City's 'Make it a Night' is back in season

"Make it a Night" is back. The Center City District will begin sponsoring arts performances again tonight in anticipation of warm spring weather. "There has to be a reason to get people to shop in Center City," said David Reshler, sales leader at J. Crew. "When it's warmer out, it's a decent business." The District has planned a series of special performing arts events in five locations tonight, March 24 and March 31 from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. said Shelley Laurence, the director of marketing and public relations for the Center City District. Performers like The Curtis Institute of Music Chamber Players and Group Motion will perform across the city at the Jefferson Bank at 16th and Walnut streets, the Reading Terminal Market, the John Wanamaker Department Store, the Shops at Liberty Place and the Shops at the Bellevue. Although the special programming just resumed, the campaign to bring suburbanites and Philadelphians from their neighborhoods into Center City "is a year-round thing now," Laurence said. Movie theaters reduce their prices to $3.50 every week and parking rates in the Center City are cut. Meter parking is free, Center City parking lots operated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority charge $1 for the evening and private garages give a 25 percent discount. In addition shops and restaurants stay open until at least 8 o'clock. Last Wednesday Disney's "ToonTown" tour visited the John Wanamaker department store in Center City. Kevin Feeley, the Mayor Ed Rendell's press secretery, praised the Wednesday night promotion, which he said was a success last fall. "I think it is a great way to bring people back to Center City," he said. "The CCD has done a great job with this." Yesterday, the Center City District also unveiled a project to replace 27 old and run-down bus shelters on Chestnut and Walnut streets with shining new bus shelters. The new shelters, which the Southeastern Transportation Authority, the city and Gannet Outdoor are also funding, will feature a map of Center City with transportation instructions and a poster advertising a cultural event.