The Bills Block Party in the East End attracts a sizable crowd and attempts to boost the local scene

Rochester, New York – The East and Alex Association organized the Bills Block Party with the dual goals of attracting guests to Rochester’s East End Bar District and generating funds for The Wilmot Cancer Center.

Between 1,500 and 1,600 tickets were sold for Sunday’s “Bills Block Party,” according to Blake Gianniny, a member of the East and Alex Association and the owner of four businesses along the East End bar strip. Surrounded by the well-known taverns in the East End, the crowded bar district savored food, and beverages, and watched the Bills vs. Seahawks game on two enormous TV screens in the middle of the street.

“We’d like to showcase kind of what East and Alexander can be,” stated Gianniny. “…kind of inviting the community to come down here for a well-curated event.”

Rochester resident Emily Eddy had a great day at Filgers with her pals. She expressed her happiness at the large number of individuals in the neighborhood.

“It’s kind of been dying down here for a while,” replied Eddy. “This used to be where the scene was at, so it’s just a good time.”

Mayor Malik Evans was in the crowd as well. Following the news on Friday of effective security measures in the Special Event Zone security detail and a Halloween “Bar Crawl” that drew hundreds of people, he expressed his satisfaction with the events of the past weekend.

“We lowered the ages to 18 last night,” Evans stated. “It went really well. This morning, I received a positive report that everything went off without a hitch.

Eddy said she felt protected because of the security presence in the neighborhood on Sunday.

“You had to check in, and buy tickets ahead of time,” replied Eddy. “They checked your bag and everything before you came in.”

For a number of businesses, the crowds also meant clients, but one company owner claimed that the most important thing was the positive vibes.

Louie Maier, the proprietor of Locals Only and Recreo, stated, “We did this because we wanted the community to come together.” “The neighborhood truly benefits from it. Simply positive vibes, kind people, the community, participating, and strong support.” Gianniny concurred.

“The idea is a year old, but committing to making it happen is maybe two or three months,” stated Gianniny. “Getting the right people involved is important, and we had a lot of energy and a lot of the right people involved.”

The city does not intend to remove the Saturday night security duties in the area, Mayor Evans stated on Friday. According to Gianniny, the Wilmot Cancer Center received donations as a result of the event.