The Easton Economic Development Corporation is excited to announce our spring and summer DiscoverEaston 2023 family-friendly event schedule. All events listed are free, inclusive, and accessible to community members!
March 17, 2023 Easton’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Potato Races
5:30 PM, Downtown Easton
April 8, 2023 Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Easton’s Courthouse Lawn, Washington St.)
10:00 AM Easton Bunny arrives on Fire Truck
10:15 Egg Hunt, Infants- 4 years old
10:30 Egg Hunt, 5-10 years old
April 29, 2023 May Day Flower Walk
Enjoy walking around Easton’s Downtown to view award-winning floral displays; other activities listed on website: www.discovereaston.com/mayday
2023 Summer Outdoor Movie Nights
Families are invited to come early, bring a picnic, and enjoy a free art project sponsored by The 911 Day of Service Project/Americorps. Please note: Movies begin around 8:00 PM (when it is fully dark outside)
May 5 – John Ford Park
June 2 – Idlewild Park
July 7 – Moton Park
September 1 – Idlewild Park
September 15 – Hispanic Heritage night (Move will be in Spanish) – Thompson Park
October 6 – Academy Art Museum
Event details can be found on the website: www.discovereaston.com/events
Special thanks to our 2023 presenting sponsors Preston Automotive Group/Bay Country Security/Safehouse LLC for helping to keep our events free of charge to the community. Additional support is provided by Precision Exteriors, The Tidewater Inn, and the Town of Easton.
About Easton EDC: The Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Easton EDC Announces $10,000 Grant Award from The Arc
The Easton Economic Development Corporation (Easton EDC) along with community partners Talbot County Department of Emergency Services and the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals were awarded a $10,000 grant from The Arc in collaboration with the AmeriCorps/September 11 Day of Service and Remembrance Project for their collaborative community educational event series, “We Are One: Community Supporting Community.” The project will be one of many across the country that will pay tribute to the individuals lost and injured on September 11, 2001, as well as honor the first responders and the many others who have risen to service in a crisis. The purpose of this awareness effort is to empower the general public to be caring, responsive community members should their fellow citizens need their support and to be mindful of the work of first responders in their community.
The Talbot County Young Professionals, along with the Easton EDC, will support a series of public art activities during the summer open to everyone. The interactive events will focus on helping people that may be vulnerable in a crisis, such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and underserved community members. There will be a series of free, inclusive public art project days throughout the summer where everyone is encouraged to come learn about the effort and create their own work of art illustrating the theme, “We Are One: Community Supporting Community.” A selection of the entries will also be displayed on banners throughout the downtown Easton area in August and September, 2023.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to honor the work of our first responders and organizations that support the safety and wellness of our most vulnerable community members while empowering our community to help each other,” said Frank Gunsallus IV, chairman of the Talbot County Young Professionals.
The events will culminate in a public Day of Remembrance ceremony on the morning of September 11, 2023 in partnership with the Town of Easton, honoring the lives of those lost on 9/11. A featured speaker will be announced at a later date.
“The Easton EDC is excited to work with such important community partners through this impactful grant project. Through this community art contest and awareness talks, we are educating others so people can better understand their role in helping us to create a safe community for everyone,” notes Holly DeKarske, Executive Director.
“We are so grateful for this opportunity with such a supportive community and group of partners. Teaching our community how to keep themselves and their neighbors safe is the first step in making our community resilient and able to endure whatever may come our way,” Geneva Schaffle, Emergency Management Coordinator, adds.
For more information, or to register your group to participate in the art events or to volunteer with the project, please contact the project coordinator, Deena Kilmon, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Easton EDC at deena@eastonedc.com or visit the website, DiscoverEaston.com/WeAreOne. Community groups are encouraged to volunteer as a group.
“We Are One: Caring for our Community” is funded through The Arc of The United States through a sub-grant from Ameri-Corps, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service and leads the nation’s volunteer efforts for Patriot Day and the national 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance Project.
About Easton EDC: The Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet. www.DiscoverEaston.com
About the Talbot Chamber of Commerce: The Talbot County Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business for more than 600 members representing several thousand employees. The purpose of the Chamber is to promote, protect and preserve the free enterprise system of business and to advance the commercial, industrial, civic and general interests of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Talbot County and its trading area. Talbotchamber.org
About the Talbot County Department of Emergency Services: The Talbot County Department of Emergency Services exists to provide premiere lifesaving services to the residents and visitors to Talbot County through emergency 9-1-1 telephone services, emergency medical services, and emergency preparedness and response coordination. TalbotDES.org
Chesapeake Fire & Ice Festival People’s Choice Awards Revealed!

