BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — Small businesses take the stage in Bloomsburg. Main Street and the surrounding streets are sprinkled with shops, restaurants, and galleries.
This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of Downtown Bloomsburg Inc.'s First Friday, an event that puts these places front and center.
"Next month, February 2nd, is officially 12 months that we've been doing this continuously," said Kim Kus, First Friday coordinator.
First Friday started at Brewskis on Main Street.
"Just supporting pop-up vendors that were willing to take one day out of the month that would set up shop here from there, it turned into First Fridays," explained Kus.
A year later, dozens of businesses in town are getting involved, extending their operating hours and offering sales or live entertainment working together to make Bloomsburg a destination.
"Here in Bloomsburg, where everyone is in a big community. So yes, it helps all the businesses help each other because people that go into one business, they see the other business, and they say, Oh, next Friday, I will go to that business, and that's what usually happens. They don't just realize that there is just that place that Bloomsburg has so much to offer," said Andres Munoz, Executive Chef at La Malbec.
"First, the most important thing about First Fridays is we need more people out on that sidewalk. And people know that every first Friday there were things going on, they will come down here. They will come to the gallery, they will come to a restaurant and get some food, they'll hang around for some music. It makes downtown Bloomsburg lively, and that's what we need," said Oren Helbock, Executive Director of The Exchange.
Organizers say even through the winter, the event is gaining more popularity every month, with new businesses and new attendees each time.
If you want to learn more about February's First Friday, click here.