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Fallbrook Summer Nights kicks off 22nd year

A party that was started in 1997 by the Downtown Merchants will resume for the 22nd straight year Friday, July 20, when the Fallbrook Village Association presents the first of its three Fallbrook Summer Nights events for 2018.

"What's really fun is just the camaraderie, everybody talking, having fun and just getting along," said Manny Gratz, a FVA director who has been involved with Fallbrook Summer Nights since 1999. "It's truly a block party."

Fallbrook Summer Nights offer residents the opportunity to come downtown to socialize with neighbors while enjoying live musical entertainment, classic cars, and a beer and wine garden. There are food and merchandise vendors and a kid's zone for the youngsters.

Colleen Aichle, who owned Fallbrook Fine Art gallery, was president of the nonprofit Downtown Merchants organization in 1997 and is credited with spearheading the campaign to hold summer night socials downtown. The Downtown Merchants called their event Hot Summer Nites.

Connections, a nonprofit networking group, took over running Hot Summer Nites in 1999.

"The Downtown Merchants needed some help so Connections stepped in to semi-rescue it," said Gratz, who was president of Connections in 1999. "It was really a great event for the networking group to network in downtown Fallbrook."

The FVA, with Gratz as a member of its board of directors, came aboard to assist Connections with Hot Summer Nites in 2004. The FVA was a behind-the-scenes sponsor while Connections was the operator of the events.

In 2014 the FVA became both the sponsor and operator of Hot Summer Nites and changed the name to Fallbrook Summer Nights to give the event more identity.

While the two major events in Fallbrook each year – the Avocado Festival and Fallbrook Vintage Car Show – attract thousands of people from outside of the area, Gratz said Fallbrook Summer Nights is for locals.

"We like the concept of the block party idea," said Gratz. "It's a much more Fallbrook-centered event."

Gratz said Fallbrook Summer Nights has introduced people to the downtown area.

"What we find out is there are a lot of people that are new to town and they don't know what's going on, and there's an amazing number of people that have lived here for quite some time and don't even know we have a downtown," said Gratz. "They never come down here. So that's the people we're trying to get – to say come on down and see what's here.

"We really like it when people walk up and down the street and see a business," continued Gratz. "It (the store/shop) may not be open but they think, 'I'm going to come back Monday or Tuesday and go in there and see what that store's like.' And that really helps the merchants. The merchants have been very supportive of the event over the years."

Gratz added that downtown area restaurants benefit from Fallbrook Summer Nights.

"A lot of years the restaurants felt like there was too much going on but then they slowly began to see that as the event started to wind down – we're done at around 8:30 p.m. – they started to fill the restaurants up." said Gratz. "So the restaurants have become big supporters now."

Fallbrook Summer Nights is put on by volunteers from the FVA and other local organizations, including the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce and the Fallbrook branch of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department Senior Volunteer Patrol.

"It's nice having the chamber, they're very involved," said Gratz. "The senior volunteers are terrific. They come early, help with street closures and stay late. They've been really, really good to us."

Supporters of Fallbrook Summer Nights include the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, which Gratz labeled "a major sponsor." Community sponsors of the event are Grand Tradition Estate and Gardens, Grocery Outlet bargain market and Fallbrook Vintage Car Club.

Each of the Fallbrook Summer Nights has a theme. Sports cars is the theme July 20 and members of the Porsche Club of America – Orange Coast Region will have their vehicles on display. "Sheriff's National Night Out" is Friday, Aug. 3, and "A Salute to Our Military" is Friday, Aug. 17.

The entertainment lineup for Fallbrook Summer Nights is as follows: Shane Hall, July 20; Tony Suraci, Aug. 3; and Kevin Moyles & The Niteriders, Aug. 17.

Fallbrook Summer Nights begin at 5 p.m. and Gratz invites all to come downtown.

"The nights are really fun," said Gratz. "It's the kind of event you bring your friends to."

 

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