Cascading Carlos. Photo Credit: Tojo Productions
During the Chesapeake Fire & Ice Festival on February 17 and 18, 2023, visitors were asked to participate by voting for their favorite festival attractions and events! The votes were counted and the winners are as follows.
Attractions/Events
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Ice Skating Rink, sponsored by Bluepoint Hospitality
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Cascading Carlos, Fire Juggler, sponsored by Easton EDC
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Oyster Tasting Table, sponsored by Talbot Watermen’s Association
Favorite Sculptures
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Ice Throne, sponsored by The Tidewater Inn
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Sailboat, sponsored by Shore United Bank
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Chesapeake Blue Crab, sponsored by Rivers and Roads
In addition to the Festival Favorites, winners of the voting raffle include Monique Brown, Andy Cheezum, Amy Horne, Kristen Solomon, and Kristina Carson. The festival organizers also wish to acknowledge Queenstown Bank, who generously donated over $900 to Talbot Interfaith Shelter through their interactive “Piggy” bank sculpture, which collected donations throughout the weekend.
Chesapeake Fire & Ice was made possible by the generous support of signature sponsor Preston Automotive Group and Bay Security/Safehouse LLC, the Town of Easton, and the Easton EDC.
About Easton EDC: The Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Easton EDC Acquires Discover Easton Brand
The Easton Economic Corporation announces its acquisition of the Discover Easton brand for marketing and promotional purposes. Discover Easton website, social media, and other assets will be used to promote businesses, events, and community engagement opportunities in the town of Easton, MD.
“This iconic, simple brand symbolizes Easton’s growth in a strong and powerful way,” remarked Holly DeKarske, Executive Director of Easton EDC. We are proud to represent the businesses and people in the greater Easton, MD area and look forward to working with all of our partners to socialize the logo and re-introduce our tourism brand to the greater region.”
Discover Easton’s assets include a highly recognizable logo, name, and strong association with the dynamic and growing small town in Talbot County, MD. Easton EDC has discontinued use of the Easton Downtown logo, website, and the social media channels will be retired on January 31, 2023.
About Easton EDC: The Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Chesapeake Fire & Ice Festival Returns to Easton, MD in 2023
Discover Easton is excited to announce the return of the two-day, spectacular family-friendly ice carving festival on Friday, February 17, 5:00 PM-9:00 PM & Saturday, February 18, 12:00 PM-9:00 PM, 2023. Larger-than-life sculptures made of solid ice will be on display throughout the historic downtown. Activities will include live demonstrations of ice carvings, music, and a free outdoor ice skating rink presented by Bluepoint Hospitality Group. This year’s line-up also features Cascading Carlos, who will be juggling fire and other props Friday night and Saturday afternoon. There is no charge to enjoy the sculptures or enjoy the performances.
In conjunction with the festival, retailers and restaurants will be hosting a variety of tasting events, sales, and live music performances. New this year, a Fire Trail map featuring tasting spots for festival-themed food and spirits and a Snow Trail treasure hunt noting all of the sculptures will be available. Guests are invited to snap photos of the trail highlights and use the hashtag #chesapeakefireandiceeaston and #discovereastonmd for a chance to win a prize package from Discover Easton! Maps will be available online at our festival site or picked up at the Talbot Tourism Office, 11. S. Harrison Street, Easton MD.
Chesapeake Fire & Ice is made possible by the generous support of signature sponsor Preston Automotive Group and Safehouse LLC, the Town of Easton, and the Easton Economic Development Corporation. For details on all of the activities, please visit: www.discovereaston.com or email info@eastonedc.com. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please contact holly@eastonedc.com or use our online sponsor form: 2023 Sponsorship Info
About Easton EDC: The Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
EEDC Announces Deena Deese Kilmon as New Director of Strategic Initiatives

Deena D. Kilmon
Easton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Deena Deese Kilmon as the Director of Strategic Initiatives. This newly created position will unite the marketing, fundraising, and communication goals of the economic development organization that serves the greater Easton area. Kilmon will be responsible for developing the framework for the EEDC’s continued vision to encourage economic growth and vitality with the goal of supporting visitors, residents, and business owners.
