Final days of 48th annual Harlem Week call for end to gun violence, pay tribute to lives lost
NEW YORK -- The 48th annual Harlem Week has been jam-packed with events, and as the ten-day festival winds down, there's still a lot to see.
As CBS2's Alecia Reid reports, folks came out in droves for the final two days of the event.
There were people as far as the eyes could see at Saturday night's concert, packing the streets and dancing away to the melody.
"You see all these people out here? Absolutely gorgeous. Definitely, I love it. The energy is crazy in here. I love it," Mount Vernon resident Onysha Norfleet said.
People from near and far came to simply embrace the experience.
"Amazing, amazing, amazing. It's great to hear music from the '80s," said Cedric Carter, from Upstate New York.
The central theme of fun, inspiration, impact and legacy was clear.
"Everybody being together now, it's just a beautiful thing," Harlem resident Denise Miles said.
RELATED STORY: Harlem Week teaches older New Yorkers something new
There have been a number of exciting things to do over the past week, including Senior Citizens Day at Harlem's iconic Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office building.
"When they are afforded things for them, it's the best thing ever," Harlem resident Sherriel Evans said.
The whole event kicked off with the Uptown Night Market, focusing on small businesses. It had the most vendors to date.
RELATED STORY: Harlem Week kicks off with one-year anniversary of Uptown Night Market
Saturday's concert brought back great memories for some.
"Joyfulness, happiness, togetherness," Mount Vernon resident Clifton Gibson said.
"What the whole world has been through, we needed this. This was the best," Evans said.
"I haven't been out for two years. It's beautiful. Everybody coming together," Harlem resident Shirley Knight said.
All the fun was part of the city's call to action to end gun violence in the community, paying tribute to Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, two Harlem detectives who lost their lives in the line of duty in January, as well as Darius Lee, a Harlem college basketball player who was killed over Father's Day weekend.
Attendees say they not only support the cause, they appreciate the opportunity to be outdoors with fellow neighbors.
"It's very important to acknowledge, like, some of our young that was doing well and they had a bright future in front of them, and to be out here to acknowledge them and memorialize some of the youth and some of the young people we lost. It's important for the families and important for the young kids that's coming up," said Jeffrey Heart, of Spanish Harlem.
"We do need to bring awareness to the gun violence and the senseless killings that's been going on in minority neighborhoods," Queens resident Daniel Mills said.
The festivities wrap up Sunday. For more details and a schedule of events, visit harlemweek.com.
