TEXARKANA, Texas - Downtown will be hopping with a local band, local brews and local eats on Thursday, June 24, when The Moss Brothers perform outside the Perot Theatre while two local breweries serve drinks and dishes.
TEXAR Federal Credit Union presents the free event from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. that night while both Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery and Redbone Magic Brewing provide the beverages and food fare for sale.
Lisa Thompson, public information officer for Texarkana, Texas, said TEXAR President and CEO Kelly Mitchell brought this idea to the city last year, but it had to be scrapped temporarily because of the pandemic.
"He kind of wanted to get something going downtown. The idea was people and music and that kind of thing," Thompson said. "We planned it for last year but it got canceled because of COVID, so we revisited."
The band will perform outside at Third and Main streets with the street blocked off for the occasion. Pecan Point and Redbone will have beer tents, along with food available for purchase as The Moss Brothers play for two hours.
"Just a good time for people to come out, bring their lawn chairs and hang out," Thompson said, noting TEXAR is planning to hold the same sort of event on the Arkansas side of town next month.
"The idea was to offer something on both sides and kind of make it a series," she said, noting she hopes it's something they can continue. "Especially with more businesses and people downtown."
For the Texas side, an entertainment district is being proposed, which would allow open containers of alcohol to be carried outside. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance this upcoming Monday.
The Arkansas-side entertainment district, along with new East Broad Street nightlife establishments like Crossties, Broadway Sports Bar and Billiards and the Railyard Saloon, have ushered in new activity in downtown Texarkana.
"We hope this will kind of be a showcase of the atmosphere. You can buy your drink and hang out in the street, no worries about stepping across the wrong boundary or whatever," Thompson said.