SPECIAL FIRST FRIDAY EDITION | WEDNESDAY, NOV. 3, 2021

Arcadia Theater meet-and-greet among activities set for November First Friday

November’s First Friday event is coming, and the theme for this month’s event is Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.

First Friday hours vary from business to business, and this month’s celebration features several new participants.

There will be two open-house receptions on First Friday evening where the public can learn about major downtown projects:

Arcadia Theater  –  ‘Meet and Greet Event’ from 5-6:30 p.m. The Turner Behringer Real Estate development team will be in front of the Arcadia Theater at 110 E Central Ave. with information about their exciting plans to restore the Arcadia Theater, the Hawn Hotel and the Sears Building.

Company representatives will be available to answer questions and they would also like to invite people to share their own personal memories of their experiences at these buildings that played such an important part in our community history.

KPA Engineering - KPA Engineers and Covey Planning + Landscape Architecture will hold a public reception in the lobby of KPA Engineers at 19 N Main Street. The lobby will be available to visitors and there will be information about several exciting Temple projects on display for viewing and discussion. They will also hand out cold beverages, KPA and Covey koozies, and sweet treats. 

Here’s a look at other First Friday events:

Sterle Fine Art Studio – Susan Sterle will open her fine art gallery to First Friday Shoppers from 5-8 p.m. The gallery is located at 8 N 9th Street. Also, they will have a sales table at the Fire Base Brewing block party event on S. 1st Street.

Fire Base Brewing – Join the Fire Base Brewing crew as they celebrate First Friday & Veterans Day in Downtown Temple at their regular monthly block party!  As usual, they'll have an axe throwing trailer on site and this month they’ll also have the ‘Lupita's Tacos’ food truck and live music by Wade Ralston. Also, as always, they’ll also offer several cool vendor booths and lots of ice-cold local beer that will have been brewed less than a hundred feet from the place you’ll drink it.

Temple Children’s Museum (TCM) will host a Kids Bicycle Safety Event at 11 N 4th Street. TCM and the Bell County Medical Alliance have joined forces to provide helmets for community children, to educate them about bike safety, and to show children the healthy impacts exercise can have on their lives. The event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. Bicycle helmets will be fitted and given away; and the museum’s newest exhibit, “Pedal Power,” will be open for families to see. Watch your heart rate pump up as you pedal!  Also, a puppeteer will also be on-site to teach lessons about bike safety.

2nd Street Emporium — Will be open for First Friday shopping from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and you’ll be able to browse for antiques, gifts, and collectibles while listening to the classy tunes of the band: ‘Funky Old Patina.’ 

T Town Energy & Nutrition - T Town and Boozzy Cakes are teaming up to offer fall-themed shakes, teas and cakes from 5-7 p.m.  Great people, great products! Avenue A across from the Poage Federal Building.

Our Town Temple —  The Temple-area’s go-to source for upbeat news will be roaming the downtown streets passing out train-shaped cookies made by Easy as Pie Bakery…Wooo!Wooo!

Mo’s Railyard Saloon —   Downtown Temple’s newest cocktail bar will offer $2 frozen margaritas throughout the evening at 8 W. Ave. B.

Twice Upon a Clothesline — Will be open for First Friday shopping from 6-8 p.m. and they’ll be holding a Thanksgiving Food Drive for Love of Christ Food Pantry. Shoppers who donate a canned food item and spend more than $20 in the store will receive $5 off their purchase price. Also, the first 10 people (18 or older) to arrive at the store on that evening will receive a $10 gift card that can be used on their next visit.

Kowboy Wine Bar – Will feature a live show by Britton Pyeatt.

O'Briens Irish Pub – The Pub and new downtown business, Weird Dough’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop will present several live acts: The Stillhouse Howlers, Midnight Tradesmen, Unmarked Grave, Robert Cramer and Marla Strange. The Pub will offer 20 percent off an appetizer when you mention First Friday, and there will be some “badass” coupons available for all attendees.

Treno Pizzeria & Taproom - Will offer happy-hour prices and live music; and as always, Treno’s pizza chefs will be baking up tasty fresh hot pizza pies.

The Hub – All Hub shoppers will enjoy First Friday refreshments including free beer & wine.

Vendors Around Town - ‘Artist 2 Artist Showcase’ will stage an art show and vendor sale at the Main Street Courtyard at 5 S. Main Street. This month they will feature art and craft that is about the experience of veterans or created by veterans.

Artist Noel Johnson – Will hold an art sale on the sidewalk next door to O’Briens Irish Pub.

Academie Musique of Central Texas –  Keep an eye out for Academie Musique’s ‘Virtuoso Violins’ ensemble. They will be performing at several locations around downtown.

BJ’s Brewery and Tasting Room – Will have Papa G’s food truck on-site and lots of cold craft brews on tap for First Friday guests.

Bird Creek Burger Co -  Bird Creek will offer half-priced appetizers (excluding chili) and happy hour all day. They will also feature ‘The Gobbler,’ their Thanksgiving dinner burger, and delicious Pumpkin Snaps (a mason jar pumpkin pie layered with a gingersnap cookie crust) – YUM !

Green Door –  Will offer 20 percent off an appetizer when you mention First Friday and will put on a live piano show by Russell Boyd.

The Parlour Antiques & Oddities – Will remain open late, till 8 p.m. and they’ll offer free snacks & beverages. They’ll also have their prize wheel out that shoppers can spin for discounts, prizes, and deals, and everyone who makes a purchase of at least $35 will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a free ‘framed specimen.’

Mexiko Cafe –  Will hold a Veterans Day Weekend block party. They’ll close off the street and bring in vendor booths, a DJ, and of course, the restaurant will be serving up their great food and drinks!

Tour Temple & Corky’s Wine Bar – Corky’s will hold a karaoke night with DJ Bryan Houge, and Tour Temple will putting on one of its 4-hour Temple Brew Trail Tours.

Nami Japanese Steak & Sushi - Will offer First Friday specials on selected sushi rolls and appetizers.  

Cheeves Brothers Steak House – Will let you take your pick of half-off appetizers from 5-7 p.m. in their bar and lounge. They will also offer half-priced specials on selected beers, wines by the glass and call-level liquors

Precious Memories Florist & Gifts Shop – Downtown - Will be serving Christmas cocktails and offering fall items at 50 percent off.  They will also offer a free holiday gift bag with any purchase of $50 or more. Their new downtown shop is at 17 N 2nd Street.

Darling Décor and More – Will offer 20-50 percent off all fall-themed items.

The ‘Chock Full of Cheese’ food truck – In honor of Veteran’s Day Weekend, they will offer a 15 percent discount for all veterans.

The ‘Taqueria Mi Lindo Nayarit’ food truck - They will offer 10 percent-off all menu items to any guest who mentions First Friday.

The ‘Lulamae's Cajun Cuisine’ food truck will offer 10 percent-off all menu items to any guest who mentions First Friday.

La Dalat will offer 10 percent off appetizers and $3 for coffee or hot tea to anyone who mentions First Friday.