Neighbourhood block parties offer the sounds of London in summer

The parties brought live music, free food and face painting to bring the community together.

The soothing Sounds of Summer were all over the Forest City on Saturday with multiple neighbourhoods holding their annual Block Parties.

On Sackville Street, the Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre (CNRC) was holding its fifth annual event.

“We have been living for the past 50 years or more and this is a day once a year that we just want to bring people out to celebrate who they are and celebrate the camaraderie of this community,” said Angie Woodcock, director of CNRC.

“This is a really resilient community and there’s been struggles, there’s been hardships and a lot of poverty. Today is just bringing community together.”

There was live music all afternoon, as well as chalk drawings, balloon animals and food. MPP Teresa Armstrong provided cake and ice cream.

“In a community that sometimes because of transportation barriers, financial barriers, those are the extras that people can’t bring home anymore because of the cost of food,” said Woodcock.

“We’ve got donations from local partners who have provided snacks. Part of everything we do, there’s always food involved.”

The live music and dancing can make a big difference, even for one day.

“It’s bringing a little bit of joy and laughter and making it accessible, because it’s not always accessible.”

A few kilometres southwest of Sackville Street, St. James Street was shut down between Adelaide and Elliott for the 4th annual Carling Block Party.

“We run a small neighborhood association in the Carling neighbourhood,” said Cherie Emms, president of the Carling Neighbourhood Association (CNA).

“We try to provide free, low-cost events and we use the funds from those events to host this free party. We kind of bounce it around the neighborhood.”

The day included a Touch-a-Truck style event with both London Fire and London Police involved. There was a small car show, cirque show, games for kids and free food. It was all about community engagement.

“You need to know who your neighbours are,” said Emms.

“You need to love the community, support the community, build the community. That’s what we’re about.”