Few things are more important to a local business than community involvement and support. Moscow businesses know this, and set up an event known as First Thursday as a way to feature local businesses and artists.

“Basically the idea is to support local businesses, encouraging people to go out to dinner and visit a new business they’ve never been to before,” said Jesica DeHart, the assistant manager of BookPeople of Moscow.

BookPeople will feature sister artists Darleen Boe and Stacy Boe Miller. Darleen sells wood crafts such as cutting boards and cheese platters, while Stacy sells jewelry using stones, glass and wire, Dehart said.

A fairly-new event, First Thursday has been taking place for a year now and was created to offer local artists and businesses an opportunity to display their work for free, DeHart said.

“It’s a way to bring everyone together,” she said.

For the second time, First Thursday will include a passport addition to the event in which participants can gain stamps from businesses, she said.

“You get a passport at one of the businesses, get it stamped at four different places, then turn it in at the passport host business in exchange for a raffle ticket,” DeHart said.

The raffle tickets give shoppers the opportunity to win a gift certificate to the host business, she said.

November’s passport host is Backcountry Lark, a business that sells outdoor and fly fishing gear as well as yoga equipment.

“I am a new shop on Main Street, so it’s nice to be a part of this event,” said Tonda Lark, the owner of Backcountry Lark. “I am excited to be a part of the community.”

Backcountry Lark will include 14 historical images of people doing outdoor activities in Latah County on display in addition to selling its own products, he said.

Lark said he has lived in the area since 1991 and finds it interesting to see more of a historical side to the area he lives in.

“I have gone to the last two months’ First Thursdays,” he said. “Seeing the old historic photos of the area is nice.”

The Prichard Art Gallery will also show the work of Casey Doyle, a University of Idaho sculpture professor.

“It will be a performance piece and a video,” Narra Woodland, the assistant director of Prichard Art Gallery said. “The title is ‘I Am My Own Mascot.’”

Doyle’s performance will start at 5:45 p.m., and it will be his first performance of this piece in Moscow, Woodland said.

“Because this is his first performance in the area of this piece, he is keeping the nature of the piece a secret, so it will be a surprise to all,” Woodland said.

In general, the goal of First Thursday is to encourage community involvement, she said.

“I hope to see lots of people in attendance this time, and in the months to come,” she said.

First Thursday takes place today and will encompass all of Main Street and surrounding areas in Moscow. Passport stamps can be found at any of the participating businesses.