Kilmon has had a successful career as a marketing and communications leader with broad experience dealing with all levels of sales, advertising, and brand management. Since 2018, she has been Director of Engagement for The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, which serves Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore. Prior to joining The Arc, Kilmon acted as the Special Projects Director for the EEDC and was the former owner of Foxy’s Harbor Grille. Kilmon currently serves on the Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Shore Leadership board and is an Easton Rotarian. She is a 2021 Leadership Maryland alumna and a graduate of The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
“Deena is deeply connected to the area and brings in years of expertise and experience bringing diverse partners to the table, creating innovative solutions and shared success for all involved,” said Holly DeKarske, EEDC’s Executive Director. “Her hire is a positive step forward, not only for the organization but for the community.”
Kilmon lives in Easton with her husband of 29 years, Steve Kilmon, a St. Michaels native. Their two daughters graduated from Easton high school and reside in Talbot County. They enjoy boating, kayaking, and exploring the region with their two labradors, Old Bay and Abby Wambach.
For more information on these and other upcoming downtown events, visit eastonedc.com, call (410) 690-7348, or find us on Facebook at ‘Easton Downtown.’
Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland, to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Easton Ushers in the Holiday Season
You and your family won’t have to travel to the North Pole to experience the magic of the holidays this year since Easton is jam-packed with everything you need for the happiest season of the year!

Tree lighting in Easton 2021
It all starts on November 26th when Shop Small Saturday kicks off the holidays. Whether you’re looking for a salon glow-up, a great find at one of the local boutiques, or a special gift for that special someone, downtown Easton’s got you covered. Enjoy live music while you support your local merchants.
The 26th will also be the start of the Talbot Women’s Club (18 Talbot Ln.) Second Annual Outdoor Candy Land Adventure. The classic board game Candy Land will be brought to life, offering all ages a chance to navigate a life-sized, fun-filled journey. Play games in magical areas such as the lollipop woods, peppermint forest, and gumdrop mountain. Meet Queen Frostine and gather winning tickets to turn in for special prizes. The fun continues inside the Women’s Club with holiday crafts for kids, raffles, historic holiday tours, and more.
Make room on your calendar for the Festival of Trees and Carols By Candlelight, which also begins that day. A magnificent display of decorated Christmas trees with the theme “A Winter Wonderland” will be displayed in historic downtown Easton’s Tidewater Inn (101 East Dover St.). These are available for sale over Thanksgiving Weekend from November 26th-30th and benefit Talbot Hospice. The Carols By Candlelight celebration kicks off with a visit from Santa and a festival “Holiday Marketplace” with local vendors and food trucks from 4-5 p.m. in front of the Waterfowl Building.
Chesapeake Music will present a free Family Concert on Friday, December 2nd, at the Ebenezer Theater (17 S. Washington St.) at 6:00 p.m. The concert, directed towards elementary school children and their parents, will feature New York City’s Kaleidoscope String Quartet. In an interactive format, the program will explore how composers reconcile multiple cultures, identities, and experiences within themselves and communicate that through their music.
Celebrate the Holidays at the Moonlight Madness Shopping Event in Downtown Easton on December 2nd! Our downtown shops and restaurants will be open until 10 p.m. with refreshments, snacks, and great holiday gifts to purchase. Enjoy live music and entertainment throughout the town. Earn raffle tickets to win one of our raffle baskets by shopping with our participating retailers from November 4th to December 2nd. Look for Moonlight Madness posters in the windows of participating stores. The more you shop with our merchants, the more raffle tickets you can earn. You must be present for the drawing on December 2nd at 10 p.m. to claim your prize!
Easton’s Holiday Parade will take place on December 3rd and kick off with a Tree Lighting at 6 p.m. at Thompson Park, followed by the parade at 6:30 p.m. With myriad vehicles, novelties, and floats, this parade will surely showcase the very best of Easton during the Holiday season.
Easton Choral Arts Society (ECAS) will present “Christmas Around the World” on Thursday, December 8th, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 11th, at 4:00 p.m. at Christ Church Easton (111 S. Harrison St.). This Christmas concert will capture the magic of Christmas and includes classic and traditional carols from around the world.
Join the fun at the Hummingbird Inn (14 N Aurora St.) for Talbot Interfaith Shelter’s (TIS) 3rd Annual Home for the Holidays Winter Festival. This year, TIS has an expansive collection of attractions, including a dazzling holiday light display, Santa visits, a Holiday craft corner, a fun photo booth experience, live local music, and more. The festival runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on December 9th, December 10th, December 16th, and December 17th.
