AMARILLO, TX --
Center city hosted its thirteenth annual block party this weekend with hopes of rejuvenating and promoting businesses in the downtown area. The event hoped to raise at least sixty five thousand dollars to go towards future city improvement projects.
After the long night of live entertainment, volunteers and Center City staff arrived early in the morning to clean up Polk Street after the festivities. Volunteer and Director of the downtown WT Amarillo Center, Julie Imke said, "We got here about midday Friday morning, I did, and I was here till probably nine o'clock Friday and started again at eight on Saturday and last night we got to bed at about three in the morning."
Center City staff devotes plenty of hours and is very passionate about this event. "The center city block party is center cities biggest fundraiser of the year and it's a way we bring a lot of people downtown which is one of our missions and also we raise money to help beautify downtown,” stated Center City Executive Director, Beth Duke.
The streets were lined with vendors, bands and people. From the live music to flowing refreshments, many folks agree that the night was well worth it. Businesses in the downtown area say that the block party always proves to be beneficial for their staff and income. Acapulco’s manager, Robbie Holguin said, "We stay open till two and as soon as the block party finished everybody came in here for the pretty much block party after party with “Rock Bottom” so it was a pretty good night."
