First Friday returns to Downtown Bryan as Texas reopens

As Governor Greg Abbott allows more businesses to reopen, things are slowly getting back to some form of normal across the state and in the Brazos Valley.

On Friday night, hundreds were eager to head out to Downtown Bryan after a couple months of virtual First Fridays.

Shubham Verma, who attended First Friday, says there was a visible difference in this month's activities.

"Last time when I came, there was a lot of people playing live music. I remember there was one guy right behind me who was playing guitar and it was so amazing. I really enjoyed it. Right now, it’s a little calm unlike usual First Fridays, but it’s good," said Verma.

Abigail Noel with the Downtown Bryan Association says while there was no live music or non-profit groups on the sidewalks this month, there is something new and fresh.

"We have partnered with the Brazos Valley Farmers' Market and members of their market are coming down here for the first time during First Friday. This is something that the Downtown Bryan Association has wanted to partner and do for some time now," said Noel.

The DBA says this partnership allows local farmers and producers to showcase their goods. It also introduces them to a new audience.

"They’ve been operating in Downtown Bryan every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to noon, even during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Noel. "They’re still here providing new year essential foods and necessities as you need. So they’ve been in downtown and in this community for many years now and they’re such a vital part of small businesses of the Brazos Valley, and Bryan specifically, so we’re excited to finally have them for downtown Bryan First Friday."

It's an addition visitors seemed to enjoy.

"I think it’s good. It’s quite encouraging after being hit by the COVID, so I think it’s good for the local businesses to encourage people to come up and show their own local products," said Verma.

The DBA is also promoting social distancing to make sure everyone can enjoy the outdoors and support local businesses while keeping everyone safe.

"It feels good but freedom comes with responsibility. So we have to be responsible. We have to maintain the social distancing and don’t take things for granted as of now because the cases are not going down, so we have to be careful," said Verma.

The Downtown Bryan Association says it's working on bringing live music and non-profit groups back to First Fridays. They're also working on more ways to bring the Downtown Bryan experience to its online platforms.

For more information on First Friday in Downtown Bryan, please see the related links section.