Hordes of visitors gathered in fire-ravaged Eastern Market on Sunday in an annual weekend flea-market celebration made bittersweet by the partial destruction of one of the area’s most beloved landmarks just a week before.

The 44th annual Friendship House Market Day — a vibrant mass of vendors, pedestrians and performers that snakes across Seventh street in Capitol Hill — was dealt a tragic setback when an early morning electrical fire swept through the historic South Hall on April 30.

Recommended Stories

Potential cuts to annual raise for teachers spark worry

The 3-minute interview: Kay Larmer

Three visions in works for Tysons future