As she looks forward to Fest in the First on Saturday in Gary, Jessie Renslow, one of the event organizers, believes it is the celebration the city needs two months after a derecho hit Northwest Indiana.
“I’m hoping people are ready to have something fun,” Renslow said. “And that’s the great thing about Fest in the First because the first district of Gary is a very diverse, unusual district in general.”
According to a news release, the 23rd Fest in the First will take place from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday along Gary’s Lake Street. The festival is organized by the Volunteer Office for Community Accessibility, Resource, and Training, and community space is provided by the Miller Beach Arts and Creative District.
The event is free and features live performances, activities and food. Performers include Keith Jackson and Triple Dose, The Fabulous Kings and Nick DangerTrio.
Kids’ activities will also be available, including a foam party, bounce house, horse rides, community art project and performances from schools and organizations.
Fest in the First is typically the third Saturday of September, but because of the August derecho, the timeline had to be pushed back.
The festival has gotten larger, Renslow said, so they’ve been able to add more activities and live music.
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“We try to bring the entertainment into the community and then have some folks give some love to our brick and mortar businesses and our vendors,” Renslow said. “The goal is, we joke, that we party with purpose … and to have people remember these brick and mortar shops are around year round, and people should check them out.”
Ryan Flemming, owner of Caribbean Roots restaurant in Gary’s Miller neighborhood, said he’s participating in Fest in the First for five years.
“Any time that there can be a community event or festival or gathering that draws in added people into the neighborhood into the community, it’s a plus,” Flemming said. “There’s more eyeballs on us as a business, as a restaurant, and we have the opportunity to introduce ourselves to new customers.”
For the festival, Flemming said they’ll set up barbeque pits on the street in front of the restaurant. They’re offering a variety of food, including whole jumbo smoke wings in Jamaican jerk and Dominican styles. They’ll also offer bowls with either spicy or non-spicy chicken, yellow rice, pigeon peas and sweet fried plantains, and jerk and barbeque rib tips.
Flemming also said he thinks it’s important for Gary to have Fest in the First after the Aug. 11 derecho.
“It’s a great thing to have a gathering of people around positive, community-focused activities and events,” Flemming said. “Whenever there is anything traumatic that takes place or devastating … there’s always a benefit to be able to come together and have a bit of celebration or reprieve as we try to restore things and get life back to normal.”
Cheryl Barnes, artistic director at the West Side Theatre Guild Repertoire Dance Company, said five of her dancers will perform at Saturday’s Fest in the First. This is her third year working with the festival, she said.
Dancers will perform in traditional African styles, Barnes said, which the festival crowds have liked in the past.
“The company really is community outreach oriented,” Barnes said. “It’s our mission and our vision to do that. Working with Fest in the First absolutely fulfills our mission in terms of providing exposure to the culture of all people.”
Barnes said she appreciates the festival and the exposure it gives art in Gary.
She also agreed with Flemming and Renslow, saying the festival is needed after the August storm and subsequent mass power outages. Barnes wants her students to see that they can always recover from a tragedy that strikes them.
“That’s where that camaraderie comes from, and it’s what makes the community stronger,” Barnes said. “It will do that when we see that other people do truly care about other people, that people will come out, bring food, bring water, lend a hand, help move trees, move debris. All of that makes us stronger as humans, makes us know that we do, in fact, connect with each other.”