Community can expect to see ‘structure,’ new theme among other changes at Comofest 2024

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, residents of the Lake Como community can expect to see changes at the neighborhood’s annual July 3 celebration, Comofest.

The Lake Como Neighborhood Advisory Council immediately began discussing plans for this year’s July 4th celebrations following a shooting on July 3, 2023, that killed three people.

The shooting happened at an unofficial block party on Horne Street and Diaz Avenue about two hours after Comofest, the west Fort Worth neighborhood’s annual pre-Fourth of July event. The block party was not associated with Comofest.

Como community members and Legacy Lake Como — the organizers of Comofest — spoke to the Star-Telegram last year in August when the council began deliberating on what needs to be different.

Now, they are looking forward to what they say will be the celebration’s best year yet.

Structure and collaboration with law enforcement

The 3rd of July celebration predates Comofest by decades, says Legacy Lake Como’s president, Marcus Hudson.

Comofest began in 2021 as a way to mitigate problems in the community, but more importantly, to provide a family-friendly environment to celebrate in unity.

The unofficial afterparty that takes place on Horne Street has been going on since as far back as the 1960s, according to Hudson. Because of it, concerns of regulation arose.

This year, the council has worked more closely with Fort Worth police to bring more structure to the celebrations.

Como Neighborhood Police Officer David Nicholson says police will further help establish the regulation and guidance the community is looking for.

The Police Department will have “several different layers” of officers throughout and outside Como, with some being closer to the event to direct traffic.

The festival will be barricaded off to help people know where exactly the event is taking place. It’s at those perimeters where officers will be directing traffic, which Comofest did not have not in previous years.

There will also be officers interacting with the community, talking to vendors, and walking around to check on what’s going on inside and outside the event.

In addition to the Como community, officers will be responding to calls and concerns everywhere in Fort Worth, including fireworks and loud sounds, which police typically respond to on and around Fourth of July.

“We’re just trying to party with a purpose and interact with the community and hopefully plant a seed for this event to take place for years to come,” Nicholson said. “We’re glad to be collaborating with the community. We’ve been working with them closely on a weekly basis since last year of the shooting to devise a plan to not overdo it or underdo it, but just be a part of it and enjoy it with the community.”

Both Fort Worth police and the council say they have established a more tightly knit relationship with each other, which was one of advisory’s goals.

“The Homecoming [and Comofest] has brought us a lot closer together because now the community sees that we care,” said Nicholson. “The feedback I’ve been receiving is that people are a lot more excited to know that we’re going to be there.”

Changes at Comofest

Comofest organizers and the neighborhood advisory council are also strategizing to appeal to more youth.

Promoting the narrative of Como is the first step, Hudson said.

Aside from the holiday, Comofest is about celebrating the community’s history. The event will include music, food and several activities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, while making the history of Como known to residents, according to Hudson.

Comofest, at Lake Como Park, will take place during the day. A new community fundraising event called Como Homecoming is scheduled to be held that night in a blocked-off area around Horne Street, where large crowds usually have gathered, according to organizers.

Nicholson says although Como has seen a reduction in crime, officers will be monitoring nonetheless.

“We like to contribute to proactive policing and just having relationships with the community,” he said.

Being an NPO in Como, Nicholson receives calls about offenses or concerns that seem minor, but could assist police in preventing problems.

“Particularly with the Homecoming, the collaboration with the community leaders and Legacy [Lake Como] has shown the rest of the community that it’s OK to be part of what’s going on,” Nicholson said.

Event organizers have also introduced a theme — “One Community One Love” — to Comofest, to “capture the spirit of the homecoming.”

“It has gotten bigger and better every year,” said Ella Burton, community member and former president of the advisory council. “But you must attend to see and feel the excitement.”

Taking pride in the community

To proactive community members, Comofest is the perfect opportunity for people to display their pride, faith and unity in Como.

“We’re trying to reiterate and go back to the basics of where we started,” said Dena Ashton, chair of the neighborhood advisory council.

Comofest replaced an annual custom in the Lake Como Park, which came after the parade, according to Burton. The event is a replacement that serves a more suitable time, assures safety, and provides festivities for Como residents.

The parade, originally referred to as Como Day Parade, is just as vital to residents. The parade was first organized to celebrate the founding of Como in 1905 and continue the neighborhood’s vision of building a sense of community.

“We just want people to know that we are doing our best to work together as a community to grow and thrive and just be the best version of Como that we can be,” Ashton said.

Community leaders, members and law enforcement have seen progress in Como as they have worked together more.

The Lake Como neighborhood was named the best neighborhood in the country in May during the Neighborhoods USA conference in Lubbock. It also earned first place honors in the social revitalization category.

“When I came over here, they accepted me like family ... so that’s why I’m glad we’re able to tackle this together,” Nicholson said. “Adversity brings everybody together.”

To learn more about the event, visit the Comofest 2024 website.