Downtown Warsaw is going to be happening this weekend with events scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings.
It all starts with Third Friday on Friday, and then continues Saturday with The Kettleheads’ Homebrew Fest and One Warsaw’s Celebrating Us.
Nora Christiansen, Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce events coordinator, said Third Friday will be quite large because it’ll be a combination of August and September’s Third Fridays.
Third Friday is 5 to 8 p.m. on Center Street between Indiana and Lake streets, Buffalo Street between Market and Main streets and Main Street between Buffalo and Lake streets.
As part of Third Friday, Kosciusko Board of Realtors will have their cruise-in. Proceeds raised from the car show will go toward KBOR’s children’s charities, Christiansen said. There will be a People’s Choice Award for the cruise-in, with the public able to buy votes for the best automobile for $1 each.
Taste of Kosciusko will feature at least 15 different vendors during Third Fridays. Christiansen said the list, as of Tuesday, included Bakehouse 23, Bomy’s, Piña & Coconut, Soda Jerks, The Cake Lady, Generous Coffee, Journey Nutrition, Rocksteady Pizza Parlor, Rascakery, Owens Fresh Meat Market, Sigs & Pit, Biryani Kitchen and Graze & Gather.
ServPro will be giving out Harlequin Cakes & Confections, with all proceeds going to the National First Responders Children’s Foundation. The foundation provides financial support to children who have lost a parent in the line of duty as well as families enduring significant financial hardship due to tragic circumstances. First Responders Children’s Foundation also supports, promotes and facilitates educational activities and programs created and operated by first responder organizations whose purpose is to benefit children or the community at large, according to their website.
To sample the goods from the Taste of Kosciusko vendors, a person just has to buy tickets from the Chamber. Each ticket is $2 or 12 tickets for $20, Christiansen said. The tickets may then be exchanged at each vendor for a sample.
Besides the food vendors, Christiansen said there will be over 40 marketplace vendors, from local banks to people selling their wares.
For Third Friday’s musical entertainment, Kensington Media will present local band Dad Bods. During the band’s intermission, the drumline from Warsaw Community High School will perform.
Sponsors of Third Friday include the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, city of Warsaw, The Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation, Main Street Warsaw, Kensington Media, WRSW, Willie 103.5 FM and News Now!
“The event is in partnership with Feed My Starving Children,” Christiansen said. “We just wanted to bring attention to them during the event.”
Feed My Starving Children Warsaw MobilePack’s seventh communitywide event is set to take place Oct. 21-24 at the WCHS Tiger Recreational Activity Center. This year’s theme, Hunger Heroes, calls on the Warsaw community to come together and pack over 1 million MannaPack meals.
Feed My Starving Children, a Christian nonprofit, is dedicated to seeing every child whole in body and spirit. FMSC works with food distribution partners that stay with communities for the long haul, empowering them to move from relief to development, according to their website.
Saturday’s Events
Then on Saturday, Sept. 21, One Warsaw’s Celebrating Us will be 4 to 8 p.m., while Kosciusko Kettleheads’ 13th Homebrew Fest will take place 5 to 9 p.m. on Buffalo Street between Center and Main streets. Celebrating Us will be on Buffalo Street, between Center and Main streets, and Center Street between Buffalo and Lake streets.
Homebrew Fest is an annual fundraiser for Combined Community Services and will feature around a dozen brewers with nearly 40 offerings.
Tickets are $25 in advance and can be purchased online at https://www.ticketsource.us/whats-on/in/the-100-block-of-n-buffalo-st-in-downtown-warsaw/kettleheads-homebrew-fest-2024-sponsored-by-lewis-salvage/e-kbkjkl
At the door, tickets are $35 cash only. The cost includes a souvenir tasting glass.
While Homebrew Fest is for those 21 years old and older, Celebrating Us is for the entire family and is free.
Celebrating Us is a fall festival that brings people together to celebrate the community and all the diversity that is here in Kosciusko County. There will be booths, food, stage performances and other activities.
For more information on One Warsaw, visit their Facebook page or website at https://onewarsaw.org/.
For more information on Kosciusko Kettleheads, visit their Facebook page or website at https://kettleheads.org/.