First Fridays in downtown Goshen

On the First Friday of every month - throughout the year - businesses, artists, and entertainers throw a party in downtown Goshen. Hours are generally from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. This month:

Friday, January 1, 2010

Fire and Ice Festival New Years Day Celebration!

Goshen’s 3rd annual ice carving and chili competition kicks off the New Year, on January 1 and 2. The popular First Fridays event, Fire and Ice Festival, will give revelers one last holiday fling!

Download the Fire and Ice Festival map! (300kb .pdf file)

Ice Sculpture carving

Members of the Michiana Ice Carvers Association (MICA) will carve 700-pound blocks of ice in front of downtown stores on Friday from 5 - 9 p.m. Watch these sculptures take form while you shop downtown businesses offering holiday specials.

The Friday ice sculpture carving is sponsored by the following businesses:

Bethany Christian Schools Better World Books Chiropractic Wellness Center City Elements Constant Spring Cornerstone Financial Solutions County Seat Edward Jones Electric Brew Eyedart studio gallery Families First First Presbyterian Church First Source Bank Fish Lake Organic Berry Patch Gateway Winery Goshen Chamber of Commerce Goshen College (a triple block) Goshen Community Bank Goshen Cosmetic & Advanced Family Dentistry PC Goshen Electric, Inc. Goshen Fire Department Goshen Historical Society Museum Goshen News Graber Designs Gallery Greencroft Retirement Communities Home Again Jules Boutique

Kelly Jae's Cafe Kramer Appraisal Services  Lofty Ideas Mattern's Butcher Shop & Corner Deli Menno Travel Service Olympia Candy Kitchen Peterson Weaver Proud to be Goshen Democratic Committee RedPost Shoo Be Doo Salon Snyder's Mens' shop South Side Soda Shop Sweet Water Interiors Tax Solutions PC Ten Thousand Villages TG Music and School of Music Tony's Famous Grill WBCL Radio, 90.3 FM Wellness Studio, The Woldruff's Footwear and Apparel Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer & Buckingham LLP Zehr Construction

Saturday, January 2, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The celebration continues

Venture back downtown on Saturday and sample local fire while you watch artists compete in Goshen’s annual Ice Carving Competition and Chili Fire Competition.

Chili Fire Competition

To keep everyone warm and fed, the Chili Fire Competition will also be going on Saturday. Free tastings are available (tickets required – only 500 will be available; pick them up at the Fire & Ice Festival Headquarters located in the lobby of the Goshen Theater, 216 South Main Street). Tasters can vote for their favorite soup at the Headquarters. The winner will be announced on West Washington Street on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Constant Spring (219 South Main Street)
El Duranguenze (113 West Washington Street)
Electric Brew (136 South Main Street)
Kelly Jae’s Cafe (133 South Main Street)
Maple City Market (314 South Main Street)
Mattern’s Butcher Shop & Corner Deli (201 South Main Street)
Olympia Candy Kitchen (136 North Main Street)
The Window (233 South Main Street)
Tony’s Famous Grill (103 North Fifth Street)

Ice Sculpture Competition on Washington and Main Streets

Contestants test their skills with elaborate competition pieces. With more time to sculpt, and larger blocks of ice, the artists have time to make truly amazing sculptures. Judges will review award cash prizes to the top three contestants.

Sponsors for the competition piece are:

Best Western Hotel
Bill’s Heating, Inc.
Goshen City Republican Committee
Goshen College
Judd Family Dentistry
Mennonite Mutual Aid
Middlebury Electric, Inc.
Salon J 
Spohn Ballroom
Troyer Foods

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