Thursdays Downtown kicks off in Rochester

(ABC 6 News) – A summertime staple is back as Thursdays Downtown kicked off its 2023 season on June 15. People from Rochester to Long Island, New York took in all the festivities to the unofficial start of summer in the city.

Janie Fichter and her husband are in town for treatment at Mayo Clinic. They frequent street fairs each summer and were glad to find out about this one when they arrived in Rochester earlier this week.

“We were wondering what to do here and I think the first or second day we arrived they told us there was going to be a street fair out here. We were very excited because we love street fairs,” said Fichter.

Thursdays Downtown is for everyone. From out-of-towners to city natives and even their dogs. Cory Walk brought his two-year-old dog, Stella, to Thursdays Downtown last year. He’s excited to see her behave and interact better with people in the crowds now that she is fully grown.

“Now that I’ve got a dog I just wanted to bring her out here, and get her used to the crowds and enjoy all the food and all the drinks and all the company and all the music too,” said Walk.

The only downside for the first Thursdays Downtown of the season was the air quality to start it off. But the conditions are not keeping Fichter, Walk, or anyone else from jumping in and enjoying the festivities.

“I actually worked in Oregon where the wildfire smoke was really, really bad,” said Fichter. “This isn’t as bad as there. But you should definitely wear a mask if it gets any worse, like if you see haze, you know. So not today, today there’s enough winds, so I’m okay.”

“You only live once and we’re only here for a short time so you better enjoy it,” said Walk.

Thursdays Downtown runs through August 10, with the exception of not taking place next Thursday, June 22, due to Rochesterfest.