Fire and Ice
Friday, February 7, 2025
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
About
February’s “Fire & Ice” themed First Fridays will have live ice carvings (with some featuring a fire element), fire dancing, and a fireworks show! Plus warm up at downtown fireplaces located at The Cellar, Chicory Cafe, Fiddler's Hearth, and South Bend Chocolate Cafe, and fire pits at Howard Park, South Bend Chocolate Cafe, and Studebaker Plaza. A S'mores station and First Fridays block party will also be located by Studebaker Plaza.
Also, take advantage of value-priced menus at 30 downtown restaurants for Winter Restaurant Weeks. Check out all the details below.
FREE PARKING
Parking (on-street and in City-managed garages) is always free in downtown South Bend nights and weekends. For full details on downtown parking options, click here.
Entertainment and Activities
Fireworks & Ice Carvings
Thorughout Downtown
2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In keeping with the Fire & Ice theme of this month’s First Fridays, we will have live ice carvings taking place by MICA (Michiana Ice Carvers Artisans), and a special fireworks presentation taking place at 8:00 p.m. The fireworks will be set off from the Leighton Garage roof, and the best place to view them will be the First Fridays Block Party/Studebaker Plaza area.
Live ice carvings will be taking place this First Fridays from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at various downtown locations including Howard Park, Howard Park Public House, Linden Grill, South Bend Chocolate Cafe, Studebaker Plaza, and Woochi. Click here for a map of the carving locations!
The ice carvings are sponsored by the establishments hosting carvings, Downtown South Bend, and the Downtown Dining Association.
Scholastic Art Awards Sneak Peek
120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Visit the South Bend Museum of Art on First Fridays for extended hours and free admission! This month they will be featuring a sneak peek of the 2025 Scholastic Art Awards! The Scholastic Art Awards represents the most comprehensive national annual assessment of the creative spirit among American teens.
SBMA is proud to host the Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan Art Region. This year, 2,791 area middle and high school students working with 188 teachers submitted over 3,860 pieces of art to 2025 Scholastics Art Awards in our region. There are 1,167 award winning pieces of art, exhibiting all of the Gold and Silver Key pieces.
Headliner JP McAllister at The Drop
111 N. Main St.
9:00 p.m.
The Drop Comedy Club is located in the Aloft Hotel and features amazing comedy shows every Friday and Saturday night! They will soon be moving to their new home at The Rocki Button in early March.
This First Fridays they will have headliner JP McAllister, featuring Max Sorich. DTSB will be featuring a contest on their Facebook page for a pair of free tickets to the Friday night show.
Ice Skating at Howard Park
219 S. St. Louis Blvd.
10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Enjoy ice skating at the Howard Park Ice Trail & Pond from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., plus a DJ Skate Night at 8:00 p.m. For more info on Howard Park Ice Skating and other activities there, click here.
Fire Dancing at Studebaker Plaza
Studebaker Plaza
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Enjoy free fire dancing performances at Studebaker Plaza by Dana with Wonderflow Hoop and April Sheree with Go Aerial Fitness.
First Fridays Block Party
Jefferson Blvd. by Studebaker Plaza
5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
We will be doing a special winter edition of our First Fridays Block Party - this time on Jefferson right next to Studebaker Plaza. We will have a seating area, a cash bar with hot drinks provided by Chicory Cafe, and the following food and beverage vendors:
Bair Country Coffee Co.
Cambodian Thai
Froggies Concessions
King of the Kettle
Indiana Whiskey Co.
YadaYada Empanada
S'mores and Warming Stations
Downtown
4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Several warming stations will be located throughout downtown this First Fridays. You can find fire pits at Howard Park, South Bend Chocolate Cafe, and Studebaker Plaza.
Studebaker Plaza's fire pit will also be featuring a S'mores station from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
DTSB Valentine's Photo Op
217 S. Michigan St.
now through Valentine's Day
DTSB has set up a Valentine's Photo Op outside their offices at 217 S. Michigan St. Use #DTSBLove and share your photos! Special thanks to Ambassador Dan for bringing this beautiful photo op to life!
