Downtown Gadsden to Kick Off 20th Season of First Friday on April 3

GADSDEN — Downtown Gadsden Inc. will kick off the 20th season of its popular First Friday event on April 3, bringing classic cars, food vendors, and live music to Broad Street.

The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Gadsden and is expected to once again draw large crowds to the area for an evening of family-friendly entertainment.

Downtown retailers and restaurants will extend their hours during the event, while visitors will also have the opportunity to explore the Gadsden Museum of Art and the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts as part of the downtown experience.

“We’re excited to be starting the 20th season of our great family-friendly event,” said Kay Moore, director of Downtown Gadsden Inc. “We have outstanding musical performances, delicious food vendors, and everyone’s favorite — classic cars.”

Live entertainment will be featured at several locations along Broad Street. Switchblade Jane will perform at the corner of 2nd and Broad streets, the Jess Goggans Duo will play at 3rd and Broad, the Gadsden State Community College Show Band will perform at 4th and Broad, and Endangered Species will take the stage at 6th and Broad.

To accommodate the event, Broad Street will close to traffic at 3:15 p.m. to allow food vendors to set up and classic cars to park.

Event organizers remind attendees that several guidelines will be enforced, including no pets, no personal coolers or glass containers, and no skateboards or rollerblades. Advertising or fundraising during the event is also prohibited.

Additional information about First Friday and other downtown events can be found at www.downtowngadsden.org.