Blog Archive
Key Bank Is Getting A Facelift! - November 16, 2011 -
Key Bank on the corner of Yakima Avenue and First Street is getting a facelift!
The exterior of the building will be renevoted with a golden stucco with white brick accents, and new canopies. The first phase of renovations began with streetscape improvements on South First Street to make the area more compatible with the streetscape improvements that have been completed throughout downtown ...
Downtown Yakima First Friday Offers Fun For Everyone - August 30, 2011 -
Downtown Yakima offers exciting entertainment, retail specials, and drink specials for First Friday on Friday, September 2, 2011.
First Friday happens during the first Friday of every month and downtown businesses offer food & drink specials, live music, retail specials, and more. Head downtown to check out what everyone is talking about!
To take a look at what is going on for First Friday, and ...
Three Finalists Named in Yakima City Manager Search - July 08, 2011 -
The Yakima Herald announced that the city has named three finalists in the Yakima City Manager search. Those finalists are: Don Cooper from Port St. Lucie, Fla., Tim Hacker from Mesquite, Nev., and Jim Payne from Rio Rancho, N.M.
The candidates are expected to be in town Tuesday for a tour and interviews. Council members and city department heads will interview them along with a council- ...
Millennium Plaza Receives Summertime Misters - June 23, 2011 - The Millennium Plaza, located on South 3rd Street between Yakima Avenue and Chestnut Avenue, has received 4 misters at its entrance. These misters will put out a fine mist between the hours 11am and 7pm and will run from June until September. Make sure you make your way downtown to experience this new addition to Downtown Yakima ...
Convention Center Welcomes New Artwork! - June 06, 2011 -
After months of planning, creation and installation, the Yakima Convention Center has a new piece of artwork, unveiled at a dedication June 2 nd .
Suspended in the South Lobby of the center, the piece celebrates the agricultural heritage of the Yakima Valley, interpreting the irrigation systems found in eastern Washington. The eleven 6 ft diameter open metal wheel shapes are covered in a ...
Downtown Yakima Summer Kickoff Party - May 19, 2011 -
Downtown Yakima Summer Kick Off Party will happen in downtown Yakima on June 18th, 2011!
The Summer Kick Off will be held in the Millennium Plaza, in front of the historic Capitol Theatre. This event is free, family friendly and open to the public.
The Summer Kick Off Party will feature live music, food vendors, beer garden, and kids' activities such as clowns, face painting, and chalk art. Let's ...
Ron Melcher Spoke at the Round Table Breakfast on Tuesday, November 23 - December 03, 2010 -
Ron Melcher from the Fire Fighters Association recently spoke at the Business Round Table Breakfast on October 26 th . The breakfast is held on the last Tuesday of each month and features topics that are interesting and also informative for downtown business and property owners, residents, and guests. The breakfast is held at the Second Street Grill beginning at 8:00am.
Mr. Melcher explained ...
Barb Glover Spoke at the Round Table Breakfast on October 26th - November 15, 2010 -
Barb Glover from Wine Yakima Valley recently spoke at the Business Round Table Breakfast on October 26 th . The breakfast is held monthly and features topics that are interesting and also informative for downtown business and property owners, residents, and guests. The breakfast is held at the Second Street Grill beginning at 8:00am.
Ms. Glover explained that Wine Yakima Valley is a wine growers ...
Sean Hawkins Spoke at the Round Table Breakfast on August 31st - September 13, 2010 -
Sean Hawkins, former Executive Director for the Committee for Downtown Yakima and currently with Block by Block, spoke at the most recent Business Round Table Breakfast on August 31 st at the Second Street Grill.
After traveling 12 hours to get to Yakima, Sean explained seeing and remembering the potential and character of downtown Yakima with its unique flowers and ambiance. As he looked to the ...
Downtown's Growth is Visible Through Various Projects - May 10, 2010 - The Performance Park at 2nd and A Streets is nearing completion. On April 10th, a group of 200 community members helped lay sod in the park. The Ambassadors and various community members worked hard planting trees and bushes, laying down pavers for a stage, and inserting basalt columns and rocks to add to the overall ambiance of the park. The park will be available to be rented for outdoor ...
