I walked out of the county commission meeting and the Ray Lewis Band was setting up for tonight’s Street Dance in downtown Paris. Steve Greer said they aren’t doing Led Zeppelin tonight, but how about Prince? I said that would suit me fine especially since today is the anniversary of his death. The Jaycees are on site with their food truck. Free admission to the World’s Biggest Fish…….WATCH VIDEO
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Street Dance, Prince Tributes, and Fried Catfish: Downtown Paris Comes Alive
Paris, TN – April 21, 2025 – As the sun dipped behind the courthouse and the last gavel echoed from the county commission chambers, the rhythm of the evening shifted. Just a few steps away from government formality, downtown Paris was transforming into a lively block party. The Ray Lewis Band was setting up their gear for tonight’s Street Dance, the crowd beginning to gather, and the unmistakable smell of fried catfish hung in the air. Welcome to the heart of spring in Paris, where civic business meets community celebration.
It’s a scene that could only happen in Paris. One moment, local leaders are voting on zoning ordinances and budget revisions. The next, the square is buzzing with amplifiers, folding chairs, and laughter. “We’re skipping Led Zeppelin tonight,” band leader Steve Greer told a small cluster of onlookers as he adjusted his mic stand. “But how about some Prince instead?” That drew a round of cheers, especially from those who remembered that April 21st marks the anniversary of Prince’s death—a fitting tribute to the Purple One in a town that knows how to blend reverence with revelry.
The annual Downtown Street Dance, sponsored by local organizations including the Paris Jaycees, is a much-loved tradition in the community. What makes this year extra special is its connection to The World’s Biggest Fish Fry, a weeklong celebration of community, culture, and of course, catfish. The festival, which draws thousands each year, kicked off this morning and will crescendo with parades, pageants, and platefuls of golden-fried goodness by week’s end.
Tonight, though, it’s about the music—and the mood. Folding chairs and lawn blankets line the square. Kids dance barefoot on the warm pavement. Couples sway under the string lights. The Ray Lewis Band launches into an energetic funk medley, slipping seamlessly into Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy,” which sends a cheer through the crowd. It’s not quite Minneapolis, but for a few minutes, downtown Paris feels like a little slice of Paisley Park.
“This is exactly what I needed after that meeting,” said one attendee, fresh from the commission room and now sipping sweet tea while tapping their foot to the beat. “It’s the kind of night where the whole town feels like family.”
On the corner, the Jaycees’ food truck is doing brisk business. The line stretches around the courthouse lawn as festivalgoers grab plates stacked with fried fish, hush puppies, and coleslaw. The group, which plays a major role in organizing the week’s events, has turned the food truck into both a mobile kitchen and a hub for community spirit. “Every dollar we make tonight goes right back into next year’s festival,” said one Jaycee volunteer as she handed out a basket of steaming catfish. “It’s all about giving back—and feeding people.”
That spirit of togetherness is part of what makes the World’s Biggest Fish Fry such a uniquely Paris event. It’s not just about the food, or the music, or even the fish-shaped float that will roll through town in Friday’s grand parade. It’s about tradition. About generations of families who’ve gathered in this same square to dance, to eat, to remember, and to celebrate.
Prince might not have played downtown Paris, but tonight his legacy lived on in the joyous chaos of kids twirling under streetlamps and neighbors reconnecting over music. In a brief moment of quiet between songs, Greer took the mic and offered a heartfelt tribute: “This one’s for Prince,” he said. “Thanks for the music, man.”
The crowd responded not with silence but with rhythm—clapping in time, dancing in place, and proving once again that you don’t need a stadium to throw a great party. You just need good music, good food, and a community that knows how to celebrate.
As the evening wore on, the lights glowed brighter, the music got louder, and the smell of fish fry carried down every side street. It was the kind of night that reminded people why they love this town—not in spite of its smallness, but because of it. A night where the echo of a Prince tribute blends with the sizzle of catfish oil, where county politics fade into the background, and where the soul of Paris, Tennessee comes dancing into view.
WATCH VIDEO: Highlights from tonight’s Street Dance, including crowd reactions, Ray Lewis Band’s tribute to Prince, and interviews with Jaycees volunteers.
