MDDP Thanks the Community as 5th Annual Fire Up DWNTWN Wraps
Fire Up DWNTWN’s 5th anniversary was held on August 1. The annual event was created to bring our community together through an event unlike any other in East Central Indiana. Admission is free, and the event is packed with family fun, hot air balloons, live music, local artisans, food, and friendly competition. This year, we were proud to introduce new attractions, including a zip line that gave attendees a thrill above some of the festival grounds, and the debut of the DWNTWN Duck Drop, where hundreds of rubber ducks rained down over Canan Commons, giving attendees the chance to win prizes from our DWNTWN merchants and the $500 grand prize.
As many of you know, the weather had other plans for us this year. We made the difficult decision to end the event early for the safety of our attendees, staff, and vendors. While we were disappointed not to see the day through in full, we were incredibly grateful for the thousands of you who came out, embraced the day rain or shine, and made the most of everything Fire Up DWNTWN had to offer before the weather rolled in.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to the Muncie Police Department for their presence throughout the event, helping keep our attendees safe and providing clear, timely communication about the weather as conditions changed. Their support made all the difference in ensuring the day—and the decision to end it early—was handled with everyone's safety in mind.
If you want to see more events like this, thank the sponsors who made this year's Fire Up DWNTWN possible. Presenting Sponsor: Ivy Tech Community College Muncie. Special Shape Hot Air Balloon Sponsors: Woof Boom Radio, Mad Sweet Freeze Dried Candy, and 3 Rivers Federal Credit Union. Attraction Sponsors: Wealth Strategies Inc., Destination: Muncie, The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, Ball State University, Lamar, NASH FM 102.5, MITS, City of Muncie, Northwest Bank, Academy of Model Aeronautics, Accutech Systems Corporation, and 1925 PubHouse. Friends of Fire Up: Ball Brothers Foundation, Courtyard by Marriott, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, Muncie Sunrise Rotary, Psi Iota Xi, and Sherman & Marjorie Zeigler Foundation.
Our appreciation also goes to Mayor Dan Ridenour and the City of Muncie, along with the Muncie Fire Department, Muncie Parks Department, the City's Administration Office, and Muncie Sanitary District for their continued partnership in bringing this event to life safely and successfully.
To our volunteers who signed up or gave their time, energy, and enthusiasm to Fire Up DWNTWN, we thank you. This event simply would not be possible without you.
We're also grateful to the local artisans, makers, musicians, food vendors, and DWNTWN businesses who set up, stuck it out through unpredictable weather, and kept the energy going for everyone who came out.
One event we're especially excited to continue celebrating is DWNTWN IDOL. Due to the weather, Round Two performances have been rescheduled to September 3 from 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts during First Thursday. We invite the community to come out and cheer on this year's talented performers as the top 10 finalists are selected to move on to the final round at ArtsWalk on October 1.
To everyone who joined us at this year’s Fire Up DWNTWN, we thank you. Muncie's downtown is a gathering place for all, and this community's resilience and spirit are exactly why events like these are worth celebrating.
We hope to see you downtown again soon and at Fire Up DWNTWN for many years to come.