By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Main Street Warsaw Events Coordinator Mackenzie Parker says Third Friday events in downtown Warsaw are about “good food (and) good music,” among other things.

The first Third Friday of the year is set for 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 19.

The theme for the event is encouraging downtown activity, said Parker.

“Businesses have been invited to participate with either having a sidewalk sale or sidewalk activity, so bring your walking shoes because we want you to experience all of downtown,” she said.

Other vendors and food trucks will also be set up, with at least seven musicians performing in front of area businesses.

“That way it brings people to (the businesses),” Parker explained of the latter.

Edgewood Middle School’s GoBabyGo! program will also be at Third Friday from 5-6:30 p.m. Through it, children with special needs get small Jeeps built by Edgewood students.

People may view the Jeeps and see the kids drive them.

Those who can’t make it to downtown Warsaw on April 19 may enjoy one of MSW’s other Third Fridays this year.

May’s Third Friday is from 5-10 p.m. May 17, as it occurs in conjunction with the first day of Kosciusko County Velo Cycling Club’s Fat & Skinny Tire Fest.

Parker said people may listen to a band, grab dinner from food trucks and shop from vendors in addition to experiencing Fat & Skinny Tire Fest’s activities.

The festival’s events that night include the opening ceremony in Winona Lake at 6 p.m., followed by the BMX show at 7 p.m. in downtown Warsaw and three races in Zimmer Biomet’s Downtown Criterium at 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

June, July and August’s Third Fridays will be from 4-7 p.m. June 21, July 19, and Aug. 16. Parker said MSW is coordinating with the Warsaw Parks and Recreation Department’s large rock and country concerts at Central Park on the June and July dates and a smaller one on the August date.

August’s Third Friday will also include the Kosciusko Board of Realtors’ car show.

Taste of Kosciusko will return for September’s Third Friday, which will be from 5-8 p.m. Sept. 20. During it, people may pay a fee to try food and drink from area eateries.

Other MSW events are Spooktacular, with trick-or-treating at downtown businesses on Friday, Oct. 25; and the Christmas celebration on Friday, Dec. 6.

For the second event, there will be “the Twinkle Light parade, carriage rides, our Christmas market and Mr. and Mrs. Claus,” said Parker.

She said the Christmas event should be the same day as the parks and recreation department’s Light Up the Night at Central Park unless weather changes things.

“We just want to provide something each month where families or couples or individuals can come out and look forward to (it),” said Parker of MSW events. “Once they’re there for fun activities, good food, good music, they also get to see how vibrant downtown Warsaw is and all of the businesses that make it so special.”

She said businesses, nonprofits or individuals may sign up to be vendors at the events by reaching out through mainstreetwarsaw.org, with information under Third Friday on the Events tab.