May 5, 2023
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
About
Downtown South Bend is celebrating both cycling and plants this May First Fridays with a "Pedals & Petals" theme. We will be previewing Michiana Bike to Work Week with "Pedals" activities such as a bicycle parade, bicycle games, bicycle valet parking, and bicycle safety demonstrations. We will also be celebrating the changing season and flowers/plants that are blossoming with various "Petals" activities including a plant sale & swap on the Gridiron, a flower craft activity, and flower arranging classes.
Also, the Michigan Street First Fridays Block Party will be returning to the 200 block of S. Michigan Street (between Jefferson & Wayne) with music, food, vendors, and more. Plus, the return of the Architectural Walking Tours, and new this summer- First Fridays concerts in Howard Park!
And, as always, enjoy live music, art exhibits, dining specials, and much more. 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
Plant Swap & Sale
The Gridiron
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Come shop for plants, flowers, and more at DTSB's first ever plant swap & sale. We have invited local plant enthusiasts to bring plants to sell & swap - both indoor and outdoor plants, flowers, etc. both decorative and fruits/veggies, in addition to starters, seeds, and any other gardening related items. The event will take place on the Gridiron and it is free to attend. Feel free to bring items to swap!
The Gridiron
5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Country Florist will have their camper “shop” by the Gridiron this First Fridays with flowers for sale. They will also be having two floral arranging classes that will require advance registration and payment. Participants will be able to keep the arrangement they create.
Click here to register for the 6:00 p.m. class to create a floral arrangement in a vase ($55.)
Click here to register for the 7:00 p.m. class to create a hand-tied floral arrangement ($35.)
The Gridiron
5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
We welcome our newest First Fridays sponsor - Fetch! Pet Care! Visit the Fetch! Pet Care tent at the Gridiron to pick up some free pet swag and talk with their highly-trained and certified sitters. And while you're there, take your dog through their doggy obstacle course.
Fetch! Pet Care of Michiana is a locally-owned full-service pet care provider for all your furry, feathered, and scaled friends. Their goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to schedule and receive pet care.
They offer a variety of services, all tailored to fit your needs. From in-home pet sitting to dog walking, overnight care, medication administration, and pet taxi services, they have you covered. They understand that each pet is unique and requires special attention, so they take the time to get to know each pet and build a relationship with them and you.
First Fridays Block Party
200 Block of S. Michigan St.
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
DTSB will be bringing back the Michigan Street First Fridays Block Party for a 4th year, and closing down the 200 block of S. Michigan Street (between Jefferson & Wayne) for vendors, entertainment, outdoor dining, and more! These First Fridays block parties take place May through October and are open to visitors of all ages.
Grab some takeout from your favorite downtown eatery or grab something from one of our food vendors and head to the block party where we will have a seating area in the street with beer from Chicory, vendors, and the following free entertainment:
6:00 p.m. - Performance by the IU South Bend Kickline
6:30 p.m. - Bicycle Parade
7:00 p.m. - Performance by American Idol Contestant David Smith with DJ J Daddy
Studebaker Car Show
The Gridiron
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Studebaker Drivers Club will have their cars on display this First Fridays by the Gridiron from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free.
Howard Park
7:00 pm. to 9:00 p.m.
VPA will be hosting free concerts in Howard Park this summer on First Fridays May through September. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair or blanket and carryout from a downtown eatery for a picnic in the park set to music! The May 5th band will be Los Hermanos Bueno.
120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Visit the South Bend Museum of Art this First Fridays for an Open House. Come and explore the different studio spaces they have, find out what activities and courses will be available in the summer, and take part in some fun free quilting, photography, and mixed media activities.
111 N. Main St.
9:00 p.m.
In case you didn't hear The Drop Comedy Club relocated to the Aloft Hotel and features amazing comedy shows every Friday and Saturday night! This First Fridays they will have headliner JP McAllister along with host Jay Hunter.
DTSB will be giving DTSB will be featuring a contest on their Facebook page for a pair of free tickets to the First Fridays show.
435 S. Michigan St.
5:00 pm. to 11:00 p.m.
We welcome one of our newest First Fridays participants - the Rocki Button, a new downtown space which features a creative experience filled with music, art, shopping, food, and drinks. This First Fridays they will have vendors and live music. Suggested donation of $5.
127 N. Main St.
8:00 pm. to 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy live music by Kennedy's Kitchen this First Fridays.
401 E. Colfax Ave.
7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The Jose Gobbo Group will be performing at Merrimans' Playhouse this First Fridays. They will also be featuring the Olivia Van Goor Trio.
115 W. Colfax Ave.
8:00 pm. to 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy live music by The Erly at LKT this First Fridays.
Bicycle Parade
200 block of S. Michigan St.
6:30 p.m.
In partnership and promotion of Michiana Bike to Work Week, we will be having our first ever First Fridays Bicycle Parade. Participants of all ages are invited to decorate their bikes (and to costume themselves to match if they so wish!) for a chance to win prizes.
No advance registration is required. Lineup will take place in Key Bank Plaza between 6:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. and participants will make two loops in the 200 block of S. Michigan Street. Awards will be presented immediately after the parade. Helmets are strongly encouraged.
Click arrow below for more info on Michiana Bike to Work Week, taking place May 15-21, including a schedule of events.
Bicycle Games & Safety Demonstrations
200 block of S. Michigan St.
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
In partnership and promotion of Michiana Bike to Work Week, we will be having bicycle games and safety demonstrations for cyclists of all ages after the bicycle parade, in the north end of the 200 block of S. Michigan St. Helmets are strongly encouraged.
Bicycle games will go from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with brief safety demonstrations at 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Click arrow below for more info on Michiana Bike to Work Week, taking place May 15-21, including a schedule of events.
