As the city geared up for Memorial Day, a block party took place on Saturday at the junction of 9th in Madison streets, allowing people to meet up after a year of COVID-19 closures.

While the day may have been cold and gray, a crowd turned out for the day-long event and children played on inflatables and on the playground, while cornhole and basketball games took place and multiple barbecue vendors sat up on the street.

Organizer Demetrius Givens said the purpose was simple.

“It’s a way to get the community out and back together,” he said.

Givens said there is typically a basketball tournament held there over Memorial Day weekend, but organizing for that had been called off, due to the pandemic.

Givens, who works as a DJ and provided music for the event, said it also served as a chance for hometown and regional vendors to do business.

He said he wanted to give a special thanks to New Jerusalem Church for their help with the event, as well as the vendors, who included Fat Boy Q, Roxy’s Quality Cooking, O&J Smoking Company of Chesapeake, B.U. Studios, Acquired Taste Shoes and Lace, and S&S Laundry Service of Summit, Kentucky.