The annual Friendship Festival is a family-friendly event that is free and open to the public. The evening celebration will take place at Plaza Guadalupe located at 1327 Guadalupe St., just blocks away from Inner City Development. Entertainment will include music from Eddie and the Valiants playing South Texas Soul and Tarasco Tropical with their fresh new cumbia sound, as well as a DJ and more. Children of all ages can enjoy the games, arts and craft activities and Dru’s Photo booth. Raspas, desserts and beer will be available for purchase.

But in another new twist, the event will offer free food and aguas frescas starting at 7pm while supplies last. The game booths and photo booth will also be free to attendees.

Rod Radle explains, “With everything people have been through over the last two years and four months, Inner City is offering the community an almost-totally free event, with a chance to have fun and mingle with neighbors in an open environment, celebrating the fact that, despite everything, we remain a close community where people truly care about one another.”

Donation jars and online links will be available around the festival footprint for those who feel moved to support Inner City with a donation.

Inner City Development is a nonprofit, community-based organization that responds to emergency, educational, and recreational needs of the neighborhood on the near Westside of San Antonio in the vicinity of the Alazan-Apache Public Housing Project. It has been operating in this area, the economically poorest area of Bexar County, since 1968. The mission of the organization is to lift the dignity of the individual. This is done by providing critical, supportive, basic life services and inspiring persons to participate in the betterment of their neighborhood through volunteerism. With the exception of one part-time administrative assistant, the organization is run by an all-volunteer staff and administration.

Since its establishment in 1968, Inner City has provided baseball, basketball and soccer leagues, education programs, art programs and field trips to children on the near Westside of San Antonio. In the summer, Inner City registers between 300 to 400 children for its recreation program, supervised primarily by teenagers and adults who grew up in the program. Over the years, Inner City has provided groceries to between 50 to 300 families in crisis each month. The emergency clothing program has served thousands of children and families. Inner City also has a sack lunch program for the homeless, a key component of which is to engage with those who come for this service.

Inner City Development continues searching for more ways to make a difference in the San Antonio community, especially on the Westside. But, according to the Radles, one of the greatest accomplishments is in the community ownership of the programs. “The programs we have today are now run by the children and teens who used to be in the programs. There is a great love for these programs because they have affected so many children’s and family’s lives,” says Patti Radle. “This is truly a community working together and having a lot of fun doing it.”

For more information on Inner City and updates on schedule please visit: www.innercitydevelopment.org