Santa Monica Block Fest kicked off a party Saturday on the Third Street Promenade, part of a big push to bring people and businesses back the downtown area. Artist Marquis Cook used to make a living selling his drawings at the Third Street Promenade. Thanks to events like the Santa Monica Block Fest, thousands of people have returned to shop, eat and dance. "All three blocks of the promenade have different DJs, EDM music," said Sydney Korvach, the downtown Santa Monica director of community affairs. "Between the pier and Third Street, we got to keep raising up Santa Monica," neighbor Michael Ware said.