Campus Community Invited to 7th Annual Amherst Block Party

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The Amherst BID’s 7th Annual Block Party will celebrate the culture, business and community of downtown Amherst when it returns to North Pleasant Street on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 5-9 p.m.

The annual rite of late summer, which includes music, circus acts, great food and more, is open to all and is free to attend. 

Easthampton’s Show Circus returns to the center high wire at Kellogg and North Pleasant. The red retro Peter Pan Futurliner parks at the central intersection and turns into a DJ booth with appearances from the UMass Belly Dancing Club and more. The WRSI/The River stage will be up at Realignment Park for the second year with amazing Pioneer Valley bands including Crimson Canary performing “more upbeat flamenco from Spain and then taking folks on a trip through France, Italy, Germany, Brazil, Mexico and the good ol' USA.”

UMass Amherst and Amherst College man’s and women’s basketball team members will be back to shoot hoops with the crowd.

Restaurants and cafes from the downtown district set up on the street selling specials from their menu. Business and community tables/tents will feature fun activities for children (and adults) such as prize wheels, bean bag games and even featured artists such as David Hyde Costello,  who will be creating pictures of a favorite animal (real or imagined) at the Hope & Feathers table. Elements Hot Tub & Spa is back offering $1 chair massages. 

In addition, community and town organizations and non-profits like The Jones Library, Amherst K-9 Unit/Marvin and the Amherst History Museum will be attending.

The Emily Dickinson Museum launches the Amherst Poetry Festival with the traditional Death and Donuts – a reading of Emily Dickinson’s most depressing poetry in West Cemetery (with donuts to share.)

There will also be a candidates table near the Unitarian Universalist Church featuring candidates in town council and state representative races. 

A list of activities and vendors is online here.