Amherst Block Party—the biggest one yet!

Thousands of Amherst residents flock downtown every third Thursday of September for the annual Amherst Block Party

This is a special night where the people of Amherst can showcase their community, diversity, and best of all, their smiles. “We wanted to create a community event that would bring people of all types into downtown,” said Tony Maroulis, Amherst BID Board Secretary and co-organizer of this year’s Block Party. “This was the biggest year for the event,” he said.

Maroulis has been a part of organizing the Block Party for nine years, and he loves it. “This is one night of the year where we really can put the spotlight on [downtown retailers and restaurants] with thousands of our best friends,” said Maroulis. 

The Amherst Block Party premiered in 2011, and only took a break in 2020 and 2021 when it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This year’s Block Party is the 9th one, and many have said it’s the best one yet. “[the Block Party] brings the community together and provides a fun time for kids of all ages,” said Desmod Schein, a freshman at Amherst High School.

It is estimated that over 5,000 people come out of their homes to enjoy the 80 vendors, 15 of which are local restaurants, such as Arigato, Bueno y Sano, Lao Hu Tong, and more. In addition to food and shops coming out, nonprofit cultural organizations such as Amherst Cinema and the Emily Dickinson Museum. 

“It’s a way for people to experience and try new things like food places and local businesses,” said ARHS senior Jaiden Vazquez. “[It’s great for people] to be able to feel welcomed into the Amherst community,” he said. 

The music at the Amherst Block Party is always a hit.“This year there were some bands that were a part of our summer music series,” said Maroulis. “They were rained out and they agreed to come back and hang with us in the Block Party.” Some of those bands include SPF-4, Harvest & Rust, and the Yasu Suzuki Method. 

“I love seeing downtown transformed into a lively welcoming place, and the music and entertainment is always great,” said Marita Banda, a Special Education Teacher and English Teacher at ARHS.  

The Amherst Block Party includes many experiences for all ages and offers a beautiful night of lights and sounds as well as showcasing some of the many places that Amherst has to offer. “I stopped by the Resonance Hot Yoga and Massage tent and the Just Body Glow tent,” said Banda. “Both are new wellness places in our area which are very much needed.”

The Amherst Block Party first started as an experiment to see what people would do when the streets were closed off to create a pedestrian gathering spot. “We believed people would come out and enjoy themselves and that people might act differently when the street is closed,” said Maroulis. 

Closing the street has indeed become a hit and the party has picked up momentum over the years. It also is a great way for new local college students and staff to get an introduction to the Amherst community. 

“My favorite part is seeing the smiling faces of people walking down the street,” said Maroulis. “I am able to talk to people that I might not have seen in a while, see people that I didn’t expect, and just have all of those great moments.”