Organizers of the Block Street Block Party on Wednesday announced that around $3,700 was raised for seven different charities and organizations during the first year event, held May 22 on Block Avenue in downtown Fayetteville.
“The support from the community for the event was completely overwhelming,” said Hannah Withers, owner of Little Bread Company and one of the organizers of the day-long block party. “The amazing thing is the fact that it was such a fun party, I don’t think people realized they were also helping support some great organizations.”
According to Withers, The Bank of Fayetteville raised $1,500 for Life Source International through hot dog sales during the festival. Tables & Ale raised $950 for the Humane Society of the Ozarks in their beer garden and through raffle ticket sales of a Fat Tire bicycle, and The Lightbulb Club raised $500 for Free Geek Arkansas through sales at their beer garden.
Fayetteville High School students raised $225 at a booth at World Treasures to benefit the Connotations literary publication, and World Treasures also raised $250 through a bake sale to combat poverty in Guatemala. The folks at the Himalayan Mountain Shop raised $350 through prayer flag sales to help clothe Tibetan monks.
Withers said that Block Street Businesses plan to make the party an annual event, and they hope more organizations will get involved next year.
“I think everyone had a great time,” she said. “I know we had a blast.”
