More than a half-hour before the Deatrich Wise Jr.'s Annual Block Party kicked off on Saturday, there wasn't a parking spot to be found on Hazelton Street in Mattapan.
The first block back from Blue Hill Avenue in front of the Josh Kraft Mattapan Teen Center was closed off to traffic and already bustling with residents patiently waiting for the event to get going.
Their excitement, as revealed by the New England Patriots defensive lineman, went back months already.
"Before I even announced anything, people kept asking me about it," Wise Jr. said. "They kept asking, 'Hey, when is the Block Party? When is the block party going to happen again?' People really look forward to it. It's fantastic."
Wise Jr. held his inaugural event during the 2019 season.
It started as a way for him and the Wise family to shine a positive light on Mattapan's youth, celebrating their talent and bringing people together through music, food, and sports.
Six years later, the Block Party is now engrained in the community. But this October, in this economy, it appeared to be as big of a relief as ever.
"To be here giving out this free food is important," Wise Jr. said. "We're in hard times. This is a day they don't have to worry about buying food for their families. They can come here for fresh produce, food from the food trucks, get a nice haircut for the kids, and have a lot of fun."
Nearly 1,500 people attended this year's Block Party.
An hour-long bus ride away from the closest Whole Foods, the Block Party farmer's market gave away 6,000 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables and other high-quality, clean-ingredient foods. Thanks to the delicious smells wafting from the food trucks on the scene, folks lined up to order free meals from Fresh Food Generation, Gourmet Kreyol, and Rhythm & Wraps, who collectively gave away 1,200 meals.
The pop-up barber shop gave more than 75 free haircuts, and among other activations, the talent in Mattapan was on full display.
"A lot goes into this day," Wise Jr. said proudly.
"I'm mostly the visionary, and so many people work to help me with this while I'm in season. (Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston Executive Director) Rick Aggler does a wonderful job. I call him Rick the Ruler because he makes things happen -- whether it's calling the city, bringing people in, getting permits. Also (Patriots Executive Vice President of Football Business & Senior Advisor to the Head Coach) Robyn (Glaser) and her connections. So many people from the food trucks to the audio and sound, the state, barbers, the fire and police departments. Everyone does a fantastic job every year and I give all the kudos to them."
For Wise Jr. and the Mattapan Teen Center, with local youth is worth their investment. Every year, the event doesn't conclude without showcasing the kids' potential.
Towards the evening, the state at the bottom of Hazelton screened We Out Here -- the third installment of a documentary film project produced by local teen Moses Sibley and his peers. After the film, longtime Mattapan Teen Center member and hip-hop artist KNG-DVD performed on stage.
On a perfect fall day in New England, positivity overwhelmed the community and showed exactly what Mattapan is all about.
"This is exactly what we wanted to create for the Mattapan community," Wise Jr. said.
"We wanted to shine a bright light on the area to show off what the kids are doing, but also bring everyone together to build a strong community around the culture of unity, inspiration, food, and fun. It's a blessing and I'm honored to be part of an event that touches people's lives like this."
