Colfax First Thursday returns next week

The kickoff for the summer series of First Thursday events in Colfax is next week on May 4. A Bingo Block Party has been planned for the festivities, and the bingo games will include several prizes.

First Thursday will begin with vendors setting up shop by 3 p.m. at various locations along Main Street. Several businesses are also planning extended hours to coincide with the event.

“We'll have lots of vendors on the street, and lots of businesses like Fonks, Ticks, Hen House, the Dusty Attic and the Grandmother's shop will stay open late,” said Valoree Gregory, Colfax unified executive director. “Hopefully the weather is good for us.”

No live entertainment was booked for this First Thursday, and Gregory said that was intentional.

“We didn't know what the weather would be like, and we thought if we held out until June, we'd be more sure that it wouldn't rain,” she said.

Bingo will start at 5 p.m. and will be outside of the library on Spring Street. If it rains,, the game will be moved to the library.

“The Whitman County Library is really helping us out with this,” said Gregory, noting the library will also be calling out the numbers.

There will be a number of prizes given out during the bingo game, including T-shirts and milk cartons that have various photos of Whitman County on them.

First Thursday began in Colfax one year ago as a way to bring people downtown and help businesses out. The first event was last June, and the final 2016 event coincided with Colfax's annual Winterfest. First Thursday was then shut down for the winter.

Gregory also said there is still vendor space available for First Thursdays.