March 17, 2011

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Sun

Sopris Carbondale’s

weekly, non-profit newspaper

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E a Ro AG MP RA

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Volume 3, Number 5 | March 17, 2011

Here’s looking at you! It’s springtime and some Carbondalers’ thoughts are turning to chickens, which are legal to keep inside the town limits. One reminder, however: there’s a six chicken limit and roosters are not allowed. This particular chicken belongs to the Bruell family and was photographed in the coop it shares with several other birds in the alley between Euclid and Garfield. Photo by Lynn Burton

First Friday participants concerned over TSC impact

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer

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everal First Friday participants say attendance has dwindled at their locations after the Third Street Center opened last summer, and are calling for a confab to discuss the issue. “We have had great success and nearly always have a great showing of people,” said one Main Street storeowner in a recent e-mail to other First Friday participants. “However, since the opening of the 3rd Street center (sic), we have experienced a marked decline in participation in our store, and have had MANY customers express ‘First Friday Fatigue’ basically there are too many things to do and too many things to see for one night!” She also asked, “Are any of you experiencing/hearing this, or is it just us?” A downtown gallery operator replied, “I couldn’t agree more! We have really stopped

doing many openings, as the traffic is so low.” A First Friday patron said,“I totally agree. When we went to First Fridays a month ago we only went to 3rd St.” The Third Street Center at 520 S. Third Street is in the old Carbondale Elementary School building, and is operated by a 501(c)(3) non-profit for the use of non-profit organizations and a few for-profit organizations. First Friday, as the name implies, is held the first Friday of the month and is an opportunity for galleries, stores and other businesses to stay open late to attract customers and visitors. These days, there is no official First Friday organizer, but the event didn’t start out that way. Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities Director Ro Mead said she and a few businesses got together a few years ago and formed an actual First Friday committee, independent of CCAH. Mead said businesses and galleries contributed money to print

brochures and make flags to designate First Friday participants. “It was extremely successful for everybody,” Mead said. “We wanted to make downtown a destination, and we did that.” During warm months, crowds of people walked or rode bikes up and down Main Street, dropping in on the galleries and stores, munching on snacks, and sipping wine, beer and soft drinks. Attendance was smaller during the winter but Main Street was still usually a lively scene on First Friday. The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities (which used to be located in the current home of Carbondale Beer Works) was a big draw during First Friday and anchored the western end of Main Street. That all changed when CCAH moved to the Third Street Center and the First Friday focus shifted several blocks from Main Street to the south. “After 3rd St (sic) came alive we made the

choice to move SAW openings and artist gallery talks to 2nd Fridays (sic),” said a S.A.W. spokesman in an e-mail in response to the 10 or 20 that have circulated for the past week. S.A.W. is located at the east end of Euclid. The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities isn’t the only art venue in the Third Street Center. Other art studios in the center also participate, so the Third Street Center becomes the one-and-only stop for many people. “The sheer size and mix of 3rd St (sic) makes it a nightlong destination,” said the S.A.W. spokesman. Several of the First Friday e-mailers floated ideas for possible solutions that include: expanding the event to the entire weekend, having some months focusing on Main Street and other months for TSC, and FIRST FRIDAY page 9

Carbondale Island could be sold

Poetry festival comes to Carbondale

Fashion show fantastic

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