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Oakland launches Oaktown Thursdays block party series to boost downtown foot traffic
Oakland kicked off a new block party series Thursday night aimed at drawing residents outdoors and boosting foot traffic for downtown businesses.
New Block Party Aims to Revitalize Downtown Telegraph Avenue
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland kicked off a new block party series Thursday night aimed at drawing residents outdoors and boosting foot traffic for downtown businesses.
The inaugural event, called "Oaktown Thursdays," featured a two-block takeover of Telegraph Avenue.
It offered attendees an array of food, local vendors, and live music just ahead of the upcoming Juneteenth celebrations.
"We have all these thousands of new residents in these beautiful buildings and we need to give them a reason to get outside," said Sean Sullivan, the founder of Oaktown Thursdays and a local merchant on the block. "I’m just inspired by everybody in Oakland who keeps fighting for this city and I felt like this was another way to do that."
Increased Security Measures Implemented
Given some of the safety issues previously faced by the city's First Fridays events, organizers implemented noticeable security measures for the new series, including security guards with metal detectors.
Local business owners and vendors expressed optimism that the event would reshape public perception and bring a positive economic impact to the corridor.
"Oakland is not a bad city. We get a bad rap," said Bridget Cain, owner of Proper Fashion, one of the participating vendors. "We have the right people out doing the right thing, more people will come out."
Wrestling and Community Collaborations Highlight Inaugural Night
The block party featured unique entertainment and community partnerships to engage the crowd.
West Coast Pro Wrestling took center stage, setting up a ring in the middle of the street.
The group regularly hosts matches at nearby bar Fluid 510.
"Pro wrestling is for everybody," said Jaguar Montoya of West Coast Pro Wrestling. "I love the characters, I love the competition, the sports, the fact that it brings every country together."
Organizers also teamed up with the founders of the Black Joy Parade to coordinate a bar crawl during the inaugural night.
The crawl spanned four locations, starting at Muchin and ending at Lucy Liu.
The event series is scheduled to take place every third Thursday of the month through October, and some vendors have already committed to the full run.
"I signed up for the whole year," said Mikal-Michelle Kidd of Bowz by Novi. "I’m very optimistic about it as well."
The Source: Sean Sullivan, the founder of Oaktown Thursdays, Bridget Cain, owner of Proper Fashion, wrestlers