The Avalon will present a world of pure imagination this December for their production of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory on December 8th to the 18th. As always, the holiday plays are a perfect time to bring children of all ages to experience the magic of live theater.
The holiday season ends with First Night Talbot on December 31st from 6 p.m. to midnight and will be a family-friendly event highlighting the arts. The New Year’s Eve Celebration continues to be the only First Night celebration in the State of Maryland. The event will return to in-person programming this year and end with the iconic Crab Drop at midnight (or 9 p.m. for the early birds).
Holly DeKarske, Executive Director of the Easton Economic Development Corp, says, “We are proud of our downtown merchants and the nonprofits hosting these amazing events. This year we also have the return of Moonlight Madness and Shop Small Saturday. Please help keep our downtown vibrant and growing through your participation. Shop small, dine, and support local this holiday season!”
For more information on all these great downtown Easton holiday events, please visit our website www.EastonEDC.com and click on the Easton Downtown tab.
Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland, to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Easton Hosts an Eerie Good Time
Easton has an exciting and spooky lineup of events slated for the end of October that you need to know about!
SONOS, a musical ensemble, returns to the Academy Art Museum October 25th with Tales for Halloween, a playful look at musicians and their interest in the supernatural. They will explore the aspects of “scary” music and the influence of literary and historical sources on the Gothic throughout their various concert experiences. On October 28th at 6 p.m, author Maud Casey and Shore Lit founder Kerry Folan will have a conversation about Casey’s latest book, City of Incurable Women. The book, which contains period photographs and medical documents, reimagines the “hysterical” women of Paris’s famed nineteenth-century Salpêtrière mental asylum from their perspectives in shimmering, lyrical prose.
The Avalon Theater will begin its run of the play Stage Fright from October 26th to October 30th. Stage Fright is the story of Marguerite, the tragic showgirl and ghost of the Avalon. Follow her descent into madness as the twisted underworld of the theater swirls around her in this dark and thrilling tale of prohibition, love, grief, and ghosts. Audience members will be transported back to 1927 for an immersive experience that reveals a unique glimpse into what could have been. This show is for more mature audiences.

This photo was taken outside of the Waterfowl building last year during the Waterfowl Festival. It was taken with an employee’s cell phone.
Easton Economic Development Corporation and the Academy Art Museum are teaming up to host a free, family-friendly costume contest and an outdoor screening of Hocus Pocus on the Academy lawn. Everyone is encouraged to wear their spookiest, most creative Halloween costume to AAM and compete to win an Easton Downtown gift card. The contest will have four costume categories and one winner from each category: Best Adult Costume (13 and over), Best Youth Costume (12 and under), Scariest Costume (any age), Most Creative (any age), and Best Group Costume. The costume contest starts at 6 p.m., followed by the movie screening at 7:30 p.m. You may join all of the night’s events or just stop by for either portion. Bring your own chairs or blankets to watch the movie.
Tiger Lily Restaurant will celebrate its first anniversary on October 29th with a pumpkin carving contest from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a costume contest from 10 p.m. until 12 a.m. The carving contest will benefit the Talbot Humane Society, and all animals are welcome. Come back later that night for a dance party with a DJ and a costume contest. The contest winners will be announced at midnight.
The Talbot County Fair will begin on October 30th from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. The family festival will be packed with vendors, games, costumed fun, and other fall activities for the entire family.
Join the fun at the 6th Annual Hummingbird Inn Halloween Costume Porch Party on October 31st from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The theme is the 1980’s, and they will have prizes from local businesses for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Bring candy to hand out to the trick-or-treaters, along with snacks (spooky theme encouraged) and your own beverages.
Don’t forget to stop at the Academy Art Museum on Halloween night for trick-or-treating!
In response to the events happening around town, Holly DeKarske, Executive Director of Easton Economic Development Corporation, said, “It’s great to see local businesses and organizations banding together to make this month something special. I am always excited for this time of year since Halloween brings out the fun and creative side of any community, and I can’t wait to see what ours has in store.”
For more information on these and other upcoming downtown events, visit eastonedc.com, call (410) 690-7348, or find us on Facebook at ‘Easton Downtown.’
Easton Economic Development Corporation was launched in 2013 to drive economic vitality, smart redevelopment, and business creation in the historic Town of Easton, Maryland, to foster a healthy quality of life for all generations. The EEDC works to catalyze Greater Easton’s continued prosperity as a diverse and healthy “smart town,” leading innovation where the land and water meet.
