Downtown South Bend's First Fridays on June 1 Celebrates All Things Sustainable
May 29, 2012 — Downtown South Bend is celebrating all things sustainable during First Fridays on June 1 from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Green Spaces promises an evening filled with activities, demonstrations, music and more.
An ordinary parking space on Michigan Street south of Jefferson will be transformed into a magical green space for the evening compliments of Jonathon Geels and Unity Gardens. The lush green space will be complete with park benches, sod, plants and trees. Creating a green space in the most unexpected locations brings awareness and conversation that would not take place otherwise.
The South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society will be outside the South Bend Chocolate Café, 122 S. Michigan Street, with an interactive activity to raise awareness of birding issues and conservatory concerns. All ages are welcome to participate.
Those that live in an older home will be interested in the window restoration demonstration taking place outside the State Theater. Historic Preservation Specialist Steve Szaday will lead the demonstration showing how to restore historic windows instead of replacing them.
Just south of the State Theater at 216 S. Michigan Street, artist Jan Dean will be in action creating a polystyrene and light sculpture. The completed sculpture will remain for the coming month in the window for all to admire. She will also accept donations of clean, white, unbroken foam for creation of her next polystyrene sculpture (no peanuts, please). This is an excellent opportunity to recycle electronics foam.
Purple Porch Co-op producers will be located between CircaArts Gallery and Inspire Me! in the green space on Colfax Avenue near Hill Street. Stop by for strawberry gelato and an opportunity to purchase produce direct from the growers. Next door, Junk Evolution will celebrate the land of “Aloha”! The store will be transformed with repurposed home décor items that look like they came right off the big island.
Also across the river at Just Goods, 714 E. Jefferson, there will be a cloth diapering demonstration by Ecological Babies. New moms and dads (or those thinking about becoming a mom or dad) are invited to learn best practices and how beneficial cloth diapers are.
All are encouraged to run, bike or walk to downtown in celebration of Green Spaces. Sunburst Races activities will be taking place at the College Football Hall of Fame Gridiron. The Sunburst Friday Night Family Walk steps off at 6:00 p.m. Presented by HealthWorks! Kids’ Museum, this walk takes participants of all ages along the beautiful East Race with plenty of fun, entertainment and refreshments along the way. Cost is $7 to participate. Register by May 30 at www.sunburstraces.org and get a Family Walk t-shirt.
New First Fridays participant, The Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 900 W. Western Avenue, will host multiple green activities. Complimentary tours of their LEED certified building led by architect Bill Barnard will take place at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tour-goers will also learn how to save energy in their own home. The Kroc Café will serve up special green drinks and desserts while RJ the Kroc will show kids how easy it is to be green while they play in the lush green space. These events are open to the public. At 7:00 p.m. local performer Angelica Williams and the Dream Team under the musical direction of Floyd Thomas present “A Tribute to Whitney Houston, and Other Legends”. Special guest appearances include Will Cole and Daryl Buchanan. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 in advance at Trio’s Jazz Club, 129 N. Michigan St.
Yoga on the Green with Kim Teska returns to Jon Hunt Plaza from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. All skill levels are invited to participate. Bring your own mat or rent one for $1. In the event of inclement weather, the event will be moved to 223 E. Colfax Avenue inside the East Bank Townhomes.
This month’s KeyBank Concert Series features the Unraveling String Band. Their eclectic musical offering takes listeners from the Beatles to bluegrass, with many wandering stops in between. The band guarantees everyone will be singing along as they cover favorites and mix in originals. The free concert takes place at KeyBank Plaza from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held at CJ’s Pub, 236 S. Michigan Street, which will remain smoke free until 9:00 p.m. should the concert be held indoors. You must be 18 years of age or older to enter CJ’s Pub.
Stop by one First Fridays Friend Posts for a complimentary seed packet (while supplies last). Friend posts can be found from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. at DoubleTree by Hilton, Key Bank Plaza (will be moved inside the South Bend Chocolate Café in the event of inclement weather), Green Space on Colfax Ave. near Hill St., and the St. Joseph County Public Library Friends of the Library Book Sale building.
Free TRANSPO trolley rides will get you from the east to the west side of the river and back again. The trolley stops approximately every 15 minutes at marked locations.
Warm summer evenings mark the return of the First Fridays Classic Car Cruise-In. Cruise down Michigan Street between Wayne and Western to admire the beauties on display. All classic car owners are invited to cruise-in from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
For a complete listing of June 1 activities, times and locations visit www.dtsbFirstFridays.com or call Downtown South Bend, Inc. at 574.282.1110.
First Fridays Downtown South Bend features over 40 participating businesses and takes place from
5:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the first Friday of every month throughout the year. Participating businesses remain open or host special events such as live music, demonstrations, celebrations, receptions and special offerings. Most events are free or at a reduced rate. Upcoming First Fridays dates are July 6, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 7, 2012.
CONTACT:
Julie Curtis, Director of Marketing
Downtown South Bend, Inc.
217 S. Michigan Street
South Bend, IN 46601
P: 574.282.1110
F: 574.233.7382
E: jcurtis@downtownsouthbend.com
W: DowntownSouthBend.com
