getdowntown August 19

getdowntown

Friday! It’s time to let loose and live a little. Good thing Friday’s on Franklin (formerly First and third Fridays) is back and in full effect. It’s just about impossible to live in Roanoke and not have heard somebody talk about First Fridays. This is the night to finally see what you’ve been missing. And if you’ve been before you don’t even need to read this because I know, you’re going to be there tonight.

After Friday’s on Franklin is finished you’re going to need some dinner, you really can’t go wrong with any restaurant Downtown, (many offer discounts for coming with your F.O.F. ticket) but let’s go to Thelma’s Chicken and Waffles. I had never heard of chicken and waffles and didn’t even think they belonged in the same meal before I went to Thelma’s. I had definitely been missing out. Not only does Thelma’s have the best soul food in town they have a full bar with some very lively bartenders; you will not get bored here.

For a nightcap let’s go to a place that’s slightly off the beaten path, (yes there is more to downtown than Campbell Ave and Market Street) Macado’s. Some people make the mistake of forgetting about Macado’s when thinking of where to go Downtown on a Friday night. Don’t be one of those people. Macado’s has great prices on drinks, and even though there are now restaurants in four states, the Downtown Roanoke location was the first!

That’s probably enough for tonight, head home and get some rest because there’s a lot of weekend left.

Saturday- whenever you happen to roll out of bed would be a great time to peruse the farmer’s market. Why do your grocery shopping at Kroger or Wal-Mart when you can come downtown and have a conversation with the person who grew and handpicked that zucchini you just can’t wait to eat?

Just like most summer weekends there is a festival going on in Elmwod Park. The Festival of India might sound a little different from your typical Roanoke summer festival but there’s going to be great freshly cooked food, live music, and dancing. And it’s always fun to learn about a culture that you might not know that much about.

By now, it’s probably time for dinner; we’re going to head across Downtown to Fork in the City. A lot of you may be more familiar with Fork in the City’s older alley located counterpart, but if you haven’t been to their new location, you are missing out. Come enjoy their enormous music library on a digital jukebox and play some corn hole while you’re waiting for dinner!

After dinner let’s enjoy a show, Man with Wings is going into its last weekend of performance at Studio Roanoke. The show starts at 8pm, for more information about what you’re about to get yourself into read this fantastic review of the show prepared by the Roanoke Times.

For your late night enjoyment try out Awful Arthurs’s, awful’s is always a popular place to be. And with its location on the main drag of downtown grab a window seat and have a front row view to the best show of the weekend, your friends and neighbors stumbling down the street from one bar to another (bonus points if you spot your boss).

I hope your weekend was everything you could have hoped and dreamed for- and always remember to getdowntown!