FA5 returns May 16 for 29th season
Following the conclusion of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Rooster Booster Breakfast at the Owensboro Convention Center Thursday morning, officials with Friday After 5 expressed excitement during a press conference for what’s planned for the free summer entertainment series’ 29th season.
“Over the years, Friday After 5 … has become ubiquitous for the weekly concert series in any community in the tri-state,” said Heath Eric, chief executive officer of the concert management company The Eric Group. “… It is the place to be for Friday nights — the undisputed champion.
“Thirty years ago, a group of leaders in Owensboro had a dream and a vision to bring (the) community together along the riverfront on Friday nights, with the goal to build a program that would bring masses to Owensboro every Friday night for good times and the hope that they would then go out and patronize local businesses and bring positivity to our community, our business economy and to our overall quality of life,” Eric said. “Thirty years later, I think they have checked that box.”
Ahead of the season premiere, scheduled for May 16, FA5 announced some changes regarding personnel and sponsorship.
A new executive committee has been appointed to oversee the series, which includes chairperson Brad Howton, vice chairperson Anthony Hamby, treasurer Gabby Knight and secretary Charlotte Newton, while Jagoe Homes has been secured as FA5’s title sponsor for the 29th, 30th and 31st seasons.
Howton said the 12-week series will run from May 16 to Aug. 1 and will be “focused primarily” and “emanate from” the McConnell Plaza, which will serve as the location of the main stage, with programming occurring from 7-10 p.m.
The Overlook Stage, located in Smothers Park, will serve as a second area for entertainment from 6-8 p.m.
Despite FA5 and the RiverPark Center rejoining forces in 2024 following a two-year split in 2022 and 2023 due to “a financial issue” according to Rich Jorn, then-executive director of RPC, and Francine Marseille, then-executive director for FA5, the venue is not scheduled to be a host site for the upcoming season.
The change this year, however, came down to logistics and timing, according to Howton.
“I have been in contact with Chris Patterson (the general manager) at the RiverPark Center. He and I have developed a really good relationship up to this point, especially with him being new in his position and me being new in this one,” Howton said. “… The new board (and I) got installed in the mid-to-early January timeframe; so in order to really expand it was going to be difficult to do in such a short period of time, so we kind of drew back and centered around McConnell Plaza and the Overlook.
“Chris and I will be talking about what the future looks like for the both of us as far as Friday After 5 and the RiverPark Center is concerned,” Howton said.
The street fair featuring food trucks and vendors will also return along Veterans Boulevard and adjoining streets near and around McConnell.
“I’m so proud to be a part of this,” Howton said. “… We’re looking forward to an excellent season and just can’t wait to get it kicked off.”
The Eric Group — owned and operated by Eric and his wife, Molly Eric — will continue to secure talent for the main stage and provide production and management services for the series for the second year in a row.
Eric took time to acknowledge the victories of FA5’s 28th season — coined under the theme “Back to Our Roots” — in 2024 and his sights for the new season ahead.
Particularly, Eric highlighted the June 14, 2024 event, which featured indie-country, folk and Southern rock group Ole 60, drew in over 17,000 people — the largest recorded number of attendees in the series’ then-28-year history.
“We did not set records, we did not break records — we smashed records. On any given night, we had 10,000 or more people in downtown Owensboro,” Eric said Thursday. “The economic impact of this tourism driver for Owensboro-Daviess County is simply remarkable, and we’re here today to continue that tradition as we look ahead to our 29th season.”
Eric said the full season lineup of activities, concerts and events will be announced at a later date.
“We’ve got some big, exciting news coming in the weeks and month ahead,” he said. “… We’re gonna have some stuff to share.
“… You’re gonna enjoy this and see this as one of the best seasons we’ve ever had (with) Friday After 5,” Eric said.
A limited number of community partner sponsorships are currently available. For more information, contact Knight at treasurer@fridayafter5.com.
Two principal opportunities are also available. If interested or for more information, contact Eric at heath@theericgroup.com.
For vendors and food trucks that would like to participate in FA5’s street fair, contact Newton at fa5@fridayafter5.com.
For more information and updates, visit fridayafter5.com and sign up for the series’ official newsletter.
By Freddie Bourne Messenger-Inquirer