Thank you, thank you, thank you....downtown Knoxville merchants, media sponsors, and patrons!

It's not easy starting a new week-long event around a 2-minute sporting event, the Kentucky Derby. Derby Deal passes and an absolutely free Superfecta contest added to the fun of the week's family and grown-up events as well.

Our DDW committee, led by Shelia Watson and Lisa Taylor Brown, did a great job! Jimmy Buckner rallied all of the 20 various radio, print, tv, and on-line media sponsors! Over two dozen downtown Knoxville merchants, from many restaurants to clothing shoppes to hotels to a professional photographer, offered hundreds of dollars in collective savings through the past week...all for only $10.

From the family fun on Sunday to the Cornhole Tourney on Wednesday (thanks to the Knoxville Ice Bears, ORNLFCU's "Young and Free" campaign, and WUTK) to the Best Hat and Best Dressed contests on Saturday...with many a party in-between...this first annual Downtown Derby Week was a great success.

With 51 weeks of planning, preparation, and execution ahead of us, we have no doubt that next years DDW will double to triple in participation and fun in 2012! By the way, all fun had also raises awareness and interest in DDW's greatest benefactor, the Scarecrow Foundation...which will end hunger in America, as we know it, over the years to come!

Derby Deals continue all over downtown today, especially on the westside of Market Sqaure!

Left to right...Shono's, Soccer Taco, Trio's, Cocoa Moon, Black Market Square (for Derby fashion), La Costa, Sangria's, and Blue Coast Burrito....all good and all ready to make your Cinco de Mayo great!

Then, there's always Chesapeake's for something seafood in a Derby Deal, plus the French market, Sapphire, Downtown Grill & Brewery, the Crown & Goose, and Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria. All fantastic and Derby Dealing today through Saturday.

Back to Market Square and Coffee & Chocolate, Cafe' 4', Marble Slab, Latitude 35, Oodles Uncorked, Preservation Pub, and Rita's are all Derby Dealing too!

And, save $100 at John Black Photography too, by appointment.

Happy Cinco de Mayo and Downtown Derby Week!

Thanks to all 20 media partners for great efforts in print, radio, television, and even in our local hotel programming for visitors....latest effort here...

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/may/04/jessica-boyd-derby-week-sweeps-...

Click "blog" above to see all entries and updates in the Scarecrow blog roll!

Sunday brought a lot of free fun, balloon art, face painting, chalk art, and awareness about our first DDW and the mission of the Scarecrow Foundation!

Derby Deals are all over downtown. One family saved $25 on meals and beverages just yesterday, all from one $10 Pass.

Go to Pete's Coffee Shop, Cafe' 4', Coffee and Chocolate, and the French Market to start your day this week and save.

Buy cool Bijou concert tickets, while Abigail Washburn and Ben Sollee tix are still available, at the Tennessee Theatre box office and save more than $10 there buying a few concert tickets.

Book a portrait sitting with John Black Photography and save $100 instantly!

25% all lunch and dinner entree's at Latitude 35 adds up too!

Save with cool Derby Deals from Black Market Square...including a stash of sweet Derby hats!

Merchants and friends, send your Derby Deals and we will post here ASAP!

Thanks again to AC Entertainment for joining our week-long party and offering your Derby Deal as $$$ off cool concert tickets to great shows at the historic Bijou Theatre! See the Bijou or Downtown Derby Week facebook pages for details or just go to the Tennessee Theatre box office this week.

Thanks to Chesapeake's, the finest seafood destination in town, which is offering a Derby Deal all week too!

Thanks to the Crown Plaza Knoxville, as well, for joining the fun and for offering a Derby Deal for a stay there, just steps away from Market Square, the Old City, and our friends on Gay Street.

Lastly, our kick-off party is at 8pm @ Barley's in the Old City. Join us there Sunday night.

Many more thanks in our blog roll. Click "blog" above for all updates and thank-you's!

Follow us on facebook and twitter @scarecrowfound , if that's your thing, too!

Pick up a copy of this week's MetroPulse and turn to the middle "map" section for full details about Downtown Derby Week fun, daily events, the free Superfecta contest and 4 fantastic Grand Prizes....all details are there.  Most current updates and specific Participating Merchant lists coming soon in this blog, on both the "Downtown Derby Week" event and "Scarecrow Foundation" facebook pages, and on twitter @scarecrowfound !
 
Many thanks to all of our print, radio, television, and on-line media partners and sponsors & Eagle Distributing for all of the DDW posters and Pass printing!  You all are greatly appreciated!

4 fantastic Grand Prizes available to the winners of our free Downtown Derby Week Superfecta! Download the Superfecta Sign Up Sheet, print it, fill it out, and hand it in at any one of our participating merchants or Downtown Derby Week info tent on Market Square, before 4pm on Saturday, May 7th. It's another free and fun way to play during the first annual Downtown Derby Week this May 1st through the 7th! Good luck!

"Many, many thanks to all who are creating a fun and memorable week in downtown Knoxville this May 1st through the 7th.  Downtown Derby Week is going to be an annual "Entertainment with Purpose" tradition, in support of the Scarecrow Foundation and those organizations that provide "hunger solutions" everyday in East Tennessee.
 
It's impossible to thank everyone who has been a part of the brainstorming, planning, and execution of this new downtown tradition...but I'll try.
 
Huge thanks to the DDW event Co-Chairs, Shelia Watson and Lisa Taylor-Brown, the DDW Host Committee, to Susie Norris of Orange-Apple Branding, and to Jimmy Buckner for everything you all have accomplished.  Thank you to our 20 Media Sponsors and 20 Patron Sponsors, which we will list in a future post and on the back of the DDW Pass, which goes on-sale this week.   And, a big thanks to all of our City and downtown organizations and merchant friends who are promoting, participating, and hosting events in thier stores, venues, and establishments (look of DDW posters in store windows).  And, a special thanks to our friends from the University of Tennessee MBA program, Eagle Distributing, ORNL Federal Credit Union, and many others who have stepped up to help make this a great week of downtown fun.
 
How can you get involved in the fun?  Details about purchasing your Downtown Derby Week Pass and joining the fun next week are on the "Scarecrow Foundation" and "Downtown Derby Week" facebook pages, on twitter @ScarecrowFound, and in the previous blog post here. 
 
Most of all, please join us next week, be entertained, and learn more about great people and solutions to hunger right here in our hometown!"
 
Sincerely,
Harry Wade, Chairman, Scarecrow Foundation Board of Directors
 
Scarecrow Foundation Board:  Rev. Charles Fels, Mrs. Shelia Watson, Mr. Bill Regas, Mrs. Cindi DeBusk, and Mr. Jimmy Buckner, Executive Director