First Fridays in downtown Marietta are snippets of the best our community has to offer: small businesses, strong nonprofits, unique restaurants, night life, arts & culture, outdoor recreation, history, adventure, and more. Perhaps the most significant characteristic of First Friday events in Marietta is how they bring the community together – every single month, anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 people venture into the heart of our community to meet, chat, and enjoy.

So, have you been to a First Friday yet? We’re lucky to live in a place where there’s always lots to do on the weekends, but if you need a little extra push to hang out in downtown Marietta, here are 10 easy reasons why First Fridays are the place to be.

1: Each First Friday has a fun theme

Like Downtown Cake Walk, Fire & Ice Night, Wine & Chocolate Walk, and Downtown Mini Golf.

2: First Fridays are perfect for shopping local

With downtown shops open late until 9 p.m., that perfect necklace and top you saw in the window is ready and waiting for a new home.

3: The ideal date night is a First Friday

Who doesn’t love dinner and a show, a stroll through a beautiful, historic town, a late night drink, and some dessert to top it all off? Our downtown has it all!

4: Your inner foodie can come to life

Local restaurants serve up specials each month, many featuring local ingredients with unique flare. Whether you’re a pizza lover, burger aficionado, or looking for the finest dining this side of the Ohio River, our downtown restaurants offer a wide-variety of options.

5: Make a new friend or two or three 

With about 2,000 people adventuring through downtown each First Friday, it’s easy to bump into someone new and strike up a conversation. Did you just see a stranger falling in love with the same piece of art you just did? Say hello to your new best friend!

6: You get to have fun and support a local nonprofit at the same time 

First Fridays are coordinated and hosted by Marietta Main Street, a local nonprofit organization. Each person who joins us on a First Friday helps us meet our mission to revitalize downtown!

7: You’ll never miss a birthday again 

Or an anniversary, holiday, work party, etc. With monthly opportunities to shop late night downtown, creating a list of gifts to purchase for friends and family alike just got a lot easier.

8: Adventure is always out there 

There’s no way you’ve seen around every corner, visited each shelf inside every shop, or counted each ghost ad hidden on the historic brick walls of our downtown buildings. First Fridays are the perfect excuse to explore our downtown community.

9: We’ve hit the big time in Marietta 

Have you heard? With venues like Peoples Bank Theatre and The Adelphia Music Hall always bringing in big names with big draws, make sure you’re first in line to get tickets to their shows.

10: Try something new

With over 35 different shops and 22 restaurants downtown, including a different theme each month for First Friday, there’s no way downtown Marietta could ever be boring. There’s always something new to do, see, try, and explore!

Check out the full calendar of First Friday themes in 2018 by visiting www.mariettamainstreet.org.
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