Ladies cruising through downtown Bend have a few more reasons to visit stores and restaurants on the third Thursday of every month.

Ladies Night, organized by the Downtown Bend Business Association, aims to get women and their friends to shop in stores and eat in restaurants that offer special discounts starting at 5 p.m. every third Thursday. Shops that participate place in their window a shopping bag that announces the event.

Wine is often served, and discounts on merchandise are offered. Upon visiting a participating store, ladies receive a password they can take to downtown restaurants, such as Typhoon! and the Pine Tavern, for menu specials.

The downtown businesses are trying to establish a new tradition, according to Chuck Arnold, executive director of the Downtown Bend Business Association. The main purpose is for customers to come downtown and have some fun while also generating business for local stores and restaurants.

“Everybody has to pay their rent and everyone is in business — and that’s the endgame in anything because you want to translate it into sales,” Arnold said.

“That’s what keeps the businesses here and keeps downtown vibrant.”

The event will hopefully become an establishment like First Friday Gallery Walk, said Carin Cameron, owner of the downtown restaurant Cork. First Friday includes art exhibit openings, artist talks, live music, wine and food in downtown Bend and The Old Mill District the first Friday of every month.

Ladies Night, which is still gaining momentum, was established about a year ago as a way to stimulate business and promote downtown Bend, said Heather Hanst, owner of Silverado Jewelry Gallery.

Hanst suggested the idea to the downtown association after she received a good response to a similar event at her store in Hood River.

“Anything that’s going to bring more business, I’m happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Longer hours allow for more foot traffic at retail stores and more customers in restaurants during normal hours, according to Arnold.

Cork often offers happy hour menus through the entire evening during Ladies Night.

“We like to support what is going on downtown … and we like to have the ladies in Cork,” the owner said. “It’s a nice place for them to gather, and if they do Ladies Night, they might think of us on another evening when they are out.”

Ladies Night attracts customers who may not normally come in on weekends and those who can leave their children at home for the event, said Jodell Born, general manager of Urban Minx Boutique.

“It’s been really good for us because we have been consistently open for everyone,” Born said. “People know that we are going to be open late for it, so they tend to come in and they like it.”

Participating businesses promote the event through store advertisements and notify customers through e-mail lists. More than 20 businesses are currently involved with Ladies Night.

Summer months often see more participants than in winter because people are out more during the nice weather, said Margaux Kellenberg-Hought, owner of North Soles Footwear.

“It’s fun for our customers to come in and see what we have on special that night and to just get out with friends,” Kellenberg-Hought said.

Amber Silva, 32, and Becca Ermatinger, 33, were out last Thursday night at the shoe shop looking for a pair of wedding shoes for Silva. As they sipped white wine, they perused the store looking at shoes that were 10 percent off.

“I think it’s a good idea because usually ladies night is at the bar and some ladies don’t subscribe to that type of entertainment,” Silva said, “so this is right up their alley.”

Kate Willenborg, 32, a visitor from Lake Tahoe who likes shoe shopping in Bend, agreed that it was a good idea.

“Good shoes, good wine and good sales,” she said about why she enjoyed her first Ladies Night.

The event encourages people to experience the atmosphere of downtown Bend, according to Arnold.

“It’s the center of our community, it’s historic downtown and that’s where it started,” he said. “There are a lot of unique businesses downtown, and we want to celebrate that and have people come down and enjoy Bend.”