Last-minute Friday night plans don’t get much easier or cheaper than this.
IMP Fest, this month’s Second Friday Night Out block party in downtown Mesa, brings seven live bands to the district, including Darkness Dear Boy, the Tractor Pull Divas, the Mahogany Birds and Todd Owens.
In addition, you’ll find about 70 art and vendor booths set up along either side of the street and special goings-on and discounts at area merchants and eateries. There’s also a giveaway for a brand-new Axl Mayhem electric guitar; contest entries are free.
DETAILS >> 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. Along Main Street in downtown Mesa. Free admission. (602) 318-5689 or 2ndfridaynightout.com.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 8:47 am on Thu, May 12, 2011.
Sadly,
Downtown Mesa died the day that the Fiesta Mall opened.
It's never going to come back...ever.
Well, I should qualify that and by saying that there is nothing for a large number of Mesa citizens to shop for in Downtown Mesa.
Because of Main Street running down the center of Downtown...you can't turn it into a pedestrian mall so what's left.........."head" shops, adult movie theaters and shops, check-cashing or massage parlors which would only bring in male shoppers after it got dark.
The weather is too hot for 6-7 months out of the year to eat outside and because of the sidewalks...you can only put a few "small" tables in front of any of the restaurants. The poplulation has changed from 50 years ago when the Downtown was the ..."only" place to go. Now there is just a continuous cycle of restaurants and stores opening and then closing a year later....over and over.
The Main Street storefronts are attractive but the surrounding area is run-down and shabby and getting shabbier. Fiesta Plaza or what-ever you call the fenced in area on the north side of Southern across from the Fiesta Mall, that's owned by the Grace Properties .....looks like ...RODEO ROAD...compared to the area just one block on the other side of the Main Street, Downtown Area. You never even see the Mesa Police Cars driving around to give at least some sense of safety to the shopper.
busdriningmom posted at 5:41 am on Fri, May 20, 2011.
Leon, have you ever actually been to downtown Mesa? That is the area of Main Street bordered by Mesa Drive and Country Club. Because when I was there I saw none of what you mentioned. The sidewalks in this area are definitely wide enough to allow for pedestrians, the restaurants are fantastic and have indoor and outdoor seating, and thanks to new vendors who are bringing new ideas to the area I predict the area will become quite vibrant within the next few years.