Downtown Summer Nights Growing in Second Year

Yakima city officials say they have seen big success with this year's Downtown Summer Nights Concert Series.

City Economic Director Sean Hawkins says the variety of music attracted a variety of people to downtown, more than last year.

Revenue in our beer garden is up 60 to 70 percent from last year, so more people are enjoying the series.

And Hawkins says sales tax revenue is up 8 percent downtown while the rest of the city is seeing about 4 percent growth so far this year.

Two more concerts are planned for Downtown Summer Nights, tonight and next Thursday night. Then Hawkins says they will begin planning for next year, when the city will not only see more Downtown Summer Nights concerts on Thursdays, but also a noontime concert series on Fridays near the Yakima County Courthouse and the Viva La Musica Concert Series at Miller Park.

The Noon Concert Series continues in September.