Watch for Upcoming Lively Entertainment this Friday - March 02, 2010 - This Friday, April 2 nd is First Friday, and downtown Yakima will be hopping with discounted drinks, and special entertainment and shopping offerings. Tequila's restaurant, for example, will offer $1 Margaritas. Also, the Sports Center will offer live entertainment with no cover starting at 9:00PM, by the Village Musicians. In addition, Tim's Downtown Tasting Room will feature music by Gentlemen ...
It's Not Too Late To Get A Valentines Date! - February 05, 2010 - Calling all the single ladies and gentlemen! On February 12, at 7:30pm the Committee for Downtown Yakima's Events Committee will hold its first Speed Dating event at Le Chateau (15 N. Naches Ave). The cost for this event is $20 if you pre-register and $25 at the door - registration includes 2 drink scrips. You must be 21 to participate. For applications, please call Jamie Lee at 225.2485 or send ...
Mayor Micah Cawley to Speak at Downtown Business Roundtable Breakfast -- Yakima's new Mayor will discuss his views on issues that will affect both the downtown area and the community as a whole - January 20, 2010 - Yakima's new Mayor, Micah Cawley will be the featured speaker at the next Downtown Business Roundtable Breakfast. Mayor Cawley will talk about issues facing Yakima as a whole, and about issues facing downtown Yakima in particular. The Downtown Business Roundtable Breakfasts are held each month. They give downtown property owners, merchants, residents, employees and other downtown stakeholders an ...
5th Annual Rockin' New Years Eve to Return to Millennium Plaza - December 21, 2009 -
The Committee for Downtown Yakima presents the 5th Annual Rockin' New Years Eve event in the Millennium Plaza in front of the Capitol Theatre.
The Rockin' New Years Eve event is from 8-1am, and features a kids craft tent, food vendors, and live music - Sophia Tilly 8-8:30; Alex Wilson 8:40-9:40; Shipley 10-1. There are fireworks shot off the top of the Capitol Theatre at midnight. This is a ...
Santiago's Wins First Annual Orchid Award - November 11, 2009 -
Santiago's Gourmet Mexican Restaurant has won the 2009 Orchid Award for the best private landscape presentation of the spring and summer season.
The Orchid Award was established as part of Yakima's "Downtown Blooming/Downtown Booming" program. This program is designed and intended to encourage private businesses and other private parties to voluntarily place attractive downtown landscaping, ...
Downtown Restaurants, Wineries, and Tasting Rooms Declare Downtown Yakima a "Corkage Free Zone" - October 06, 2009 -
Restaurants, Wineries, and Tasting Rooms declared Downtown Yakima a Corkage Free Zone.
Downtown Restaurants will waive corkage fees when wine is purchased at one of the Downtown Wineries or Tasting Rooms (Gilbert Cellars, Kana Winery, Tim's Downtown Tasting Room, Plaza Socievole, Donitelia Winery, and Stems).
Corkage fees are fees charged by restaurants to customers who bring their own bottles ...
Santiago's is the First Stop for the Chamber's Business After Hours - July 08, 2009 -
Mark your calendars for the Downtown Yakima Business After Hours Passport Tour on July 21, from 5:30 - 7:30.
Santiago's Restaurant (111 E. Yakima Avenue) will be the first stop on the Downtown Tour, where Chamber Members and guests will register and receive a passport, your entree to participating downtown businesses where you will enjoy entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, beverages, door ...
Downtown Blooming, Downtown Booming - June 24, 2009 -
The Committee for Downtown Yakima is implementing a new plan called "Downtown Blooming, Downtown Booming." The Program will have three components.
CDY will ask all downtown merchants and property owners to purchase colorful flowers and decorations in front of their stores and buildings.
Then, CDY will provide free consulting to the downtown businesses: such as, types of flowers to be planted and ...
June Has Quite The Line Up For First Friday - June 04, 2009 -
Every month, I look forward to First Friday because there are always so many choices and this month is no exception!
For June's First Friday, the Red Gallery and Simon Gallery have opening art shows with receptions at their respective galleries. Stem's is hosting a Yakima Red Cross fundraiser at the Hilton Garden Inn, and the Little Soapmaker is celebrating it's fifth year downtown!
Then there ...
