Party with hundreds of people held in east Nashville while large gatherings prohibited

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Many Nashvillians are appalled and upset about a large party on Fern Street in east Nashville Saturday night.

Videos all over social media show hundreds of people not socially distancing and not wearing masks, and the organizer says they did not get cited when police came.

The party happened at a place called The Fashion House; their Instagram page says it's a tribute to the high-end fashion designers and iconic brands.

“It's very disrespectful and also shows zero regard for human life,” says Hunter Kelly who lives down the street.

He says this wasn't a secret party, it was very out in the open. Flyers on social media also show the party been planned for at least a week.

District 5 Council Member Sean Parker says he emailed the Metro Health Department and Metro Police to let them know about the party before it happened, but says he never received a response. Parker says seeing hundreds of people disregarding the rules during a global pandemic is a health issue.

“It's infuriating to so many residents, and to me,” Parker says.

Kelly says it's infuriating because it's one thing when this happens downtown because he can avoid the area. But he can't avoid his neighborhood.

“It's very disrespectful because we've all been wearing our masks, social distancing for months and months,” Kelly says.

“This is a finger in the eye to every one of us who have been sacrificing, everyone who has lost income, who hasn't had a haircut, who hasn't gone out to eat. Everyone who has sacrificed everything, this is a finger in your eye,” Parker says.

A man posted in the East Nashville Facebook group saying he threw the party and says he spoke with police and no one received any citations or violations.

Right now, in Nashville, gatherings of more than 25 people are prohibited.

Both Kelly and Parker wonder why Metro Police did not break-up the party.

“It's not necessarily that I’m saying you should cite every single person and give them tickets, but you can stop the party,” Parker said.

Metro Police did not respond to our question about the lack of enforcement.