Philly Fringe 2021: A series of neighborhood walking tours in Philly

This year, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival will host Tiziou’s eighth organized perimeter pilgrimage, with the walk divided into 10 sliding scale segments. It’s perhaps the most ambitious ambulatory experience in the festival but by no means the only foot-forward event for those interested in enjoying the 2021 Fringe outside or while socially distanced.

Walk Around Philadelphia

Tiziou first walked Philadelphia’s boundaries with three other artists in February 2016. That roughly 100-mile walk was the start of a much larger journey.

With sights ranging from blue herons and shipyards to prisons and electrical plants, Tiziou’s Walk Around Philadelphia encourages participants to reflect on and appreciate their surroundings. Once registered through the Fringe, people can sign up for a guided walk, choose several segments, or organize their own. Each segment covers about 10 miles over five hours, although walkers can opt to leave early.

Tiziou acknowledges that participating in the walk comes with accessibility challenges and that it is a privilege to explore the city. A virtual final reflection is open to participants and onlookers to discuss and share experiences. Additionally, Tiziou continues to fundraise to create opportunities for would-be participants and is collaborating to make the walk more accessible, including for people who require descriptive narration.

Bridging the Distance

Awareness of space is central to another Fringe event, Expansions Contemporary Dance Ensemble’s Bridging the Distance. The interactive walking tour and dance piece unfolds in the Mt. Airy and North Philadelphia neighborhoods, with participants scanning QR codes to watch pre-recorded performances in either location.

“I want to bring attention to the neighborhood as much as the dance experience,” explains choreographer Christina Castro-Tauser. “These are the neighborhoods that I live and work in.”

The dance performances—filmed by Castro-Tauser’s husband, Scott Tauser, a videographer and designer—are a mix of site-specific pieces. Due to the pandemic, the ensemble created last year’s Fringe production Connecting the Distance in a virtual space. This year, some members have been able to collaborate while socially distanced and reporting from across the country.

One piece imagines the interactions between two commuters on Mt. Airy's Allens Lane bridge. Another highlights a B-boy in motion at the FDR Skatepark. And another features an ensemble member performing many miles from Philadelphia in Georgia's Tallulah Gorge State Park.

Through the varied locations, Castro-Tauser hopes to awaken viewers’ senses. She envisions viewers grabbing a cup of coffee from a local business, perhaps listening to a SEPTA train going by, and queuing up a dance video on their smartphone.

“What you see, what you smell, what you taste becomes a part of the dance,” Castro-Tauser says.

Going the Distance

Fringe attendees interested in exploring the city have additional opportunities to stay in motion, at various price points and with different levels of interaction and accessibility.

• The Birth of Jawn: Exploring Philly with a King is a pay-what-you-can immersive audio experience narrated by drag king Jawn Wooders, and will be available September 6 through October 4. The performance is meant to be listened to while exploring Philadelphia, from the Ninth Street Market to the Gayborhood, either in the real world or while using Google Maps. Participants will need a smartphone, tablet or computer with access to the internet. Headphones are recommended for a more immersive experience.

• Walking with Charles: Stand-Up En-Route is a free event taking walkers through Fishtown over several evenings, September 17-25, and as part of a group led by comedian Charles Blyzniuk. Since Blyzniuk works on new stand-up material while walking, the 40-minute tours will feature a mix of jokes and musings, as well as neighborhood sights. Proof of vaccination is required to attend this event. Masks must also be worn.

• Movement continues with Jody Oberfelder’s Life Traveler, a pay-what-you-can audience experience taking place October 2. Audience members, who must reserve time in advance, will meet at the Ben Franklin Bridge to accompany a dancer with a suitcase on a brief and intimate journey. The interactive piece has been presented on bridges and sidewalks in cities around the world. Participants should wear good walking shoes. Adapted versions are available for people who use wheelchairs.