Adrian First Fridays for June celebrates cars, automobiles and bikes

ADRIAN – There are a host of attractions planned for Adrian’s Downtown First Fridays in June, taking place today.

“Hot Wheels” is the theme of this month’s event which will unofficially launch the summer. The Adrian Cruise-in Car Show, sponsored by Nova’s Soda Pop Candy Shop, returns for First Fridays, and the public is invited to show off their hot rods, classic cars, trucks, rat rods and motorcycles. Free registration begins at 4 p.m. People bringing their automobile to the auto show should enter downtown at the corner of East Church and North Main Streets. Cars will not be allowed after 5 p.m., according to an announcement, and all downtown streets will be closed for the first car show of the year.

The following downtown streets and parking lots will close at 2:30 p.m. today and reopen around 11 p.m.:

• East Maumee Street, from North Broad to North Winter streets.
• North Main Street, from East Church Streets to Toledo Streets.
• Washburn Street, a half-block closure to North Main Street.
• Toledo Street, a half-block closure to North Main Street.
• Toledo Street Pavilion Parking.

The Cruise-in Car Show is scheduled from the first Friday through October. It includes door prizes and this month there will be a hula hoop contest and Hot Wheels races.

Nova’s, which is also the title sponsor for the first Friday in June, will be open at 105 E. Church St., selling Faygo slushies, offering free popcorn and serving hot dogs with the Funky Dawgs food truck.

Continuing with the Hot Wheels and cars theme, there will be a parade of bikes, trikes and Hot Wheels for kids 6 and under. Children are encouraged to decorate their bikes, power wheels and Ferris wheels in style for a judging competition and a mini parade. Parade lineup begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Novelty Shoppe, 145 S. Main St., and the parade begins at 6:00 p.m. The parade route will depart from South Main Street turning right onto East Maumee Street and continuing to through the Hall of Shops corridor to the East Church Street car park. Prizes and gifts will be given to all participants.

Registration for the show can be done at www.GalleryofShopsAdrian.com or anywhere inside The Gallery of Shops. All participating children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and must be present to win their prizes.

The final part of automotive-themed First Fridays will be an outdoor screening of the 2006 animated film “Cars.” ‘Adrian, 143 E. Maumee St. People watching the film should bring lawn chairs, blankets, sleeping bags and other forms of seating with them.

Live music will also be prevalent throughout First Fridays. A list of musicians and bands and when and where they will perform is as follows:

• 6-8 p.m., The Metros Band with Gordy Sharpe, corner of South Main and East Church streets.
• 7-9 p.m., Jaded Soul Band, South Main and Toledo streets.
• 7:30 p.m., Noah Martis, performing at Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St.
• From 8 p.m. to midnight, karaoke at the Randy P. Hill American Veterans (AMVETS) Post No. 1957, 122 N. Main St. AMVETS will also be sponsoring a cornhole tournament along South Main Street.
• 9 p.m. Karaoke at Club 109, 109 S. Main St.
• DJ STE at The Brick Wall Pub & Grub, 114 W. Maumee St.
• 7-10 p.m. Vintage Vinyl Party at Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St.

The city also invites people to enjoy Adrian’s downtown social district – just look for the blue line painted all over downtown. Adults of legal drinking age can enjoy an alcoholic beverage inside the social district while strolling downtown.

The new Adrian City Market at the Pavilion, which is open weekly from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday through October 1, will also have market hours during the first Fridays at the Toledo Street Pavilion. Traders and food trucks will be present.

A ribbon-cutting and ribbon-cutting celebration for Adrian’s new downtown parklets will be offered along East and West Maumee Streets. This is outdoor seating placed in curbside parking spaces

Downtown Adrian businesses will also be getting in on the fun of First Fridays with deals and promotions. The following companies participate:

• The Phoenix Rising Wellness Center, 101 W. Maumee St., will offer herbal tea samples, $20 chair massages for 15 minutes, $10 auriculotherapy and $10 chakra vibration clearings.
• Pat Cooper Studios will exhibit and sell artwork as well as refreshments at 130 N. Main St.
• The Sass Gift Shop, 114 E. Maumee St., will offer 20% off Warmies, which are scented and microwaveable stuffed animals and toys; a specialty drink with any purchase; and the Lenawee Humane Society will sell catnip mice.
• Bohmey Beauty, 128 N. Main St., will have a free lemonade stand in front of the store and offer 20% off Bohmey Beauty products, body lotions and polishes.
• Free fudge samples and 10% off the total purchase price when customers present a receipt from another downtown business will be offered at the Buzz Cafe and Marketplace, 110 E. Maumee St.
• Tink & the Frog Yarn Shop, 117 N. Main St., will take 10% off knitting or crochet lessons, 40% off discontinued yarn, and 10% off the total purchase price when customers show a receipt from another downtown business.
• Local small businesses are invited to meet at Nutrition 365, 110 N. Main St. Fruit tea samples will be served.
• Mammoth Distilling will receive 20% off all cocktails and spirits as well as grab-and-go cocktails to enjoy in the social district.
• Hang Loose Boutique & Salon, 136 E. Maumee St., will have 40% off Vera Bradley products and 20% off handbags and all hair products.
• Club 109 will be offering drink specials and selling hot dogs for $1.50.
• XSell Realty, 129 S. Main St., will be offering refreshments as well as free gas card giveaways and consultations for buyers and sellers.
• The Wagley Group, 121 N. Main St., will allow guests to spin the wheel for various prizes and enter a draw for a new bike. Local Girl Scout chapters will be selling cookies and giving away free lemonade.
• Special seasonal cocktails will be served at Farver’s at the Croswell.
• A Swiss steak dinner will be served from 4-7 p.m. at the Adrian Moose Family Center and Lodge No. 1034, 111 S. Main St. Root beer floats, a First Friday special, will also be served.
• An End of School Year Celebration and Pride Month Celebration will be held at Hilltop Counseling, 115 W. Maumee St. Refreshments will also be available.
• Friends of Adrian’s District Library will sell paperbacks for 50 cents and have oversized family games in the library’s front seating area.
• Chaloner & Co., 108 W. Maumee St., will have 20% off all Xlkar products. Customers who purchase three cigars will receive a selected cigar free of charge. Chaloner’s Cigar House will be offering $8 summer sangrias.