COEUR d'ALENE - It's all good. And plenty.

Retailers welcome the trifecta of events that begin today with almost as much anticipation as the Christmas shopping season.

"I love Street Fair," said Christina Lucky, who owns Lucky Monkey Trading Co. with husband Derek. "It's great for our stuff, great for downtown."

Combined with Taste of the Coeur d'Alenes and Art on the Green, the Downtown Street Fair brings in thousands of visitors, along with residents of the area, for three days of arts, crafts, food and entertainment.

Each downtown merchant is allowed a spot on the street as part of their membership in the Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association. They can also purchase more.

"We take two tents," Lucky said. "It's great exposure."

Shoppers and vendors come from a hundred miles away to participate, said Cindy Summers at Summers Art Glass. "It makes us a destination. We're looking forward to a nice business weekend."

Six years of experience with Street Fair have taught them that buyers will come into the store from the street display, and more merchandise and demonstrations will keep them interested, said her husband Clark.

"We usually do pretty good business," he said.

So successful have the three events become that there are more vendors participating.

"It is not as great as it used to be," said Denise Wilson, manager of Gallery Northwest. "The pie is cut in more pieces, but it is still a good weekend. We like it enough to get our free booth, and pay for another. It is a lot of work, but fun."

Some stores will get their first experience with the Street Fair this year. Phillip Falk, who opened Coeur d'Alene Golf Shop earlier this year, said he has heard nothing but good stories about the event.

"I think it is going to be wonderful," he said. "It's great exposure, especially for a new store, for people to see what we have."

Like many stores participating, the golf shop will use the event to put items on sale, creating bargains for astute shoppers.

And the expected hot weather should be good for ice cream and beer sales, said Dave Pulis, partner in the Moose Lounge.

"It is a little busier than normal," he said. "The bar does very well. It's better than the average weekend."