ArtHop file photo by Jesus Sepulveda

The people have spoken, and it looks like a Thursday night street vendor event may return to Downtown Fresno as early as this summer.

Elliot Balch, CEO of the Downtown Fresno Partnership, shared the news Monday in a talk to the Rotary Club of Fresno recapping the State of Downtown event April 17.

It was at that event that Mayor Jerry Dyer invited people to vote online for the ideal night to bring back the street market — the first Thursday or first Friday of the month.

 

Balch shared that about 60% of voters preferred a Thursday evening event. It was on the first Thursday of the month that ArtHop had previously drawn crowds of up to 15,000 people before it was shut down by city leaders in August 2024 over concerns about safety, security, logistics and fair treatment of vendors.

Balch said the resources are in place to pull off a street market along Fulton Street as early as June.

In September 2024, the city and Downtown Fresno Partnership launched “Why Not Wednesday,” an outdoor vendor and food truck fair on Fulton Street.