Hundreds of fans from the region and abroad flocked to Gary for the Memorial Celebration outside of Michael Jackson's boyhood home at the corner of 23rd Avenue and Jackson Street.
Revelers grooved to the sounds of "Remember The Time" and other Jackson songs long before the start of the ceremony after 5:30 p.m. Poets, local singers and South Shore Dance Alliance performers entertained the crowd with Jackson tributes Saturday night.
Attendees and Gary officials professed their love for the international superstar as they tried to keep his memory alive through a Tribute Celebration.
Mayor Rudy Clay welcomed visitors to the event and proclaimed the city will not stop celebrating his memory. LaLosa Burns, city spokeswoman and special events director, said a ceremony in August will be planned to commemorate Jackson's birth in the Steel City.
Merrillville resident Keith Jackson, a first cousin of Michael Jackson, greeted visitors throughout the day and said it would be a terrific opportunity for Gary if they were able to locate a Jackson museum within the city.
"We are just here to carry on his legacy," Keith Jackson said.
MJFS