Cooler temperatures draw people out to downtown Raleigh

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- This week marked the start of fall and the weather got the memo.

Friday's high temperature was around 20 degrees cooler than the high on Thursday.

"I'm excited, I'm sick of summer," said Phillip Elliot, who was visiting Raleigh.

Many others expressed a similar sentiment and took advantage of the cool-off in Raleigh to head downtown to kick off the weekend.

"That's the only reason we're out really. It's just so nice," said Rachel Pantesco, who was visiting Raleigh for the weekend.

She and her friends were participating in the city's Sip n' Stroll district for the first time.

"We wanted to come out and have a few drinks while the weather is nice," she said.

It's been just over a month since Raleigh started its Sip n' Stroll social district. The district allows customers to take alcoholic beverages from certain bars and restaurants into the street. People need to have specific cups and are only allowed in certain blocks of downtown.

A spokesperson for the Raleigh Downtown Alliance said it's too soon for metrics on the effects of the social district. However, customers on Friday were fans of the option.

"Can't beat it. I mean again we don't have to get stuck inside a bar. The weather is nice, it's nice to be able to kind of bounce around and explore the streets," Pantesco said.

Many are hoping to take more advantage of the district this fall.

"It's nice to be able to walk around without sweating," Pantesco said.

People told ABC11 that they are hoping the fall temperatures stick around as they are looking forward to multiple fall activities.

"I've decided that I'm going out to some botanical gardens this weekend that I had no interest in visiting when it was 95 degrees," said Ellen Bragdon, a Raleigh resident.

Others are excited about Halloween, football season and fall foliage.

"Just getting to see all of the fall colors on the greenway," Bragdon said.

ABC11 First Alert Weather team reported temperatures will increase slightly in the next few days but no 90-degree days are predicted during the next week.