Friday After 5 returns for 25th season; Baha Men headlining opening night

May 21, 2021 | 12:11 am

Updated May 21, 2021 | 7:05 am

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Friday After 5 returns to the Owensboro riverfront tonight as the event embarks on its 25th season. The summer-long series of free outdoor concerts now spans one mile downtown, and organizers said there will be a bigger assortment of vendors than ever before.

The Grammy Award-winning Baha Men — famous for their 1999 single, Who Let the Dogs Out — will headline opening night.

“We are so excited and honored to have the Baha Men come all the way to Owensboro to perform at Friday After 5, marking this monumental night,” said Friday After 5 Executive Director Francine Marseille. “They will highlight our mile of music which will span from the River Park Center all the way to the Holiday Inn Riverfront.”

The Baha Men will perform in front of the Owensboro Convention Center, followed by DJ Shay who looks to serve up a healthy mix of songs from the late 1990s and early 2000s. The stage at the RiverPark Center will feature Van Winkle and the Spirits followed by Canadian-American country singer Aaron Goodvin.

Other stages — the newest of which is the Holiday Inn Riverfront Live stage sponsored by Kentucky Legend — will offer a wide array of musical genres, and performances from 6-9:30 p.m.

Tonight’s event will also feature a COVID-19 vaccination clinic thanks to health and safety partner, Owensboro Health. The clinic will offer the Pfizer vaccine in the city parking lot on Veterans Boulevard.

The event also boasts upwards of 18 vendors including 12 food trucks offering an assortment of Mexican, Greek, Tai, American, barbecue, ice cream, and more. Marseille said it marks the largest assortment of vendors in the event’s 25-year history.

Attendees with children may consider visiting the Kroger Street Fair at Smothers Park, which features unique children’s events and special appearances by cartoon stars.

Organizers expect a large crowd on-site following the one-year hiatus and in commemoration of the event’s 25-year anniversary.

Because the theme is “City Night,” Mayor Tom Watson and other city commissioners will participate in the “Toast of the Sunset,” a long-held tradition at the event. 

“We are so pleased and excited to be able to open Friday After 5 and the Mile of Music,” Marseille said. “To be together and to celebrate 25 wonderful years of good food, fun, and music with good friends — it’s remarkable.”

For more information and a list of performers, visit their website here.

May 21, 2021 | 12:11 am

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