Friday Night Market returns

Elizabeth event will launch season June 9

BY CHANCY J. GATLIN-ANDERSON SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

e Friday Night Market is picking back up on June 9 for another year’s live music, food trucks and local vendors. e weekly events will continue through Aug. 18 at Running Creek Park in Elizabeth.

e Town of Elizabeth has hosted the weekly Friday Night Market events since 2018 and this year the series is being touted as bigger and better than ever. e Friday Night Market events are family-friendly and people of all ages are welcome.

“It is a great opportunity for people in the community to meet and relax over some live music and food. ere are many people who attend the event regularly, including those that pride themselves on not missing a single Friday night,” said Patrick Davidson, town administrator. “Generally, even the vendors are there every Friday and form relationships and friendships with their customers. If someone has not been, I would encourage them to go a couple of times and just see how fun and relaxing it can be, particularly if they are new to the community.”

In collaboration with the Town of Elizabeth, the Elizabeth Brewing Company also hosts the event. ough the Friday Night Market events started a year before EBC opened its doors, the company is aiming to establish itself in the town and to help host an event that would bring everyone together.

SEE MARKET, P4 to discuss the proposed draft of the updated design and preservation guidelines for the Town of Elizabeth Municipal Code. e current guidelines were written in 1998 and include limited text regarding historic preservation. ey also focus primarily on new construction and renovation of non-historical structures. e newly proposed guidelines would focus speci cally on preservation within the town limits. ey will also include information on new construction in a historic district, including both residential and commercial properties. e HAB will propose the guidelines to Town of Elizabeth Planning Commission and Board of Trustees later this summer. e new historic preservation guidelines will apply to any building 50 years old or older classi ed as contributing structures, especially those buildings that meet one or more characteristics of his- tive architectural style. e design guidelines for properties within the limits of the proposed historic district would apply to the exterior building surface that faces the street. Building components that will be addressed include siding and roo ng, front wall fascia and cornice detailing, doors and windows, awnings and canopies, building mass and integration with its surroundings, and color.

“We de nitely don’t want to recommend creating a false sense of history on Main Street, we want buildings 100 years from now to be recognizable from the 2020s and not mistaken for the 1920s,” said HAB Vice Chair Aimee Woodall. “ ere is nuance in design for that (for new “in ll” construction). We want there to be a sympathetic gesture to the historic buildings without trying to replicate something that wasn’t here in the 1920s.”

Audience members posed several

Q: “I assume there is a cost to being a part of this district?”

A: “No, there is not,” said Quest. “It’s not a taxing district.”

Q: “Are you working in conjunction with the Main Street Board?”

A: “We’re both on the same path that historic preservation is an important component. We’re totally behind the things they’re considering doing with the street and landscaping,” said Quest. “We continue to meet with them and talk about stu and make it look like the decisions are coming from one place rather than from two separate entities.”

Q: “Are there drawbacks to creating an historic district?”

A: “You don’t have total control and free reign of what you’re going to do with your building,” said Quest. “It has to maintain the historic presence that it has on Main Street.”

Q. “What are the bene ts for property owners?”

A: “A lot of towns have this in place already and they’ve seen the change erty values are going up,” said Quest. “It’s hard to explain how much that will be, but it does happen.”

“It’s knowing there’s security in your investment,” said Zach Higgins, Town of Elizabeth Community Development Director. “It’s being maintained and continuing to be sellable for generations to come.” e Historic Advisory Board will hold a second informational meeting about the proposed historic district and design guidelines on June 12 in the Elizabeth Town Hall board room, 151 S. Banner St. e meeting will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Members of the community are encouraged to attend and bring any questions and suggestions they have with them.

In order to approve the proposed historic district, 75% of the property owners within the district must agree. It is done through a vote-bysignature process.

To learn more about the HAB and read about their historic preservation plan, visit townofelizabeth. org/cd/page/historic-preservationprogram.

“We are expecting this year to be our biggest year yet. New bands are coming as well as fan favorites from previous years,” said Rickie Baumert, head brewer for Elizabeth Brewing Company. “We’ll also have new food trucks and vendors. We are also working on getting more activities for kids to make it an event the whole family can enjoy. My favorite part is the community aspect of it. Seeing the faces we’ve grown accustomed to in the taproom as well as new faces out there all coming together to enjoy the summer and each other’s company.”

Beginning this year, visitors to the Friday Night Market events can bring along their four-legged, furry friends. In the past, dogs have not been allowed at the event because dogs are generally not allowed in Elizabeth’s parks. Dogs will now be allowed at the event as long as they are on a leash and are picked up after.

“We’re new to the Elizabeth area and are really excited to go to the Friday Night Markets this year,” said Pam Harris, a resident of Spring Valley Ranch. “I was really excited to hear that we could bring our dog. We have a French bulldog that just loves to meet new people.” ere is limited seating at Running Creek Park. Attendees should plan on bringing their own folding camp chairs if able. ere are some picnic tables and Adirondack chairs available near the stage for those unable to carry their own chairs. the sun starts to go down.” beth moved here for the small-town atmosphere and a sense of community. is summer-long event is every bit the way of life that brought people here and keeps them here.”

“People bring their lawn chairs, but there are no formal seating arrangements. Most attendees sit in groups with their friends and family in a very casual atmosphere,” said Davidson.

With more people moving into the Elizabeth area, the Friday Night Markets are sure to be bigger and busier than ever. Town leadership hopes to see the event expand over time with even more vendors and food trucks.

“ e weather is generally great, but it is Colorado, so perhaps consider bringing a raincoat or a sweatshirt depending on what the weather may be. It does tend to get cooler when

“For those people who are new to Elizabeth, or have not attended the Friday Night Market, I really do think they are missing out on one of the `secrets’ of living in a small community,” commented Davidson. “Everyone living in and around Eliza-

Running Creek Park is located at 500 E. Kiowa Ave. in Elizabeth. Parking is available on Main Street, at Town Hall and at the Gesin Lot. ere is limited handicap parking available at Running Creek Park for the event. For more information on the Friday Night Market events, visit tinyurl. com/ElizFNM.