Riots of 1844 and celebrating the community who rebuilt.
📍American Street
🗓️ TOMORROW - Saturday, May 9
⏰ Festival begins at 2PM following dedication at 1PM
🎟️ FREE TO ATTEND
nannygoatfest.com
Introducing our official Nanny Goat, Ivy! 🐐
Catch her on American Street in the early afternoon at Nanny Goat Fest courtesy of Philly Goat Project!
See you on Saturday! ☘️
05/07/2026
🐐Nanny Goat Fest takes over American Street this Saturday. Scroll for festival footprint, transit, parking, and festival tips.
Live music, Irish dance, trad sessions, 50+ vendors, food trucks, neighborhood businesses, and the dedication of Pennsylvania’s newest historical marker commemorating the Kensington Riots of 1844.☘️
Rain or shine, Olde Kensington comes alive from noon until sunset.🌅
🚊Public transportation strongly encouraged
📍American Street between Master & Oxford
🔔 12PM Mass at Historic St. Michael’s Church
📜 1PM Pennsylvania Historical Marker Dedication
🎶 2–8PM Nanny Goat Fest
Special thanks to all of our sponsors and community partners, especially presenting sponsor, Society of The Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick - Philadelphia, PA.
nannygoatfest.com
05/06/2026
Nanny Goat Fest is front page news on Billy Penn today! The feature ties together the history behind the Kensington Riots of 1844, the story of the new historical marker, and the festival taking shape on American Street this Saturday. Plus a few behind-the-scenes insights!
Kensington’s Nanny Goat Fest celebrates Philly’s Irish heritage and neighborhood’s resilience The street festival with live music, vendors and food trucks begins after the commemoration of a new historical marker for the Kensington Riots of 1844.
Don’t sleep on the Trad Tent! 🎻
Trad Sessions will run throughout the day at Nanny Goat Fest near American & Oxford. Bring an instrument or just pull up a chair with a pint and enjoy! ☘️
We’re excited to welcome Poor Man's Gambit to the stage at Nanny Goat Fest on May 9.🎻
Poor Man’s Gambit has become a familiar name across the Mid-Atlantic Irish and folk music scene, with appearances at festivals, concert series, pubs, and cultural events throughout the region. Their sound blends traditional Irish folk, acoustic storytelling, and modern folk influence in a way that feels equally at home in a listening room or a packed festival crowd.
They’re not a standard cover-band act, and they’re not a hyper-traditional session group either. They sit in a sweet spot between authentic folk music, strong musicianship, and accessible live energy, which makes them a perfect fit for Nanny Goat Fest.
If you’ve never seen them before, now is your chance.
📍 Olde Kensington, Philadelphia
🗓 Saturday, May 9
☘️ Free admission
05/05/2026
This Saturday, a new street festival takes over American Street with a legacy dating back to May 1844.
182 years ago, anti-immigrant violence swept through Kensington near the historic Nanny Goat Market. Homes were burned. St. Michael’s Church was destroyed. Lives were lost and hundreds were injured and displaced from their homes.
But the story didn’t end there.
The immigrant Irish community rebuilt their neighborhood and remained rooted in Kensington for generations. A legacy worth celebrating
On Saturday, we’re marking that history with the dedication of a new Pennsylvania Historical Marker and a full-day street festival to honor Kensington’s resilient past and vibrant present, including:
🎸 Live bands all day
🎻 Traditional Irish music session (BYO instrument)
☘️ Irish dance
🛍️ 60+ vendors
🍻 Local food & drink
🐐 And yes, there will be goats!
The festival takes its name from the historic Nanny Goat Market, once located on American Street before it was burned in the unrest of 1844. Join us as we create a living memory of Kensington’s Nanny Goat Market.
12 PM: Commemorative Mass at St. Michael’s Church
1 PM: PA Historical Marker Dedication
2 PM–8 PM: Street Festival on American Street
Olde Kensington | Philadelphia
Free & open to the public. All ages welcome.
05/04/2026
American & Jefferson looking more than ready to host the main stage on May 9! 😍🐐👌
Nanny Goat Fest
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Philadelphia, PA
19122