The first Friday of each month is about to get a lot more fun.
Discover Lansdale’s First Fridays, already the go-to celebration for families and friends from May through December, are making several significant changes to take the enjoyment further and make it last longer.
The First Friday Coordinating Committee and sponsor Discover Lansdale have announced these tweaks and improvements for the 2019 season:
- The start time is pushed back one-half hour to 6:30 p.m., and wrap-up is at 9:30.
- A monthly photo scavenger hunt will challenge folks to find items and win prizes.
- A season-long passport program will encourage repeat visitors.
- A fourth primary location—the courtyard at the new Madison Station complex, when ready—will be added to the current three centers of activity: Madison Street, Susquehanna from Main to Courtland, and South Wood Street to Courtland.
- The pop-up beer garden at the Susquehanna lot will be bolstered with seating and tables, games and expanded food options.
- And the After Dark concept, which ties in special offers around town once the event ends, is being extended.
"We’re really looking to build on our success from last year, while also taking into consideration the feedback and suggestions we’ve received from the public," said Keith Heffintrayer, chairman of the First Friday Committee
(and also the editor of North Penn Now).
The biggest change—the start and finish pushed back a half-hour—came after organizers observed that people were arriving and staying later. "That meant our volunteers, vendors and entertainment were wasting the early portion, and were breaking things down while the party was still going strong," said Heffintrayer.
He believes that the shift will benefit everyone, especially "families (with) children, as the extra half-hour means they won't have to rush home from work and head right out."
Just as last year, South Wood Street will feature food, vendors, activities and the main music stage; Susquehanna will host theme-specific activities as well as the beefed-up beer garden (remember that alcoholic beverages can't be taken beyond the marked barricades); and Madison Street—with the adjacent Railroad Plaza—will offer DJ Chris Evans, contests, special theme-specific activities and serve as the season-long location of the Kids Zone.
And as for the long-awaited Madison Station, which is set to start renting apartments by summer: "We haven’t gotten too far in how we’d like to use this space," says Heffintrayer. "But the property manager, Holly Henning, has been incredibly enthusiastic about First Fridays, so I’m sure we’ll be able to expand in interesting ways."
Meanwhile, the monthly themes have been nearly completely revamped, with the only holdovers being Fall Harvest and the wildly popular Zombie Walk. On the calendar this year:
- May 3: Comic Zone. A miniature Lansdale Comic-Con with its own cosplay contest.
- June 7: International Food Fest. Offerings from businesses throughout the borough, plus area food trucks and vendors.
- July 5: Wet and Wild. A water theme with attractions and activities designed to beat summer's heat.
- Aug. 2: Steampunk Adventures. A party, with costumes and displays, based on the sci-fi genre blending modern technology with 19th-century industrial motifs.
- Sept. 6: Arts and Music Festival. Multiple stages, bands, street performers and art.
- Oct. 4: Fall Harvest. The annual Chili Cookoff, the return of the scarecrow decorating contest, a petting zoo and more.
- Nov. 1: Lansdale Zombie Walk. After a disappointing weather-cancellation last year, the undead return to Lansdale in 2019–and they’re even hungrier.
- Dec. 6: Tree Lighting and Holiday Market. Santa returns to to light the tree, and Discover Lansdale hosts a holiday market.
Heffintrayer describes the new season lineup as "a
very eclectic mix of themes and activities. We want each event to be memorable and unique, while providing staple features for those who don't want to participate in the theme of the month."
The goal? "To provide a free and fun experience for our residents, that is also strong enough to bring in others from out of town," he says. "It’s a showcase of Lansdale, our town, our community and everything we have to offer."
(Editor's note: Bruce Schwartz also serves as a board member for Discover Lansdale. Additionally, Keith Heffintrayer, the editor of North Penn Now, also volunteers to serve as the chairman of the First Friday Committee)
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