Phoenixville Firebird Festival Is Saturday: What To Know

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Phoenixville's most iconic festival is just days away.

The Firebird will burn in a new location in 2018, which will mark the 15th iteration of the event. The festival will take place on Dec. 8 at Veteran's Park Softball Fields, located at 192 Mowere Road near the Westridge Gardens Apartment complex.

Friendship Field, the longtime location of the event, could not host it this year due to pending construction on the borough's new recreational center.

The giant bonfire has sent the massive Firebird, made of wood, up in flames for several years in a row in December in celebration of the mythical Phoenix and the "rebirth" of Phoenixville. Several thousand people attend the event annually.

The structure, built annually by volunteers, is now complete. Organizer Henrik Stubbe Teglbjaerg said that a platform was built on the bird itself for dancers and "fire magicians," but added that the borough said this no one was allowed on top of the structure.

Parking and Road Closures

Police urged festival-goers not to park in any private developments, saying they would ticket and tow anyone who did.

Phoenixville's public parking lots (map below) will be open.

High Street will be shut down from St. Mary's Street to Northridge Road.

A shuttle service will run from the Sears parking lot (1000 Nutt Road) to the corner of Bridge and Main downtown and finally to the site of the Firebird burning.

The festival offers several further suggestions to attendees:

• Bike if possible
• Carpool
• Use public transit (SEPTA bus 99 from Providence Town Center)
• Lyft partnership: $10 off one ride to or from the festival with code "PHXFIREBIRD"

Schedule

Though the fowl is set afire at night, the festival covers the borough and lasts through the day.

• noon to 6 p.m.: pub crawl throughout Phoenixville. Live music plays throughout the day at numerous locations on Bridge Street and inside local establishments. A full music schedule is available here.

• 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: Drum Circle at Community Eco Center, 252 Bridge
• 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Dirk Quinn performs at Firebird site
• 6:30 p.m.: Procession leaves from downtown to arrive at the site of the burn
• 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.: The Morris Dancers perform at the Firebird
• 7 p.m.: Villers, live tribute band to the Killers, starts playing
• 8 p.m.: Firebird is lit
• 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.: After party at the Polish Club, 328 High Street. Details here.

Image via Phoenixville Police Department