Come out on the First Friday of each month (excluding January) and enjoy all that Historic Downtown Manassas has to offer! First Friday events provide a fun way to interact with the community while experiencing Downtown Manassas. Participating First Friday locations agree to stay open until 9 pm and often provide a fun game, special discount, or activity that fits the shared theme for the month. From unique shops and a variety of dining options to live music at outdoor venues, there is something for everyone to enjoy!
~ June 2022 First Friday ~
~ May 2022 First Friday ~
~ April 2022 First Friday ~
~ March 2022 First Friday ~
PJ LUAU
Dress in your pajamas and Join us for an Family Friendly evening of Hawaiian-style relaxation!
~ February 2022 First Friday ~
SOUPER BOWL
The Souper Bowl is our annual soup competition that began in 2014. Competitors enter their best soup for a chance to win cash prizes! Purchase a $10 tasting pass to sample all the soups and vote for your favorites! Tasters will be given a taster pass upon entry, samples will not be handed out to anyone without a taster pass.
~ November 2021 First Friday ~
FALL GALLERY WALK
First Friday Art Exhibit of local Artist in our downtown shops
Friday Nov 5th from 6-9pm
Follow the Balloons – By following the balloons you will know what shops have an art exhibit. Enjoy the unique art style of local artist and how they view the medium they work with. Shops will have a map for you to use with the artist location. Get Inspired!!
~ October 2021 First Friday ~
Wizards of Center Street
First Friday Scavenger Hunt October 1st
No entry fee
Deadline for vendor entry September 25, 2021.
Enter online at: N/A
All vendors will receive a print out of their randomly assigned wizard, an information card for their wizard and Harry Potter Trading Cards as well as other prizes.
There are wizards hiding in the stores on Center Street and we need you to help us find them. If you can find them and correctly guess what type of wizard they are you can win prizes such as Harry Potter Trading Cards. There are 7 types of wizards to find; Bards, Mystics, Shamans, Adepts, Thaumaturgists, Druids, and Alchemists. The wizards also brought unicorns for the children to ride. Join in and help us find the wizards!
Rules: Players must go into the stores of Center Street and find the cutout of the wizard, then they must think carefully and ask the vendor ONE yes or no question, and if they guess correctly they win a prize!
Prizes are limited to 1 per person per correct answer. (While supplies last)
Time: For children the game begins at 6pm and for adults it begins at 7pm, the game ends at 9pm.
Venue: Non-restaurant stores on Center Street, Manassas.
Specific stores: Totally Vintage, Kerbobble Toys, Shining Sol, Manassas Clay, Scattered Seeds, Popcorn Monkey, Things I Love, Knock on Wood
~ September 2021 First Friday ~
Manassas Cooks!
First Friday Chef Challenge September 3rd
Entry fee $25.00
Deadline for chef entry August 27, 2021.
Enter online and pay entry fee at: https://form.jotform.com/212164403593148
All chefs will receive a Historic Manassas First Friday Chef apron.
Calling amateur home chefs! Show off your skills and imagination to create a dish to impress our panel of discerning food judges. Top 3 winners will receive a gift card to spend at Manassas Businesses.
First Place $100
Second Place $50
Third Place $25
Entries will be limited to twelve contestants. You must incorporate ingredients into an appetizer, entrée, or dessert. Five small plates should be prepared for the 5-judge panel.
Time: Chef set up 4:30-5:30 PM; Judging begins at 6PM.
Venue: To be assigned in downtown Manassas
Dishes will be scored on texture, flavor, creativity, appearance, adherence to guidelines, and drink pairing.
Food must be prepared offsite and transported to the venue.
Plates, utensils, and napkins for the judges will be provided.
1.) Your dish must include:
- An item from the Popcorn Monkey, 9407 Main St., Manassas
- An item from a Manassas Farmer’s Market Vendor
- An item from Manassas Olive Oil, 9406 Grant Ave., Manassas
- A protein from a menu item from a City of Manassas restaurant
(optional):
- Any other items from City of Manassas shops
2.) You must pair your chef’s creation with a drink from:
- A Manassas City Brewery (Bad Wolf, Heritage, Tucked Away, Public House, or Sinistral)
-or-
- A Cocktail from a spirit from KO Distilling.
-or-
- A wine from Aroma Winetasting 9249 Center St. Manassas, or Merrill Anne Winery from the Saturday Farmer’s Market
~ August 2021 First Friday ~
Join us on Friday, August 6th from 6 pm – 9 pm for The Dog Days of Summer First Friday!
When? Friday, August 6th from 6pm-9pm
Where? The streets, shops and restaurants of Historic Downtown Manassas
What? Dog Days of Summer is back! Bring your dog out to Historic Downtown Manassas for games, contests, live music and more! There will be treats, a doggie pool, a K9 Costume Contest, and tons of fun for family and friends to explore our vibrant Downtown scene.
The streets will be closed. Sip and Shop will be in effect.
This event is free for the public to attend!
K9 Costume Contest!
