Living in Binghamton and partying on State Street every weekend can feel boring after a while, and finding something new and exciting to do can pose a challenge. But this week Downtown restaurants have joined together to form Binghamton’s first Restaurant Week.

From March 16 to March 25, participating restaurants such as Kilmer Brasserie & Steakhouse, Saké-Tumi and The Lost Dog Café are offering a three-course meal for only $20 and some of the proceeds go to the new Boys & Girls Club of Binghamton.

Restaurant owners have succeeded in boosting the morale of the Downtown community and have received phenomenal feedback from old and new customers. The owners of the seven restaurants put everything together and paid for most of it out of their pockets in hopes of creating a new tradition, similar to New York City’s popular and time-honored Restaurant Week.

The idea to create a spin-off of the New York City event was brought to restaurant owners by Monica Mavian of Kilmer Brasserie & Steakhouse.

“We wanted to shed light on the interesting dining options in Downtown Binghamton,” Mavian said. “There is a great camaraderie between the restaurant owners. Everyone is very excited to be part of something fresh and fun and it’s a great cause.”

Restaurant Week has experienced its first three nights and has received a lot of hype and excitement from a variety of customers — both students and residents.

Participating restaurant The Lost Dog Café, which recently was closed due to a burst pipe, welcomed the event as a way to gain new clientele and remind patrons that they have reopened.

“Every night has been like a Saturday night; so far it has been well received,” Marie McKenna of The Lost Dog Caf√É.√© said.

Students are also very excited to visit some of their favorite restaurants and try out new ones at a more affordable price.

Jen Bernard, a senior philosophy, politics and law major, was very interested in attending.

“I think it’s a great way to promote Downtown restaurants and it’s exciting for the community because it’s something everybody can participate in,” Bernard said.

While the event is only in its first session, restaurant owners are hopeful that they will receive enough participation to continue the event annually, or maybe even twice a year.

“Our goals for Restaurant Week have definitely been accomplished,” Mavian said.

More information is available at the city of Binghamton Web site, www.cityofbinghamton.com, where you can find sample menus as well as addresses and phone numbers to make reservations.

Don’t miss out on an opportunity to shy away from dining hall food or your own cooking and help Binghamton’s beloved Downtown area thrive.