Downtown for the Holidays
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December 6, 2024
5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
2023 info appears below. 2024 info coming soon!
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Downtown South Bend will be kicking off their month-long series of holiday programming this First Fridays - "Downtown for the Holidays!"
8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
About
The holiday season kicks off this First Fridays where we will be celebrating "Downtown for the Holidays!" Many of our downtown businesses will be having special holiday events to get you in a festive spirit!
NOTE - due to projected rain, we are moving our outdoor First Fridays activities to Saturday, December 2, including our Tree Lighting Ceremony with Santa's grand arrival to downtown, performances, giveaways, fireworks, and more!
We encourage you to come downtown both days - for our inside holiday activities and promotions Friday and our outside events Saturday.
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First Fridays highlights include SBMA Holiday in the Gallery, Cirque Dreams Holidaze at the Morris, Hibberd for the Holidays, live music at multiple locations such as Fiddler's Hearth, Merrimans' Playhouse, Chicory Cafe, Ironhand Wine Bar, plus the Gingerbread Village opening at the Courtyard, ornament decorating at Chicory Cafe, and much more!
You'll find a variety of First Fridays activities and promotions all around downtown. Check out all the details below.
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This First Fridays is just the start of a month-long celebration of the holidays in downtown South Bend. For full holiday details, click here.
FREE PARKING
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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
Tree Lighting Ceremony presented by Indiana Michigan Power
The Gridiron
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
This year's Tree Lighting Ceremony will feature live music by Joe Baughman + The Righteous Few, performances by Southold Dance Theater, IU South Bend Kickline, Luke and Jake, and South Bend Civic Theatre, plus a holiday photo op, roving mascots, the ND Jump Rope Club, a Santa letter station, giveaways, and more!
There will be food and retail vendors plus the Courtyard by Marriott will have hot beverages for sale with a cash bar as well. ​Be sure to check out the Gingerbread Village Display in the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott!
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Santa will make his grand entrance to downtown a little after 6:00 p.m. for the lighting of the Gridiron Tree. Santa’s House will then officially open for visitors at approximately 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
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Tree Lighting Schedule
5:00 p.m. - Holiday Music by Joe Baughman + The Righteous Few
5:30 p.m. - Interactive Holiday Songs
5:40 p.m. - Southold Dance Theater
5:50 p.m. – South Bend Civic Theatre
6:00 p.m. - Luke and Jake
6:10 p.m. - IU South Bend Kickline
6:20 p.m. - Santa's Arrival followed by Tree Lighting & Fireworks
6:30 p.m. - ND Jump Rope Club double dutch with kids until 7:30 p.m., and more Holiday Music by Joe Baughman + The Righteous Few until 8:00 p.m.​
121 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Dec. 6- Dec. 24
Check out this year’s Gingerbread Village Competition entries in the lobby of the Courtyard by Marriott and vote for your favorite.
SBMA Holiday in the Gallery
120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
It’s the season to gather and share joy. Holiday in the Gallery invites you to humm in the season's excitement. It is FREE to the public with the generous sponsorship of the Art League.
The evening features their Holiday Art Market, the opening of their Student Faculty Exhibition, a community quilt activity, music from Fischoff Academy, food & bar in their five vibrant galleries and upstairs studios.
The Holiday Art Market is made up of their very own students, faculty, and local arts community, sprawling between the galleries and upstairs studios. Grab handmade gifts and support local artists!
SBMA is excited to kick off the December festivities with you!
Visits with Santa
Gridiron
6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Santa's House will open up for visitors directly following the fireworks show, at approximately 6:30 p.m. Bring your camera for free photos with Santa in his red house by the South Bend Chocolate Cafe.
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Santa visits are completely free with no reservations required! Santa visits are presented by Indiana Michigan Power.
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Here is the full Santa schedule:
Friday, December 6 | 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturdays, December 7, 14, 21 | 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sundays, December 8, 15, 22 | 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, December 13 | 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (1-hour break for Holiday Light Parade)
Friday, December 20| 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Monday, December 23 | 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 24 | 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Gridiron
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
We will have several organizations and vendors at the Gridiron this First Fridays:
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Burrito Mafia
Froggies Concession & Inflatables
Ko-s port-a-pit
Renewal by Anderson
SJCPL
Sea Moss for Life
Sim bros golf
Temet Jewelry
University of Michigan Club of Michiana
Notre Dame College of Science's 4th Annual Christmas Lecture
120 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
6:30 p.m.
The University of Notre Dame's College of Science will be holding their 4th Annual Christmas Lecture at the Century Center this First Fridays. This marks the first time the Christmas Lecture is presented outside the Notre Dame campus. The event is free and open to the public.
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Dr. Michelle Thaller, former assistant director for science communication at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, will unveil how we can use infrared energy to see “hidden light” of the universe!
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Her talk will be accompanied by free specialty cookies, a hot chocolate bar, and will be followed by a Q+A between her and Kate Biberdorf, aka Kate the Chemist, who gave the 2023 Christmas Lecture. Guests will want to stay for the entire event, because there’s a special surprise at the end!
111 N. Main St.
9:00 p.m.
In case you didn't hear, The Drop Comedy Club is located in the Aloft Hotel and features amazing comedy shows every Friday and Saturday night! This First Fridays they will have headliner Ed Towns featuring Brandon Kieffer. DTSB will be featuring a contest on their Facebook page for a pair of free tickets to the Friday night show.
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.
105 E. Jefferson Blvd.
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy a fabulous seafood meal for two at Chicory this Friday! Each dinner will include:
• Snow Crab, 1 lb.
• Gulf Shrimp
• Andouille Sausage
• Corn on the Cob
• Seasoned Potatoes
• Garlic Butter
• Crab Shell Cracker Tool
Cost is just $59.99 per order. Preorder required by 10:00 a.m. Friday.
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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 the cafe at 574-234-1141 and ask to preorder the Crab and Shrimp Feast or by this link.
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.
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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
