by Olivia Young

When the Riverdale Block Party first started, it was just a few tables scattered along the sidewalk of West 259th Street. Five years later, Riverdale Avenue bustled with dozens of vendors, kids with vibrant face paint darting up and down the block, and the rhythmic beat of live music.

The block party wasn’t the only attraction that day, as more than 140 community athletes took part in the annual Riverdale Y 5K, making the 80-degree Sunday a memorable one for the neighborhood.

Back at West 259th Street  Riverdale Main Streets Alliance, a volunteer-run network of community members and civic organizations, was behind the May 17 event. Alliance board secretary Denis Haxhija was at the helm, and said the block party aimed to shine a spotlight on local businesses and provide an opportunity for neighbors to connect.

Aside from food, drink and merchandise, the party included a Taekwondo demonstration by students at Powerspeed Taekwondo, a Zumba demonstration and the doggie parade — an annual hit.

For resident Brianne Figueroa, her 5-month-old daughter Lily and her 3-year-old son Frankie, the party allowed time to slow down their day-to-day routine.

“Seeing your neighbors out, it’s just a fun time,” Figueroa said. “Instead of just passing, you actually get to stop and have a conversation with people”

Yanni Metaxas, who was born in Riverdale and recently moved back, took a liking to the music. He and a friend hopped on stage after performances had slowed and only the DJ remained, and started to boogie and shimmy, Metaxas said. Before coming back to Riverdale, he was living in Bushwick. He recognized a contrast between the neighborhoods.

“In this season of my life, I’m looking for a different kind of community that I can plant roots in and really experience,” Metaxas said. “There’s no better way to do that than to get out there, meet the institutions, celebrate the community, support local businesses, have fun with my friends and meet other great people.”

Vendors included familiar organizations, such as the Friendly Fridge BX and Riverdale Neighborhood House. They stood alongside businesses that opened within the last year, such as Midnight Noodle and Guerreros Juice Bar, whose owners served consistent lines of hungry residents, or those seeking a refreshing drink to relieve them of the hot sun.

One local vendor, with a 10-year-old co-founder, was XO Eden Cosmetics. Under the supervision of her mom, Eden Guzman creates sparkly lip glosses with themed containers, such as hearts for Valentines Day or pencils for back-to-school. Eden said she combines oils and vitamin E in a big bowl at home, and adds in fruity flavors at the end.

Eden’s mom, Michelle Santos, said the endeavor started two years ago. In an effort to get Eden away from screens, she suggested her daughter find something online that she could learn to do. Eden, who enjoyed playing with her mom’s makeup, chose lip gloss.

XO Eden Cosmetics focuses on pop-ups to promote its products, similar to fellow vendor Christine Osoria, owner of Lavish Booktique. After self-publishing her own book, “Rosalia,” a children’s book about growing up Honduran-American, Osoria started a bookstore that promotes women authors.

Julissa Freire, owner of bilingual daycare La Escuelita de Sofía and also a board member at the alliance, helped reach out to local storefronts for the event. Freire said she started with businesses that had taken part last year, and made an effort to include new businesses that the community might not have been aware of.

Beyond those the alliance personally approached, the response was overwhelming. Haxhija said over 100 vendor inquiries across the tri-state area came through, but the alliance prioritized merchants from the neighborhood, especially on Mosholu and Riverdale avenues. Haxhija said he believes those commercial corridors are lacking the attention they deserve.

Planning was not an easy feat. From coordinating vendors, pushing through the permit process, and five months of logistics — all while keeping up with full-time jobs and families — Haxhija and the alliance remained determined. Each year, they lean on the momentum from the community to create a bigger and better block party, Haxhija said. But years later, the work still pays off.

Before the block party, community members took part in the Riverdale Y 5K and Fun Run. One participant, Elrene Wittlinger, who ran the 1K Fun Run with her family, said it was not only an opportunity to connect, but to celebrate too. This past week marked the end of a three-year process to finalize her daughter Corinna’s adoption.

For the first-place 5K winner, athlete and model Nicole Sin Quee, the race was a lesson in endurance. Sin Quee ran the race with her husband, Jonathan Cane, and son, Simon Cane. Despite a tough start, Sin Quee said the support of her family kept her pushing.

Keywords

Riverdale Avenue event,

Bronx block party,

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