Downtown Paris celebrates 193 years this week

PARIS, Tenn. — The fourth annual ‘Downtown Paris Week’ kicks off this week.

Paris has been thriving for 193 years and this week marks the fourth year celebrating Downtown Paris.

“Each year we celebrate our community and we have been a vibrant and alive community for 193 years,” Kathy Ray the executive director of Downtown Paris Association.

Today local diners that are normally closed on Monday’s opened their doors for breakfast lunch and dinner.

“I have been extremely busy today, I have some customers coming in now,” Jennifer Williams, owner of Jack’s Java.

Customers were also asked to enter into a raffle to “Paris dollars” that can only be spent at downtown businesses.

“They’re entering for the ‘Downtown Paris Bucks’ to be drawn at the end of the week,” said Williams. “Then you can come to any store downtown all the way around the square and spend those ‘Downtown Paris Bucks’ at any store.”

Today also kicked off the downtown art walk which allows local artist to display some of their pieces in the locally owned businesses.

“I picked two pieces, this one is from a photo graph that I modified and changed the sky color because I am not a blue sky and white cloud kinda girl,” said Donna Revelee, the secretary of Tennessee River Fine Arts League.

Events in Paris this week continue through Saturday night.