Emporia Main Street put a new twist on a longstanding downtown event Saturday with its first Summer Sip and Shop.
The event took the framework from Main Street’s summertime Moonlight Madness event and let participating businesses offer alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options. Nearly 20 businesses participated, including the Sweet Granada. Retail staffer Aleena Bair says it was good to see the number of participating retailers and the idea for getting more people downtown to shop during nontraditional weekend hours.
Brown’s Shoe Fit Manager Aaron Otto agrees.
With recent changes to the state’s common consumption area laws, Main Street Director sees this as an “important test case” for possible future events — and he says the backing data could start developing by mid-week.
Up next for Main Street is its annual meeting and awards presentation at noon Thursday at the Lyon County History Center, followed by the Welcome Back Block Party in downtown Emporia on Aug. 21, the Great American Market on Sept. 9 and Apella — the Emporia High School reunion weekend — Sept. 22-23.
