On Thursday evenings in downtown San Luis Obispo, the sound on the street is a jovial roar instead of the usual hum of automobile traffic. Like a carnival, Higuera Street is lined with booths and vendors as people meet for a touch of good old-fashioned togetherness. All activities conclude at 9pm.
Local farmers bring in fresh-picked produce.
Luscious, ripe, colorful fruits and vegetables flow over bushel baskets, crates and boxes with specialty herbs, honey, fresh flowers and even pressed cider lining rows of table stands. Elsewhere on the street, local performers entertain crowds of people on various corners. Small crowds dance to rock, pop, folk and ethnic rhythms streaming from various local musicians sprinkled up and down the street. Live entertainment from jugglers, steel drummers and belly dancers to puppeteers transform the city's main thoroughfare into a rainbow of colors and characters. The aroma of flavorful foods from restaurant booths permeates the air.