A group of Jacksonville-area agencies aimed to make new arrivals to the city feel welcome in their new home.

Four groups welcomed newcomers to the city Friday during the New Resident Welcome on the downtown square. A tent was open during ’90s Kids Superfly Tribute Band’s performance in the Downtown Concert Series.

Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jacksonville Main Street and Jacksonville Regional Economic Development Corp. collaborated to put up the tent, which had souvenirs and information on the various programs and amenities the city had to offer.

The welcome party was an extension of a talent attraction program that originally began in 2024.

Some of the people who came to the tent were here in Jacksonville for work, such as Jacob Friedrich. Friedrich, who has been in the city for eight months, is pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 405 Massey Lane. Thus far, he “really loves” it here, he said.

“The people here are really welcoming and nice,” he said. “There’s plenty of events for me to go to, to get out there.”

Friedrich was assigned to Our Redeemer through the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. He originally was from the Chicago suburb of Downers Grove, which he described as being very different from Jacksonville. He enjoyed the fact that the city was closer to nature and interactions with other people felt more “organic.”

“You’re pretty much far away from all the concrete of the city and you’re surrounded by more green,” he said.

Others had a more personal reason for coming back to Jacksonville, such as Joe Mayberry. Mayberry is a Jacksonville native, but previously moved to Roodhouse. He returned to Jacksonville, where he has been for the past four and a half years.

“I just walked back to town and have been here ever since,” he said.

While away from Jacksonville, Mayberry missed his friends and the places in town where they would hang out. Catching up with those friends and having fun with them was top priority for him now that he’s back in town.

“I just have a lot of fun when I come back,” he said.

Friedrich, meanwhile, aims to put down roots in the city after the constant travel of secondary education.

“It would be nice to just basically settle down, be in one place and get to know people and have long-lasting relationships,” he said.