Friday Night on the Square returns next weekend with record number of 100+ vendors

A Community Posting by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce

Friday Night on the Square will return to downtown Salem on Friday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m., bringing more than 100 vendors, food vendors and organizations to the square for what is shaping up to be one of the largest gatherings in the event's history.

The square will close to vehicle traffic at 5 p.m. and reopen at 11 p.m.

This year's event will feature shopping, food, live entertainment, family activities and several new attractions, with vendors filling the square and even expanding onto South Main Street and the bricks of East Market Street.

The evening's entertainment will begin with the Salem High School Guitar Club performing on the main stage on North Main Street from 6 to 7 p.m. The Salem Dulcimers will perform during the same time inside Salem Apothecary. From 8 to 10 p.m., the James Bros Band featuring special guest Noah Wotherspoon will take the main stage.

In front of the main stage will be a sectioned-off 21+ area with beverages available to purchase from Fred & Friends Traveling Tavern. There will also be family seating in front of the stage, with those planning to sit for a while encouraged to bring their own chairs.

Behind the main stage, an antique car show will stretch from Walnut Street to the Salem Public Library parking lot.

Families will find a 5,000-square-foot Kids Zone provided by the Washington County Family YMCA, with bracelets available for $15. Professional face painting will be offered free of charge, and the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana will host Chalk Fest 88.

Western Pleasure Riding & Carriage Service will be set up next to H&R Bakery offering carriage rides for $15 per person. Attendees are encouraged to stop at H&R Bakery for a coffee or sweet treat before taking a ride down Walnut Street.

The Salem Fire Department will be set up on the southeast corner of the square selling its famous fire burgers. Across from the department, children can check out a race car provided by Salem Speedway. Just off the square on South Main Street, Manny Merchandise LLC will offer discounted Milwaukee power tools.

A new Passport to the Square activity will also give attendees an opportunity to visit participating vendors throughout the event. Attendees can pick up a passport card at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce booth and travel around the square to participating vendors, who will check their respective boxes on the card. Completed passports can then be returned for a chance to win a variety of prizes donated by local businesses and organizations.

Prizes include:

• An Apple iPad Air sponsored by the Washington County Tourism Commission

• A $275-value photo shoot from Heart & Homestead Photography

• A themed basket from Dr. Black's Eye Associates

• A meal coupon for five free meals from Salem Apothecary

• Four cakesicle cake pops from Meghan's Cake Bar Co.

• $50 in gas cards from Lions; five free pizzas from Papa John's

• A self-care basket from RD Aromatherapy

• A homesteading composter from realtor Ty Terrell at A White House Realty

• A themed basket and gift card from Lincks Clothing & Shoes

• A $50 gift certificate from The Little Twirl on Main

• ... and a desk goose with six outfits from The Dragonfly LLC!

A food court will be set up on the bricks of East Market Street featuring treats from:

• Cheddar Depot

• Hayes Lemonade

• Heavenly Hot Dogs

• The Icy Spoon

• KB's Snack Shack

• Six Scoops

• Smokin' Hawgs BBQ

• The Soda Sisters

The full list of participating vendors and businesses includes:

• 3 Stories Trading Co.

