Mill Ave event to celebrate the end of restoration

Against the backdrop of a spectacular autumn evening, a lively celebration of Downtown Tempe will bring the community’s story to life through music, history, local businesses and experiences up and down Mill Avenue. “Meet Me on Mill” kicks off at 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, with a collection of activations that invite the community to fill the wide, open sidewalks and explore the people, places and moments that have shaped Downtown Tempe’s unique character and its evolution through the years.

The free, family-friendly event is a chance to rediscover familiar favorites, experience something new and reconnect with the character, history and community that make Downtown Tempe what it is. Highlights of the celebration include:

• Live music on two stages anchoring Mill Avenue, with a mix of artists to keep the night moving
• Exclusive intimate acoustic sets inside Downtown Tempe businesses
• Buskers providing live entertainment and performances along Mill Avenue
• Two U-Haul Mobile Art Galleries showcasing work from local artists
• Unveiling of a plaque dedicated to The Pistoleros in recognition of their mark on the Mill Avenue music scene
• Guided and self-guided tours exploring Downtown Tempe’s roots through history, public art, music and more
• Ghost tours that offer a spooky trek through Mill Avenue’s haunted history
• Surprise roaming entertainers and performers, including towering Rave Circus stilt walkers

While exploring the robust lineup of live and interactive entertainment, attendees will have ample opportunity to stop in to explore local shops that will be open late and recharge with special food and drink offerings at local restaurants and bars along the way.

In addition, attendees who make a purchase at a Downtown Tempe business during Meet Me on Mill, then bring their receipt to the Info Booth at 5th Street & Mill Avenue, will have a chance to spin the prize wheel and win Downtown Tempe swag on the spot or score an entry into a grand prize drawings.