Themed events redefine meaning of 'downtown'

SANDPOINT – In May, the first Thursday of the summer long series of First Thursday celebrations had a run-in with the rain. Undaunted, the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association (DSBA) has put together what promises to be a sizzling calendar of monthly events designed to drive after-hours traffic to local stores and restaurants and extend the weekend by a day.

First Thursday was inaugurated in 2011 as a somewhat loose-knit conglomeration of live music venues centered primarily within the downtown core. For 2012, the DSBA has stepped up expectations for the series and expanded its boundaries to include a larger number of businesses.

“We learned a lot from the previous year,” said DSBA Manager Marcy Timblin. “This summer, we’re going to have a monthly theme and a completely different location each time.”

On June 7, the First Thursday social gathering will take place in two almost adjoining locations – on Third Avenue near Jeff Jones Town Square and at Pend d’Oreille Winery on Third and Cedar. Unlike last year, where music and hors d’oeuvres were offered concurrently in several spots, this year’s event has been better choreographed to allow for easy meandering without missing a beat.

Pend d’Oreille Winery will feature live music and appetizers from 4-7 p.m. with the local combo Bright Moments. At 7:00, the action moves around the corner to the town square, with entertainment by Not Quite Punk and a skate rail set-up provided by 7B Board Shop.

“For June, First Thursday has a wine and food pairing meets skate jam theme,” said Timblin, adding that the diversity of the event should appeal to a wide age group. “Greasy Fingers bike shop will have a kids’ obstacle course and we’ll have a variety of vendors’ booths.

“Ideas just keep coming in,” she went on. “We’ll have a glass blower, a basket weaver, a plein-air art exhibit and the Sandpoint Waldorf School will have jugglers and unicyclists – all in the street.”

In concert with the happenings at the winery and town square, First Thursday includes a host of restaurant specials and longer hours at the majority of downtown businesses.

“I feel like we really have hit on a way to reach everyone this year,” Timblin said. “The purpose of First Thursday is to get people to come into town and have a place to shop and eat – to get out and explore our town. A lot of it is about bringing Spokane, Montana and Canada here. They want to come to Sandpoint anyway, so let’s give them a reason to be here by letting them know what’s going on.

“But it’s also about helping locals see what great things our downtown has to offer.”

Since the first Thursday in July falls right after Independence Day festivities, the DSBA has scheduled a July 5 event with a Battle of the Bands theme. Stages will be set up to encourage a musical walking tour that runs from First Avenue to The Sandpoint Business & Events Center (the original Sandpoint High School building on Euclid) all the way up to the Quality Inn on Fifth Ave.

According to Timblin, fanning out to cover a larger portion of the business district has been a conscious effort to redefine what “downtown” means. For visitors, there is little distinction between one part of town and another, the DSBA manager pointed out. They simply see it as one destination – a destination that has attracted consistently good press in recent years.

“I think everyone in this region can take pride in Sandpoint,” she said. “We’re getting so much positive national attention that everyone deserves to celebrate it.”

In August, the events calendar has been moved up one day – call it First Wednesday – in order not to conflict with opening night of The Festival at Sandpoint. The Aug. 1 activities will include a “foam fest” and obstacle course with proceeds going to support the Summer Sounds at Park Place music series and a hoedown-style party hosted by Trinity at City Beach.

September moves back to Thursday with a culinary theme, featuring chef demos and teams of servers from local restaurants who will compete in a “server’s race” along Sand Creek on Sept. 6.

“They have to carry a tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses as they race the other teams to reach the judges and do a proper serving at the finish line,” Timblin said. “And, yes, we will have people sweeping up behind them, because there will probably be some broken glass involved.”

The DSBA took the lessons learned from 2011 and plugged them into a schedule which, if all goes as planned, could establish First Thursday as one of Sandpoint’s key attractions.

“What we’d like to see happen is that locals and visitors alike know that, every first Thursday of the month, there’s something going on during the summer,” the manager said. “It’s going to take a while to get there, but we want it to become part of their consciousness.

“I’m hoping that, by next year, people who have sat through the winter are already thinking, ‘When does First Thursday start up again?’”

For a complete calendar of local events and details on First Thursday happenings this summer, visit: www.downtownsandpoint.com

Timblin encourages “entertainers of all kinds,” including musicians, magicians, jugglers and others who might be interested in taking part in First Thursday celebrations to contact her office at (208) 255-1876 or e-mail her at: info@downtownsandpoint.com