MARIETTA – First Presbyterian Church in Marietta held its Neighborhood Jam Block Party on Saturday at and around the church on Fourth Street.

The event featured live entertainment, inflatables, face painting, balloon animals and even real wildlife animals to see. Concessions were also for sale, including food, baked goods, drinks and games. There were canopies for shade and mist stations to stay cool.

Organizers said the block party helps to unite the neighborhood and nurture relationships. With low-cost concessions, a bake sale and games such as the dunk tank, it makes for a fun and affordable event for everyone.

This was the third year for the event and it keeps growing each year, said Heather Warner, chair of the committee that organized the event.

“This is a free block party for the community. We focus on the immediate neighborhood. This is a way that we can give back to the community,” she said.

The church partnered with several area schools, including Washington and Putnam elementaries, Marietta Middle School and Marietta High School. The dunk tank and bake sale served as a fundraiser with the money getting split among the local schools.

“We like to do things for our neighbors. We want people to know who we are and what we’re about,” said Warner. “We’re always looking for ways to engage with the community.”

“We like to think of this as a big party for the neighborhood so we try to have a variety of things that will appeal to all different ages. It’s really nice that neighbors can meet and know each other and have a good time,” said the Rev. David Smith.

One addition to this year’s event was a “Meet the Animals” area in the Memorial Garden beside the church.

It was put on by Union Ridge Wildlife Center from Vinton County, Southeastern Ohio’s only licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Cy Vierstra of the Wildlife Center showed off a barn owl named Franklin and a turkey vulture named Bananas.

Elyse Macatol, 11, and Paige Stotts, 13, both of Marietta, were doing face painting for the kids. They gave Jaycee Brookover, 5, of Marietta, a Hello Kitty look on her face. Stotts said it was her first year doing the face painting and she was enjoying helping out.

On the lawn of the block party, there were several inflatables for the children, which were provided by Paskawych Entertainment.

“We’re happy to be a part of this. This is good community outreach. It’s fun and a really good community service,” said owner Kevin Paskawych.

“I think we need more community organizations that are willing to do block parties like this,” he said.

Many others expressed similar feelings that block parties help people get to know their neighbors and to unite the community. It also helps in building healthy relationships with the local schools.

Joy and Shane Farley, of Marietta, enjoyed the day at the Neighborhood Jam Block Party with their three children and even brought their dog Sabastian.

“It’s fun. My kids love it and we get to see familiar faces” said Joy Farley.

“I think block parties are great. Everyone in the neighborhood is welcome here. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors. The food and drinks are inexpensive and it’s a fun time for everyone to get together and have a mini fair,” Shane Farley said.

The Christian band Brightwork from Virginia and the Marietta High School vocal group, Vocal Point, provided live entertainment at the block party.

Hannah Miller, a senior at MHS and a member of Vocal Point, enjoyed singing for the crowd.

“It was really awesome performing today. We love performing and getting the word out about Vocal Point. I go to church here and I think this event is great,” she said.

The dunk tank was popular at the party. Kellen Miller, 8, of Marietta, tried his hand at trying to dunk his gym teacher Matt Conrad. Miller said the dunk tank was fun and he really liked the inflatables, especially the jump house.

The dunk tank dunkee volunteers were teachers and administrators from local schools. It was an enviable job on such a hot day.

“This a great event to get everyone together near the beginning of the school year. It’s nice to see everybody out. This is a very nice community and tight knit and it shows with events such as this,” said Conrad, who teaches physical education at Washington and Putnam schools.