Several hundred people packed the 200 block of Martin Street Friday evening for an adult-oriented, say-goodbye-to-summer celebration billed as "Mardi Gras on Martin Street."
Organized by the Downtown Penticton Association, the event was the first late-summer Penticton street party in recent memory, and, if our exhaustive Internet searches were accurate, likely the first outdoor get-together labeled "Mardi Gras" in modern Penticton history.
And, if DPA event manager Amber Belcourt has her way, it won't be the last. Indeed, the plan now is for another one next year.
Belcourt surveyed the scene from the DPA tent last night and smiled. There was plenty of stuff for people to do, and more importantly, there was plenty of people. And that alone made the idea of a second go-round in 2020 all that more appealing.
The big draw last night was Penticton/Summerland party band Jack and Jill, a group of veteran musicians who not only churn out perfectly executed tunes, but have an uncanny knack for keeping the dance floor jammed. And last night, the dance floor was definitely jammed, even if it was in the middle of the street.
The adult-focused concept of the event really seemed to strike a chord. Sure, there were kids and lots of them. And most seemed to enjoy the evening just as much as the grownups.
But instead of bouncy castles there was an adult beverage garden. Instead of children's music, there was the party rock of Jack and Jill.
And while the street was busy, the aforementioned beverage garden was perhaps even busier. Staffed by members of JCI (Junior Chamber International) who handed out $5 glasses of beer (donated by Slackwater Brewing) and wine (courtesy of TIME Winery and Kitchen), the garden was a happening place.
Other highlights included an inflatable jousting pit, a giant Jenga set, a juggling stiltwalker who roamed through the crowd at will, and a game where competitors bounced a basketball-sized ball down the street and, with a little bit of luck, into one of several pails.
A large section of the road was dedicated to chalk art, where old and young alike demonstrated their artistic skills, and in keeping with the Mardi Gras theme, there were plenty of necklaces and gaudy facemasks.
On top of all of that, action was heavy at several of the businesses inside the street closure zone. Big crowds were spotted inside Slackwater, the Pasta Factory, and Tug's Tap House. And at Matheson & Grove, artists were doing their thing in front of an appreciative gallery of sidewalk spectators.
Here's hoping to more of the same in the future. This is the type of thing downtown Penticton needs.
