Locals and out-of-towners took a stroll through downtown Fernie Sunday, August 19th to check out the shops, grab a bite to eat, and experience the Summer Social. Second Avenue is closed to traffic every Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. to allow the public a chance to roam the streets and enjoy what Fernie’s Main Street has to offer.
The Summer Social is a Chamber of Commerce initiative and this is the second year the program has offered a family friendly event every Sunday throughout July and August. Sarah Parry with the Chamber explained the concept has continued to grow since starting up last summer. “We were fortunate enough to get funding through the Resort Municipality Initiative through the City of Fernie. So that sort of kick started it last year and we developed the concept further for 2012.”
Each Sunday Summer Social this year has been a themed event, featuring themes like Fernie’s Got Fashion, Fernie Friendship Day, and the latest event, Take a Bite Out of Fernie, showcased the wide range of eating options available in town.
No matter what the theme, Parry said at the end of the day it’s all about getting people to get out and see what’s going on in Fernie. “The whole idea is really to create something interesting for people, residents and visitors, to go and visit downtown Fernie. It’s the Chamber’s mandate to create opportunities for local businesses.”
While the idea was thought up and has been carried out by the Chamber of Commerce, Parry expressed that they certainly couldn’t do it alone. “It’s definitely a partnership and is really about businesses and members of the community stepping up and taking part”