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Downtown Mesa Merchants Present

Second Friday

Enjoy shopping, dining, entertainment and more on the second

Friday of every month from 6- 10 p.m. on and around West Downtown

Main Street. Below are some highlights of the next event on Aug. 8.

Humans and Canines Invited to Enjoy the

“Dog Days of Summer”

Aug. 8 “Second Friday” in Downtown Mesa

to Feature Pooch-Related Activities

Main Street will go to the dogs when downtown Mesa merchants present the “Dog Days of Summer” on Aug. 8. The evening filled with special canine-related activities will be part of “Second Friday” (a.k.a. “A Night Out in Downtown Mesa”) held the second Friday of every month until 10 p.m. on and around West Downtown Main Street.

Dogs Welcome on Main Street

The merchants encourage dogs everywhere to bring their owners downtown to enjoy great shopping, dining and entertainment. Water and pooper-scooper baggies will be available along West Main Street sidewalks.

Contests and Talent Shows

Dog contests will be held for the biggest, smallest, cutest, ugliest and other categories. The best trick category should be particularly entertaining with doggies showing off their special talents. The audience will act as judges, and prizes will be donated by The Pet Club, 55 S. Country Club Dr.

The contests/talent shows will begin at 7:30 p.m. in front of OneOhOne Gallery at 101 W. Main St.

Service Dog Demonstrations

Power Paws Assistance Dogs will impress visitors at the Arizona Museum of Natural History, 53 N. Macdonald St., from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The canines will demonstrate some of their 90 learned commands that allow physically challenged people to live more independent lives. See these service dogs open and close doors, turn lights on and off, push elevator buttons, retrieve dropped items, and more.

For more information on activities at the museum, contact Kathy Eastman at the Arizona Museum of Natural History at (480) 644-5662 or kathy.eastman@cityofmesa.org. For more information on the Mesa Power Paws Assistance Program, call (480) 945-0754 or visit www.azpowerpaws.org.

Other Canine Organizations

Several other canine organizations will appear on Main Street for Second Friday.

Friends for Life Animal Shelter will set up at OneOhOne Gallery. They will bring dogs for adoption, and their pet counselors will provide information including how to keep dogs safe in the summer heat.

Eagle Tail Mountain Wolf Sanctuary will be in front of Mystic Paper, 123 W. Main St., to provide information on their program. To learn more about this organization, visit www.eagletailmountain.com.

Arizona Retriever Rescue will also appear on Main Street to provide information (exact location TBD). The group is online at www.azrr.org.

Labor of Love, a group that makes pet pillows and donates them to various organizations, will be at Jersey Girl Café, 218 W. Main St.

Doggie Art

"Doggone Art,” a dog-themed art exhibition featuring work by students from Dobson Montessori School in Mesa, will be held inside OneOhOne Gallery. Both dogs and humans are invited inside the gallery to see the show.

An art auction will be held at 8 p.m., with some of the profits benefiting Friends for Life Animal Shelter.

Free hors d'oeuvres will be served in the gallery, and the Mahogony Birds will play music on the patio.

Canine Products

Several merchants will sell dog-related items.

These include Jersey Girl Café, 218 W. Main St., which will sell fresh-baked gourmet dog biscuits.

Lissa’s, 140 W. Main St., offers leashes, dog strollers and other pet accessories.

Other Special Activities

Main Street may be going to the dogs, but not all special activities the evening of Aug. 8 will be canine-related.

Faith Harvest Church, 105 W. Main St., will show the film Facing the Giants about an underdog ball team that comes out on top. The whole family will enjoy this free movie beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Members of AZ Olde Tyme Cruisers and other car clubs plan to bring some classic cars for parking and showing.

Opportunities to Donate School Supplies

School supplies can be donated at the Arizona Museum of Natural History. The museum will accept new packaged school supplies, which will go to the City of Mesa’s “Adopt-A-School” program for the less fortunate.

Vintage Charm, the shop at 128 W. Main St., will accept donations of backpacks, which will be given to Mesa elementary and Junior High schools.

Coupons Available

A number of downtown Mesa merchants are offering coupons good during 2nd Friday. To go to the coupon page, click HERE.

These are just highlights of activities planned for or coinciding with the next Second Friday in downtown Mesa. A diverse range of businesses, organizations and individuals are continually joining the fun.

Second Friday is coordinated by downtown merchants and held the second Friday of every month. For more information, contact Anita Stapleton, owner, Jersey Girl Café, 218 W. Main St., (480) 924-7887, jerseygirlcafe@gmail.com.

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