The Downtown Orillia Business Improvement Area (DOBIA) Board of Management is excited to announce the Mariposa Downtown Stage music night coming up on Thursday, July 2 from 5 to 9 p.m. in downtown Orillia.
This free downtown live music event is moving to Thursday night to make it more inclusive and extend the festival fun for an extra day. Orillians and tourists can come downtown for a preview of the Mariposa music and vibe. The move to Thursday night also gives local downtown restaurants, bars and shops an opportunity to benefit from the increased foot traffic.
“We really wanted to re-energize this free live music event to connect with more local people, bring them downtown and get them excited about the festival,” said Doug Cooper, Downtown Orillia BIA Board Chair.
By moving it to the evening before the festival, we believe more local residents will be able to attend the event which will also directly benefit our downtown businesses.”
“Mariposa Folk Festival is proud to partner with Downtown Orillia BIA to bring some pre-Festival Mariposa music and magic to the city,” added Pam Carter, President of the Mariposa Folk Festival.
“This free event allows citizens and tourists to savour a great night of folk music, while enjoying Orillia’s beautiful downtown. An extra night of Mariposa – what could be better?”
Run by an elected board of volunteers made up mostly of local business owners, the Downtown Orillia BIA (DOBIA) is home to prime shopping, dining, arts and entertainment with 150 shops and 25 restaurants to choose from. The DOBIA footprint includes six blocks of Mississaga Street as well as the sidestreets of Albert, Andrew, West, Peter, Matchedash and Front streets between Coldwater and Colborne. The DOBIA is funded through a special commercial tax levy assessed only on the commercial property owners in this area.
