The first Friday of every month is an exciting day for downtown Mansfield, especially during the summer. The first Friday is an opportunity to explore what downtown Mansfield has to offer. Many local businesses have special events. The festivities start in the early morning and continue throughout the day and into the late hours of the night.
Every Friday from May 31 to September 6, the Carrousel Farmer’s Market takes place in front of the Richland Carrousel on Fourth Street. Fresh produce and locally made food are available to local shoppers. The market is open from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Just down Main Street from the farmer’s market, shoppers can stop by the Brown Bag Concert Series. The concert series takes place from noon to 1 p.m. with artists like Jeff Bell and variety of other musical acts taking the stage.
Events continue into the evening with the First Friday Shop Hop. The shop hop is a chance to explore some of the Carrousel District’s independent businesses. Many of the businesses in the district have extended hours and special events.
Local art shop Element of the Arts displays the work of local artists with developmental disabilities.
City News offers one, two, or a combination of two popular pastimes. The shop offers a large selection of newspapers, magazines and cigars.
Across the street, What Goes Around is a thrift store that offers a variety of gently used items. Shoppers can take the items to the register knowing that the proceeds of that purchase go to benefit Hospice of North East Ohio.
Independent bookstore Main Street Books holds a Poetry and Prose Extravaganza at 8 p.m. The event is an opportunity for local writers to share their work with other writers and spectators.
Several restaurants are located within the Carrousel District. RELAX, It’s Just Coffee is a cafe with an interest in community development. The coffee shop hosts live shows for local performing artists and has a program in place to help support local non-profit organizations.
For dining experiences, there is no shortage of places to visit. Visitors to the downtown can swing by the Coney Island Diner on South Main. They can also sit down or pickup something from Two Cousin’s Pizza, which sits just across the road. For further dining and perhaps something to drink, Martini’s on Main also offers a selection of wood-fired pizza, beer and cocktails. Further tastes and variety is offered through any one of the thirteen different listings on the Downtown Mansfield website.
There are many places to discover in downtown Mansfield and the first Friday offers many opportunities to explore the community. With events going on from morning to night, there will be an opportunity at every hour for everyone to see what Downtown Mansfield has to offer.
For details on the events of the upcoming first Friday, go to www.downtownmansfield.com or on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/downtownmansfield. The Facebook page includes links to the Facebook pages of local businesses and upcoming events.