Organizers of the new Chefs Market on Thursday said it was a success, but some attendees said they needed to get used to the move from Fridays to Thursdays.

Regardless of the day of the week, plenty of Napans seemed to be sipping wine, listening to music and watching cooking demonstrations after the 5 p.m. premiere of this year’s market.

Also on the move this year was the popular children’s activity area. It is still on Coombs Street, but on the opposite side of First Street. Moms and strollers were parked bumper to bumper as toddlers on up enjoyed the hands-on activities spearheaded by Scientopia Discovery Center Inc., which was a trumpeting a fall opening of their business in Napa. Youngsters also gave a climbing wall a workout.

Lotte Cosca of Napa watched her two children try out the hands-on exhibits at Scientopia.

Cosca said she was OK with the move to Thursday night, even with school-age children.

“Once school gets out it’ll be easier,” to visit the market on Thursday night, she said.

“It’ll be interesting to see how this (new night) plays out,” she said. “They have a kid’s section and that’s what I like.”

Napan Pam Schultz enjoyed herself at the market.

“Heirloom tomatoes, a glass of chardonnay and life is good,” said Schultz.

She and her doubles tennis partner, Barbara Breeze, came to hear live music.

“It’s nice to see people out,” Schultz said, adding that she wasn’t completely sold yet on the switch from Friday to Thursday nights.

At Small World Cafe, co-owner Jennifer Alimusa said, they would close at their regular 8:30 p.m. time, despite the Chefs Market.

Alimusa thought her dinner crowd seemed a bit lighter than usual.

The restaurant owner did like the idea of booths lining both sides of Coombs Street in front of the restaurant she co-owns with her husband — because it might help increase business.

Ami Mautner, owner of Napa Valley Apothecary, is no stranger to the Chefs Market. She used to have a wagon of her lotions, herbs, bath salts, crystals she sold at the Friday night venue.

Now Mautner has her business in a storefront on First Street near the Christian Science Reading Room.

Mautner, who opened her business in December, has been open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. She decided to open Thursdays just for the Chefs Market crowd.

Farmers market vendor Veronica Aguilera came from Turlock with her farm stand of cherries and other fruit and vegetables.

“I like it,” she said of the initial crowds. “I hope it’s going to be as busy as Friday nights.”

Down the street, jazz played in the “Chefs Court” as Bette Vreeland of Napa waited patiently for Tim Hanni’s cooking demo to start.

Advertised to start at 5:30 p.m., all chairs were filled, but the cooking hadn’t yet fired up. Even with a late start, the market was “pretty lively for this early in the night,” she said.

“It feels a little spotty (between) vendors, but there’s a good amount of people,” said Vreeland.

Electing not to participate in the market this year, all was quiet within the Napa Town Center. A pair of private security guards walked through and most stores appeared to be closed. A handful of teens quietly congregated near the side entrance to Mervyn’s.

Back on First Street, Lynn Everett of Napa and friend Deanna Stellina enjoyed a glass of wine.

“I would prefer the market to be on Friday night, for us that worked,” said Everett.

Stellina also liked the Friday night event, “It was like a relief at the end of the week,” she said.

Michelle Remmick, of Napa, stood waiting for the band Rocky and the Revelettes to start playing. She said she always comes to the opening night of Chefs Market.

“Thursday night is good,” she said. “It’s not a weekend night, it’s the precursor to the weekend.”

Remmick said she wasn’t phased by the new night. “It seems similar to last year, just a different night.”

At the west end of First Street, standing next to a apple-red motorized rickshaw, Israel Valencia with NV Hoppers was waiting for fares.

Valencia said he planned to circle the market during the night to pick up riders in the rickshaw, each fitting two to three people.

By 6:30 p.m., Ron Gibson, one of the event organizers, estimated the crowd at 3,000.

“I think we’ve got nothing less than smash hit on our hands. And we want people to come and enjoy it,” said Gibson.