Gadsden’s First Friday a story of comeback, resurgence, revitalization Story and photos by Katie Bohannon Entertainment
Crowds of friends and family Performing in the streets
Car show participants
After months of cancellation and anticipation, one of the Southeast’s select street parties resurged in The City of Champions – with the free event’s June debut proving bigger and better than ever. The return of downtown’s beloved First Friday restores a pre-pandemic feeling of fellowship for locals and tourists alike. Meander through downtown at the dawn of each month, and Gadsden will greet you with something special. When First Friday blocks off Broad Street, downtown comes alive. Eye-catching antique automobiles, with vibrant colors and bold styles, beckon admirers to weave into the 1950s and out of the 80s with a simple stroll. Eager listeners cluster, tapping their feet where bands perform on street corners, inhaling the sweet aroma of powdered sugar from food vendors or savory scents of freshly cooked meals floating from favorite restaurants. Children pull apart funnel cakes with sticky fingers, trailing behind parents pushing strollers, waving at familiar faces sitting outside storefronts. Boutiques swell with customers browsing unique merchandise, making note of their next visit. Reflections of laughing friends pass in shop windows as artists gather in the museum, while families reconnect with neighbors and jovial 30
store owners welcome guests by name. Though First Friday prompts people to reminisce about Gadsden’s “good old days,” its paramount success serves as a reminder that good is far from gone. COVID-19 brought First Friday to an unprecedented halt in March of 2020, the hiatus proving wise in its mission of maintaining the health and safety of in- and out-of-town residents. As First Friday celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2021, Gadsden celebrates the event’s influence on the city, recalling the spark that ignited tradition.
In the beginning First Friday began in January of 2006, when East Gadsden native Sylvia Smith cultivated a blueprint to attract visitors to downtown Gadsden to shop and dine. Smith, who owned and operated The Stone Market on Court Street, mirrored Gadsden’s First Friday from a concept her daughter discovered while living in Augusta, Ga. In downtown Augusta, Smith’s daughter joined crowds of friends and families with their children, visiting art galleries and
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