Marion to begin monthly events

An informal group of Marion merchants plans to offer a series of public events on the second Saturday of each month.

Plans for the initial Second Saturday, scheduled for July 9 downtown, still are coming together.

Groups and individuals with questions or interested in sponsoring promotions or special hours as part of this or future Second Saturdays are being urged to contact Marion’s community enrichment director, Margo Yates, at chinga@eaglecom.net.

Theme for this month’s event will be “Beat the Heat.”

“If you can tie that in to what you’re doing, you get a gold star,” group member Tammy Ensey of the Historic Elgin Hotel said.

The group is targeting 4 to 8 p.m. for each monthly event but is willing to consider promotions or events outside that time period.

Money from the city’s transient guest tax will help pay to promote the events.

The merchant group meets at 9 a.m. each second and fourth Tuesday in the city building to brainstorm ideas.