HughE Dillon: Feastival Kick-Off

Photos from the sponsor party at Percy Street Barbecue

Last night at Percy Street Barbecue on South Street, a sponsor party was held to announce the details of the Second Annual Feastival on Wednesday, September 14th. On that night, Pier 9 will become an exciting performance space with delicious food, fun people, celebrity chefs and—most importantly—a venue in which to raise funds for the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival & Philly Fringe, which is September 2nd through 17th this year. Below: Feastival host Audrey Claire Taichman, with event co-chair Tony Forte, and Nick Stuccio, producing director of the festival. Also coming back this year to co-host is Stephen Starr and Michael Solomonov. Martha McGeary Snider joins Tony as co-chair of the event.
 

 
This year Feastival will honor former governor Ed Rendell for his pivotal role in supporting the Philadelphia arts scene. Rendell arrived a little late to the party as he had been in NYC with Mayor Bloomberg promoting the need for government funding to repair the nation’s highways, rail lines, airports and ports.
 

 
Below: Conrad Bender, the festival’s executive technical director; Bethany Formica, who describes herself as “a highly physical kinetic dancer/actress” (google her—I say real talent); and Derek Hachkowski, theater department production manager/shop foreman at Drexel.
 

 
Below: Peter Breslow and mom, Tina Breslow.
 

 
Below: Tom Corcoran, president of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, and Dr. Robin Lowey. Pier 9 is next to the recently completed Race Street Pier park. Corcoran says the Feastival event in September will be the “coming-out party” for Pier 9; earlier this year, the roof and windows of the long underused pier were replaced.
 

 
Below: Sarah Rosenberg, Jane Pepper, Charisse R. Lillie, vice-president of community investment for Comcast, and Susan Sherman, president and CEO of the Independence Foundation.
 

 
Below: Georges Perrier and Inga and Sal D’Angelo. Chef Perrier tells me Le Bec-Fin, which is undergoing a renovation, will open on August 20th. Sal tells me that a certain baseball player and his wife come in to D’Angelo’s off Rittenhouse Square all the time and no one bothers them.
 

 
Below: Michael Schulson, of Sampan, Nina Tinari, Rouge owner Rob Wasserman (James Van Der Beek had lunch there again on Friday), and James Beard Award-winner Michael Solomonov, co-owner of Percy Street and Zahav. Congratulations to Michael and wife, Mary, on the birth of their son a few weeks ago.
 

 
Below: Percy Street Barbecue co-owner Steve Cook and Peter Woolsey, executive chef of Bistrot La Minette. One of the big-ticket items in the Feastival auction will be six chefs preparing a meal for the winner and friends. The chefs are Michael Schulson, Michael Solomonov, Georges Perrier, Peter Woolsey, Osteria’s Jeff Michaud, and R2L’s Daniel Stern.
 

 
Below: Nick Stuccio greets Suzanne Roberts and Penelope Reed to the party.