NEWS

First Fridays event to liven downtown

Zach Tuggle
Reporter

BUCYRUS - Finishing touches are nearly complete for the debut of Bucyrus' First Fridays series, which is scheduled for downtown from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 3.

The city will host two more First Fridays this summer: July 1 and Aug. 5. The series is designed to bolster the local economy, strengthen downtown businesses and promote community spirit.

Sue Logsdon, who helped spearhead the series, said visitors should expect an atmosphere akin to that of the joint Music at the Murals and Sip, Stroll & Shop events held on Thursdays throughout the summer.

Sue Logdon sets out a sign in downtown Bucyrus in preparation for the city's upcoming First Fridays event.

"It was inspired by that, and also the fact that there are a lot of other cities across the state that are doing these kind of events in their communities as well," Logsdon said.

Logsdon and others formed a committee, decided on the event's name and set the three dates for the series' first summer.

"We decided to do it on Friday evenings when we have lake traffic and other traffic coming through Bucyrus, so that they can see what we have to offer and spend some of their money here," Logsdon said.

Shopkeepers along Sandusky Avenue will keep their doors open later during the event, and many will set up displays on their sidewalks. One block of East Rensselaer Street perpendicular to Sandusky Avenue will be closed to traffic, and an adjoining half-block of West Rensselaer Street will be closed as well.

Logsdon said food trucks and other outside vendors will be available for the public. So far, nearly 40 vendors have registered, but Logsdon expects that number to reach 60 by Friday.

While the First Fridays committee modeled the series after other events, the Bucyrus version will have its own flair.

"A lot of these in other cities surround the arts and things like that, but we decided to do a theme with each one," Logsdon said.

Friday's event will have a health theme, July's has an art focus and August's will be dedicated to first responders.

"We're just encouraging people to be creative and put their own twist to their activities and events," Logsdon said.

Four bands will serenade the audience throughout the evening, according to Dick Gervais, a volunteer for the series.

"They're all going to be acoustic," Gervais said. "We thought we'd go with laid back, easy listening type of stuff."

Those bands will play country, folk and jazz tunes the entire evening.

Although there's no way to know for certain, Gervais expects the event will draw a healthy-sized crowd.

"We're excited. It's just going to be a matter of people taking a chance for the first one and see what we have," Gervais said. "People have put a lot of work into it."

Logsdon said there are still plenty of opportunities to become either vendors or sponsors of the first event. Those who want more information can email firstfridaybucyrus@gmail.com or call 419-617-7667.

ztuggle@gannett.com
419-563-9225

Twitter: @zachtuggle