Say what you will about the recent rebirth of your favorite neighborhood’s main drag, be it the avenues of Passyunk, Frankford or Baltimore, the fact is: None of it could have happened without the last four decades’ worth of example — good and bad — of South Street. And for our money, none of it can ever be South Street in terms of sheer, pan-demographic reach and an intractable Philly-ness that, on some days, makes it feel like we invented both the Slingshot and the pizza slice. The annual South Street Spring Festival is proof positive of all of this, and it’s back this year, and possibly bigger than ever. Here’s the bullet points:

* 40 bands rocking three stages and seven performance areas
* 30+ restaurants/bars serving outside
* 125+ boutiques and businesses catering to your style and shopping needs
* Dozens of artists selling their handmade wares
* Free family fun and entertainment
* Free Comic Book Day
* Maifest and Philly's largest Maypole

So please: Leave the circled-wagon new suburbia that your freshly gentrified neighborhood is rapidly becoming, bring a little spending money and step back to the real. We promise you beer, water ice and good old South Street fun.

More info/Facebook invite here.