Downtown First Thursdays in San Francisco inspired by Oakland
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco will be home to a new monthly event that received its inspiration from Oakland.
It's called Downtown First Thursdays with the goal of revitalizing the area and will be held on 2nd Street from Market Street to Howard Street.
Attractions will include food, live entertainment and activities for all ages.
People said they're excited and hope Downtown First Thursdays will bring much needed foot traffic to the area.
Organizers expect thousands to attend. They said the idea is to attract people from different parts of the city and give workers in the area a reason to stay after office hours.
Organizers describe it as a giant street party to be held on 2nd Street to be held the first Thursday of every month starting this week.
It's a move designed to bring life back into the area at night.
Artist Stephanie Mufson said as she created a giant disco ball for First Thursday. She's using her skills as a float builder for parades such as the one for Chinese New Year.
The disco ball will be hanging from a crane to enhance the party atmosphere.
"We see cranes all along the skyline. It's the perfect combination to bring flair and fun to the street," said Katy Birnbaum, founder of Into the Streets.
She is bringing her expertise putting on Bhangra and Beats night market in the Financial District last fall that drew a large turnout.
The main stage is going to be on Howard Street where well-known English singer and deejay Aluna will be performing during the event.
Organizers say there will be family-friendly entertainment and activites for all ages.
Oakland's First Friday was an inspiration, according to Manny Yekutiel, founder of Civic Joy Fund.
The nonprofit will provide $1.5 million to keep the monthly event gong for one year.
"This event is a grab bag of food, music, retail, art, and dancing," said Yekutiel,"The point of Downtown First Thursday is to celebrate the best of San Francisco."
Organizers said Thursdays are the new Fridays for hybrid workers in the area.
"The work week is Tues through Thursday. We're tacking on the end of the work week, capturing the people who come into the city to work and folks who are getting ready for the weekend who live here," said Birnbaum.
Oren's Hummus, a nearby restaurant, welcomes the new event which goes from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
"On those Thursday nights, I do plan to stay open until 10 just to see if we can get a little more business from that crowd," said Randale Conner, general manager of Oren's Hummus.
"I think it's a great idea. I hope it helps and brings life back to this area," said Sarah Samanathan, who works in the area.
Downtown First Thursdays are free to the public. Organizers are asking people to RSVP online.
For more information, go to www.dftsf.com.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU.