Wilco may not be on your iPod, and street performers swallowing fire or walking on stilts may not be your cup of tea, but there’s no doubt that added activity is a good thing for downtown Lawrence.

Whether it’s a concert on the corner or a Jayhawk victory parade, anything that draws more people downtown is positive for businesses and the community. Individual performances like Wilco may entice people to plan a special trip to downtown Lawrence. While they’re here, they might go out to dinner or spend a night in a hotel or do a little shopping.

Then there are events like “Busker Fest 2008,” a street performers festival being organized by a local entertainment company with the support of Downtown Lawrence Inc. and state and local arts organizations. The event tentatively is planned for August when students will be returning to classes at local universities. The idea is to create a festive atmosphere by placing a variety of tricksters on downtown street corners. Although the street theater would only last for two days, it is intended to help build the image of downtown Lawrence as a fun and interesting place to be.

In terms of sales volume, downtown clearly is no longer the retail center of Lawrence. However, it still is a place people enjoy. Special events like Wednesday night’s Wilco concert at Ninth and New Hampshire give people added incentive to come downtown. If they have a good meal or enjoy a night’s stay, they will be likely to come back either for another event or just to try another restaurant or browse in a shop they didn’t have time to visit.

Whatever attracts people to downtown Lawrence is good for area businesses, which collect sales and bed taxes that benefit the city as a whole. Some of the suggested activities and events may not suit every taste but, as a group, they bring interest – and people – to the downtown scene.

Downtown Lawrence Inc. and the Lawrence Arts Commission should be congratulated for their support of the street performers event. Additional activities and events that add to the ambiance of downtown should be a top ongoing priority for DLI and all downtown businesses.