First Friday kicks off this week

With an April whose weather played out more like early March, it appears to have been a fortuitous decision for the folks at Main Street Greencastle to have delayed the start of the First Friday.

But now it’s May, and the inaugural First Friday of the 2023 season is set for this Friday, May 5.

Sponsored by Prime Real Estate, the event will feature an inflatable slide and face painting near the sponsor’s office on East Franklin Street.

Of course, one of the main draws of the evening, which kicks off around 5 on Greencastle’s Courthouse Square and surround streets, is the bands, with the Big Fun Band playing the courthouse stage on Franklin Street and Danny Martin and the Danocasters on the South Indiana Street stage.

As always, a number of food vendors will be on hand, offering a variety of foods from brick-and-mortar establishments in the area to food trucks to vendors in various booths.

Then there’s also the rest of what downtown Greencastle has to offer.

“One thing that I really want to emphasize is that First Friday is a celebration of community and music and food and fun,” new Main Street Director Russell Harvey said. “But we also have a lot of great markets and boutiques around the square, and I really hope that people will take time to check out those businesses and some of the businesses that are just off the square.

“We want people to come and celebrate and enjoy community, but also make sure they take a few minutes to step inside the businesses and check out all the good things we have to offer here in Greencastle.”

Crown Equipment is the main sponsor of the 2023 season of First Friday. Crown will have three of its fork trucks as well as its WAV picker on display.

Harvey is ready for the season, and grateful for the support he’s received since taking over the helm of the organization.

“This is my first event as the new director of Main Street, and I’m just really excited,” Harvey said. “It’s been a lot of hard work, but there are a lot of people who have been helping. The Main Street board has been very supportive and all the vendors.”

He gave a special thanks to his predecessor.

“I want to give thanks to Mike Richmond, who has been there to answer questions and be a support,” Harvey said. “I think Mike has done a great job with the program and the organization, and hopefully the organization can continue to grow.”

Thinking of a spring whose weather has been iffy at best, Harvey is hopeful for clearer skies come Friday.

“It’s been a long winter, and weather has been kind of finicky, so we want everybody to offer up thoughts and prayers for good weather,” he said. “I think it’s also great that it’s kind of kicking off that season and everybody’s getting that spring itch. I hope everyone will come out and have a great time, and we just all can get out and celebrate community.”