The Downtown Lincoln Association would like to thank all of the businesses, restaurants, caterers, volunteers and shoppers who participated in the second Shop the Blocks event on Thursday, April 19th. The event brought nearly 700 shoppers downtown between 5:00-9:00 p.m., and each shopper spent an average of $74 on retail items totaling almost $50,000 spent locally.
The event was kicked off at Hour Lounge on 14th & O Street, and shoppers had several hours to walk or ride in a Luxury Limousine to the 21 participating retail stores that stayed open late and offered discounts just for them. Appetizers and desserts were served inside the stores by local restaurants, caterers, bakeries, delis and coffee shops.
At the after party, shoppers were rewarded for spending their money locally by being entered into win more than 20 shopping prizes. Over $2,000 in gift cards and merchandise were given away to the lucky winners.
Thank you to everyone who attended the event to support Lincoln’s small-business owners. Be on the lookout for another Shop the Blocks this November!
Visit ShoptheBlocks.com and Facebook.com/ShoptheBlocks to stay in the loop!
Recent and ongoing developments spotlight the reoccurring vitality of downtown Lincoln:
Last month resulted in a large amount of building improvements and alterations, leading to an investment of $142,176,550 in downtown construction projects. This includes $140,000,000 worth of Pinnacle Bank Arena construction, $1,300,000 worth of religious building enhancements, $131,000 worth of residential enhancements, $745,550 worth of office/professional building improvements.
The Haymarket Farmers’ Market Season Has Begun!
The Haymarket Farmers’ Market officially blew the whistle to open the 2012 season on Saturday, May 5th to hundreds of eager attendees who had anxiously awaited all winter long to get their hands on fresh produce and handmade goods. The vendors spent the last few months working in their fields, kitchens, and craft rooms in preparation for this early-morning ritual that they will return to each week until the market season ends on October 13th.
The Haymarket Farmers’ Market is a family-friendly experience that offers local, regional, and international flavors for everyone to enjoy. The sights, sounds, smells, and free samples make the trip worth the effort of waking up early on a Saturday morning. More than 150 vendors setup shop in the Haymarket between 7th, 8th, and Q Streets to sell their goods from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., no matter what mother nature sends their way. Rain, wind, chilly mornings, and hot summer days are no match for the dedicated and hardworking farmers, crafts people, artisans, bakers, and entertainers that make the farmers’ market a vibrant and welcoming place to be.
The market, which is the largest in Lincoln, offers a huge selection of seasonal produce, baked goods, meats and cheeses for patrons to choose from. Market goers can delight in knowing that the items they purchase are locally grown and harvested and support small farmers, business owners and our local economy.
For more information about the Haymarket Farmers’ Market, and to view a complete listing of weekly entertainment, visit LincolnHaymarket.org/Events/Farmers-Market.
Founded in 1967, the Downtown Lincoln Association provides services and champions initiatives for maintaining and enhancing our vibrant downtown. Our vision is to create an energetic downtown environment where we live, learn, work, invest and play. DLA has evolved into a multi-faceted organization supporting a wide range of programs and activities including maintenance, economic development and advocacy.
For a complete listing of downtown businesses, events and residences visit downtownlincoln.org. ‘Like’ us on Facebook at facebook.com/downtownlincoln.