Summer Nights on Seventh, the weekly Thursday celebration in downtown Rapid City that was a success last summer, has restarted again this summer. Maybe it should be called Summer Nights and Sixth and Seventh.

The music and family entertainment event has expanded for this year. The live music is primarily on Seventh Street, and the family entertainment is on Sixth Street. The two streets are linked by Art Alley, the one-block alley that is plastered with all manner of paintings and graffitti.

Hours are 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Thursday through Aug. 27.

I went to several Summer Nights events last summer. It was a lot of fun, dancing and drinking and food. Alwasy a big crowd, which I think even surprised the organizers. They thought they might get a little event going to bring people downtown. Next thing you know, the whole downtown is hopping with people.

Downtown Spearfish has been doing its First Fridays Market events for four years. The event, appropriately, is the first Friday of every month through September. The first one for 2009 was June 5.

First Fridays feature live music, vendors and other activities. Everything starts at 5 p.m.