ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) — An Open Air Market is coming to Downtown Elizabethton, bringing back what many loved about Evenings on Elk. Thursday afternoon is the big launch of what will be months of busy Thursdays downtown.

Chasity Thompson with Project Move is rallying the troops in Downtown Elizabethton. Her troops: food trucks, local businesses, and local vendors.

“It’s a ‘community over competition’ vibe, and it’s not just singling out this one space,” Thompson. “It’s this space bringing everybody together.”

Thompson is turning a familiar empty lot at the corner of East E Street and North Elm Streets into a permanent gathering space.

“We’re working on making some green space here,” said Thompson. “We’re going to have some shade and some tables and chairs in this area, we have a fountain. Normally, we have a firepit here as the season changes.”

On Thursdays through October, the Open Air Market will play host to food trucks, local vendors, live music, and more. Local business owners said they’re excited about the traffic it will bring.

“It’s been our experience that anytime you have something like this, you just get more traffic, more people come or people are getting to know downtown, people that’s never been here before, some people that’s been here a lot of times,” John Wilcox, Owner of J’s Corner.

Others are raising a glass to new opportunities.

“[We’ll] do some tastings of some craft beer and cider and also have a few complimentary beverages just because we’re really excited to partner with project move,” said Michael Howell, co-owner of Riverside Taphouse.

Thompson hopes to make this a place for community and family to come together and that people can expect to see different vendors each week.

“So you can see something new every week,” said Thompson. “And then some of those vendors are going to come back on a monthly basis. So if you’ve seen them, one week out of the month, they’ll be able to tell you the next time that they’re going to be here so you can come and shop again.”

The Open Air Market Food Truck Rallies will be held on Thursday from 3-8 p.m. On Thursday, May 12, Time Nave will be providing the music.