Downtown Bryan will host several special activities during the Sept. 1 First Friday, including a hurricane relief effort for a sister downtown city and a celebration of the recently completed W. 31st St. Murals.
Downtown Bryan is a member of the Texas Downtown Association, an organization composed of cities and towns of all sizes, economic development corporations, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and individuals who care about downtowns.
"Several communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey are fellow TDA members, and we felt it was important to support them during this devastating event," says Sandy Farris, executive director of the Downtown Bryan Association. One of those member cities, La Grange, is experiencing catastrophic flooding after the Colorado River breached its banks early Monday.
"We will accept donations in the form of cash, check, or credit cards at the Queen Theater to assist La Grange with everything from replacing school supplies, shoes, and clothing for children who have lost their homes, to downtown businesses who need assistance with cleanup," Farris says. The DBA will coordinate directly with the city of La Grange to insure that 100 percent of the donations reach those in need.
To kick off First Friday, a celebration of the W. 31st St. Murals will take place at 6pm in front of the artwork on the Conlee-Garrett building, just off Bryan Ave. at 31st St. District 1 Council Member Reubin Marin will recognize the organizers and five artists who painted the murals. Free snow cones and a Texas Reds ticket giveaway will highlight the celebration.
Also that evening, Fiestas Patrias will hold a cultural celebration at the Palace Theater beginning at 6pm.
Fiestas Patrias is a nonprofit organization that works to promote education through scholarships for higher education and to reinforce the beauty of the Mexican culture through arts and cultural experiences. Many of these experiences will be brought to the Bryan College Station community through Friday's cultural celebration.
"There will be a mariachis band coming in from Dallas," says Alma Villarreal, administrator/organizer for Fiestas Patrias Mexicanas. "There will also be a singer from Dallas, a ballet group, and more. There will be lots of live music and dancing."
The cultural celebration will also hold the ceremony for the coronation of the 2017 Fiestas Patrias Queen, as well as the awarding of scholarships for those who competed in the essay contest. These scholarships are available for high school students entering higher education, adults continuing higher education, and educators continuing higher education in a Master's program. This program serves as an opportunity to get the community to celebrate culture and arts in a fun, impactful environment.
