Carson's summer fun starts Friday

Carson City will start a summer of downtown activities Friday with the first of 16 outdoor concerts.

This is the second summer for what the city business development office calls the Curry Street Promenade.

The southern rock band Savannah Blue will play at 7 p.m. Friday at the corner of Third and Curry streets.

On Saturdays starting June 27, activities will include the farmers' market in the West Third Street parking lot, the family fun pop-up park in the Brewery Arts Center Plaza, carriage rides and downtown bike tours starting from the West Proctor Street parking lot.

The city also will hang 81 lush flower baskets Friday morning downtown as the first event of the Curry Street Promenade.

"The purpose is to continue to keep the downtown full of foot traffic, to continue to create excellent opportunities for people to be downtown," said Tammy Westergard, business development office manager. "The community enjoys hanging out downtown."

City redevelopment will pay $30,000 for the Saturday morning activities and $30,000 for the Friday activities, Westergard said. Businesses will pay the city $21,000 to be vendors at the Friday concerts.

Stan Jones, owner the Purple Avocado gift shop, said the summer activities will help downtown businesses like his.

"It adds to the sales tax and that's what we're looking at," he said.

Doug Cramer, owner of Mom and Pop's Diner on Third Street, said the free Friday concerts draw a lot of young adults. He said he's opening the restaurant along with selling drinks this year. One thing drives business most, though, he said.

"It's cheap and strong well drinks," he said.

For more information, call Tammy Westergard at 887-2101 ex. 3 or go to www.downtownanswers.com.