After a three year hiatus, downtown Hammond’s favorite event will make a long-awaited return.

The Hammond Downtown Development District will be holding the 25th annual Hot August Night on Friday, August 26 from 5:30-10:00 p.m. This event is a celebration of the Hammond community, where guests will get a glimpse of everything downtown has to offer. Local artists, restaurants, musicians and small businesses will provide entertainment and activities for visitors of all ages.

DDD worked early with participating businesses on planning the event. Executive Director Chelsea Tallo Little explained how planning for this night works. 

“We start planning in April and a lot of the community members start planning on what they are doing around July. There is a lot of hard work that goes into planning for this event,” said Little. 

The event has been on hiatus since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, Hot August Night will be returning with the same atmosphere it has been famous for. Little shared the return of the night’s car show as part of the entertainment lineup.

“Anyone who has cars that they want to show off can go to our website and pay a small fee. You basically get to park in a designated parking spot downtown and people can walk around and the owners of the cars,” said Little.

Many event staples will be on display for visitors. A popular event of the evening is the Wine Walk. Local businesses will be holding wine sampling for visitors who are 21+. Purchasing a ticket allows visitors to claim a complimentary wine glass, a map and 20 pours. 

“That really highlights all of our business because you can just take your wine cup and see what they have to showcase,” added Little.

SLU also plays a part in the downtown celebration. LionPawLooza is a parade that begins at 6 p.m and features student athletes, the Lionettes, color guard and Roomie the Lion. The parade concludes in front of the main stage with a prep rally. Afterwards,visitors can meet the athletes and coaches in an autograph session. 

 Headlining this year’s event is Uptown Phunk, a New Orleans, high energy dance band with a 11 piece ensemble, consisting of a full horn section and male and female singers. The band will begin performing at 7 p.m and play until the end of the event. 

Newcomers are encouraged to explore the different forms of entertainment and food that vendors provide.

Additional information about ticket info or merchant activities can be found on the DDD website, Instagram or Facebook.