PRESS: West Philadelphia YMCA Harvest Festival Brings Trunk-or-Treat, Family Fun and 400+ Free Winter Coats to 52nd Street

PHILADELPHIA, PA – October 21, 2026 – The West Philadelphia YMCA will hand out more than 400 brand-new winter coats, donated through the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia’s Driving Away the Cold program, at its annual Harvest Festival on Friday, October 30, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. The free evening event will also feature a trunk-or-treat, a live DJ, face painting, an obstacle course and community resources from local organizations, giving West Philadelphia families a head start on Halloween and the cold months ahead.

The Harvest Festival is open to members and non-members ages 5 to 18, and families are invited to come along. Registration is not required and costumes are encouraged. Activities include arts and crafts, exercise challenges, Family Zumba, youth sports demonstrations, a water safety station and the trunk-or-treat. Snacks will be available while supplies last.

THE BIG PICTURE

• 52nd Street is the historic heart of West Philadelphia. Once known as West Philadelphia’s “Black Main Street” for its jazz clubs, theaters and businesses, the corridor remains “a historic and cultural hub in West Philadelphia,” according to the City, and the second-densest cluster of retail businesses in West Philadelphia after University City, according to Drexel researchers. City of Philadelphia / Drexel University
• Trunk-or-treats give kids a safer way to celebrate. A study in JAMA Pediatrics found the risk of pedestrian death is 43% higher on Halloween than on comparable nights, and 10 times higher for children ages 4 to 8. The most dangerous hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Trunk-or-treats move trick-or-treating from busy streets to parked cars, in one place where families and neighbors can gather. University of British Columbia / JAMA Pediatrics
• Local dealers have kept kids warm for nearly two decades. Since 2008, the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia has challenged dealers to pledge a new coat for every car sold in September. About 200 dealers now take part, and the program has provided more than 700,000 brand-new coats to children in the five-county Philadelphia area. Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia
• Philadelphia is making real progress. The city’s poverty rate fell below 20% in 2024 for the first time since 1979, though more than 300,000 residents still live on $33,000 or less for a family of four. The Pew Charitable Trusts

“A warm coat means a child can get to school, play outside and stay healthy all winter long. We’re grateful to the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia and its member dealers for making sure hundreds of West Philadelphia kids start the season warm, and we can’t wait to celebrate fall with our whole community,” said Matthew Student, Vice President of Operations for the Greater Philadelphia YMCA.