Down Home Reunion event to return for fifth year

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

The Down Home Reunion is returning to Jennings for a fifth year.

The three-day event will offer activities for individuals of all ages and is geared to recognizing past and present veterans, educators and business owners in the city.

Organizer Anthony Allen said the event came about as an idea to bring people of Jennings together for a weekend full of fun, food and fellowship.

“I made the decision to hold the reunion in Jennings as a way to bring former residents back to town, and it has been a growing success ever since,” he said. “We have people coming who haven’t been here in upwards of 40 years. We’re trying to reach the elderly residents who still live or who used to live in Jennings who don’t have family and were also trying to highlight the younger people. A lot of people have their family reunion within the reunion to kill two birds with one stone.”

The event will kick off Friday, May 25, at Marcus Cain Park.

Vendors and campers will be able to sign up for assigned spaces.

At 8:30 a.m. the next day, there will be a 5K run followed immediately after by free time for people to cook and fellowship at the park. There will also be a kickball tournament that will begin at 11 a.m. with entertainment to be provided by local musicians and a spiritual dance team from 2-4 p.m. The tournament will conclude the next day with trophies to be awarded afterward.

That same night there will de a dance to be held at 9 p.m. at the Friends Supporting Friends Event Center on US 90. There will be a $10 admission fee at the dance thatwill feature a battle between the newstyle DJ Walnut versus his brother, the old-school Carl Williams, also known as DJ Roman Knight.

After most church services in the city have concluded on Sunday, Down Home Reunion festivities will get underway for a final day featuring the conclusion of the kickball tournament which will start at 2 p.m., along with free drinks and snacks that will be available for the children.

For more information, contact Anthony Allen at (713) 302-3863.