First Friday, Chili Cookoff Starts Busy Week for Gadsden

(Gadsden, AL - February 4, 2010) Downtown Gadsden is getting ready for a busy week starting with tomorrow evening's return of First Friday.

FIRST FRIDAY
Downtown Gadsden's shopping celebration, First Friday will feature much of the same fare: classic cars, great food and superb music combined with extended hours for many of the merchants in the Downtown district.

DGI Director Kay Moore says the monthly downtown shopping celebration begins its fifth year this Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Live music and entertainment will feature Dreamcatchers and the Dixie Divas who will be performing a "L.O.V.E Tribute" for the Valentines month. Damascus Road will also be performing on Broad Street.

Several merchants will be hosting special events, as well. Gadsden Christian Bookstore will present local musician Ricky Wright outside their store at the corner of Broad and 5th Street. Just down the street from the bookstore, Hick's Family Shoes will present Gadsden saxaphonist Kevin Moore.

Blackstone Pub and Eatery will feature the Blackstone Band after First Friday at 9:15 p.m.

Food vendors Friday will include  freshly squeezed lemonade and homemade fried pies, caramel apples, hot coffee and hot apple cider from The Perfect Pucker; pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ nachos, and "award winning" sweet tea from Dale's Barbecue; crawfish gisque, jambalaya and white chocolate bread pudding from Mater's Pizza. Courtyard Cafe, Jefferson's, Connie's Coneys, Lookout Mountain Kettle Corn, The Rib House, Bothwell's Barbeque and the Coosa Kitchen will also be selling great food during First Friday.

The Mary G Hardin Center for Cultural Arts will feature their monthly arts and crafts bazaar on the first floor of the center located at the corner of 5th and Broad.

The Gadsden Museum of Art and History will hold their grand opening festivities for this month's Black History Month exhibitions, Tuskegee Airmen and Alabama's African American Artists. Also on schedule for the GMA Friday is a Mardi Gras celebration.

CHILI COOKOFF
The third annual Downtown Gadsden Chili Cookoff will be held Saturday. Cooking teams will begin setting up and cooking in the 500 block of Broad Street. Teams will compete for numerous prizes, including a secret panel judged Grand Prize, a "crowd favorite," best booth decorations, and others. The chili tasting will begin at noon, and tickets are $1 per taste and can be purchased at the event.

TOURISM VISIT
And the activity continues next week in Gadsden, as a group of tourism professionals visit Etowah County for an annual conference next week. Downtown Gadsden merchants are being asked to open their stores for extended hours one of the nights the group will in town. Alabama Tourism officials will meet with DGI's Kay Moore, Gadsden Parks and Recreation Director Kerry Payne, Etowah County Tourism Board Director Hugh Stump, III and others to learn more about Gadsden and Etowah County's tourist attractions.