Downtown Details March 2020
Downtown Details…
What’s Going on in Downtown Redding? Redding Cultural District
Did you know Downtown was a part of an official state-designated cultural district? The district was originally formed by the Shasta County Arts Council, City of Redding, Turtle Bay, Viva Downtown and the Shasta Historical Society with assistance from the McConnell Foundation. The Redding Cultural District is featured by the State Department of Tourism to attract travelers from around the world to Redding, which was named one of 14 cultural districts by the California Arts Council in 2017. “We have a great opportunity here,” says John Truitt, Viva Downtown’s director. “We have a district that the state is telling travelers to come see. If there’s an arts group or business in the region, this district is the place to set up shop.”
With nearly 70 public art sites and more than 50 restaurants, bars and coffee shops within the district, there’s a wide range of activities: Food cultivation and dining; music production and consumption; microbrewing and wine tasting; theater, dance, cycling, scholarship and education; art, and outdoor explorations. Regional, national and international performing artists frequent the historic Cascade Theatre and Redding Civic Auditorium, while the Carter House Gallery, Old City Hall and Turtle Bay Exploration Park feature art and cultural installations. The California Arts Council supports an initial group of districts that meet high standards of coherence, vision and purpose. For more information, visit www.reddingculturaldistrict.org.
Here’s The Blakedown
Blake Fisher
Viva Downtown Program Coordinator
Downtown Redding is a happening place! With more opportunities to support live music, grab a drink, shop local and support the arts, wouldn’t it be nice to have an app that organizes everything you can experience Downtown? Well, do I have something for you! Get out your phone, go to the app store and download the free app Distrx. Distrx creates an efficient way to check out local cuisine, family shops, art galleries, shows, maker spaces, areas to park and special events in Downtown Redding. The app not only is a great way to find out what to do in our Downtown, but in other districts in the country, as well. Just turn on your location services while using the app and Distx will set you up to feel like a local wherever you are. If you have a downtown business or event to add to Distrx, contact Blake at Viva Downtown –
[email protected] or (530) 243-7773
Downtown business spotlight
Redding Fashion Alliance:
In the heart of downtown is a heart for fashion. Local makers and designers can find space for sewing and fashion design, a classroom space and equipment, and a conference room at the Redding Fashion Alliance headquarters. The fashion-inspired nonprofit organization believes that by fostering the creative economy, they can improve quality of life on a local level. Their goal is to increase living wage jobs within the North State by offering more opportunities in the design and production of high-quality apparel, accessories and textile-based products. They host several events throughout the year to achieve this; the most popular is Redding Fashion Week, featuring the Fashion Show Gala.
1698 Market Street • (530) 276-0458
www.reddingfashionalliance.org
Downtown business spotlight
Damburger:
At age 18, Bud Pennington began selling hamburgers, a slice of pie and a cup of coffee for 25 cents from a tent outside the hiring hall for the construction of Shasta Dam. Bud’s successful enterprise led to a permanent location in Downtown Redding, making Damburger’s history date back more than 80 years. Today, Damburger is owned and run by sisters Julie Malik and Nell Cox, daughters of Ron and Kathy Dickey, who purchased the business in 1979 and ran it for 26 years before retiring. The burger joint has successfully held its present location since 1962, serving several generations of loyal customers with “the best hamburger by a dam site.” 1320 Placer Street • (530) 241-0136 • www.damburger.net
