Pretzel-Eating Raccoon Mural Pops Up In Philly

PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia's newest mural is quite unique, as it features a raccoon eating a soft pretzel and is the result of a crowd funding campaign.

The new mural is in the city's Port Richmond section and was completed over the weekend of Oct. 6.

It's the brainchild of Natalie Shaak, who worked with the local non-profit art group Visual Urban Renewal & Transformation (VURT) and launched a GoFundMe campaign to help establish the mural.

The "Philly Trash Panda" mural is a part of VURT's "critter" series, which includes a mural of a squirrel nibbling a SEPTA coin and the "Welcome To Fishtown" mural featuring three cats.

Why did she do this, though?

Here's what Shaak says inspired her:

I recently bought my first home located next to a playground at Webb, Thompson and Sergeant streets in the Old Richmond/Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. As many of you know, our city is struggling with drugs and poverty, especially in this area of the city where heroin needles and illegal dumping fill the streets and playgrounds, and homelessness is way too commonplace.

People in Philly are struggling and this playground is a picture of that struggle.

It is filled daily with trash from the nearby Wawa, drug needles, cigarette butts and other discarded items that no one would want their child playing next to. The playground equipment is old, rundown, damaged, dirty and even tagged with graffiti. To say it is bleak is an understatement. But we as a community can make a difference by taking action.

I hope this art will inspire others and draw attention to potential of this playground as a place for neighborhood kids to be active, engage with others, learn, grow and be inspired to take care of their community as they grow up and not just a place for drug dealers, addicts and homeless people to set up shop.

Her campaign so far has raised more than the $4,000 initial goal, which she said would be used for the mural. The rest of the overall goal will be used to repaint benches, add secure trash receptacles and signage, and replace the broken playground equipment.

The Friends of Webb St. Playground group is hosting a celebration for the mural from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14 and the public is invited to attend.

You can still contribute to the GoFundMe campaign here.

Visit VURT's website to learn more about its art initiatives.

Image via GoFundMe