217 S. Michigan St.
5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
A hug that's captured in clay turned to stone and lasts a lifetime! The world needs more hugs so show them your beautiful moment captured in clay and stamped with your initials and date.
Who can hug a vase? Anyone! Adults or kids, bring your significant other, your bff, sister, brother, mother, father, just bring the one you love!
Vases are at least 12-15 inches in height thrown with 5-8 pounds of clay and will be clear glazed and ready to pick up in 4 weeks! Make your reservation at this link. Cost is $110.
333 S. Michigan St.
5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Music Village (TMV) will be hosting a special "New Performer" Open Mic Night, hosted by the talented singer-songwriter Doug Harsch!
Whether you're stepping on stage for the first time or honing your craft, this is the perfect opportunity to share your music in a welcoming and supportive space.
Signup starts at 5:30 p.m. with the first performance at 5:45 p.m. Free and open to all ages!
Retail and Dining Specials
103 E. Jefferson Blvd.
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Chicory will be having another of their famous seafood boils. Each dinner will include:
• Snow Crab, 1 lb.
• Gulf Shrimp
• Andouille Sausage
• Corn on the Cob
• Seasoned Potatoes
• Garlic Butter
• Crab Shell Cracker Tool
$59.99 per order, with plenty of food for two!
Food will be hot on pickup, or choose to get this meal cold and steam it yourself. (They will provide instructions.) Preorder now by calling them at 574-234-1141 and ask to preorder the Crab and Shrimp Feast or by this link.
30 Downtown Restaurants
January 24 through February 9
Downtown South Bend Restaurant Week offers diners the opportunity to experience the variety of cuisine downtown South Bend has to offer from Italian to fine dining, New Orleans inspired to Japanese flavors. The menus include breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner options, plus carryout options. 30 Downtown South Bend restaurants will offer valued-priced menus (view menus here.) Approximately 10% of the proceeds from each meal purchased will be donated directly to the Beacon Children’s Hospital.
Ongoing First Fridays Promotions
714 E. Jefferson Blvd.
A Healing Oasis invites you to attend their First Fridays Open House, which is all about you coming to find out what their practitioners have to offer. Healers share their "magic" by offering mini sessions. You will also have a chance to check out their retail space, group events, and what services are at A Healing Oasis.
127 N. Main St.
Enjoy live music by Kennedy's Kitchen from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. every First Fridays!
333 S. Michigan St.
Enjoy amazing bargains on books, CDs, DVDs, magazines, and more for both kids and adults from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
1025 Northside Blvd.
Live music by Lucas Miner and 20% off bottles of MI Cabernet Franc
121 S. Niles Ave.
Perry Vine - located inside the Emporium Building - will be doing tastings this First Fridays. Enjoy three free 1 oz. tastings, and additional for tastings $1.50. In partnership with Island Fusion guests may buy a meal and a glass and dine in the atrium area adjacent to our store — please note seats are limited. They will also have bottles for sale! Bring back your clean bottles and receive 10% off your next purchase!
218 Sycamore St.
They are located near Fire Arts and are a minority-owned studio that is seeking to build individual and community power through pole dance. They provide quality pole instruction and a welcoming atmosphere for all of their students.
They will be featuring an Intro to Pole Class every First Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for $22. Registration is required and can be done on their website.
WXYZ Bar at Aloft
111 N. Main St.
Buy 1 flatbread pizza and get a 2nd flatbread pizza at 1/2 off; plus monthly Cocktail for a Cause, with $1 from every cocktail sold donated to their featured charity of the month.
Plus Live @ Aloft with DJ Outlaw playing your favorite tunes. Live @ Aloft features local artists, groups or DJs playing music every Friday from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the WXYZ lounge.
SPONSORS
