Lansing - Thousands of people gathered downtown Saturday, filling the sidewalks along Michigan Avenue to see bands, clowns and cultural groups march toward the Capitol.

And those who attended the third annual African American Parade and Family Reunion Picnic made the most of the sunny summer morning and afternoon.

Many people who stood on the sidewalks watching the parade followed the floats as they traveled to nearby Ferris Park for the “family reunion.”

Once there, young children bounced around inside the inflatable “moonwalk” structures, while teenage boys played basketball.

Others enjoyed the music provided by the variety of bands on the roster and talked with the political candidates in attendance.

The River Rouge High School Marching Band from Detroit danced and sang in addition to playing songs for the large, cheering crowd.

When they were finished, band members rushed off in search of what everyone was after on the warm summer afternoon - water.

Some visitors traveled hundreds of miles to attend the festivities. Jasper Austin came from Arkansas to visit his sisters in Lansing. It was his first time attending the event.

“It’s just a good experience,” he said, adding that he’ll definitely be back next year.

The celebration was supported by volunteers from the Capital City African American Cultural Association. State Rep. Michael Murphy, D-Lansing, is the group’s president and founder.

Lansing resident Jean Moon also volunteered to help with the parade. Moon and others from the A. Philip Randolph Institute’s Lansing chapter worked behind the scenes, making sure things ran smoothly. The national organization was originally formed as a black labor union in 1965, but since that time the institute’s goals have expanded, and now include community and political education.

Moon said the group marched in the parade the past two years, but she enjoyed working out of the public’s eye this time around.

“My favorite part of the parade was being able to sit back and observe, see the bright colors and different religions,” Moon said.

Moon said she got involved with the Randolph Institute because she wanted to encourage people of all races to learn about diversity.

She said the event is about more than black heritage and culture.

“I don’t feel Lansing does enough to educate people about what blacks have done for society,” she said.

Some information tables set up at the picnic aimed to do just that. Groups were able to get out information about themselves and let the community find out ways to become more involved.

Science in the City had signs posted with pictures of famous black scientists, including inventor Lewis Latimer, astronaut Mae Jemison and biologist Ernest Just.

Mozell Lang, the science program’s director, said mentors from MSU, Lansing Community College and other schools around the state encourage middle- and high-school students to develop an interest in science.

Khirese Leek, a 13-year-old Lansing resident, recently attended a four-week camp at MSU, where he studied math, science and English.

Laura Washington, another 13-year-old from Lansing, took a one-week chemistry class at Michigan Technological University earlier this summer.

“We adopted an element and gave a report on it,” Washington said.

“We got to blow up (Marshmallow) Peeps.”