Key Bank Plaza
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The South Bend Bike Garage will be providing a First Fridays Bike Valet which will allow you to ride to the event without having to worry about locking up your bike. They will provide a free, secure, manned area at Key Bank Plaza (by the I Heart SB statue) where your bike will be put on a rack until you return to pick it up. Your helmet can also be stored with your bike.
The South Bend Bike Garage will also offer to clean your bike while you enjoy the festivities. Cleaning will consist of wiping down the bike, cleaning & lubricating the drive train, and making minor adjustments so the bike is clean and ready to roll safely when you pick it up. They will also have maps of local trails and safety information available.
101 N. Michigan St.
6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Enjoy a fun and informative guided walking tour of South Bend landmark buildings, exploring their history and present day use.
The tours cover over twenty historical buildings and more than a half-dozen city blocks in the heart of downtown South Bend. Tours are $10 per person (cash only) with reservations requested for each tour. Reservations can be made online here or by calling Downtown South Bend at 574-282-1110. Tours start at the American Trust Company clock, located at the corner of Washington St. and Michigan St., in front of Cafe Navarre.
First Fridays Vendors
Gridiron and Michigan Street
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
We will have a variety of vendors and sponsors at the May First Fridays!
Gridiron Booths/Vendors
Fetch! Pet Care
U93
Country Florist
Unity Gardens
Potawatomi Conservatory
Wild Ones South Bend
Additional Plant Sale/Swap Booths
Studebaker Plaza Booths/Vendors
Ammie's Ice Cream
Kona Ice
SJCPL
Library Book Sale
DTSB
Relay for Life
Key Bank Plaza Booths/Vendors
Dellstar VR
Michiana Bike to Work Week
South Bend Bike Garage
Michigan Street Vendors
(in and near the fenced-in area on the south end of the S. 200 block)
Artesianos Mi Mexico Lindo
Bubbles R'Us
Leah's Closet
Chicory Beer
Dena's Kitchen & Catering
Denson's Sweet Treats
Dave Blodgett, Caricaturist
The Arty People
MJ's Unica Bracelets
Aquaworld
Floor Coverings International
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Estel Arts
Liliana Parra Boutique
Junior Achievement
321 S. Main St.
8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Bring out your inner diva at South Bend Brew Werks with karaoke this First Fridays (and every Friday!)
111 N. Main St.
8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Live @ Aloft in the WXYZ bar will feature 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.
The WXYZ bar also has "Cocktails for a Cause" with $1 from every cocktail for a cause sold donated to their featured charity of the month. Also take advantage of their First Fridays special - buy 1 flatbread pizza and get a 2nd flatbread pizza at 1/2 off.
305 E. Colfax Ave.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Fire Arts Inc. invites the public to their Annual Juried Show - "Vernal Reawakening." As time passes and life seems to emerge from a cold darkness, there is a sense of hope. A metamorphic time of rejuvenation, reinvention, reimagination, Spring returns. What is your vision for a new Spring season? Fantasy or reality, it is a time of rebirth or revitalization.
The People's Choice Award for this show will be presented at the May First Fridays.
Retail and Dining Specials
NOTE: First Fridays drink specials are available for anyone 21+ throughout the day on First Fridays, for the operating hours of participating businesses.
423 S. Michigan St.
10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Welcome to one of our newest First Fridays participants, House Wins - a resale furniture and home goods store focusing on vintage and current styles to compliment any space and budget. They will have planters this First Fridays in correspondence with the theme, and one of them will be raffled off. Any purchase Friday gets you a raffle entry.
217 S. Michigan St.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The Pigeon & The Hen Pottery will have tons
of garden and plant themed pottery, canvas, planters, and activities to participate in! Sign up at this link for "Pottery Wheel Try-it" and make your own planters; purchase a to-go kit great for Mother's Day gift-giving; experience hand-building with clay; or make a reservation before it's too late to paint with family and friends in their beautiful indoor space. Last reservation spot is at 6:30 p.m.
50% off May Specialty Drinks at St. Joe Coffee Co.
305 S. Michigan St.
8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The St. Joe Coffee Co. - the new coffee shop located inside the St. Joe County Library's Community Learning Center - will be featuring 50% off their May specialty drinks: the Berry Garden (iced green tea with blueberry syrup, strawberry syrup, and freeze-dried raspberries) and May's Meadow (butterfly pea flower concentrate, white grape juice, and your choice of water, lemonade, or green tea.)
401 E. Colfax Ave.
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
We welcome one of our newest First Fridays participants - the Cat Lady Cafe! They recently opened in the Commerce Center and they provide a relaxing environment for people to visit with adoptable cats and enjoy a coffee.
They are celebrating Cinco de Meow-o with $5 20-minute sessions in the cat lounge. Walk-in only. Space is limited.
121 S. Niles Ave.
4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
We welcome one of our newest First Fridays participants - Perry Vine! They recently opened inside the Emporium Building and will be doing tastings this First Fridays, with one free tasting per customer. Additional tastings are $1.50. If you plan to buy a glass you’re welcomed to BYOM (bring your own meal) 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!
231 S. Michigan St.
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Welcome to one of our newest First Fridays participants - Dainty Maid Co. Food Hall! They will have special extended hours for dinner on weekend nights including First Fridays, with dining options from Oak + Ash, The Beard & The Boss, Smashed, Propaganda Pizza, Hall Pass, and a Roaster Called Revenant.
321 S. Main St.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Welcome to one of our newest First Fridays participant - Salon Nouveau - located in side the Hibberd Building across from the library in downtown. They will be offering special discounts this First Fridays.
Ongoing First Fridays Promotions
