Fun and festivities at the Riverdale block party

The fourth annual Riverdale Block Party was a hit, with waves of residents from all walks of life taking part in the myriad of festivities it offered – a live DJ, a vintage car display, more than 70 vendors, to name a few.

“[When it started] it was more of an intimate thing, just a few tables scattered along the sidewalk and the street was still open,” Denis Haxhija expressed gleefully, secretary of the Riverdale Main Street Alliance, which hosts the event. “Each year it has grown exponentially. This year’s our largest one yet.”

One of the many attractions was a dog parade, where pups put on their best in-show glow. Some walked the runway in bedazzled collars, others in patterned bandanas. Among them was a 7-year-old husky named Daemon, who strutted his stuff alongside 2-and-a-half-year-old Pearce O'Brien.

The Riverdale Y’s Rising Stars lit up the asphalt stage with showstoppers from Grease, Seussical, and SpongeBob the Musical. The young thespians, ages 8 to 18, performed with energy and high spirits – until an unexpected crowd-goer briefly crashed the stage and was quietly ushered off as the show carried on without a hitch.

Although there was no circus as advertised on the block party flyer, there was a stilt walker present. 

“My roommate was already doing it, but I started [stilt walking] during the pandemic,” Deena Tamm explained, her gold pants shimmering. “It was hard the first two or three times, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly.”

The crowd erupted as Powerspeed Taekwondo students sent wooden boards flying with powerful kicks and punches. Survivor’s 1982 hit, “Eye of the Tiger” served as their soundtrack. Routines grouped martial artists by skill, rather than age, with kids ranging from 6 to 17. Shortly after the performance, the studio’s owner and dojo master Ronald Caaya told The Press that calls from parents eager to enroll their kids began pouring in.

The event wrapped with a dance session, where kids big and small took to the platform stage to show off their moves.