During Friday Fest - the first Friday of the month from March through November - the usually quiet area of Harrison Avenue, south of Sixth Street, comes alive with more than 200 classic and show cars, 50 vendors, a sword fighting demonstration and four bands up and down six blocks. The kids' zone has been expanded from McKenzie Park toward Harrison Avenue, filling Gateway Park.

Show car owners proudly set up their chairs as car lovers walk by, stop and gawk at the restored relics. A sea of people, from friends and families to couples and loners,flood the streets, stopping to satisfy food cravings from the smells of chicken on a stick, turkey legs and barbecue cooked in the food trucks. The food truck menus are as diverse as the Downtown restaurants, from Filipino, Mexican and Greek dishes to jerk chicken, blooming onions, kettle corn, fried pickles, nachos, burgers and homemade corn dogs. The beer flows, along with the wine slushies.

Restaurant doors swing open until 8 p.m. or later, giving take-out bags to some for festival-goers to eat under tents at the tables set up on the street. Grab a burger or hot dog at Tom's Hot Dogs, Mexican at Maddie's La Casita, home cooking at Cassandra's Place, oysters or a grouper sandwich at Gaston's Hideaway, Italian at Ferrucci or get a variety at The Place or Cheese Barn. Keep Mardi Gras alive through the year with Cajun at Millie's Cafe, where you can play a game of pool next door at the Corner Pocket.