photo by: Mike Yoder

Maren Steiner, of Lawrence, carries a cat cage that she bought at Wonder Fair, 841 Massachusetts St., during the Mid Summer Night on Mass sale on Friday, June 23, 2023, in downtown Lawrence.

Downtown Lawrence businesses will stay up late on Friday night for the third annual Midsummer Night on Mass, which will feature live entertainment on the street and special offers at stores and restaurants all over downtown.

This is the third year for the Midsummer Night on Mass event, which starts at 4 p.m. Friday and runs until 10 p.m. It was first held in 2023 as a replacement for the city’s annual downtown sidewalk sale, which always took place during the morning and afternoon.

The idea was that people would be more willing to shop in the cooler evening hours than in the daytime heat, and Downtown Lawrence Inc. director Andrew Holt said that the first two years of the event have drawn a good crowd downtown.

“The vibe was really positive, and everyone was really happy with the turnout and the business that was done” in the first year, Holt said. “And then the second year, it was even better.”

Downtown Lawrence Inc. has been working to get the word out on social media about what sales and specials are going to be happening during the event. Holt said that the deals aren’t limited to just retail stores; bars and restaurants will be having special offers as well. A list of offers can be found at the event’s website, msnonmass.com.

Shoppers can also expect a new space for fun activities at Eighth and Massachusetts streets, which Holt called the “activation area.” Here, you’ll find representatives from the University of Kansas’ athletic department and the Watkins Museum of History and the Lawrence Public Library’s bookmobile. There will also be caricature artists, face painters, snow cone vendors and balloon twisters downtown, Holt said.

“We just want to build the event, and we want to provide more for the people coming down,” Holt said.

Expect to hear some live music while you shop, too. There will be four featured musical acts this year: local rock band Mosaic and string band The Lost Keys will be playing in the 700 block of Massachusetts Street, and blues and folk band Easy G & The Blue Notes and the Connect Jazz Duo will be playing in the 800 block. Holt said some other performers might show up on their own — “There’s a lot of people who come on down and just set up, and you know, we’re OK with that,” he said.

Between the shopping, the music and all the other happenings, Holt hopes this year’s event will have something for everyone.

“It’s just a very festive atmosphere to celebrate downtown Lawrence, which is one of the best downtowns in the entire country,” Holt said. “Come out, see your neighbors and have a good time.”