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It’s nearly 50 degrees but ‘snowing’ in downtown Spokane: DSP brings flurries and foot traffic to Wall Street

Fiona Whitver, of Spokane, stands in a flurry of fake snowflakes Tuesday on Wall Street in downtown Spokane as machines blow a blanket of soapy bubbles from overhead. (Jesse Tinsley/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
Fiona Whitver, of Spokane, stands in a flurry of fake snowflakes Tuesday on Wall Street in downtown Spokane as machines blow a blanket of soapy bubbles from overhead. (Jesse Tinsley/THE SPOKESMAN-REVIEW)
By Emily White emilyw@spokesman.com(509) 459-5444

Despite Spokane’s balmy winter, twice a day, “snow” falls downtown on Wall Street.

On Jan. 27, 25-year-old Fiona Whitver stood in the middle of the flurry, staring up at the foamy flakes with wonder.

“It was like a winter wonderland for 15 minutes,” Whitver said. “Everywhere you looked, there was snow in the alleyway.”

The snow is not from the clouds, but falls from two artificial snow machines that hang from light posts across from the Rocket Bakery and STCU.

The flakes are foamy bubbles that dissolve quickly on the asphalt, similar to the foam used at foam parties, said Eddie Castillo, Downtown Spokane Partnership placemaking manager.

The fake snow is a part of a project called Après Holiday Snow Show that DSP is putting on this winter to help increase foot traffic downtown following the holidays, said Elizabeth Hooker, the vice president of marketing and programing for DSP.

“We run a lot of numbers about people that are coming into downtown and how they’re engaging with the downtown space, and one thing we noticed a year ago was that we’re seeing about a 20% drop in foot traffic following the holiday season,” Hooker said.

That means less business for small retailers, restaurants and other businesses that operate downtown, Hooker said. The hope is the snow will bring more folks to the streets and more business to downtown. But the aesthetic is nice, too, Hooker said.

“We haven’t had a lot of snow in the last several years. It brings a little bit of winter magic downtown,” she said.

The snow machines might make an appearance in downtown streets during the summer too, Hooker said, but it’s unclear when and where yet. They will be taken down after Feb. 15.

An anonymous donor made DSP’s purchase of the snow machines possible, Hooker said. She declined to share how much was donated for the project, but said each snow machine cost around $2,500.

“We are incredibly grateful to them,” Hooker said. “Investing in downtown means investing in all of Spokane. We really are the heart of the region, and we want to make people proud.”

The snow machines run from noon to 12:15 p.m. and 5 to 5:15 p.m. every day until Feb. 15, Hoker said.

Rocket Bakery and Thomas Hammer Coffee also are participating in the artificial snowfall with deals. Rocket Bakery, 207 N. Wall St., offers a buy one drink, get one 50% off special from 11:30 a.m. to noon and 4:30 to 5 p.m. Thomas Hammer, on 122 N. Wall St., offers $2 off of any drink between noon and 5 p.m.

The partnership is also holding an Après Holiday Sweepstakes until Feb. 15. Anyone who shops at a participating business can enter for a chance to win a $1,000 prize package with gift cards, lift passes to Mt. Spokane and a River Park Square experience. More than 50 businesses downtown are participating, including the Mango Tree, Tobacco World and MOD Pizza.