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Hundreds of College Park residents turned out Saturday afternoon to meet their neighbors, enjoy free food and celebrate the city's culture at the inaugural College Park Day.

A group of city volunteers planned the event, which was held outside the College Park Community Center and Paint Branch Elementary School. Organizers hoped to showcase the city's diverse residents, community groups and businesses, and early indications from planners are that the event was a rousing success.

"It's very exciting to see so many people of different backgrounds," said Fazlul Kabir, who was one of about 25 residents to help plan the event. "You don't get this anywhere in the city, and this is an opportunity for all the people to come together in one place."

College Park Day was the brainchild of several residents of the city of about 28,000, who lamented that while the University of Maryland, College Park, had its annual Maryland Day — an April event that often draws more than 50,000 people to the 1,250-acre campus — there wasn't a major event to display what the rest of the city had to offer.

Organizers spent the past six months planning the event, which was patterned after the now-defunct Taste of College Park, an annual festival from the mid-2000s that featured food from the city's restaurants. College Park Day was paid for with a $5,000 city grant and community donations.

Along with free food from local restaurants, this year's event featured live music and martial arts demonstrations, games for children and appearances from various city groups, such as the university, Boy Scouts of America Troop 740 and the city's Committee for a Better Environment.

"I'm really pleased [with the turnout]," said City Councilman Patrick Wojahn (Dist. 1), who estimated about 500 people attended the event. "I think it shows that the community is engaged and wants to come together."

Saturday's warm weather cooperated perfectly with the event, which would have been held indoors at the school and community center if there was inclement weather. Attendees spent much of the afternoon eating, listening to music and learning about their neighbors and the businesses, restaurants and volunteer groups the city has to offer.

"It's nice to have a focal point for the community to get together," said Prince George's County Councilman Eric C. Olson (D-Dist. 3), a College Park resident since 1992. "You see neighbors you haven't seen in a while. ... There are a lot of businesses and talent in the city that are being showcased today."

Wojahn said that while planning for next year's College Park Day has not yet officially begun, organizers hope to expand it by offering more vendors and entertainment, as well as composting. The festival will likely remain near Paint Branch, he said, as the complex offers adequate indoor and outdoor space.

Resident Michelle Sweeney said that in addition to food and entertainment, the event gave her a chance to meet several city and county officials, including Wojahn, Olson and Mayor Andrew Fellows.

"We're actually getting to meet some of the people that make decisions here, and you don't commonly see that," said Sweeney, who brought her two daughters, ages 1 and 14. "They should do it every year."

dhill@gazette.net