Josue DeLeon, a Salsa Mississippi regular, and hip-hop dance instructor Tempestt Gilmore, showcase their salsa skills outside the Salsa Mississippi studio during Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Grumpy Dave’s popcorn booth was one of a handful of food and drink vendors at Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Nicole Williams showcases her artwork during Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Mayor of Jackson Chokwe Lumumba (center right) poses for a photo with people at the Families As Allies event during Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Fondren After 5-goer Cedric Hampton poses for a photo at Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Musician Kerry Thomas performs during Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Offbeat, a midtown record and comic book shop, had records, comics and collectibles for sale as part of the Beacon Makers Market at Fondren After 5 on May 2.
BeFab Jewelry set up in front of Kopy Katz Bistro as part of the Fondren After 5 festivities on May 2.
Salsa Mississippi instructors teach a crowd basic salsa and bachata moves during Fondren After 5 on May 2.
Rob Whitley and his parrot Poco are a staple at Fondren After 5 events. He brought Poco out to greet festival-goers on May 2.
Tawny Minton, owner of SnapHappy Face Painting, was one of the vendors at Fondren After 5 on May 2.
“It is better for a city to have diverse, eclectic neighborhoods filled with a variety of people who know each other. Of course, in getting to know each other, both our comfort and our safety improves.” Credit: Acacia Clark
DJ Uri (left) and some of his friends pose for a photo at Fondren After 5 on May 2.
(left to right)) Eddie Dorman, Shawn Lawrence and Abayomi Sa-Ra performed African drumming during Fondren After 5 on May 2.

On the first Thursday of each month, people in the metro area gather in Fondren to eat food, hang out, listen to music, dance and more. Here are some photos from the May 2 event.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.