Ongoing story · Updated October 27, 2026
The future of Manassas First Friday
As of October 19, Manassas has cancelled the final First Friday of the year after a 16-year-old girl was shot and killed during the event in September. This follows the city's earlier cancellation of October's "Second Friday" festival. Officials, business owners and residents have been divided over whether the festival series can safely continue, and the stories do not report a decision on events beyond this year.
Key points
A shooting during the Sept. 4 First Friday festival left a 16-year-old girl dead; the stories describe her as an innocent bystander.
Manassas cancelled October's "Second Friday" festival following the shooting, as reported Sept. 14.
In mid-September, Manassas leaders and business owners grappled with the future of widely attended outdoor events. One person quoted said "It's just not a pleasant crowd later."
As of Sept. 22, officials, business owners and residents were divided over whether First Friday could safely continue. One person quoted said "We created an environment that fostered what happened."
On Oct. 19, it was reported that Manassas is cancelling the final First Friday of the year.
Questions
Is Manassas First Friday cancelled?
Manassas has cancelled the final First Friday of the year, as reported Oct. 19. It earlier cancelled October's "Second Friday" festival.
Why did Manassas cancel First Friday events?
The cancellations followed a Sept. 4 shooting during the First Friday festival that left a 16-year-old girl dead.
Will First Friday continue in the future?
The stories do not report a final decision. As of late September, officials, business owners and residents were divided over whether the festival series can safely continue.
This summary is AI-generated from the headlines and excerpts of the 4 stories below, is updated as new coverage arrives, and may contain errors. The linked stories are the record.