Houghton Park and the surrounding streets in North Long Beach came to life with live-music, dance parties and food trucks Saturday as day two of the annual Uptown Jazz Fest continued into the weekend.

The event kicked off at 9 a.m. with an Artesia Boulevard block party, which was closed off to vehicle traffic for residents to walk around. The block party also featured a stage for live music.

The heart of the party was concentrated in Houghton Park—the premier location for the annual event. Saturday’s musical performances included Biscuits & Gravy, DW3 and nonstop music from DJ Mr. Quick.

The event marked a return to in-person activities after last year’s jazz fest had to be streamed online because of COVID-19. This year may have allowed for the event to be in person, but there were some rules were in place. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test had to be presented in order to enter the public dance floor in front of the main stage and families were urged to wear masks.

Lawrence and Maria Taylor are local residents near the park and said it was their first time attending the event. “Me and my family came out to support the city,” Lawrence said. “It’s a rough time right now, so everybody needs this. Just having fun enjoying.”

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