Friday night in downtown Elizabethton will be anything but quiet.

Evenings on Elk (EOE), the town’s newest summer celebration, will start off with a bang at 5 p.m. as a food truck rally opens to hungry visitors. The town will also welcome Elizabethton’s first taphouse, Riverside Taphouse, when it opens its doors for the first time that night at 6 p.m. Everything from country music to ’70s groove will fill the air, and there will be no shortage of dinner options with choices from local eateries and a corner full of food trucks. Evening shopping options will also be plentiful with 40 Elizabethton businesses open for the party, showing off everything from antiques to leather goods.

Add in kid street performers, a classic movie at the Bonnie Kate, a scavenger hunt, a Facebook celebrity and much more and you have the recipe for fun, says organizer Chasity Thompson of downtown’s Building 520.

The event is something the town has “needed for a long time,” Thompson says. Evenings on Elk is set to become a regular Elizabethton summer event, on the second Friday of each month, with businesses on both Elk Avenue and East E Street participating.

Friday will also welcome the unveiling of a new outdoor event space. Local business owner, Vera Peters, will introduce the community to “The Gathering Hub” located on the corner of East Elk and Elm. Not only will the former Carter County Motors car lot provide the space for this Friday’s food truck rally, it will also be available for rent for future community events.

The Covered Bridge Park will have vendors showcasing options for outdoor recreation in Carter County — everything from kayaking to biking. Edwards Island will be the site for Sunset Yoga, from 7-8 p.m.

Music of all kinds will be scattered throughout town with young musicians playing accordions, saxophones and more in front of Building 520, with Tennessee Champagne at Pioneer Tattoo; Mick Kyte at Jiggy Ray’s; Flower Power Groove at Riverside Taphouse; and Danner at Doe River Leather Works.

The Coffee Company will be serving dinner, coffee and pastries and will host Jamie Kerr of Appalachian Sun Brewery, who will offer free beer tastings during the evening.

Facebook “sensation,” Marge In Charge, will also make an appearance at Lingerfelt Drug Center on East Elk for a meet and greet.

Wallabies Outback Gaming will provide video game fun at The Gathering Hub and Charlotte’s Floral Truck will be set up in front of Cottage Boutique.

Visitors to the event can make the evening whatever they want it to be, Thompson says.

“For instance, if you want to come out for date night, you can do some shopping, pick up some flowers, and have dinner at GLOW Cafe who will offer their guests free tickets to see Brigadoon at the Bonnie Kate.

“Everything has been planned so we can bounce off each other and support each other and it’s really just about the downtown businesses coming together.”

Most of the businesses will call it a night at 9 p.m., except for those involved in the “After Party” located on Elk Avenue’s third block. Riverside Taphouse and Jiggy Ray’s will keep the party going until later that evening.

Evenings on Elk is being presented by Project Move, also founded by Thompson, and described on their Facebook page as “a group of doers coming together to bridge the gap by providing events, opportunities, community service and information… dedicated to promoting growth.”

“This event is designed for so many different people,” Thompson said. “It is full of what people are most interested in. People love music. They love the whole downtown theme, where they can have a relaxing evening, have a drink, have a good meal, and listen to live music. You can have money and buy everything and eat everything, or you can have no money and stroll along the sidewalk and listen to live music and still have a good time. This is for every single person to be able to enjoy.”