by Bailey White
Staff Writer
Set aside the first Friday of each month because Friday Fest is returning to Hemming Plaza. Starting May 2, the event returns with a concert by the band Mr. Natural.
“It’s a way for people to ease into the weekend,” said Wendy Raymond Hacker, public relations coordinator for the City’s Special Events Department. “If you work downtown, you can stay here and network and meet with people, and if you work elsewhere, it’s a good way to experience downtown.”
Each Friday Fest will feature a different live act that will perform from 5-8 p.m. The concert is free, and there will be food and drink vendors on hand for anyone who might want to dine outdoors.
Friday Fest was originally conceived by the Downtown Council of the Chamber of Commerce in 2000 and was first sponsored by the City and Downtown Vision, Inc. The first concerts were in the fall and winter of that year, and in 2001, DVI took it over for the spring.
“Then there was a fall series called Downtown Live on Thursdays that wasn’t as successful,” said Amy Crockett of DVI. “So we moved it back to Fridays in 2002 and it ran for seven months.”
Friday Fest is now in the hands of the Special Events Department and Hacker said it will be a year-round event.
“People can keep up with the schedule on the City of Jacksonville website,” said Hacker.
July is an exception, as the first Friday of that month is July 4. Otherwise, the free concerts are scheduled from 5-8 p.m. at Hemming Plaza on the first Friday of each month.