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Despite rain cutting the evening short, Calera Main Street kicked off the new school year with the last installment of the First Friday festival season on Friday, Aug. 2 in the Calera Courtyard. (Reporter photos/Mackenzee Simms)

By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer

CALERA – Despite rain cutting the evening short, Calera Main Street kicked off the new school year with the last installment of the First Friday festival season on Friday, Aug. 2 in the Calera Courtyard.

In honor of the end of summer, the theme of this First Friday was “Back to School” with the presenting sponsor, Central State Bank, hosting its fourth annual backpack give away.

According to Calera Main Street Director Jackie Batson, Central State Bank donated 100 backpacks and collected school supplies from the local community.

“Central State Bank giving away 100 free backpacks is just tremendous,” Batson said. “Even the Main Street tent put together a backpack for a giveaway as well. Kids just having a blast at Back to School is always such a big deal.”

Of the many event vendors, several brought special games for kids to play. Parents could stop and chat to the conductors at the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum tent, while their kids engaged in a quick hole of putt-putt. Across the way, children threw plastic axes in a kid-friendly axe throwing game and stopped to gawk at Monty the Mississippi Kite—a special feathered friend brought by the Alabama Wildlife Center.

In addition to the activities, children that attended the last First Friday of the year were able to gain a sneak peek at the new Calera playground before the official grand opening later this year.

The evening was cut short when dark storm clouds swept across the sky and rain drove attendees under the pavilion. But according to Batson, the night was still a success.

“While we were disappointed about the rain that caused many vendors to leave early, it was still a great night,” Batson said. “Now that we have our wonderful pavilion, lots of people were able to hang out and enjoy dinner from the food trucks and our local merchants, while DJ Fuzzy kept the atmosphere entertaining.  No one, however, had more fun than the children who got to play on the new playground in between the showers.”

Although it may have been the last First Friday, the night did not mark the end of events for the Calera Courtyard.

“It’s kind of sad that it’s our last First Friday of the season, but not to fear, because there’s many more new things on the horizon,” Batson said. “We have some great things in the works.”

Currently, Calera Main Street is planning to host a car show in September and a special festival of trees for the Yuletide season this December.

“Just because First Friday is winding down does not mean that there’s not going to be a lot of activity and life and fun to be had in the Calera Courtyard,” Batson said.

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