Flourish Downtown Day Out highlights art, music, local businesses

The first Flourish Downtown Day Out on Saturday created a “place of connection” for community members and local businesses, one of its organizers said.

The all-day event included live music, poetry readings, art and gardening demonstrations, make-and-take projects at Board and Brush, and more family-friendly activities during the day-long event at the corner of Broadway and Spanish Street in downtown Cape Girardeau. And a vendor market and food truck rally were held in the afternoon and into the evening in the parking lots behind 301 and 325 Broadway, along with a miniature golf course set up in the parking lot.

Jamie Phillips, project manager for rustmedia — which publishes Flourish — said, overall, more than 30 vendors participated in the Downtown Day Out.

“Some [businesses] were at our farmers market, some did demonstrations in their shops,” Phillips said. “We wanted to offer a lot of different things to not only bring people in their doors, but also so we can tell people about Flourish magazine.”

Mia Pohlman, lead writer for Flourish, said the magazine is primarily targeted toward women in the Southeast Missouri region, and telling women’s stories. However, Flourish Downtown Day Out was for everyone.

Jocelyn Anderson, owner of Bloom Studio and Gifts in Cape Girardeau, laughs while speaking to children during the Flourish Downtown Day Out on Saturday in Cape Girardeau. In the evening portion of the all-day event, a vendor market and food truck gathering were held behind 301 Broadway and featured booths from more than 30 local businesses and organizations.Brooke Holford

“[Flourish] is a place of connection for women within our community and a place to share life,” Pohlman said. “But, today is a place of connection for not just women in our community, but everyone, and for people to come out and meet new people and just have a good time.”

Cindy Lange, community outreach and development coordinator at the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, participated in the vendor’s market. Lange said this was the Humane Society’s first year participating in a Flourish event.

“I love the way Flourish targets women, art, community — things like that,” Lange said. “Being able to come out here and just kind of hang out with people, listen to some really great music and have some good food truck food while learning about local businesses is so interesting, and really fun.”

Phillips said the Flourish Downtown Day Out was created to spotlight local businesses, and encourage the community to show their support for those businesses, while also reflecting the overall theme of Flourish magazine.

“We wanted to do an event like this, but in the vibe of Flourish,” Phillips said. “So, we focus a lot on art and local music — things that just kind of renew your spirit, because that’s kind of what Flourish is all about.”

Phillips said this year was a lot different from past years because rustmedia decided to move the event outside because of the coronavirus pandemic, and it just “seemed natural” to hold the event in downtown Cape Girardeau and tie in some of those local businesses.

The first Flourish Ladies Night Out was held in 2018 at the Osage Centre, Phillips said.

For more information on Flourish magazine, or on the annual Flourish Downtown Day Out, visit www.flourishwomen.io.