North Gate Fest closed down the entire block of West Chimes Street from Infirmary Road to Highland Road on Friday and invited everybody in.
The free event, in its sixth year, featured food for sale from local vendors Louie’s Cafe and Taco de Paco, a display of local art called “Stabbed in the Art” in front of clothing store Storyville and music from bands He Bleeds Fireman, Stage Coach Bandits and Twin Killers.
“The reason [North Gate Fest began] originally was just to have a fun, safe, outdoor event to highlight the character of the neighborhood,” said Clarke Cadzow, owner of Highland Coffees and member of the North Gate Merchants Association. “We’ve put a lot of time in to make it right.”
The event kicked off with a “fun run” through campus, which was part of the North Gate Merchants Association’s plan to make the event enjoyable to all ages, Cadzow said.
“We’ve always wanted to have an event where young and older people can both enjoy it,” Cadzow said. “The run brings a good crowd, and when the race ends, they’re at a great festival.”
As the night went on and bands began to play, the event became more oriented toward students and neighborhood residents, Cadzow said.
“They feel like it’s their festival and their neighborhood, and there’s a lot of truth to that,” Cadzow said. “We want to see a lot of students come out to this because it’s the students’ community.”
Cadzow said the event does not generate much of a profit, and the Merchants are “lucky to break even.”
State Street landlord Jeremy Dellafiora said the neighborhood’s residents need to be more aware of the contributions of the North Gate Merchants Association, who also pay for the permits and police officers necessary to make the Carlotta Street Halloween block party happen.
“The merchants have really stepped up to the plate,” Dellafiora said. “They want to promote the community.”
 
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Contact Frederick Holl at [email protected]