Downtown Fridays return to Santa Maria

IN SANTA MARIA.KSBY REPORTERCOLETTE NGO HAS MORE ON THERETURN OF THE ANNUAL EVENT.COLETTE ON CAMHERE IN SANTA MARIA -DOWNTOWN FRIDAYS ARE BACKAND THE PLACE TO BE.AS YOU CANSEE BEHIND ME - THEY’REKICKINGOFF WITH VENDORS, FOODTRUCKS AND MUSIC.COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAY IT’STHE EVENT THAT THEY’VE BEENWAITING FOR.KATIE GARNICA"I’M SUPER EXCITED YOU KNOW.THAT’S ALL I’VEBEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL WEEKWAS GETTING READY, GETTINGOUT HERE, SEEING A BUNCHOF PEOPLE."PAUL CRUZ"IT’S REALLY NICE TO BE OUTHERE AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORSAND BE OUT HERE AGAIN WITHTHE MUSIC."SANTA MARIA PUBLICINFORMATION MANAGER - MARKVAN DE KAMP- SAYS HE’SSURPRISED BY THE GREATTURNOUT BECAUSE THERE WASIT GETS PEOPLE AND FAMILIESTO COME DOWN TO A REALLYGREAT FRIENDLY EVENT."BUT FOR THE PAST YEAR -DOWNTOWN FRIDAYS HAD TO BEPOSTPONED SEVERAL TIMES DUESILVIA GARCIA"A LOT OF OUR SALES DIDDECLINE JUST BECAUSEALL OF THESE OUTSIDE EVENTSCOMPLETELY HAD TO STOP."NOW THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED TOHAVE BOUNCE HOUSES OR LIVEBANDSLIKE LAST YEAR AND COVID-19PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE -LIKE THE USUAL MASK- WEARINGAND SOCIAL DISTANCING.THERE’S ALSO STATIONS FORHAND SANITIZATIONTHROUGHOUT THE VENUE.MARK VAN DE KAMP "I’MLOOKING FORWARD TO THE EVENTCONTINUING TO EVOLVE AS THERULES ALLOW SO WE CAN SEESOME LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANDOTHER ATTRACTIONS."COLETTE ON CAMDOWNTOWN FRIDAYS IN SANTAMARIA WILL BE BACK EVERYFRIDAY THROUGH OCTOBER 29TH.ATTRACTIONS ANDENTERTAINMENT ARE ALSOEXPECTED TOEXPAND AS PANDEMICRESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED.IN SANTA MARIA - COLETTENGO, KSBY NEWS.