Memorial Day kicks off summer downtown - May 28, 2009 -
I love Memorial Day because it always seems to be the summer kick-off! Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, the Ambassadors put up the Flower Baskets and started planting landscape throughout town.
This year, the Ambassadors put up approximately 325 flower baskets throughout the district, which is more than Seattle and Portland have in their downtowns!
This coming week, landscaping was ...
The weather has taken a turn for the better - May 18, 2009 -
Since the weather has taken a turn for the better, I've started searching for ways to occupy myself and keep cool this summer season. At first, I thought it's just too hot to do anything, but the more I searched, the more reasons I had to head downtown!
Outdoor Seating: Yes, it may be hot outside, but there's nothing better than sitting outside enjoying an ice-cold beverage. Whether you enjoy ...
The 11th Annual Yakima Farmers Market - May 13, 2009 -
The Yakima Farmers Market has opened! There's nothing that says “Summer” more than fresh produce, fun foods, and a community coming together for a farmers market!
The Yakima Farmers Market is in it's 11th year downtown. The Market is open from 9am – 2pm every Sunday from May until October. The Market is in the Millennium Plaza, right in front of the Capitol Theatre.
So what does the Farmers ...
April Showers... - April 15, 2009 -
…Bring May flowers. I'm pretending that I didn't see the snow yesterday. Nor, did I see the rain. I am just repeating what will have to be my mantra for April, “April showers bring May flowers.”
I'm sure you've seen the flowers start to pop up downtown. Some of the flower pots have started receiving winter pansies, and the rest of the pots have been prepped for when the warm weather hits!
So ...
Want more information? - March 18, 2009 -
Do you know anyone who is interested in learning more about downtown, but doesn't receive our weekly e-newsletters? Could it be you? Every week, I send out an e-newsletter that highlights the events that are going on in Downtown Yakima.
If you would be interested in learning more about what is going on in downtown, then I suggest that you to sign up for the e-newsletter, by sending me an email ...
Our Downtown - March 12, 2009 -
Now that the weather is beginning to change, I am noticing more and more people downtown. To many, the idea of coming out to enjoy downtown used to be an unattainable dream, to some, it still is. So you may be asking yourself, “What is there to do downtown?”
To begin, our downtown streets are now cleaner and safer than ever before. Our Ambassadors are on the streets 5 days a week, picking up ...
"Art Walk Downtown" - January 29, 2009 -
Our friends at the Red Gallery, Larson Gallery, and Allied Arts have put together a pamphlet titled, “Art Walk Downtown” in order educate people where they can find original fine art downtown. They are encouraging locals and tourist alike, to explore downtown business that feature artists from the Yakima Valley and celebrate the growing arts community in Yakima.
“Art Walk Downtown” has a map of ...
A New Side of Yakima - January 22, 2009 -
I've been living in Yakima for about 6 weeks now and finally had my first out-of-town visitor. When my best friend decided to come and visit, she told me not to worry about planning anything, that we could just hang out in my apartment and spend time catching up. Don't plan anything? Just stay at home? Then I realized that she hadn't been to Yakima for a while, and had no idea of the side of ...
The Lofts - January 13, 2009 - The Lofts downtown at 17 North 3rd Street open this weekend for an Open House! Located in the heart of revitalized downtown Yakima, it is within walking distance of many of Yakima's favorite attractions. The building has been transformed into 27 one and two bedroom luxury condominiums. There are eleven different floor plans ranging from 930 - 1650 square feet, and each condo comes with a patio or ...
Blue Note 7 Performance - January 05, 2009 - Blue Note 7 presents Blue Note Records 70 th Anniversary Celebration. Led by pianist, Bill Charlap, the group will tour worldwide celebrating blues musicians like Bud Powell, Herbie Hancock, and Lee Morgan, just to name a few. The all-star septet comprising pianist, musical director, and current Blue Note recording artist Bill Charlap with trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Ravi ...
First Friday - Get in the Christmas Spirit - December 04, 2008 -
Gather up all your friends and come downtown this Friday night for a holiday edition of Downtown First Friday. Downtown merchants have packed a serious amount of fun into one night that is a perfect way to get in the holiday spirit. This First Friday you will find live music in nine locations, wine tasting opportunities, unique shopping opportunities and best of all, you can cruise around downtown ...
