By Jim Newell

Review Editor

To help promote downtown Lake Orion and support the shops and restaurants, the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority has launched Social District Nights to bring more people to the business district.

DDA Executive Director Molly LaLone said she and Event Coordinator NJani Payne were pleased with the turnout and activities for the village’s first Social District Night of the year on Thursday.

“The first Social District Night was definitely a success. We had people walking around town finding all of the ice sculptures, enjoying the festival warming hub,” LaLone said. “There were people having dinner in the heated Flint Street Alleyway. The restaurants were filled to the capacity that they could be filled, and people were enjoying the live ice carving.”

There are also 18 different establishments open during the evening for shopping, according to the DDA.

“I want people to come downtown to support the shopping, the dining and the community. Everything,” LaLone said, adding that the DDA would continue to have Social District Nights “from now on.”

“Plan every Thursday to come to downtown Lake Orion,” LaLone said, adding there will be live ice carvings in February at different locations throughout the village. “The ice carvings will stay in downtown Lake Orion until they melt.”

The village has several social districts, so guests who don’t want to eat or drink inside can get their meal or beverage to go and consume it in one of the social districts. Lake Orion’s Social District, adopted by the village council, makes it legal for people to purchase a beverage (alcohol or non-alcohol) from 313 Pizza Bar, Fork N Pint, Wine Social or American Legion Post 233 and stroll through downtown while enjoying those drinks.

There is also a Festival Warming Hub at the corner of Anderson and Flint streets, with wood burning fires.

“The festival warming hub was the brainchild of Ken Van Portfliet, the village council president. He put the whole plan together with Dr. Sam Caruso of Caruso Chiropractic. The idea was we need a live fire because it smells good, sounds good, feels good and it will be a place for people to gather outside.”

Social District Nights are from 5-8 p.m. every Thursday. For more information, go to downtownlakeorion.org.