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The Odunde Festival marked 50 years in Philadelphia on Sunday with a 15-block celebration of African culture, community and tradition.

“Odunde” translates to “Happy New Year” in the Nigerian language. The festival was inspired by a trip to Nigeria in the early 1970s by Philadelphia social worker Lois Fernandez. Oshunbumi Fernandez-West, Fernandez’s daughter, now leads the festival that’s transformed into one of the longest-running in the country.

Despite intermittent rain Sunday, thousands descended on the area around South Philly to partake in the cuisine and arts, as well as network with their peers.

“Every year I come to the festival, it’s about my culture, where I was born, Philadelphia,” Tabatha Brobbey said.

Brobbey, who was with her mother, said the food, dancing and even the jewelry being sold at the festival told “different stories” and showcased the history behind the different cultures found in Philadelphia.

“When I see it, even the clothes, it’s messages that they tell on clothes, the designs, it’s really messages that we talk about,” Brobbey said.

Ella Bright, who was also celebrating with her family, noted the diversity of people represented and in attendance Sunday, saying it was “like it should be.”

“It ain’t no you, me and I, it’s everybody,” Bright said. “Somewhere down the line, we just lost something, you know? That’s when the enemy gets involved, got you thinking something else. But we all should be as one, not just once a year, all the time.”

In 2015, a report by Econsult Solutions estimated the festival generated more than $28 million in revenue for Philadelphia and more than $700,000 in tax revenue.