Third Thursdays, held June through September, showcases downtown Cortez businesses, artisans, food vendors, and music to create an evening festival that attracts hundreds. By Deborah Uroda. This story is sponsored by Big-O Tires and Blondie's Trophy Room.
Third Thursdays & Cortez Retail Enhancement Association - https://shopcortez.com/third-thursdays/
First National Band of Cortez - https://www.fnbcortez.com/
City of Cortez Parks and Recreation - https://www.cortezco.gov/769/Parks-Recreation
Seven Nations - https://www.sevennations.com/
Jimmy Stadler Band - https://www.jimmystadler.com/
Sour Bridges - https://www.sourbridgesmusic.com/
Beat Root Revival - https://www.beatrootrevival.com
Big-O Tires - https://www.bigotires.com/location/co-cortez-81321/006168
Blondie's Trophy Room - https://www.facebook.com/Blondiestrophyroom/
Third Thursdays may sound like a calendar schedule for your reading club, but in Cortez Third Thursdays are synonymous with warm summer evenings spent at an outdoor concert enhanced by business vendors selling food, beverages and merchandise from nearby stores. You're watching Montezuma Local News, brought to you by the local News Network, Big O Tires in Cortez and Blondie's Trophy Room. I'm Ryan Simonovich. Just as the eponymous title suggests, Third Thursdays are held on the third Thursday of June, July, August and September in Montezuma Park at the corner of Montezuma Avenue and Market Street. The Cortez Retail Enhancement Association started the summertime get togethers to showcase local businesses in a fun festival-like environment. First National Bank of Cortez and the Cortez Parks and Recreation Department are co-sponsors.
So Third Thursday really started out, it was grassroots, it was smaller, and it was the Cortez Retail Enhancement Association wanted to be able to showcase our brick and mortar businesses, our city sales tax paying businesses in a way that brought 'em off of Main Street, but really gave them like a platform that was groovy. It was fun, and it became a partnership with the City of Cortez, I think mainly out of the fact that it was at one of the parks for Cortez, and we were really on board with the mission.
Voted best Arts and Crafts fair by Colorado Country Life, Third Thursdays are from five to 8:00 PM and attract from 500 to 1200 residents and visitors on any given night. Admission is free.
Third Thursday is a farmer's market. It is live music. It's a festival. It's a street party. Yeah, I would say Third Thursday is very similar to a farmer's market or a flea market.
This year's lineup of musical talent includes an eclectic mix of bluegrass, folk, and rock and roll. The Seven Nations Band, which features bagpipes and folk dancing, will open the season on June 19th. Additional performers include the Jimmy Stadler Band on July 17th, the Sour Bridges Band on August 21st and Beat Root Revival on September 18th. Bring a lawn chair or blanket for the concert, but don't bring your dog. Event organizers say the event has grown too large to accommodate pets safely. Spots remain available for business and nonprofit vendors, and CREA may provide grants to cover vendor fees and qualifying businesses. To become a vendor or learn more about Third Thursdays, visit shopCortez.com. To find more stories about Cortez and the surrounding area, visit MontezumaLocal.News. Thanks for watching. I'm Ryan Simonovich.
