Community comes out for first “3rd
Fridays Downtown Lincoln”
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[June 23, 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.
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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.
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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.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2017/Jun/21/images/ads/current/brickey_sda_2017.png)
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.
![](../images/062117pics/ZZZ%20EDSCF1065_small.JPG)
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.
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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.
![](../images/062117pics/EDSCF1083_small.JPG)
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.
![](../images/062117pics/EDSCF1094_small.JPG)
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]
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