Missoula Ready for ‘Out to Lunch’ and ‘Downtown Tonight’
After a year away, many regular summer activities will resume this week, including the popular Downtown Missoula Partnership favorites Out to Lunch at Caras Park and Downtown ToNight.
Kristen Sackett, Marketing and Events Director shared the information with KGVO.
“Both events are absolutely on,” said Sackett. “They are taking off Wednesday and Thursday and for the most part will look relatively like it would have in 2019. We do have fewer food vendors than usual, although part of that is because people have just such amazing trucks are they've kind of expanded and grown their businesses so we only have space for about 13 food trucks at this point.”
Sackett said masks are recommended, but not required for both events.
“Masks are not required, as we're in a public open space,” she said. “However, they are certainly highly recommended if you're in line for the food vendors are under the pavilion just to increase that safety, but if you find yourself on the hill enjoying your lunch, please feel free to take it off and walk around and we will also have hand sanitizing stations available. And then we just ask folks to be mindful of the spacing and if you see a lot of congregating in one area, you know, just do your best to socially distance.”
Sackett said the Wednesday Out to Lunch program will feature solo artists or duets, while the Downtown Tonight programs on Thursday will feature alcoholic beverages.
“It’s pretty much the same layout,” she said. “Really the only difference is that we have a bar available for adult beverages on Thursday nights. So really, between both programs, people can pretty much expect the same thing. There’s the same layout, the same parameters and guidelines, and of course, different bands, so it's the same thing except for the adult beverages.”
Sackett said the Out to Lunch Trolley will return for the summer.
“The trolley will be running the summer, so in addition to Mountain Line buses, we will also have the Out to Lunch trolley, thanks to Mountain Line and to Blackfoot Communications in Missoula,” she said. “The parking commission they will that will be running just for Out to Lunch and they can also do that for the farmers markets on Saturday. So that's a great fun piece of Missoula that people just love.”
The food lineup includes: AJ’s Gluten Free, Banh Missoula, Big Dipper, El Cazador, Isla’s Lemonade, Kamoon, Lil’ Orbits, Madeline’s Mediterranean, Mountain Berry Bowls, Pattie Wagon, Ragheef, River City Eats, and Sa Wa Dee.
Downtown ToNight will also feature a full bar every Thursday thanks to Badlander Catering. The Missoula Downtown Association will also be selling commemorative drinkware that includes a free drink at the bar.