Easton Holiday Parade
With Fall finally here, the holidays are just around the corner. Join us downtown for the Easton Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 3rd, at 6:30 pm. Registration is open for businesses, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to sign up and be a part of this well-loved community tradition. Registration is open until October 15th unless it fills up before then.
The tree lighting at Thompson Park will start the evening at 6 pm, followed by the parade at 6:30 pm. The parade route will run from Talbot Town, south on Harrison Street, loop on South Street, and head north on Washington Street, past our panel of judges at the courthouse. Entries will be judged on Best Nonprofit, Best Business, and Best Marching Band.

Easton Utilities bucket truck in Holiday Parade.
Please sign up via our online form at www.EastonEDC.com under the Easton Downtown tab. Signups are first come, first served, limited, and fill up quickly. We will create a waiting list once registration closes.
We need YOU to help make this parade a success! Needed are Staging Coordinators working with parade organizers to help direct and line up the participants (shifts 4-6:30 pm) and Logistics Attendants to help with crowd and traffic control at intersections (shifts 6-8:30 pm). Adult Volunteers Only! To sign up, send a message to info@eastonedc.com.
Easton in October

EEDC Easton Night Out Fall Kick-Off Flyer.
Fall is here, and there is no better place to experience this excellent season and the month of October than downtown Easton. Easton is prepared to kick off the new season in earnest with a host of businesses, art galleries, and restaurants gearing up for autumn.
“Autumn is the most beautiful time of the year on the Eastern Shore,” says Tim Boyle, owner of Vintage Books and Fine Arts in Easton. “With the cool crisp air and the vibrant rainbow of colors splashed across the landscape, it’s the perfect time for everyone to appreciate the extended, beautifully irregular coastline of Talbot County and all it has to offer.”
On October 7th, downtown Easton invites visitors and neighbors to Easton Night Out. On the first Friday of each month, downtown Easton shops are open from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and visitors can find a variety of art, delicious food, and live music peppered throughout the streets. There will be live pumpkin carvings in front of Out of the Fire restaurant and Thompson Park, as well as autumnal decorations in many stores to create a feeling of seasonal warmth. The pumpkins will remain outside for everyone to enjoy as they explore downtown Friday night and Saturday.
Easton’s art galleries will also offer guests a feast for their senses. In celebration of their 9th anniversary, the Trippe Gallery will host a special reception on October 7th from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m, featuring works from over 40 artists. Troika Gallery will host an opening reception for the classic works of Matt Zoll on October 7th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. that will run until the beginning of November.
The Academy Art Museum will host kids pumpkin painting on Friday the 7th during Easton Night Out as well as the Talbot County Young Professionals’ Toys for Tots kickoff party and Chesapeake Multicultural Resource Center’s Hispanic Heritage Month poster contest at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the 8th, the Academy will host a concert by Kentavius Jones, Jordan Stanley, and Ian Trusheim.
Downtown Easton’s boutiques are also ready for fall with everything you need to dress yourself and your home this season, from new autumn weather clothing, shoes, and accessories to new home decor. On first Fridays Kiln Born offers kids night, drop the kids from ages 6 to 14 off for pizza and a project and enjoy what the night has to offer downtown and on the 9th they will host a glass blown ornament workshop. Lizzy Dee’s sweaters are also piled high (and getting higher) just in time for fall, so stop by to sip cider and explore their collection. Don’t forget to check out the pumpkin artistry downtown with carved pumpkins at Vintage Books, the Tidewater Inn, Legal Assets, Kiln Born, The Mercantile in Easton, Troika Gallery and more!
Live musical performances will be located throughout downtown Easton on the 7th and 8th, including The Sagacious Traveler, Honey Sol, and Get in the Van. The Avalon will also have two great back-to-back concerts with the Black Opry Revue performing on October 7th and the KISS Tribute Band Rock Bottom arriving on October 8th.
Easton Airport will host the 13th annual Easton Airport Day on Saturday, October 8th. The free event offers a unique opportunity to visit the community airfield and check out the rare aircraft, military jets, airport equipment, and classic cars on display. The day will also feature demonstrations and other hands-on activities for the entire family.
For more information on these and other upcoming downtown events, visit eastonedc.com, call (410) 690-7348, or find us on Facebook at ‘Easton Downtown.’