ADRIAN — A downtown tailgate, games of mini golf and the final car show of the year are some of the things that can be experienced on a fall evening Friday, Oct. 4 throughout Adrian.

Adrian First Fridays is switching gears to the fall season for October’s event — “Downtown Tailgate” —  beginning at 5 p.m. Oct. 4 along the streets of downtown Adrian.

“Mark your calendars and join us for a night of autumn magic and community spirit,” Adrian First Fridays said in a social media post on its Facebook page.

First Fridays will include mini golf challenges, dining options from local food trucks and the opportunity to climb to new heights by taking on a 25-feet rock climbing wall.

Live musical entertainment will be provided by Mojo and the Outlaw.

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“Stroll through the street market featuring dozens of vendors, and don’t miss the chance to explore open downtown shops for all your seasonal shopping needs,” Adrian First Fridays said. “… A special shoutout to our amazing sponsors, Hungry Howie’s and Tessa Decker from Howard Hanna, for making this event possible.”

As with most First Fridays, entertainment is available at no cost, and downtown shops/businesses will be offering specials, deals and discounts to correlate with the event.

Here are some of the businesses to check out while in downtown Adrian:

• Adrian Moose Lodge and Family Center, 111 S. Main St.
• American Veterans (AMVETS) Randy P. Hill Post 1957, 122 N. Main St.
• Chaloner’s Cigar House, 108 W. Maumee St.
• Gallery of Shops, 136 E. Maumee St.
• Hang Loose Boutique & Hair Salon, 136 E. Maumee St., inside the Gallery of Shops.
• Bella Blush Salon and Spa, 136 E. Maumee St., inside the Gallery of Shops.
• Downtown Dempsey’s, 136 E. Maumee St., inside the Gallery of Shops.
• Ghidrah’s Mystic She Ways, 120 E. Maumee St.
• Mammoth Distilling, 108 E. Maumee St.
• Musgrove + Company, 110 W. Maumee St.
• Nutrition 365, 110 N. Main St.
• Passion 4 Fashion Boutique, 143 N. Main St.
• Pat Cooper Studios, located in the Joe Ann Steele Financial Center, 130 N. Main St.
• Pearls & Patina, 209 N. Main St.
• Rusty Roots LLC, 109 N. Main St.
• SASS Gift Shop, 114 E. Maumee St.
• Stitched Consignment Shop, 209 N. Main St.
• The Blue Finch, LLC, 112 N. Main St.
• The Brick Wall Pub & Grub, 114 W. Maumee St.
• Farver’s at the Croswell, 129 E. Maumee St.
• The Marks Trading Company, 142 N. Main St.

For event updates and other information, follow Adrian First Fridays on Facebook.

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Even more fun scheduled at fairgrounds’ last car show

The first Friday of October also brings with it the conclusion of Adrian’s spring/summer car show season.

Since June, car shows that were once part of the First Fridays summer lineup of events in the city have found a new home at the Lenawee County Fair & Events Grounds.

In February, Adrian’s Main Street/DDA committee, in preparations for the 2024 outdoor First Fridays events, announced some noticeable changes to the monthly summer and fall lineup, including scaling back on the number of car shows downtown.

From July 2024:Summer car shows in Adrian finding a new home at Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds

Decisions to change this year’s outdoor event lineup for First Fridays were made based on input from community members during the events, stakeholder feedback and event attendance data, Downtown Adrian said.

Car show hours have varied from 5 to 8 p.m. or 5 to 10 p.m.

“This Friday will be the last car show of the season. We have lots of things going on,” organizer Dave Spencley told The Daily Telegram.

Several cars, including hearses, will be getting into the spirit of the season and offering trunk or treats for the younger car show guests. There also will be bounce houses, Hot Wheel races, coloring contests and more free candy for the kiddos.

Jaded Soul will provide the live music and entertainment. The Lenawee County Fair & Event Grounds are in east Adrian at 602 N. Dean St.

“We expect lots of classic cars, hot rods, muscle cars, several food trucks and merchant vendors,” Spencley said.

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at [email protected] or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.