If you and your pup would like to participate in the K9 Costume Contest, please fill out this simple online form:
https://form.jotform.com/HistoricManassas18/dog-days-costume-contest
Trophies Donated by:
Participating Downtown Merchants & Restaurants :
(♣ = Dogs may enter these businesses; All locations listed will remain open until 9 pm*)
♣ Antiques & Collectibles Boutique♣ –
Treats and Water Provided
♣ Calico Jack’s ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided
♣ Crossroads Tabletop Tavern ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; 10% Off for People with Pets on the Patio
“As a restaurant, Crossroads is not allowed by VA law to let animals inside for dining – but retail shoppers can bring in their dogs while they browse since that is temporary.
We also ALWAYS feature VA is Fur Lovers: a 10% discount for folks who bring their pets and eat outside.”
♣ District Hemp Botanicals ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided
Doug’s Deli –
Treats and Water Provided; Stop by for their activities/specials!
Jitterbugs Ice Cream –
Treats and Water Provided
♣ Kerbobble Toys ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; Kerbobble Toys will be having a sidewalk sale during the Dog Days of Summer- tons of toys at clearance prices. We’ll also have some fun outside activities for kids and dogs!
♣ Knock on Wood ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided
McCall Studio Gallery –
Treats and Water Provided; #AugustArtShow, LIVE Music, Refreshments, and dog treats and water outside with existing street pole tie for dogs. 10% off gallery shop summer items for dog lovers!
♣ Old Towne Veterinary Clinic ♣* –
Treats and Water Provided; Visit them at Battle St & Center St, for Caricatures, Coloring pages for kids, Pet-themed Temporary Tattoos, Cornhole, and Giveaways!!
Members of K9 Caring Angels Dog Training will also be setup in partnership with OTVC.
* OTVC office will be closed
Popcorn Monkey –
Water Provided, Treats and Coupons from Pet Supplies Plus Provided; Activities including: face painting, henna, & balloon-dogs! ACCEPTING DONATIONS ON BEHALF OF SEMPER K9!!
♣ Rising Phoenix ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; Paws-N-Play on-site!
Scatter Seeds –
Treats and Water Provided; Activities & Games
♣ Shining Sol Candle Company ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; Activities including: Stuffed Puppy Adoptions and dog tag decorations for our younger shoppers!
♣ Sinistral Brewing Company ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; Activities & Games; Dog/Pet Vendor(s) on-site; The Fringe Benefits Band from 7 pm – 10 pm
♣ The Things I Love ♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; “BEST” Dog Contest @ 7 pm!
♣ Three Monkeys Pub♣ –
Treats and Water Provided; Will have Semper K9 partnering with us, having their dogs on-site and 15% of food sales will go to that charity
~ July 2021 First Friday ~
July First Friday
July 2nd, 2021 from 6 pm – 9 pm
Celebrate the Holiday weekend by coming out for the July First Friday!! There will be street closures in place as well as the Sip and Shop special ABC Permit!
Come grab a drink and wander around to see what the downtown businesses have to offer!
~ June 2021 First Friday ~
Choose a Charity First Friday
June 4th, 2021 from 6 pm – 9 pm
For the June First Friday, Downtown Manassas Businesses will Choose a Charity to support at their respective locations. Each business will feature their own unique way of supporting their charity of choice, so check out the participating Businesses below for their charities and specials!
Participating Businesses:
Battlefield Wealth Planning – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Battlefield Wealth Planning will be participating with JDRF. While the office will be closed, Battlefield Wealth Planning will match the donations that Sinistral and Philadelphia Tavern make to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Check out the booth in front of Philly Tavern for more information about JDRF!
Creative Brush Studio – Manassas Symphony Orchestra
10 % of our sales for the entire month of June will be donated to the Manassas Symphony Orchestra.
District Hemp – Dance Institute of Washington
District Hemp Botanicals will donate a portion of the sales for the evening, or $500 whichever is greater.
Knock on Wood – Make Everything Good Charity
Make Everything Good (M.E.G.) is a local non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to assist and support the needs of individuals, families and organizations associated with public safety, military, veterans, and the local community. 10% of all sales on Friday, June 4th will go to support this wonderful charity!
For information on this wonderful charity, please visit https://makingeverythinggood.org.
Monza – CASA
5% of the of all daily specials sales to CASA
McCall Studio Gallery – Give Back Prince William
Meet members of Give Back Prince William as they set up in front of the Gallery; Donations will be made by McCall Studio Gallery to Give Back Prince William; Poetry Readings by two local featured poets; Live Music; #JuneArtShow & other community exhibits!
Old Towne Veterinary Clinic – Old Town Strong
(Not open First Friday; Please check hours to support the month-long charity drive!)
Old Towne Veterinary Clinic is proud to support Old Town Strong with the “Safe Haven Project” to refurbish the transition room for children waiting to be adopted in our community. A portion of every purchase during the month of June will fund this effort.
Come by the clinic and make a difference in your community!
Philadelphia Tavern – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
JDRF will be setup at Philadelphia Tavern!
