EAST SPENCER — Smooth jazz with a whisper of hip hop wafted across Royal Giants Park in town Saturday afternoon as residents gathered for the annual Southern Soul Music Festival.

A more perfect day could not have come, said Mayor Barbara Mallett, who explained the origin of the event.

“Years ago, before we were the town of East Spencer, we were called “The Southern City,” she said. When the community began to rebrand itself, it harkened back to its original name, becoming East Spencer, the original Southern City, and it needed a signature event to go along with it. And so the Southern Soul Music Festival was born.

“When we first started, from what I understand, we had probably 800 to 1,000 people coming out,” said Town Manager Michael Douglas. “Then, of course, COVID hit, and now we are trying to rebuild.” He said he was quite happy to see the number of people who came out Saturday for the day-long event, but he hopes the numbers will grow again.

“We really want this park to become the place to gather, to meet as a community, to become our go-to place,” he said. “Everything in the park is for rent, for reunions or parties or whatever. Everything, including the concession stand, is available.” In addition, Douglas has applied for a grant totaling $754,000 that, if the town gets it, will go toward improving all elements of the park, from the picnic area to the ball field to the aforementioned concession stand.

“I want our community to have a place that they are proud of and want to come to,” said Douglas.

Participation in Saturday’s event was open to anyone from a vender perspective as well, he said, and the fees for participation “are incredibly low, because we want people to come.” There were several vendors offering clothing, jewelry and other collectibles, as well as different foods, and several people running for office who were looking for feedback from residents.

“I’m glad to be here and hoping people will come by for conversations, to ask questions and to tell me what they are worried about,” he said.

Tamara Wilson, who lived in East Spencer for several years as a teenager, said she saw the event advertised and decided to stop by.

“It’s really nice to see people getting together, and still know each other,” she said. “That small town feel I loved when I lived here is still here.”

Four bands were on the program between noon and 7 p.m. Divided by Four kicked off the day, followed by Soultrii, then Virginia Rush, and The Ace Party Band closed out the evening.

Mallett planned to see the event to the finish line.

“Of course I’m going to be here at the end,” she said, dancing. “This is the place to be!”