Twilight Festival rocks
Published May 4, 2007
Anyone looking for a festival is in luck because The District is letting residents discover one with the Twilight Festival. Organizers say the festival is being revamped this year.
"It's one of the great events in town because people from all walks of life come together to have fun and enjoy downtown," said Carrie Gartner, director of Central Columbia Association. "It's such a unique event, and that's why people still come after 17 and 18 years."
According to the Web site for the Twilight Festival, the festival takes up 43 blocks of downtown, with over 110 shops, 70 bars and restaurants, 40 live performances a week and 5,900 parking spots. The festival takes place every Thursday in June and September from 6 to 9 p.m.
Gartner said last year about 5,000 to 11,000 people attended per night, and the festival usually draws about 90,000 people downtown throughout the year.
"Twilight Festival started as a way to remind people of all the retail stores we have down here," Gartner said. "Now, it seems that most of the merchants are not doing it to promote their business as much as they are doing it as a service to the community."
Gartner said the festival is in its planning stages, but one of the main changes this year is the move of the William Woods Stage from Courthouse Square to a blocked off portion of Ninth Street.
"It is a different feel, and I think it's going to be nice," Gartner said. "This year it is more in the heart of the district with the stage being moved to Ninth Street. I'm looking forward to how it will work."
This year, the Twilight Festival organizers are working with The Blue Note owner Richard King to book bands that are not necessarily local.
As of now, the Twilight Festival will feature the Missouri Symphony Society on June 7, Johnny O & The Jerks on June 14, Los Straitjackets featuring Big Sandy on Sept. 13 and Marching Mizzou on Sept. 27.
Gartner said she is excited for the shops downtown to get exposure as well. She thinks college students should focus on seeing what's new downtown, as well as going to watch sidewalk bands and visiting all the restaurants and bars.
"I see a lot of college kids shopping for jewelry or clothes downtown," she said. "Also, there are a lot of sidewalk bands throughout the district, and of course, the bars and restaurants are open."