'First Fridays' entertainment initiative aims to draw more people to downtown Battle Creek
BATTLE CREEK — Those on the hunt for live entertainment might want to mark the first Friday of every month in downtown Battle Creek on their calendar.
In response to feedback from downtown business owners, Battle Creek natives and event organizers Justin Andert of Freedom City, and Jeremy Andrews of Penetrator Events, have launched yet another initiative aimed at increasing foot traffic downtown: First Fridays live entertainment.
With financial support from the Battle Creek Small Business Development Office, Battle Creek Unlimited and the Art & Culture Collective of Battle Creek, Andert and Andrews are providing downtown business owners with additional dollars to book live entertainment on the first Friday of each month.
The pilot initiative began in April and will run through November in its inaugural year. The hope, though, is for this initiative to expand and grow well beyond 2024.
"The plan is to essentially infuse live entertainment into as many downtown venues as possible on the first Friday of every month in the year 2024 and hopefully going on in perpetuity," Andert said. "We're very excited to essentially plant this seed and see where it goes this year."
Andert and Andrews began fostering a consistent dialogue with downtown business owners beginning in the fall of 2022. Those conversations ultimately led to the formation of the Downtown Business Association, a group of downtown business owners that meets monthly with the duo to discuss pertinent issues and challenges they are experiencing in the city.
"One of the biggest desires (we've heard from downtown business owners) is to just bring more people downtown," Andert said. "We want to highlight the natural beauty and beautification that’s happened in our downtown over the years and make sure people know that there’s new awesome spots to check out music and get food and do all the cool things that people look for in other places."
The May installment of First Fridays included a Grateful Dead tribute band at Handmap Brewing, an acoustic set at New Holland Brewing Co., an R&B and jazz performer at Break & Basket and a DJ set at Torti Taco. For Andert, the moment demonstrated just how much downtown has evolved in the past seven to eight years.
"There weren't any open establishments west of the Griffin (Grill & Pub) back in 2017, 2018," Andert said. "To have three really amazing venues in New Holland, Torti and Handmap on that side of downtown is really amazing. We’re super happy they’re participating and kind of getting us moving with this initiative."
First Fridays is not limited to just live music, however; it spans all forms of live entertainment. The June 7 installment is slated to include comedy at the Cricket Club and spoken word poetry at Cafe Rica.
"We believe in letting the venues choose what kind of entertainment they want to have," Andrews said. "What we want out of this is for (downtown businesses) to choose to do it more (often)."
The goal is to add more venues as the year goes along; Andert and Andrews are both eager to work with any downtown businesses that want to have live entertainment on a First Friday.
"Hopefully in the future we see there’s not an empty storefront window without some entertainment on a first Friday in 2025 and beyond," Andert said. "This is kind of a pilot and a launching point this year."
For more information about First Fridays or to get involved, email info@penetratorevents.com or visit penetratorevents.com.
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: 'First Fridays' aims to increase foot traffic in downtown Battle Creek
