The inaugural Bexbach Bash, this Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., is a culturally-diverse, First Fridays-style Oktoberfest celebration honoring Goshen’s German sister city of Bexbach. Downtown Goshen’s great shopping and eating spots offer post-Labor Day specials and delights, and live music and a host of exciting activities bring the Elkhart County Courthouse grounds to life.
Stein holding contests, a Volkswagen Showcase, and an Oktoberfest costume contest bring the spirit of Bexbach to The Maple City, and Janus Motorcycles presents the classic German game of Hammerschlagen on the festival grounds for revelers over the age of 18.
Bavarian brews and delicacies further evoke festive and joyous German traditions, and live music from the Miller Poultry Main Stage—presented by the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau—features Rebel Noire and the Accomplices (5-6 p.m.), Jake Miller and the Midwest Heat (6:30-7:30), and Grupo Marca Grande (8-9).
“This event is a unique opportunity to highlight our sister city relationship with Bexbach, and bring the fun and flavor of Oktoberfest to Goshen and the Elkhart County community,” said Amanda Rose, Director of First Fridays. “As the summer season winds to a close, we’re excited to still be able to enjoy the outdoors while celebrating cultural exchange, community pride, and small-town charm. There will be so much to do Downtown, great live music, and so many unique foods and activities on the courthouse grounds. This may be the last warm First Fridays event of the year, and we hope folks take advantage of this unique, fun, and family-friendly late summer celebration.”
Prost! Let’s have some late-summer fun!
The First Fridays Beer Garden, hosted by Goshen Brewing Co., serves cold Bavarian and craft brews and hosts a 21+ Stein-Holding Contest; area restaurants feature a selection of summertime food and drinks; and a host of food trucks—including Tropicana Ice Cream, Wiener Shack, and Shirley’s Popcorn—offer an incredible assortment of unique delights. Downtown Goshen businesses offer Labor Day sales and, with the end of summer approaching, show off their fall releases.
Maple City Market, 314 S. Main Street, features Co-op Deals for back to school and spotlights a selection of cold drinks, ice cream, and deli meals, and Ten Thousand Villages, 206 S. Main, offers samples of German Potato Salad made with its Soup of Success Dill Dip mix.
The Goshen Historical Society, 124 S. Main, presents tours of its Bexbach installation for those who want to learn more about Goshen’s sister city; Woldruff’s Apparel, 135 S. Main, offers 30% off summer clothing; and Fables Books—215 S. Main—presents an inspiring evening of storytelling with Indiana authors Jamie Ward, Louise Gaghan, and Pebbles Wireman. The new Catitude Cafe, 210 S. Main, a cat lounge and gift shop, is open for its First Fridays debut, and Elephant Bar, 227 S. Main, hosts a vintage market featuring vintage clothing, jewelry, and more from 5-11 p.m.
Member booths on the Courthouse Lawn include offerings from Fused 508, Giving Tree Massage, DN3D Prints, and Art House, and family-friendly activities include free crafts for kids, games, and snacks for young adults and teens at The Chill Zone—presented by DJ Construction and the Boys and Girls Club of Elkhart County. Garden City Church offers free family activities and crafts, and young revelers ages 6-12 can also head across from the Chill Zone to sign up for an exciting youth Stein-Holding Contest (water only in these steins)!
Bexbach Bash attendees can also pick up a Lotería Card at participating businesses The Nut Shoppe, Catitude Cafe, Ten Thousand Villages, South Side Soda Shop, Hollywood Fade, and Maple City Market, among others, in collaboration with the Sept. 13 Hispanic Heritage Market.
Music and The Maple City
It’s no secret that Goshen has become a regional hotspot in the Midwest for emerging music and musicians. Over the years, The Maple City has produced myriad musicians and bands that have gone on to achieve success and stardom. Downtown Goshen, Inc. continues to tap into the area’s amazing pipeline of musical talent to make First Fridays events even more exciting.
“Our First Fridays events are so big, with so much going on, that it’s easy to lose sight of the quality of the live, musical entertainment we so often present,” said Amanda Rose. “Every month during the warm season, we make a point to bring in dynamic musicians to entertain our crowds. We are thankful to Miller Poultry, the ECCVB, and our many sponsors, whose support allows us to invest in local talent. Our formula for a great music series is simple: We seek out talented local and regional musicians and dedicate ourselves to paying them a fair fee. Artists and musicians do not work for exposure, and First Fridays is dedicated to the value of their art form and time. That’s how we’re able to ensure quality musical entertainment, and our audiences truly appreciate it.”
Rebel Noire and The Accomplices is an eclectic blend of alternative R&B/soul, jazz, rock and a hint of Hip Hop. Together, the group—which recently collaborated with the Elkhart County Symphony at the ECS 2024-25 season finale—creates original songs exploring themes of power, resistance, and the complex textures of human love.
Led by frontman Jake Miller, a Maple City resident and the founder and lead singer for the acclaimed Goshen group Kansas Bible Company, Jake Miller and the Midwest Heat play original music and delight crowds with a satisfying assortment of old-timey Country hits and popular 70s music. Goshen’s emerging Grupo Marca Grande, i.e., “Grupo MG,” brings its high-energy Latin sound to headline the Bexbach Bash and inspire joy, dance, and cultural diversity among First Fridays revelers.
Free entertainment from the Miller Poultry Main Stage, presented by the Elkhart County CVB:
- Rebel Noire and the Accomplices: 5 – 6 PM
- Jake Miller and the Midwest Heat: 6:30 – 7:30 PM
- Grupo Marca Grande: 8 – 9 PM
The Bexbach Bash, this Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., is a culturally-diverse, First Fridays-style Oktoberfest celebration honoring Goshen’s German sister city, Bexbach. Downtown Goshen’s great shopping and eating spots offer summertime specials and delights, and a host of exciting activities—including an Oktoberfest stein holding contest, a Volkswagen Showcase, and an Oktoberfest costume contest—bring the Elkhart County Courthouse grounds to life and bring the spirit of Bexbach to the Maple City. Live music from the Miller Poultry Main Stage—presented by the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau—presents Rebel Noire and the Accomplices, Jake Miller and the Midwest Heat, and headliner Grupo Marca Grande.