Midnight Madness downtown Oakville

Midnight Madness downtown Oakville.Clockwise from left, Empire Communities Social Media Co-ordinator Nikki Bettinelli, Budd’s GMC General Manager Wayne Carter, Downtown BIA Membership Co-ordinator Jasper Moester, Scotia Bank General Manager Patrick McNeely, iCare Vice President Tom Ahlin and Downtown BIA Manager Suzy Godefroy invite you to midnight madness downtown this Friday (July 20). NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog

Oakville’s largest retail event of the year is back this Friday with food, live music and lots of community spirit.

Drawing more than 50,000 people every year to downtown Oakville, Midnight Madness begins at 6 p.m., closing the downtown stretch of Lakeshore Road for the event.

Those who head down can expect live music featuring everything from classic rock, blues, and pop, to the Beatles cover-band The Britles in Towne Square — The Kings will also be returning to perform, along with new local talents The Frank Rio Band, Mike Branton, Tiny Little Doses and Patrick Lehman.

Performances begin at 7 p.m. on stages at Lakeshore Road West and Navy Street, Towne Square, Dunn Street North, Dunn Street South, Reynolds Street North, Reynolds Street South, and Lakeshore Road East and Allan Street.

More than 25 community groups will also be participating at Midnight Madness to meet residents, such as Autism Ontario – Halton, Halton Environmental Network and the Oakville Fire Department.

There will once again be a free shuttle bus every 15 minutes from the Oakville GO station to the downtown from 5:30 p.m.-12:15 a.m. — there is also free parking downtown after 6 p.m.

Organizers encourage residents to cycle to Midnight Madness with free valet bicycle parking at Trafalgar and Lakeshore roads, just south of Lakeshore Road East.

Midnight Madness is hosted by Downtown Oakville BIA businesses and merchants and sponsored in part by Scotiabank-Oakville, Budds’ Chevrolet, iCare Home Health Services Inc., and the Toronto Star, among others

http://www.insidehalton.com/community/oakvillebeaver/article/1404902