TYLER, Texas — Saturday, East Texas held a free event to help give back to families in the community.
Churches, nonprofits and businesses in the area celebrated love and giving in the religious non-profit Love Thy City event. About six to seven thousand people gathered at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center for a celebration of giving and love.
Guests were coming in the doors from the afternoon until the early evening In the organization's first time ever hosting this one-of-a-kind event.
"Something the City of Tyler has never seen before," Vice Chairman of the event Shane Coleman said.
The event hosted tons of vendors, food trucks, prizes, back-to-school supplies and much more which was all free to the public. People in attendance were excited to visit and participate in the giving. Families said they were happy with the turnout and the city giving back to the community.
"It helps a lot of people, with everything they need for school, great for food, It's a really great event for the first time and we loved it," a Tyler resident in attendance said.
The idea of Love Thy City came together just a few months ago with help from community pastors and leaders. The nonprofit religious event was surrounded by prayer, giving, loving each other and the city.
"I'm just overjoyed and excited. By the expression of love. It's not just people being here. They are experiencing and expressing that love that I've learned and Savior Jesus Christ gave us," DeMarcus Pierson, founder of Love Thy City, said.
Pierson, the founder and visionary of Love Thy City said his church has four core values: love, faith, family and discipleship. This year focusing on love.
Pierson touched on how the event was inspired by a vision from God and how he wanted the community to embrace his message.
"I don't want to just preach about love. I want us to do something that expresses love," Pierson said.
Love Thy City also featured guest performances by nationally recognized artist Jonathan Trailer and key-note speaker and pastor Johnathan Evans. Organizers were happy with the turnout, and are already looking to next year’s event, expecting it to only advance from here.
"We're coming back, bigger, stronger, and with much more to love on our city," Pierson said.