Celebrate the Return of the Padres at the 12th Annual East Village Block Party on Opening Weekend
Though the East Village Block Party on Opening Weekend is often recognized as solely a celebration of the Padres and the return of baseball – this year it is much more. Aiming to shed light on the growing and devoted East Village business district, this year’s block party has home field advantage. With local business owner, Justin Navalle, and East Village resident and community member, Robyn Spencer, leading the party planning, the 2024 celebration will be a home run for the local community and spotlight neighborhood business like never before. Now, with event planning on home turf, this iconic neighborhood celebration, happening from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, March 30, 2024, will truly honor the vibrant community that is home to Petco Park.
Justin Navalle first became connected with the East Village community when his events planning firm, It’s Far Out, partnered with Quartyard in 2017. Now as the owner of the bustling event venue, offering everything from a full-service beer garden and outdoor concerts at night, to art and local coffee by day, Justin has helped to shape East Village into a buzzing, vibrant district. Serving on the East Village Association (EVA) board of directors for five years, Navalle wishes to extend his involvement beyond his local partners and pave the way for other businesses to thrive. His first move was growing the acclaimed Quartyard Oktoberfest celebration into the streets of East Village, through a partnership with the EVA in 2023. A grand success, growing from 500 to 3,000 people, the Oktoberfest celebration was a testament to how partnering with the thriving local businesses in the neighborhood is able to draw crowds, and he plans to implement this same philosophy with the East Village Block Party on Opening Weekend.
Similarly, planning events is no foreign concept to Robyn Spencer. In December 2016, Spencer first brought her event sales prowess to East Village Tavern+Bowl, the original East Village entertainment venue which opened in 2007. She dove right into the event scene, partnering with EVA by donating food for volunteers, and connecting spirits and sponsors for signature events. After moving to one of the premier East Village high rises in 2019, she spun off to create an event sales and production company, known as The Mob Squad. Since then, she has assisted with the production and planning of multiple business events in the neighborhood as well as become an active member in the local community, serving on the EVA board of directors since 2018 and on the East Village Residents Group (EVRG) board which focuses on fostering a true sense of community and fellowship for more than 15,000 residents in East Village.
Both with deep roots within the East Village community and aptitude for event planning, Navalle and Spencer bring their expertise to the upcoming East Village Block Party on Opening Weekend. To them, the block party is so much more than just a celebration of the Padres; it is a chance to illuminate the history of East Village and celebrate all of the local business owners and creatives who have made it into the bustling district it is today.
Category: Entertainment, Events, Life Style, Local News, Sports
