THIS ARTICLE WILL BE UPDATED SOON WITH INFO FOR THE JULY 16TH THIRD THURSDAY EVENT!
See below for the details, list of businesses, and the festival map!
Downtown Benton’s Third Thursday street festival on June 18 will feature the annual “Butts and Bones” barbecue cookoff, a massive outdoor shopping and dining experience on Market Street, and live music from Zach Glover and Vintage. This monthly event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., drawing the community to the historic downtown area for food, local vendors, and family activities.
The June lineup highlights a collaborative effort from the merchants on Market Street, who are organizing a safe and secure “Market Street Takeover.”
Participating businesses will offer outdoor shopping and open-air dining by utilizing the parking spots on Market Street, between Sevier and South Streets. This will include Loblolly Creamery, Rock-N-Roll Sushi, Relics Tattoo Shop, Retro Rose Records, Stated Apparel, Sparks Jewelry, Benton Masonic Lodge #34, The Oil Shop, Shear Grace Salon, Italy in Town, Paradise Pets, The Corner Downtown, Wild, and Pretties n Grace.
Local restaurant favorites like ice cream, sushi, and Italian dishes will be available in a street-side setting during the Benton Restaurant Week festivities.
The main stage will feature a live performance by Zach Glover and Vintage as part of their “Bulls, Broncs, & Rock ‘n’ Roll Tour.”
Attendees can expect several food trucks, adult beverages from Bodiddle’s, a kid zone on the Courthouse lawn, and numerous local vendor booths.
Organizers encourage visitors to bring lawn chairs, friends, and family to enjoy the evening.
Local pitmasters can enter the annual “Butts N Bones” BBQ Cookoff, which takes place at the Benton Farmers Market Pavilion during the festival hours. While participation is entirely free, contestants must supply their own meat. Interested grillers must immediately email Matt Thibault at [email protected] to secure a registration form.
To accommodate the massive crowds, city crews will close sections of three streets – Main Street, Sevier Street, River Street, and South Street – to all vehicle traffic.
The Third Thursday series runs monthly from April through September, with future events slated to include a Battle of the Bands, and the Faith, Family & Fun Fall Fest. Organizers continue to invite vendors, entertainers, and activity leaders to participate in future dates; interested parties can contact Thibault via email.
Browse MySaline’s list of all the events in Saline County at www.mysaline.com/events.
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