“We stay at home but we are not alone” is the motto a neighbourhood in Palaio Faliro in southern Athens has adopted as its own.
A DJ living in one apartment decided to throw the mother of street parties last Saturday night. Only it all stayed above ground.
There were flares, fireworks, air horns, and music blasting through speakers belonging to the DJ who orchestrated the event.
The DJ set things off at 9pm by flashing torch lights into the windows of his neighbours. The response was electric as more and more people ventured onto their balconies. Armed with flashlights, they created their own “strobe light” atmosphere.
The mood on the balconies was jovial and free. The fear and stress of the current global crisis temporarily forgotten.
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However, not everyone on the street was on board with the festivities, and the police were called. They were told there had been breaches to the lockdown regulations that had been put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
All that considered the police had no grounds to shut things down as the “quarantine party” was following all social-distancing policies.
Everyone was enjoying the party, separate, from their own balconies.
The police attempted to get the DJ to lower the volume as the music could be heard three streets away, but the party continued into early Sunday morning.
There are plans in place to see a return of this event this coming Saturday.
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In these tough times, it is lovely to see the human spirit, and sense of community present itself. We may all be home but as this party has shown, we are certainly not alone.