photo by: Mike Yoder

Just a few minutes past 6 a.m., shoppers check out the sales racks outside Urban Outfitters, 1013 Mass. St., Thursday, July 21, 2022, during the annual Summer Sale.

Downtown Lawrence is having a big retail sale today, as it does the third Thursday of every July, but this year it’s called a “Summer Sale.” Businesses have the option of having their merchandise on the sidewalk, but many others are expected to simply conduct their sales inside their stores. Temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees by this afternoon.

The Summer Sale, which will last until 8 p.m., is touted as “the biggest sale of the year” by Downtown Lawrence Inc.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 804 Mass. St., opened for business at dawn Thursday, July 21, 2022, for the annual Summer Sale.

The US Bank Plaza at 900 Massachusetts St. will host the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Summer Brown Bag Concert at noon featuring River Valley Boys. Kansas Athletics will also be onsite hosting activities and giveaways. Douglas County Democrats will be offering voter registration information and The Salvation Army will be handing out water to shoppers.

“Cooling stations” will be available at the Watkins Museum of History at 11th and Massachusetts and at First State Bank & Trust at Sixth and Vermont. Portable toilets will be available at several locations downtown. Parking is available in the city parking garages at Ninth and New Hampshire and in the 700 block of Vermont next to the Lawrence Public Library.

Merchants will have another event on Sept. 10 called Customer Appreciation Day.

photo by: Mike Yoder

A shopper comes out of the Phoenix Gallery on Thursday, July 21, 2022, during the Downtown Lawrence Summer Sale.

photo by: Mike Yoder

A group of friends shop along Massachusetts Street Thursday, July 21, 2022, during the Downtown Lawrence Summer Sale.