The Tribune-Star
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With the resounding success of last year’s inaugural Downtown Block Party still fresh in everyone’s memory, Terre Haute is gearing up for a repeat performance.
Wabash Avenue and adjoining streets will come alive at midday Saturday as businesses, artisans, musicians and nonprofit organizations set up for a grand afternoon, evening and night of activity and community fun. All they need to make it happen is for people to seize the moment and head downtown to enjoy the festivities.
The Downtown Block Party was born from a vision by a small group of community and business leaders who wanted to further the gathering momentum of recent years and reinvigorate the concept of a summertime event to bring people back into the city’s historical center.
It would be difficult to imagine a first-ever festival of this type having any more success that it did last year. Thousands of people descended on downtown Terre Haute and took full advantage of the opportunity. The area was infused with a magnificent dose of community spirit.
Fueled by that success, the Block Party has grown and expanded. There will be more people participating, and we hope even more people attending.
The Block Party will take place from 1 p.m. to midnight on Wabash Avenue between Fourth and Ninth streets. Live bands will play music in several locations throughout the day and night. The Wells Fargo Stagecoach will provide rides, and local foods will be featured. In addition to the artisan marketplace, there will be a children’s zone, car show, motorcycle show and cornhole tournament.
This year’s festival in sponsored by Union Hospital, Frontier, Downtown Terre Haute Inc., and a whole host of co-sponsors. All have made a significant contribution to ensure the event is the best it can be.
Terre Haute’s downtown district has enjoyed a tremendous renaissance in recent years, and the Block Party is an exceptional way to celebrate that success. There was a time when few believed this type of rebirth could or would ever happen. But it has. This special festival shines a bright and colorful light on the city’s past and dreams for the future.
We urge you to join the fun. It’s time to party.
