How to Participate in First Thursdays

June’s First Thursday is just around the corner on June 4th and we want to make sure you take advantage of promoting your business to the hundreds of neighbors and friends that will be visiting the Avenue.  If your business is new to the area, First Thursday is an annual event sponsored by the Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) which takes place on the first Thursday of each month May to September from 6 pm to 9 pm.  This much anticipated event is a chance for the Del Ray community to enjoy shopping, visiting with neighbors, listening to live music, getting to know the businesses in Del Ray and participating in various activities sponsored by the businesses. 

The theme for June’s First Thursday is “Dog Days in Del Ray”.  Two of the co-chairs of June’s First Thursday have volunteered to help you get involved.  If you need suggestions on creative ways your business can participate and take advantage of the theme, contact Michelle D'Ettorre at michelle@karingbykristina.com and once you know what your business will be doing, you can send details to Paul Haire at director@yourdogsbestfriends.com  who will make sure it gets included in the program.  See #2 below for more information.
As a business, what can you do?

1) First and most important, if you are located on the Avenue on Thursday, June 4th from 6 pm to 9 pm make sure you are open and welcoming to visitors passing.  Set up displays, entertainment, hold a raffle, announce specials, etc. or anything that will draw attention to your business.  If your business is not physically located on the Avenue, contact one of the businesses that is and ask if they would share part of their sidewalk so you can set up a table.  The more attention drawn to a business, the more visitors likely to stop by.  The Market Lot will be reserved for the tent with the band, the tent with the featured non-profit and a table for First Thursday Committee to distribute the programs & general DRBA information.

2) If you are having a specific activity (band playing, raffle, etc.) for June’s First Thursday, send details to Paul Haire at director@yourdogsbestfriends.com by Monday, June 1st at Midnight who will put them together  and provide them to Maryellen Thorpe who each month does the program that is distributed to visitors.  Also included on the program is a list of all DRBA members. Deadline for being included in the program is Monday, June 1st at Midnight.

3) For additional exposure for your company, new this year, you can sponsor the stage at the market where you can display your banner at the Farmer’s Market where a band plays each First Thursday.  The cost is $500.  Your business will also be listed as sponsor in the program.  June is being sponsored by Your Dog’s Best Friend & September by Bobi Bomar but sponsorships for July and August are still open – first come, first serve.  Besides putting up your banner, you will be permitted to have materials available for distribution at the DRBA table.  E-mail gayle.reuter@mail.house.gov if interested. 

4) Businesses can sponsor the Trolley for $720 for each month. Sponsorship can be shared by four businesses for $180 each or two at $360. Your banner will hang on the side of the trolley, which rides up and down the Avenue all evening.  Currently sponsoring the June Trolley is Dr. Richard Stone, DDS & Bobi Bomar but additional sponsorships for June are available.  Contact Bobi at Bobibomar@aol.com for June or if you want to sponsor July, August or September contact Crystal at stonedentistry@yahoo.com

5) If you have not hung up a poster in your window yet – posters are available at A Show of Hands at 2301 Mt. Vernon Avenue. 

6) Send out an e-mail invitation to your customers to come down to enjoy First Thursday.

7) And finally, this year, to be good neighbors and help our community during these very difficult economic times, each month at First Thursday, DRBA will be collecting non-perishables to donate to both ALIVE and the Salvation Army.  Both of these non-profits are doing a tremendous job in helping those in need in our neighborhood.  We are asking you to encourage your customers, neighbors and visitors to bring non-perishables and drop them off at the collection site at the Farmer’s Market. 

Volunteer opportunities are also needed and provide a great opportunity to get involved with the DRBA.  Let us know if you would like to help with any of below items:
1) Set up tables/tents/blow up & distribute balloons on night of First Thursday – meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford at 5:30 pm on June 4th
2) Distribute programs to businesses up and down the Avenue – meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford at 5:30 pm on June 4th
3) Help ALIVE/Salvation Army collect canned goods – meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford at 6 pm on First Thursday night.  Volunteers needed between 6-9 pm.
4) Trolley coordinator to make sure banners are hung, route is reviewed with driver and banners are removed and returned to businesses at end of evening – meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford at 6 pm
5) Take down and load up tables and tents – meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford at 8:30 pm on June 4th
6) Committee members needed to plan July’s First Thursday – contact Gayle Reuter or Pat Miller
Below is the list of all the First Thursdays and themes so you can mark your calendars and begin planning for the next First Thursday.

First Thursday Dates & Themes for 2009

June 4    Dog Days in Del Ray
July 2        Main Street Celebration
August 6    Health & Wellness on the Avenue
Sept. 3    A Taste of Del Ray

Questions, contact Gayle Reuter at gayle.reuter@mail.house.gov or Bobi Bomar at Bobibomar@aol.com
Thanks & see you on the Avenue!