There will be outdoor music again this summer in downtown Crawfordsville.
Local and regional acts are on tap for the new season of Crawfordsville Main Street’s Lunch on the Plaza and First Friday concert series, which kick off in June.
The artists were ready to perform last year until the coronavirus pandemic forced Main Street to cancel the First Friday lineup and scale down the lunch events.
Organizers decided to move forward with this year’s schedule amid increased vaccination rates, lower COVID-19 case numbers and relaxed guidelines, said Main Street program manager Sue Lucas.
The lunchtime schedule at Marie Canine Plaza includes musicians Rick DeSutter, Olivia Overpeck, Josie Beach and Maria C. Monsalve. The series is expanding to September again this year.
With coronavirus restrictions easing, downtown restaurants will return to the plaza to serve $8 meals. Barefoot Burger, Aki Les Voy Takeria, Maxine’s on Green and Backstep Brewing Co. are lined up to cater.
Monte Keller’s blues band kicks off the First Fridays lineup at Pike Place.
“We were pretty adamant that we wanted to have a local musician, even someone with ties to downtown, for our First First Friday,” said Lucas, noting Keller’s past performances at the Silver Dollar Bar, where Pike Place now stands.
Before the concert, a special guest, who has yet to be revealed, will perform and share about his journeys and the challenges of losing family members over the past year.
The rest of the First Fridays schedule includes jazz guitarist Michael Kelsey and Indianapolis-based Pavel and Direct Contact, which is likely the largest band to perform at a Main Street event, Lucas said.
Family activities get underway and food vendors begin serving an hour before the Pike Place concerts. Backstep Brewing Co. will also have a beer garden during the First Fridays events.
All concerts are free.
Lunch on the Plaza concerts run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. with rain dates the following Friday. This year’s full schedule includes:
• June 18 - Rick DeSutter, catered by Barefoot Burger
• July 16 - Olivia Overpeck, catered by Aki Les Voy Takeria
• Aug. 20 - Josie Beach, catered by Maxine’s on Green
• Sept. 17 - Maria C. Monsalve, catered by Backstep Brewing Co.
First Fridays concerts run from 7 to 9 p.m. and participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Here is the full lineup:
• June 4 - Monte Keller, with the special guest
• July 2 - Michael Kelsey
• Aug. 6 - Pavel and Direct Contact