• Americans for Prosperity

• Ascension St. Vincent – Salem

• Awareness Washington County

• A White House Realty

• Bargain Barrel

• B&S Mobile RV Service and Repair

• Blue Wave Dive Center

• Bradie Shrum Little Lions PTO

• Brad Meyer for Congress

• Brock Dawson for Prosecutor

• Brown's Beautiful Creations

• Camryn’s Car Cuties

• Centra Credit Union

• Christian Heritage Chapel

• Christian Motorcyclist Association

• City of Salem Fire Department

• Complete Clarity

• CraftyD61

• Daisy Lou and Company

• Darlin’ Cakes

• The Dragonfly

• Dr. Black's Eye Associates

• Everyday Dad Bakery

• Fiorisci – Flower Bar

• First Harrison Bank

• Floyd Taylor for Congress

• Forever Changed Outreach

• Framing the Square

• Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana

• Ginger Gypsy Momma

• Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana

• Graceland Church – Salem

• H&R Bakery

• Heart & Homestead Photography

• Honey X Salt

• Hughes Taylor Funeral Home

• Humane Society of Washington County

• Hunters Ridge Winery

• Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance

• Jackson County REMC

• John Jones Auto Group

• Journey Together RCO

• Kool Kids Pineapple

• KT Photography, LLC

• LegalShield

• Life House

• Lifespring Health Systems

• Lincks Clothing & Shoes

• Log Creek Creations, Events, & Rentals

• Max Greene for Sheriff

• Meadow View Health and Rehabilitation

• Meghan’s Cake Bar Co.

• Michele Fleenor for Auditor

• Miller Logistics and Hauling

• Mosier Family Chiropractic

• Mount Tabor Christian Church

• National Youth Advocate Program

• The Nicholson Real Estate Group

• NM Auto Detailing

• Norah’s Crewsaders

• Old Settlers Days

• Pekin Methodist Church

• PNC Bank – Salem

• Posey Fire & Rescue

• Purdue Extension Washington Co. / 4-H

• Qualo

• Raquel's Restaurant

• RD Aromatherapy

• Realities Unlimited

• Rhonda Greene for Auditor

• Salem Apothecary

• Salem Band Parents Association

• Salem Community Church

• Salem Fire Department

• Sapphire Home Health Care LLC

• Schneck Primary Care – Salem

• Shepherd’s Bluff Dairy Goats

• Skyline Suites Assisted Living

• Sweeter Things

• Tara Coats Hunt for Prosecutor

• Temple & Temple

• Totally Baked Sweets LLC

• VisionFirst

• Vix3n Beauty

• The Walking Wives

• The Warming Station

• Washington County Chamber of Commerce

• Wash. Co. Community Action Coalition

• Washington County Family YMCA

• Washington County Pride QSA

• Wash. Co. Prosecutor – Child Support Division

• Washington County Relay for Life

• Washington County Theatre

• The Washington County Times

• Washington County Tourism Commission

• Wayne Blevins for Sheriff

• Zinser Wood Crafts

The event also marks the return of Friday Night on the Square as the kickoff to Old Settlers Days weekend. Old Settlers Days will continue Saturday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 4, at the John Hay Center.

In preparation for this year's event, the Chamber established a Friday Night on the Square Advisory Committee consisting of Chamber members who own businesses on the square. The committee included Rhonda Geralde, Rita Lincks, Rebecca Marshall, Zack Richards, and Raquel Trautwein.

"Having people who actually operate businesses on the square involved in the planning process was extremely important to me," said the Chamber's new Executive Director Jacob Dufour. "I wanted to hear directly from the people who have experienced these events from their storefronts in years past and understand what they feel would breathe some life back into Friday Night on the Square. I really appreciated how willing they were to give us their time and ideas."

The Chamber also expresses its appreciation to Mayor Justin Green and the City of Salem, the Salem Police Department, the Washington County Family YMCA, the Chamber Board of Directors (Zack Richards, Shannon Sullivan, Tori Lawrence, Courtney Williams, Corey Churchman, Brian Helsel, Ellen Mosier, Shannon Weidekamp and Paige White), the Friday Night on the Square Advisory Committee, Passport to the Square prize donors, and Tony Maranto.

Friday Night on the Square is presented by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Qualo, a health & human services operational intelligence platform that connects outcomes, billing operations, revenue integrity and program management into one unified operational system.

Additional event sponsors include First Harrison Bank, Dr. Black's Eye Associates, John Jones Auto Group, Mosier Family Chiropractic, Pro Star Painting, Schneck Primary Care – Salem, and the Washington County Tourism Commission.

Friday Night on the Square will take place Friday, Oct. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. in downtown Salem.

So be at the square, or be square!