The Hatfields and McCoys, Star Wars and Star Trek, Coke and Pepsi; All of these are famous rivalries. But a unique one comes to the minds of Iowans every Fall: Iowa and Iowa State.

This Friday, Firefly Country Nights hopes to capture the spirit and fun of the big matchup through their second event of the year.

Fans looking forward to the game will not have to look very far for entertainment the night before. Canaan Smith will be taking the stage in downtown Ames apart of Firefly Country Night’s Main Street Tailgate.

In past years, one Firefly Night is held per summer. Because of the excitement from the Iowa and Iowa State game in Ames, the planners behind the event decided to hold a second one.

Kyndal Reimer is an ISU Student who has been apart of planning both shows this year. She is a public relations major interning with the Ames Main Street Cultural District.

Reimer said this event will feel different than the regular one held in mid-summer, because the tailgating aspect will be a major theme of the night.  

“It’s different than the normal Firefly, because it’s the Main Street Tailgate, so we are emphasizing the Iowa and Iowa State Game,” Reimer said. “I think that’s a fun new way to do the second one this year.”

Bill Malone is the organizer and promoter for Firefly Country Nights, and he said Smith fit the bill perfectly for what they were looking for in an artist.

“We needed someone September 8, so that limited who we could get,” Malone said. “But Canaan Smith is a ton of fun.  This event is gonna be high energy and I’m really excited.”

Malone has been helping with Firefly since its beginning four years ago. It is now put on by London Underground and Cafe Diem while acting as a fundraiser for the Ames Main Street Cultural District.

Since the event’s creation, downtown Ames has welcomed country artists like Frankie Ballard, Gloriana and The Brothers Osborne.

As for this year, Reimer said that she felt the Jana Kramer show was one of their most successful.  She said the event went very smoothly, from creating it, all the way to execution.  Planners working on the current Firefly Night hope to carry that momentum into this Friday.

“I think Jana was a good example of what we should continue to do,” Reimer said.

Reimer expects that this event will bring between 500 to 1200 people down to Main St. and Douglas Ave. on Friday. Most of all, she hopes that it will show off all of what downtown Ames has to offer. Especially with students, as she feels many on campus do not always make it down there to explore.  

“It kind of puts a highlight on the old historical part of Ames, and kind of brings it to life and makes it a modern place to be, and not just a cool historic spot,” Reimer said.

Because of all the planning and work that goes into making sure each show goes off without a hitch, Reimer has gained a lot from this internship. She said that seeing an event come together that she helped plan has been rewarding. Watching others be happy and have a good time makes herself, and all of the others on the Firefly Country Nights team happy as well.

“I think it is really fun working with an event,” Reimer said. “You have a million things to do to make it happen.”  “Then you you see it happen, and are like; “Wow, all those little running around things were worth it.””

The concert will be held at Main Street and Douglas. Everything starts at 5 p.m. and tickets are available for $15 on Midwestix. Plus, there are party pit tickets available for those over 21 for $40.

To find out more about the Main Street Tailgate, visit the Firefly Country Nights Facebook page.