Almost five years have passed since Doug Snyder kept nagging Cindy Williams.

"Why doesn't the North Side have a festival? Why doesn't the North Side have a community group?" questioned Mr. Snyder, then a regular at the North Side restaurant Ms. Williams owns Â--Bottoms Up Bar & Grill.

What a difference five years makes.

Ms. Williams and other area business owners and community members started the community group, Northend Community Association, and festival, May Fest, more than four years ago.

Their efforts have led to a cleaner neighborhood, scholarships for Lafayette High School graduates, an annual festival with a parade that's celebrating its fifth year this weekend and a pride week that's looking toward its second year.

And the effort's just begun.

"There's a lot more we want to do," Ms. Williams said.

They want to bring bigger entertainment names to the festival and put new trees along St. Joseph Avenue.

With May Fest this weekend, North Siders - those who bleed the Irish green of Lafayette and cherish Krug Park - are celebrating how far the area has come and talking about the improvements ahead.

Ms. Williams has spent all 51 years of her life in the North Side.

As a child, her neighborhood was the heart of the city.

"There were all these neat old, shiny buildings, and everything was in pretty good shape," she remembers.

Through the years, businesses and people left the area for newer areas to the east and south, turning those shiny buildings into eyesores.

"Everything just kind of fell over time," she said. "We've changed some of that and need to change a lot more."

Lafayette seniors Olivia Mitchell and Kaylee Adams helped organize the first North Side Pride Week this past fall. The Northend Community Association initiated the week.

"Before that spirit week, the amount of North Side pride was upsetting," Kaylee said. "It was upsetting that the South End had so much pride, but we didn't celebrate much."

During the pride week, which was the week prior to football homecoming, schools in the area had pep assemblies and a banner contest. Elementary through high school students wore North Side Pride shirts to the homecoming game.

Green paint and posters appeared in business windows.

"Because of North Side Pride week, everybody has pride now," Olivia said.

The Lafayette boys basketball team won the district championship this year, which boosted pride, the students said.

It's not that the South Side is better than the North Side, Olivia said. It's that the South Side has done a better job of promoting itself, she said.

"In the past, we didn't do a good job of showcasing our pride. The businesses supported us, but we didn't get together as a community and promote ourselves until recently," Olivia said.

With a competitive smile, she added, "We're the more humble side. We just weren't telling people about ourselves as much as the South End was."

Student leaders have big plans for next school year's North Side Pride Week, including more alumni involvement.

This time of year, North Siders Peggy Bernard and Debbie Beasley are relishing in the area's progress.

"We actually have a parade - that's a big deal. Everyone pulls together and becomes one at May Fest," Ms. Beasley said while eating lunch with Ms. Bernard at Bottoms Up last week.

Ms. Bernard, a 51-year-old who grew up in the North Side, said the area has more pride now than ever.

"This is definitely phenomenal," she said.

Nancy Hull can be reached at nancyhull@npgco.com.