NATCHEZ — The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

That’s the philosophy of the Natchez Downtown Development Association’s quarterly C You in the Courtyard events.

The programs, which will be hosted at different locations, are geared toward merchants, giving them an opportunity to spotlight a business and socialize, NDDA Director Carrie Lambert said.

Each meeting will also feature a guest speaker.

The first event, last week at Bontura, was to welcome Lambert, who started in September, and introduce her to downtown merchants.

“It was wonderful,” Lambert said. “Everyone really enjoyed themselves. We probably had between 150 and 175 people. That was a great turnout.”

Packaged along with the quarterly courtyard events will be monthly merchant meetings, which will also rotate locations. Those will be more planning and discussion-based, she said.

“It’s a way for merchants to communicate with each other, with me and for the person hosting to show the community what they can offer,” she said.

The more merchants communicate with each other, the better they can serve the public, she said.

“If you know you have a Harley-Davidson group coming to town, a bookstore may want to put a biker book in the front window,” she said.

The monthly meetings will also be an opportunity to get feedback.

“We can get merchants’ opinions, what they like and don’t like and what they want to happen in the future,” Lambert said.

But nothing is set in stone, she said.

“This is what we’re painting on canvas, but that doesn’t mean it’s waterproof right now,” Lambert said. “It depends on the attendants and what they want. We’re designing things as we go.”