PICKENS — It’s that time again to celebrate 3rd Fridays in historic Pickens on Friday, Dec. 20.

The vision of three local women, 3rd Fridays is an opportunity to attract residents and visitors alike to explore the downtown area of Pickens and all it has to offer.Every month on the third Friday of the month, downtown Pickens comes alive at the typical closing time. Shops and restaurants stay open late and offer special promotions. People leisurely stroll from shop to shop, taking in the holiday lights and decorations. They grab a bite to eat along the way, mingling with friends, and meeting new ones, as musicians perform nearby.

“As a downtown that is home to a county courthouse, a large number of our downtown storefronts are law offices,” said Pickens Revitalization Assocation director Allison Fowler. “As such, Pickens is full of people during the day while court is in session, but downtown clears out by 5 p.m. In an effort to encourage community vibrancy in Pickens apart from the daytime hours, and to bring to light our many unique merchants and restaurants, we want to draw people downtown beyond the typical 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. business hours.”

Pickens Revitalization Association (PRA) was formed as a unique preservation-based economic development tool that enables the community to focus on business and community development through programs such as 3rd Fridays. PRA sponsors the monthly celebration to create a lively community atmosphere and promote local businesses in downtown Pickens.

“3rd Fridays is the perfect chance to acquaint yourselves with the historic downtown of Pickens in one lovely evening,” Fowler said.

“We are committed to partnering with the PRA and the Pickens Business Community to do anything we can to promote a strong and viable downtown,” city administrator Katherine Hendricks said. “3rd Fridays is one way to get businesses what they so often tell me they need, ‘just more foot traffic and people in our stores.’ I encourage everyone to support this campaign and work as a community to grow downtown Pickens while empowering the successful existing businesses we are so fortunate to have. This campaign has been highly successful in other cities and its goal is simple — give people another reason to get downtown and shop local.”