The City of Ringgold, along with the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Development Authority, is hosting the first ever “Downtown Nights” event on Aug. 11, and plans to continue the event on the second Saturday of each month.
The event will be held along Depot Street at the Ringgold Pavilion, between the Dapper Gentleman and Ringgold City Hall. A stage with live music will be set up in the green area beside the Ringgold Pavilion.
The event will be from 5-9 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month, with opportunities for vendors to display handmade or homemade goods.
The youth band of Ringgold United Methodist Church will kick off the night starting at 5 p.m., followed by Zech Dallas at 7 p.m. Zech plays a wide variety of different genres of music from country to rock.
There will also be food vendors, a cornhole tournament, inflatables and various other activities.
Council Member Kelly Bomar says, “In coordination with the CVB and DDA, the Ringgold Market is switching to the second Saturday of every month to have some more live events and things going on to bring more attention to the market”.
Each month will have its own theme, with the August theme being ice cream. Ledendairy will be back by popular demand. "The event will feature local ice cream and cool drinks vendors so the community can have a refreshing treat while enjoying entertainment and games throughout the night," officials said. There will also be other food vendors selling snacks and meals at the event.
The theme for September is a “Back to School Bash,” with a lot of water-type activities. More information for the September event will be provided in the near future.
"The City of Ringgold is excited to host such a fun event for the community," officials said.
City Manager Dan Wright, states, “We want to reach out to our community and have a night where we can all get together and have fun with friends and family. This event is also a great way to support our local businesses in a new way by offering them a place of community to sell their merchandise”.
"The second Saturday of the month was chosen purposefully because there are already two other events that go on each second Saturday of the month that encourage this community atmosphere, and the City wanted to build on the foundation that was already there," officials said.
Council Member Randall Franks says, “We’re going to have music down here at the Ringgold Market, there will be music at the Ringgold Opry, so there are a lot of different activities going on so folks can come enjoy that evening on the eleventh.”.
First, the “Ringgold Cruise-In” starts at 4 p.m. on Nashville Street. People from all around come to line up their antique cars for others to see. Then, at 7 p.m. the Ringgold Opry performs at the Ringgold Depot with live bluegrass, country and folk music.
“'Downtown Nights'” refers to all of the events and highlights the idea of community and a full night of fun focused on multiple tastes and likings, officials said. "The City of Ringgold is excited for what is to come and wants to thank you for your participation and support. All of this could not be accomplished without the sponsors of this event, Ringgold Telephone Company, Mtn. View Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and FirstBank of Ringgold."