Residents are invited to break out their lawn chairs, flip flops and Hawaiian shirts a little early as Noblesville Main Street will be hosting a Jimmy Buffett Beach Bash for the organization’s First Friday event on March 7.
“We want to make lemonade out of lemons. Everyone is winter fatigued and we want to give hope that spring is on the way,” NMS Executive Director Renee Oldham said.
The fun in the sun is for all ages. Oldham said beach music will be playing downtown and pink flamingos and colorful leis will bring a warmer vibe.
“We may not be able to change our latitude, but we can change our attitude to chase away the winter blues,” she said.
Oldham said the event will last day with a children’s program at night.
“It done on an individual basis,” she said. “All these are small business owners with one or two employees. It gives them flexibility to be involved or extend hours – more opportunity to participate.”
Participating downtown restaurants are firing up their grills to prepare their own special cheeseburgers in paradise. Oldham said guests should look for the Aloha Pineapple Cheeseburger at Barley Island, the Buffett Burger at The Hamilton or Rosie’s Breakfast Cheeseburger. Courtney’s Kitchen will be offering the Beach House Burger with $1 Landsharks beers and beach snacks, dessert fish bowls, and beach pail sundaes with free sand dollar sugar cookies for mini Parrotheads.
In addition to extended hours at participating retailers, Animalia, an educational outreach program, will be on hand with exotic animals from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Wild, 884 Logan St. Families can meet and learn about a Blue and Gold Macaw, Umbrella Cockatoo, Boa Constrictor, Veiled Chameleon and a Kinkajou. Animalia is a non-profit charity dedicated to connecting people with animals and nature. Families are welcome to bring gifts for the animals of gift cards to buy fresh fruit and or phone books (for parrot shredding). The Animalia program is sponsored by Nova 29 Property Management.
“They have all kinds of unique birds and animals,” Oldham said.
This year’s First Friday series is different than previous years as events last all day instead of a few hours in the evening.
“It’s a great way for us to judge and target different segments of our market area,” Oldham said. “We’ve never done a year-round First Friday program and want to gauge the public’s interest in the programs.”
