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Committee member proposes 'Fridays on 13th' downtown summer events in Philomath
Summary
A committee member told the Philomath Inclusivity Committee a city council proposal would close half of 13th Street for low-cost Friday-night community activities in June–August to boost local business and community connection; the plan is pending council approval and details on frequency, traffic flow and volunteer support remained under discussion.
A committee member presented a proposal to hold a series of low-cost community nights downtown called “Fridays on 13th,” pending city council approval. "Pending city council approval, we're calling it Fridays on 13th," the member said, describing a plan to close half of 13th Street (Main Street to the alley) for small-scale activities from early evening until businesses close.
The proposal would run through the summer months (June, July and August) with flexible timing—roughly 4:30 or 5 p.m. to about 9:30 or 10 p.m.—and would prioritize simple, low-cost activities such as cornhole, music, bingo nights and tables run by community organizations and local businesses. The presenter emphasized the intent to support local businesses and create a "place of belonging" rather than a large festival.
Committee members discussed logistics and potential impacts. One member suggested starting more slowly—monthly or a few times over the summer—to reduce traffic and neighborhood disruption; the presenter said she prefers a consistent weekly schedule so residents can plan. The group also discussed limiting the street closure to half a block to maintain traffic flow via the alley.
Members raised accessibility and outreach ideas, including multilingual signage and recruiting volunteer language speakers to make events welcoming. The committee discussed promotional timelines: if council approves the concept at its meeting the following day, organizers would have about a week and a half to promote a June start date.
Next steps: the presenter will appear before the city council the next day; the committee offered to help with promotion and volunteer staffing if the council approves the concept.