Popcorn Monkey – Baby Buns for Life
Pay it forward!! Customers will have the option to purchase and donate snack bags for shipping to the organization for distribution.
Scatter Seeds
Sinistral Brewing Company – Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
We’re hosting an 80’s night with a band starting at 7pm – The Reflex. Music will be on Main Street. 80’s dress encouraged! The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation will be on site with an information booth.
The Things I Love – Manassas Women’s Club
Meet members of the Manassas Women’s Club as they set up at The Things I Love!!
Three Monkeys Pub & Chophouse – Tim’s GoFundMe
15% of all food sales goes to the GoFundMe page. Tim is a local liquor rep for the Manassas area and was in a bad car accident that caused him to lose his arm. We will be raising money to help him through this difficult time. We will be partnering with old town strong for helping spread the word.
Totally Vintage Design – Ryland Strong Foundation
Ryland Strong is dedicated to raising money and awareness for brain cancer, especially in teens and young adults.
Weinegars Sweets and Treats – Shriners Hospitals
Representatives of Shriners Hospitals will be on site with an information booth.
Other participating groups:
ACTS PWC – Who We Are – YouTube
~ May 2021 First Friday ~
Join us on Friday, May 7th from 6 pm – 9 pm for the Downtown Derby!
Located in Downtown Manassas, this event will feature stick horse races & derby hat parade/contest at the Harris Pavilion, as well as, Mint Juleps, special activities, and sales at participating Downtown businesses.
Harris Pavilion Activities:
6:00 pm – Derby Hat Parade/Contest (show off your best Derby Hat!)
6:00 pm – In-person Race Sign-ups begin (SIGN UP IN ADVANCE HERE!!!)
6:15 pm – Winner of Derby Hat Contest Announced
6:30 pm – Children’s Stick Horse Races
7:00 pm – Adult Stick Horse Races
Wear your best hat and come on out to the races!
Prize Basket for Hat Contest Donated By:
Participating Downtown Businesses & Specials!
(All Participating Businesses will remain open until at least 9 pm)
Antiques & Collectibles Boutique
Calico Jack’s – Come in wearing your Derby-themed attire and receive 10% off Calico Jack’s brand items. No Derby gear? Earn 10% off Calico Jack’s brand items with the purchase of Old Town Strong merchandise!
Crossroads Tabletop Tavern
Doug’s Deli – Click here!
District Hemp Botanicals – Contributing $25 gift card for contests; Free samples for anyone that stops in!
Eva’s Alley
Kerbobble Toys – Enjoy 20% off all HORSE (and unicorn!) related items in-store, including: My Little Pony, Breyer Horses, and children’s books! Anyone wearing a Derby Day Hat will receive a prize for visiting! Free coloring pages and crayons for kids! Be the closest to guess how many marbles in our jar and you could win the grand prize of the night!!
Knock on Wood
Manassas Clay
Monza – Mint Juleps Here!!!
Old Towne Man Cave
Scatter Seeds – Bubbles and Sidewalk Chalk for the kids and a store raffle with purchase for the adults. Celebrating 6 years in business this May!!!
Shining Sol Candle Co.
Sinistral Brewing Company – Music by One Hot Mess and Puccio’s Pizza on-site!
The Things I Love – With a purchase customers can pick a horse and spin the wheel. If their horse wins, they win a prize. Plus we have some lovely Derby themed items for sale.
Three Monkeys Pub and Chophouse – Ladies wearing Derby-themed “big” hats, and men in suits, will get 15% off food. Mint Juleps Here!!!
Totally Vintage Design
This event is free and open to the public. Please continue to wear face masks and practice social distancing while enjoying this event.
The streets will be closed from 6 pm – 12:00 am for this event.
Sip and Shop will be in effect (take your drinks and walk around Downtown!)
For up to date information about First Friday events,
Text: FirstFriday (all one word) to 888-777,
or click here.
~ April 2021 First Friday ~
Hop around from store to store for sweet surprises! For each purchase from a participating merchant, customers will get to select an egg from the merchant’s basket and win a prize. Three of the eggs will contain Grand Prizes!
2021 Participating Merchant Locations
Streets will be closed; “Pandemic” Sip and Shop will continue to be in effect.
Locations with an asterisk will stay open until 9 pm for First Friday on April 2nd!
Old Towne Veterinary Clinic – (closed 4/1 & 4/2)
Featuring additional prizes from:
Grand Prize Basket donated by:
~ March 2021 First Friday ~
Thank you to the following Downtown Manassas Businesses for staying open until 9 pm for the 2021 March MadHATTERness Game!
Ashby Jewelers, Cafe Pottery, Calico Jack’s, Centerfuse, Crossroads Tabletop Tavern, Eva’s Alley, Kerbobble Toys, Knock on Wood, Manassas Olive Oil Co., McCall Studio Gallery, Nova Legal Professionals, The People’s Place, Shining Sol Candle Co., The Things I Love, Totally Vintage Design, Tummy YumYum, Scatter Seeds, & Weinegar’s