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Summer Nights at Holiday Village Mall returns Thursday

Summer Nights, the weekly market at Holiday Village Mall in Havre returns Thursday this week.

Events Coordinator Jenna Holt said the market will be every Thursday in July - July 8, July 15, July 22, and July 29 - from 5-8 p.m. in the mall's parking lot.

"It's an evening out, you know, there's a lot of different vendors and food. We're hoping to have music this year, home-based vendors, farmers, crafters, all kinds of different businesses out in the parking lot of the mall set up. And it's just a nice time to get out and see your friends and family and support your local businesses," Holt said.

"Inside the mall will also have events going on. Different vendors will have sales and promotions as well, plus the mall has AC, so you can go in and cool off in the mall and then come back out and enjoy some summer nights as well," Holt added.

Holt said Summer Nights was started last year in the COVID-19 pandemic as an outlet that was easier to social distance.

"We figured having it outdoors and spacing out, using our parking lot space a little better, would allow for social distancing and allow for a safer environment for people to have something to attend, and Summer Nights was born," Holt said.

Holt said the event was a blast last year, and many vendors asked if it would continue. She said, even with all of the COVID-19 restrictions, it was a great boost to morale which led to its return.

"When you can't hold those types of events you know, it's just, it's quieter. The merchants themselves, they championed through it. The year was tough for everybody but each and every merchant came up with some unique way to keep on going and they did wonderful. I know the home-based businesses also had to get creative. So everybody kind of found a way," Holt said.

Holt said the number of vendors fluctuates by the week but the total could range anywhere from 20 to 40.

"Usually, by the end, we're at capacity, but we really don't cap it, we just make room. Usually the last one is usually the biggest, but we flex a little bit for numbers," Holt said.

Precautions against COVID-19 will still be in place to some degree.

"We still have our vendors required to bring their hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes for their booths. We are still social distancing them. So it gives the shoppers space to, you know, go around the tables and look but not be crowded amongst each other, they can still spread out a little bit. So we're still gonna have those things in place," Holt said.

"The rest of it, we just follow Hill County's ordinances. So whatever is in place for Hill County at the time of each event is what we follow. I believe this week, there's no mandates or anything like that in place other than just be smart about it. But we still have the sanitizer, and the sanitizing wipes in place for each vendor so that way they can provide for themselves and their shoppers in case it's needed," Holt added.

 

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