Downtown Adrian Main Street/DDA announces lineup changes to outdoor First Fridays events

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·4 min read

ADRIAN — There will be some noticeable event lineup changes throughout the summer and fall months when the Downtown Adrian/Main Street DDA committee hosts its First Fridays outdoor lineup for 2024.

In what the Main Street/DDA describes as an ongoing effort to bring the best possible family-oriented events to downtown Adrian, the volunteer supported and run First Fridays committee issued this year’s new lineup back in February. Adrian’s outdoor events for First Fridays get started in May and continue through October. Here is the schedule:

People stroll down Maumee Street among the classic cars in downtown Adrian June 4, 2021, during First Fridays.
People stroll down Maumee Street among the classic cars in downtown Adrian June 4, 2021, during First Fridays.

  • May First Fridays, May 3: Walk N Wag at Dog Days: Downtown will “bark with joy” as our four-legged friends take over the streets. Look for new events and entertainment such as a dog agility course and dock-diving dogs.

  • June First Fridays, June 7: Hot Wheels: Wax and Shine your classic ride or your everyday driver at the first car show of the summer.

  • July First Fridays, July 5: Americana: Nothing says rural America like a big truck or a muscle car. Spend the Fourth of July downtown viewing these representations of our heritage.

  • August First Fridays, Aug. 2: A Night at the Movies: Bring the entire family, enjoy some carnival games or putt putt, and stick around for a family friendly movie at dusk.

  • September First Fridays, Sept. 6: Art and Soul: Is your car so pretty it could be a piece of art? Do some of these vehicles bring back memories of your youth? Take a stroll at the last car show of the year and make some new memories.

  • October First Fridays, Oct. 4: Fall Fest: Where rural America meets downtown. A new event on the calendar this year is a commercial truck and tractor show. Bring your classic John Deere or that great big combine to show off to the community.

This year’s lineup, Main Street/DDA said, features more family-friendly events and programming that will appeal to many community members.

“We will continue to bring in a variety of food trucks and musical acts that will make this a summer to remember,” Downtown Adrian said in a social media announcement. “One notable change is our popular Dog Days of Summer event, which was moved to May to help our four-legged friends avoid the heat and humidity. Car shows, movie nights and a celebration of the arts are some of the other highlights.”

The Dog Days of Summer pet parade proceeds through downtown Adrian Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, during First Fridays.
The Dog Days of Summer pet parade proceeds through downtown Adrian Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, during First Fridays.

Walk N Wag at Dog Days is presented by the Lenawee Humane Society with support from The Wagley Group Real Estate Advisors. It is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. May 3, throughout downtown Adrian, and will feature such highlights as the annual pet parade, pet contests, activities for kids, games and raffles, food and music.

Families are encouraged to attend and to bring their favorite canine friend with them, an announcement said. Dogs are encouraged to be dressed up in superhero apparel.

“We hope that May's climate will be better suited for your pets, and we hope the weather will allow us to enjoy the evening downtown. This will be a celebration of our cherished canine companions and the loving community that surrounds them,” an announcement from The Wagley Group said. “From wagging tails to smiling faces, come together with fellow dog lovers for an array of activities, entertainment and opportunities to connect.”

Main Street/DDA’s decisions to change up this year’s outdoor event lineup for First Fridays were made based on input from community members during the events, stakeholder feedback and event attendance data, Downtown Adrian said.

Bille Lewis and the Soulbacks are seen performing in front of a crowd during the July 2021 edition of downtown Adrian's First Fridays.
Bille Lewis and the Soulbacks are seen performing in front of a crowd during the July 2021 edition of downtown Adrian's First Fridays.

Overall average attendance at First Fridays in 2023 declined almost 13% as comparted with 2022 from 3,693 to 3,226. The committee said it had several discussions about the direction of First Fridays and how to maintain Adrian’s history while continuing to bring a wide range of people downtown and to grow event attendance.

“It is great to see the excitement being generated by our Adrian Main Street board of directors as they continue their work on offering a variety of family-oriented events in our historic downtown,” Dusty Steele, chairman of the Downtown Adrian Main Street/DDA board, said. “Our First Fridays committee has done an excellent job in creating new events that will have a positive impact on our entire community.”

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First Fridays events are open to the community at no cost. There are plenty of opportunities at each month’s event to support local and small businesses throughout downtown Adrian.

The First Fridays committee and Downtown Adrian Main Street are looking for volunteers and individuals to support the committees, the social media announcement said. Volunteers can work at one event or several. Participation on a committee, however, requires a person to volunteer at events throughout the season.

For more information on how to volunteer or how to become a committee member, send an email to info@downtownadrian.com or connect with Adrian Main Street/DDA on its Downtown Adrian Facebook page.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian Main Street/DDA announces lineup changes to First Fridays events