Community comes out for first “3rd Fridays Downtown Lincoln”

[June 21, 2017]  LINCOLN - On Friday evening, in spite of warm temperatures, several folks turned out for the first "3rd Fridays Downtown" event in Lincoln. The first event of the season was supposed to have happened in May, but threats of severe weather forced organizers to cancel the event with hopes that the third Friday in June would be better.

The monthly theme for this event revolved around fun and adventure. For families this included a chance to play together with life-size games such as Jenga and Connect Four.

One of the more popular activities on Friday evening was the inflatable wrecking ball game. Kids were drawn to the opportunity of blasting their buddies in the face with a large "wrecking ball" in the hopes of knocking them off their feet.

Another great part of the evening is found in simply spending time with friends. The event was taking place on Broadway, Kickapoo, and Pulaski Streets. All around, one could spy different groups of folks gathered together enjoying visiting, sharing a drink at the Spirited Republic beer garden, or eating a meal outside the Alley-Bi or in front of the entertainment stage.

Downtown businesses took advantage of the night to have special sales. Sorrento's, Flossie and Delzina's, Mama's Arcade, Spirited Republic, and the Alley-bi were serving a wide variety of foods from pizza to walking tacos, to grilled cheeseburger, and a variety of beverages at special Friday night prices.

A number of local businesses were also open for the evening including Mary Todd's Hallmark, and National Rent-to-Own.

Other food and drink opportunities were available as the local Boy Scouts were offering Nachos and Cheese, and a young lady named Meghan was selling Lemon Shake-ups. The United Riders of Central Illinois motorcycle club was selling water and soda for a dollar donation, and the local Schwann's truck was on hand with ice cream treats for a buck.

Several local organizations were on hand raising awareness for a specific cause, fundraising, or just handing out information about what they offer to the community.

Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois was talking to families about services offered including the Head Start Program. Julie King with the Christian Village was whipping up cotton candy and raising awareness about Alzheimer's disease, and the local Railsplitter Association was on hand offering guests an opportunity to win a free “Lincoln the Railsplitter” t-shirt. St. John's United Church of Christ also had a booth set up with folks sharing information about the church and its outreach programs.

There was live entertainment on the stage all evening long, starting with Alex and the XO's performing in the first hour.

Throughout the evening, the crowds grew, and according to Lincoln Alderman Tracy Welch, the city considered the night to be a great success.

[Nila Smith]