ALBANY, N.Y. — On Saturday, August 18, 2018 the Palace Performing Arts Center in cooperation with M&T Bank, MVP Health Care, Hot 99.1FM and local neighborhood associations held the 1st Annual Palace Theatre Community Block Party. Despite a rainy afternoon the event was a notable success with over 1,500 neighbors and community members coming out for an afternoon of family friendly local entertainment: live music (The Ill Funk Ensemble and Hot 99.1’s DJ Supreme), face painters, balloon artists, bounce houses and Food Trucks.
Our partners at the United Way of the Greater Capital Region and the Albany Capital Center handed out books and over 700 backpacks and pencil cases filled with school supplies to local children. Dozens of our community partners (Including 518 SNUG, YWCA of the Greater Capital Region, Black Nurses Coalition, African American Cultural Center and The Albany Police TRaC program just to name a few) were on hand to provide guests with giveaways and information about important programs and initiatives in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Events such as this are critical to the Palace Theatre’s mission and our place as a community resource for the surrounding neighborhoods. Opening our doors to the public for these programs provides our neighbors with the positive effects that music and the arts can have on a community.
As a 501c3 non-profit arts organization the Palace Performing Arts Center is incredibly grateful to this event’s sponsors - M&T Bank, MVP Health Care and Hot 99.1fm – and all of the community partners, staff and volunteers that helped this event take shape.
“The Community Block Party shows that partnerships work and can bring good things to our community. We will be even better next year! The Palace is the Gem of Arbor Hill and we all shine together.”
Dr. Brenda Robinson, Arbor Hill Neighborhood Association, President
“We were thrilled to have been able to present our summer block party in the neighborhood that we love. At the Palace, we are extremely proud to be a vibrant part our local community and welcome all our friends and neighbors. It was great day filled with family fun, great food, and terrific music. It was a joy to see all our friends and neighbors and so many smiling young faces fill the Palace Theatre.”
Susan Rosko Fogarty, Palace Performing Arts Center, Executive Director
“Albany is a vibrant, creative community—thanks in large part to our wonderful arts culture,” said Beth Beshaw, Market President for M&T Bank. “ At M&T, we are dedicated to fostering the arts in all of the communities in which we operate and we are proud to play a role in bringing the first annual Palace Theatre Community Block Party to life for all our neighbors to enjoy.”
“There’s nothing quite like a block party to get people out, and also bring them together. MVP Health Care is proud to be a sponsor of this fun new event, to show our support for the Palace Theatre and also the local community.”
Ted Herman, MVP Health Care, Senior Leader, Marketing & Communications