This column is brought to you by Bess Wills, owner of Gresham Ford. Sponsored Content.

In case you forgot, this weekend is the Festival of Arts in Historic Downtown Gresham. It begins with Third Thursday (5:30-8:30 p.m.).  Main Avenue (1st-5th) closed to traffic and filled with vendors, artists, businesses, and live energy.  Plus, plenty of places to catch up with friends and family and dine in downtown Gresham.  Please remember our friends at Bocelli’s who helped bring the Barlow Basketball parade to us all.

Friday evening offers three concert stages featuring lots of music. Then, the big event takes place all day on Saturday, with artists, food, and fun for all at no charge!  Follow Gresham Center for the Arts Foundation on Facebook for more information!  They will give you a peek at the great artists that will be in attendance—displaying everything from earrings to chainsaw statues.   Whether art is in your budget or not, it is a free feast for the eyes and the soul!

There are so many wonderful places in Downtown Gresham and just to name a few, in no particular order, but they are surely worth visiting (and I didn’t even get past one block):

Maggies Mae’s Bookshop – it is not just for kids, great selection of books but gifts galore and the staff is super friendly.   Then move on over to Sugar Cubed Cakes, they are an award-winning bakery with not just cakes but macarons, cupcakes, and more!   Jazzy Bagel, of course, bagels, but pick up a loaf of their bread and your family will thank you!  Then there is a new player in town, Eagles Nest Golf, a personal golf simulator -where you can play thousands of courses without leaving Gresham.  They are located at 29 E. Powell Blvd, Gresham. For more information, please call 503-405-0028.   New businesses are like vitamins for our community.  Please support them and they will succeed and in turn, they will pay their share of police, fire, and fixing of the potholes.  Amazon not so much…. Shop Local!

P.S. Please visit the Gresham Historical Society and make your very own tie-dyed garment on Saturday from 9-5.   This will help raise funds and you have a one-of-a-kind T-shirt or apron or?