Nearly 600 people showed up to the Sandhill-Texas Alley neighborhood reunion Saturday at the corner of Walnut and West streets.

Current and former neighborhood residents, as well as people from around Covington, attended the event and played games and sports, ate food, danced, rode horses and did a whole bunch of catching up.

Resident Avis Williams, one of the event’s organizers, said she was pleased with such a large turnout and thanked everyone for coming.

Mayor Kim Carter read a proclamation declaring Sept. 10, 2011 as Sandhill-Texas Alley Day.

The event also included a voter registration drive organized by the local Southern Christian Leadership Conference chapter and served as an informal meet-and-greet for state Sen. Ronald B. Ramsey, who recently took portions of Newton County and Covington into his district during redistricting.