Downtown ML brings back Thursday event

Vendors, specials make for community fun

Downtown merchants are bringing back a new tradition.

Last year, from May to October, business owners along Third Avenue extended their business hours on the third Thursday of the month for a special event called Third Thursday on Third Avenue.

The event returns Thursday, from 3:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

"Our main objective is to make people aware that downtown Moses Lake is a good place to come and be," said Wendy Brown, owner of the Wood 'N You Gallery, located at 113 W. Third Ave. "It provides an avenue for local artists and crafters to display and show their works to the community. It's a fun time for everyone that comes; it's a nice community event."

This year, Third Thursday on Third Avenue will occur on the third Thursday in May, June, July, August and September, Brown said. She added that the Third Thursday vendors will also be present all day during the spring festival on May 28.

Brown also said that most of the downtown businesses will be participating, and that a lot will offer special sales or special discounts.

"We wanted to have an evening that was extended hours, and we didn't want to do Friday or Saturday, because people are headed out of town," said Sue Torrence, owner of Sue's Shadow Box at 212 W. Third Ave. "The third Thursday, the name was kind of catchy, and (it) worked out. It's a great family time."

Torrence said that she is pretty involved in the event planning process, and that meetings are held every Thursday to find more vendors and crafters.

"It's a promotion to benefit the businesses, basically," said Sally Goodwin, executive director of the Moses Lake Business Association. "It brings people downtown, entertains them, gives them something to do. A lot of the outside vendors that come in are home industry, cottage industry type people, and it gives them a venue also."

Goodwin, Brown and Torrence said they had no idea what kind of a turn-out to expect, but all three were pleased with last year's results.

Brown said that 50 pumpkins had been ordered for the October event to give away to children, and those were gone in an hour. She estimated that there had been several hundred people in attendance that month.

Torrence said she was hoping for a real good turn-out this time around as well.

"I'm having a real good sale, so hopefully I'll be packed," she said with a laugh.