Christa Tidwell with Star Valley Events stepped into the SVI Radio studio on Wednesday, May 20 to promote the inaugural year of Friday Night Lights in Afton, which begins the season this upcoming Friday.

(0:00) It’s the weekday wake up on the SVI Radio Network. (0:05) 848 this morning on SVI Radio, Swift 98 and The Spur (0:09) heading into our next guest interview segment this morning. (0:12) And Krista Tidwell is joining me live in studio with Star Valley Events (0:15) and the organizer of Friday Night Lights, which begins in two days.

(0:21) The day after tomorrow, Krista, good morning. (0:23) How are you feeling about Friday Night Lights right now? (0:25) I’m super excited to be able to bring this event into Afton. (0:29) It’s been a long journey to get it this far, and I’m super excited for it (0:34) to come to fruition this Friday.

(0:37) Yeah, well, I think it’s going to be a fantastic event. (0:40) We have a story in today’s Star Valley Independent on page 5A (0:43) that people can go read. (0:45) I’d like to start with how this whole concept came together, (0:48) because you were just telling me it’s not turning out to be (0:51) what you envisioned when you first started.

(0:53) It’s kind of grown beyond what you even hoped it would, right? (0:56) Correct. (0:57) So I started it just thinking it would be nice for Star Valley (1:00) to have something small, consistently weekly for local vendors (1:05) to get together and be able to make a little bit of extra money (1:09) during the summer. (1:11) And as I talked about it with people, they just basically (1:15) I got more and more support.

(1:17) So then it started to grow and I’ve included a lot of different aspects. (1:22) I’m able to bring live music in. (1:24) We’re going to have DJs.

(1:26) We’re going to have karaoke come in, then vendors. (1:29) We’ve got food trucks coming in. (1:31) It’s just kind of grown as people have found out about it.

(1:34) So I’m super excited. (1:35) Perfect. (1:36) So the inaugural is this upcoming Friday.

(1:39) So tell us kind of the when, where details and what’s happening Friday night. (1:42) So it’s in downtown Afton, (1:46) between 4th and 5th Avenue. (1:48) So basically from Maverick to the credit union in the East Alley.

(1:53) The town of Afton owns most of that property back there, (1:56) and they’ve generously offered for us to use it. (2:01) So we’ll be set up back there. (2:03) I’ve got a band, excuse me, a band coming in from Utah.

(2:09) They’re kind of like an indie rock band. (2:12) They’re called Runaway Fire. (2:13) They will be performing from six to eight.

(2:16) Vendors will be set up from four to eight. (2:20) There’ll be music before the band goes on. (2:22) I’ve got food trucks coming in as well.

(2:25) So you can come down, have a date with your family or just your, (2:29) you know, your better half and get some good food and just hang out in Afton. (2:33) Yeah, I love it. (2:34) The live music, the whole thing.

(2:36) It’s kind of that complete summer vibe, I think, is what’s going to take place. (2:41) And the weather’s looking pretty good. (2:42) Yeah, I was a little nervous after the snow we had two days ago.

(2:47) That’s perfect. (2:47) So it all begins this Friday and long-term plans are at least through the summer. (2:54) This is going to be a weekly event, correct? (2:55) Correct.

(2:56) It’s every Friday except for the 26th of June, which is Mountain Days in Alpine. (3:02) And then the 3rd of July, which is the Freedom Festival here in Afton. (3:05) So I wasn’t going to compete with those.

(3:07) Another part of the event that I’m including this year, we’ll see how it (3:15) goes, is I’m inviting the young kids in the Valley, those ones that you see (3:21) on the corner selling their lemonade or whatever, trying to make some extra money. (3:26) I’m inviting them to participate. (3:28) And basically I’m treating them like a regular vendor so that they understand (3:33) what the real business world is like.

(3:35) They have to fill out a contract where they agree to do certain things. (3:40) They have to run their booth, not their parents. (3:43) They pay a small fee, which they get back at the end of the night, (3:46) because it’s not about the money.

(3:48) It’s about teaching them what it’s like to make a dollar in the real world. (3:54) And then I will also be interviewing them during the event and post a (4:00) short clip on social media. (4:02) We’re going to let the local vote on them.

(4:03) And whoever gets the most votes at the end of the summer will get a grant, I (4:12) love that money. (4:14) Absolutely love it. (4:14) So is there a, is there an age demographic that you’re kind of hoping (4:18) there to like a minimum maximum age? (4:20) Uh, basically eight to 15 years old.

(4:22) If they’re older than 15, generally they’re able to get a job. (4:26) And I think younger than eight is kind of hard for them to understand (4:30) really what they’re doing. (4:31) So I’m going for the, so how, how do they get started in that process? (4:35) What’s the best way to contact you? (4:37) So I have a website.

(4:39) It’s www.starvalleyeventsllc.com. (4:44) And all the information is up there for the Youth Entrepreneur Program. (4:48) It’s also up there on how to sign up for Friday Night Lights. (4:52) There’s a calendar of events.

(4:55) So you can see the different activity that’s going on every (5:00) week, cause it’s different. (5:01) I’m not going to have live music every week. (5:03) It’s not going to be the same vendors, the same food trucks.

(5:05) So I’m trying to mix it up so that both the locals can enjoy it and see (5:09) something different every week along with tourists stopping in. (5:12) We’re hoping to stop them in downtown Afton and they can see what a great (5:16) town that we have here and spend a little bit of time. (5:20) Perfect.

(5:20) So Friday Night Lights kicks off this Friday. (5:23) We’ll continue every Friday through the summer with the exception of those few (5:27) holiday dates that, uh, that you mentioned. (5:29) Krista Tidwell in studio this morning with Star Valley Events.

(5:32) Uh, anything else about this fantastic event you’d like to mention? (5:35) I just hope that the community comes out and supports it. (5:38) Um, not only for just the kids, but it’s a small town. (5:43) Things are tough right now.

(5:44) So the more that we can do to support each other and take advantage of the (5:48) area, I think is what I’m, I’m hoping that everybody comes out and enjoys it. (5:52) Absolutely. (5:53) Uh, and of course, I’m sure you’re focused on this Friday and trying to get (5:57) this thing through the summer, right? (5:58) But, uh, where do you see this maybe turning into down the road in the upcoming years? (6:03) Well, I’m hoping it grows.

(6:05) Um, the location we have, I think is we can obviously expand it back there. (6:10) Um, and I’m, you know, I’ve been out of town to different cities in the area in, (6:16) you know, in the, this location, like Idaho in Montana, and they all have (6:21) something during the summer on Friday or Saturday for everybody to come out and (6:26) enjoy. (6:26) And I think it would just be fun to have something to do in Afton on Friday nights.

(6:33) You’re absolutely right. (6:34) And, uh, thank you for putting it together because so much work. (6:38) I can’t even imagine how many hours you put into this.

(6:40) Oh, I don’t, I don’t, I have no idea. (6:42) It’s been a lot months and months and months of getting everything approved. (6:46) So absolutely.

(6:47) Well, Krista Tidwell, uh, again, give us your website so people can go find the (6:50) details. (6:51) It’s www.starvalleyeventsllc.com. (6:57) Perfect. (6:58) Friday Night Lights begins this Friday in Afton.

(7:00) Runaway Fire, live band and more music all taking place right in downtown Afton (7:05) Friday. (7:06) Find the details online as well as in the Today’s Star Valley Independent on page (7:10) 5A. (7:11) Krista, thanks so much.

(7:12) Appreciate it. (7:13) Thanks for having me, dude. (7:14) It’s the weekday wake up this morning on the SBI radio network.