October First Friday: Witches & Wizards Night
Description
Downtown Bloomington’s monthly First Fridays and the Witches & Wizards event are coming together on Friday, October 2, starting at 5 PM.
First Fridays are a great opportunity to explore downtown—shop local stores and galleries, dine out, enjoy drinks, and often catch live music on the corners. This year, First Fridays will host the Witches & Wizards event for one spellbinding evening of costumes, dancing, and downtown fun.
Grab your favorite witches and wizards and head downtown for a spook-tacular First Friday. Show off your best witches and wizards costumes, enjoy a special dance, sip spooky cocktails at local bars, and visit participating businesses throughout the evening.
To join the dance, gather at Eaton Studio Gallery (411 N. Center St). At 6 PM we kick off the evening with a spellbinding performance of “The Witches Dance” in the gallery. Then begins the Witches & Wizards Promenade, where the dance will be performed at select locations along the way.
After that, wander downtown, visiting bars, restaurants, galleries and open businesses. Maps of the event will be available!
Don’t miss out on this enchanting night!
Schedule of events:
5–6 PM: Walk around Downtown Bloomington and visit participating businesses.
5:30–6 PM: Gather at Eaton Studio Gallery.
6:15–7:15 PM: The Witches & Wizards Promenade.
7:15–9 PM: Shop, drink, and dine at all the participating businesses!*
*Specials & Events of the different businesses will be updated as we get them!
More info on the Witches Dance:
The “Witch Dance” is a choreographed dance, first performed in 2016 by the women of Wolfshager Hexenbrut (in English;The Wolf Hunters Coven), located in Wolfshagen in Harz, Germany. It is always performed to Peter Fox's song “Schuttel dienen Speck,” which translates to “shake Your Bacon.” The dance and the event has gained popularity and is now performed by many groups in cities around the United States.. Some groups do fundraisers and some have contests for the best broom, hat, costumes. Most just gather to have fun, dress up, dance, or perform in a parade. We hope this becomes an annual event in downtown Bloomington and we welcome those who would like to gather, dress up, dance, and explore what our Historic Downtown has to offer.
First Fridays are a great opportunity to explore downtown—shop local stores and galleries, dine out, enjoy drinks, and often catch live music on the corners. This year, First Fridays will host the Witches & Wizards event for one spellbinding evening of costumes, dancing, and downtown fun.
Grab your favorite witches and wizards and head downtown for a spook-tacular First Friday. Show off your best witches and wizards costumes, enjoy a special dance, sip spooky cocktails at local bars, and visit participating businesses throughout the evening.
To join the dance, gather at Eaton Studio Gallery (411 N. Center St). At 6 PM we kick off the evening with a spellbinding performance of “The Witches Dance” in the gallery. Then begins the Witches & Wizards Promenade, where the dance will be performed at select locations along the way.
After that, wander downtown, visiting bars, restaurants, galleries and open businesses. Maps of the event will be available!
Don’t miss out on this enchanting night!
Schedule of events:
5–6 PM: Walk around Downtown Bloomington and visit participating businesses.
5:30–6 PM: Gather at Eaton Studio Gallery.
6:15–7:15 PM: The Witches & Wizards Promenade.
7:15–9 PM: Shop, drink, and dine at all the participating businesses!*
*Specials & Events of the different businesses will be updated as we get them!
More info on the Witches Dance:
The “Witch Dance” is a choreographed dance, first performed in 2016 by the women of Wolfshager Hexenbrut (in English;The Wolf Hunters Coven), located in Wolfshagen in Harz, Germany. It is always performed to Peter Fox's song “Schuttel dienen Speck,” which translates to “shake Your Bacon.” The dance and the event has gained popularity and is now performed by many groups in cities around the United States.. Some groups do fundraisers and some have contests for the best broom, hat, costumes. Most just gather to have fun, dress up, dance, or perform in a parade. We hope this becomes an annual event in downtown Bloomington and we welcome those who would like to gather, dress up, dance, and explore what our Historic Downtown has to offer.
Last updated: August 18, 2026
